Which texts does the Certificate in English Literature Basics use?

A rotating selection across the major periods — typically including Shakespeare, Romantic poetry, a Victorian novel, a modernist text and contemporary work. The reading list varies by intake; admissions can confirm the current set.

Is the Certificate in English Literature Basics traditional or contemporary in approach?

Both. The period survey includes canonical work; the critical-traditions module covers contemporary approaches (feminist, postcolonial, ecocritical). Reading lists deliberately include non-canonical alongside canonical work.

Do I need to have read widely already?

Helpful but not required. The course assumes interest and willingness to read; it doesn't assume prior coverage. Adults who haven't read literature seriously since school regularly enrol and thrive.

Can I take the Certificate in English Literature Basics fully online?

Yes. Live tutored seminars work particularly well for literature with prepared advance reading. Recorded foundational lectures and structured essay feedback complete the online route.

Will the Certificate in English Literature Basics help me get into a BA?

Yes — the Certificate is recognised by LSJHML and partner institutions as preparatory work. Credit articulates directly into the Diploma in English Literature and the BA English Language and Literature.

Certificate in English Literature Basics | LSJHML London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Certificate in English Literature Basics at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a short, structured UK introduction to English literature for adult learners. Over three to six months you will read across the major periods (early modern, Romantic, Victorian, modernist, contemporary), develop close-reading discipline, and write structured analytical essays in the analytical tradition UK English-literature study examines on.

This Certificate is for adults who enjoy reading literature and want a structured academic vocabulary for it. It is the right starting point if you are weighing up a BA English Literature or simply want to read more rigorously.

Key Features

Period-survey module — early modern through contemporary, with set texts in each period.
Close-reading workshop — analytical techniques for poetry, drama and prose.
Literary-critical traditions introduction — formalist, historicist, feminist, postcolonial.
Three short analytical essays with structured tutor feedback.
Three study modes — on-campus, fully online, or distance learning.
Articulation into the Diploma in English Literature and the BA English Language and Literature.

What You Will Learn

The Certificate in English Literature Basics is built around the close-reading and analytical literacy a first-year English Literature student is expected to demonstrate.

Close reading — poetry, drama, prose.
Period survey — early modern, Romantic, Victorian, modernist, contemporary.
Major literary forms — sonnet, ode, novel, drama, short story.
Literary-critical traditions at introductory level.
Reading non-canonical alongside canonical work.
Structured literary essay writing.
The relationship between literature and historical context.
Contemporary debates in English literary studies.

Who This Course Is For

Adults who read literature regularly and want a structured academic foundation.
Returners to education considering a BA English Literature.
Working professionals (teachers, lawyers, civil servants) wanting humanities depth.
School leavers exploring whether English Literature is the right BA for them.

Career Pathways

The Certificate in English Literature Basics is foundational and humanities-grounded. Typical applications include:

Continued Study (Diploma in English Literature, BA English Language and Literature)
English Teaching Assistant (alongside teaching qualification)
Editorial Assistant (literary publisher, longform magazine)
Bookshop and library roles
Cultural Programme Coordinator (literary festival, arts organisation)
Continued Study at a partner university

The Certificate articulates into the Diploma in English Literature and the BA English Language and Literature at LSJHML for students continuing.

Entry Requirements

Minimum age 16.
Secondary school qualification (GCSE/O-Level or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 (or equivalent) for non-native English speakers.
No prior English literature study required.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.