Because of this you’ll find yourself spending more time working at home or in the library than you will in seminars and lectures. Average hours of contact time with professors and fellow students vary, but you can expect approximately 10-12 hours a week in your first year and slightly longer in your following years as you take on a heavier workload. The rest of the time you are expected to conduct independent study and research for assignments as well as tackling the reading list. This solo work is often intensive, even in university holidays, and can take up around 20-30 hours a week.
As you’d expect, an English literature degree will have a strong focus on canonical and classic literature, meaning one book a week is a pretty average schedule for a single module. Bear in mind however that you will be enrolled on an average of four modules at any one time – not only is passion for literature a must, but also an ability to read fairly quickly. This intensive weekly reading is required for you to engage in criticism and analysis of the texts during lectures and seminars.