Program Overview

Study our BA English Literature and Film & Theatre degree and explore the creative dynamics between writing and performance on the page, on the stage, and on the screen.

Being at Reading places you in one of the fastest-growing screen industry hubs in the UK, with a vibrant theatre and performance scene. You will be close to Shinfield Studios, where recent productions like Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton’ and Disney’s ‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ and ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ were filmed. These studios, located on our land, are part of the Screen Berkshire partnership, giving you the opportunity to attend film production bootcamps, workshops, technical training on Arri Alexa cameras, and real-life shoot simulations.

Other partnerships include hands-on experiences with Albert Education, Arri Certified Film School, FEST, Rabble Theatre, Reading Rep Theatre, Climate Change Theatre Action, and South St Theatre.

You will be studying in two departments (English Literature; and Film, Theatre & Television) who collaborate with each other extensively. Both have been leaders in their fields for a long time.

The Department of English Literature was one of the first university departments in the UK to study American and Canadian authors like Margaret Atwood, and we continue this tradition with a curriculum that includes the best of contemporary writing in English from around the globe. In the Guardian University Guide 2025, we are ranked 9th for English. 100% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – English Language and Literature).

The Department of Film, Theatre & Television pioneered the study of film in UK higher education, and we continue to lead in the range and breadth of the modules we offer.

You will learn about film from its beginnings in the late 19th century to the present day, and you will be able to learn more about everything from contemporary Hollywood to avant-garde cinema, together with new forms of digital entertainment and video art. By studying Theatre, you may study the work of playwrights such as Caryl Churchill, Sarah Kane, and Samuel Beckett. You will investigate a range of contemporary practices from popular forms of theatre to the latest performance art.