About the Department

RAE and Teaching Assessment Information

The top English Department in the UK - The Times Good University Guide.

A Unique Learning Environment

Founded in 1832, Durham University is the third oldest University in England and one of the most distinguished and distinctive in the UK. Durham is a small and ancient city. Its castle and cathedral form a World Heritage site and its colleges, library, and arts and sporting facilities provide a lively and congenial environment in which to study.The Department of English Studies is situated in three buildings, Hallgarth House, Elvet Riverside and 48 Old Elvet. Hallgarth House, a Georgian listed building, provides accommodation for the majority of its teaching and administrative staff. Elvet Riverside stands beside the River Wear; the tutorial rooms on the riverside look across to Hatfield College and the Cathedral peninsula. There are further tutorial rooms in 48 Old Elvet, a few minutes from Old Elvet. Some seminars and most lectures take place in Elvet Riverside. Tutorials are normally held in groups of 8 students; seminars are held in groups of about 10-20. Lectures are not compulsory, but tutorials and seminars are: undergraduates are expected to see their tutors regularly, and to prepare essays or shorter pieces for tutorial or seminar discussion. The University Library holds strong general collections in literary studies in its main building on Stockton Road as well as specialist collections on Palace Green. Both libraries are within easy walking distance of the Department.

Student Community

Both the University and the Department are large enough to challenge and small enough to nurture, at all levels of undergraduate and postgraduate study. The mix is lively and inclusive, with students coming from all social backgrounds and all parts of the UK and abroad. The Department welcomes mature students as well as student who have taken 'gap' years.We also welcome Erasmus students and visiting students from universities in the United States.