Music and English

Music and English is a combination that links two of the most humanistically rich of the arts disciplines. Music study develops your understanding of musical texts, practices, cultures and institutions, exploring questions about history, sociology, ethnomusicology and philosophy across an exceptional geographical and chronological range. English literature develops your close reading of texts across periods, genres and traditions, building your capacity for literary analysis, critical argument and interpretive insight.

Together they create a degree with a remarkable breadth of cultural understanding and analytical skill.

At Royal Holloway this three-year full-time degree allows you to work across traditional, modern and world music alongside a broad and rigorous English literature education. You will also be able to gain practical skills in composition, music technology and performance alongside your scholarly engagement with both fields. The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad and a work placement, giving you substantial professional and international experience during your studies that complements the academic depth of the degree.

Graduates from Music and English degrees go on to careers in arts administration, music education, cultural journalism, broadcasting, publishing, teaching, arts marketing and the creative industries. The combination of analytical rigour, cultural breadth and creative engagement the degree develops is valued across virtually every professional context involving culture, communication and the arts. For those wishing to continue their studies, the degree provides a strong foundation for postgraduate work in music, English, creative writing, education or cultural studies.