A wonderful opportunity for students aged 15-18 with a passion for literature to discover a range of new authors and texts, explore fresh approaches to familiar works and to prepare for undergraduate study of English Literature.
“I absolutely adored the summer school – it was completely inspiring and I enjoyed every second of it! I would have done the week over and over! I would recommend to anyone interested in literature, no matter whether experienced or not because you will, without a doubt, come away from the course with a passion for literature that will never leave you!”
The English Literature Summer School – Part 1 will cover literature dating from 650AD to 1790AD, including Middle English, Medieval Literature, Chaucer, The Renaissance, Shakespeare, Restoration Literature and the Rise of the Novel. In addition we will also be covering Historicist and Feminist critical approaches as part of this Summer School.
The English Summer School – Part 1 will be held on the 20th – 24th July – you can see a schedule for the course here.
The English Literature Summer School – Part 2 will cover literature dating from 1790AD to the present day, including Romanticism and the Gothic Movement, Victorian Sensation Novels, Literature and the British Empire, Modernism, Postmoderism and Contemporary Literature. We will be covering the ‘Death of the Author’ and Postcolonial criticism as part of this Summer School.
The English Summer School – Part 2 will be held on the 27th – 31st July – you can see a schedule for the course here.
Please note that students can attend both Parts of the Summer School, or either one, depending on their literary interests. Although the courses complement one another, they can also be treated as stand alone events and there is no requirement to have attended Part 1 in order to register for Part 2.
The material will be challenging, about the level of difficulty one might expect in the first year at university, but a relaxed atmosphere, with plenty of discussion, debate, and opportunities for students to shape the direction of classes creates the perfect environment for getting to grips with new ideas. Working in small groups (usually around 12 students per class) over five days means a real chance to get to know tutors and fellow students and to explore the topics or questions that particularly interest each individual.
This Summer School is suitable for all students aged 15-18 with a love for literature!
“The Summer School was really fantastic. I had the chance to explore Old English which I was interested in, but had not fully explored. I now have so many ideas and further reading lists to look at especially for my personal statement which is very helpful indeed. The tutors are all experts in their fields and create an engaging, challenging environment. Highly recommend.”
“This was the second time I had done a Debate Chamber course, and it was just as good as the first. I really love the sequential nature of the English course, especially as it helps so much in placing texts in their historical and inter textual contexts. I particularly enjoyed the Measure for Measure session because we were able to all explore many of the problems and themes in the play in a very liberating and intense way. I loved the debates that were generated. I also really enjoyed the Anglo-Saxon session because it was an introduction to something I had never covered before, and which also introduced me to some excellent early feminist writers (Margery Kempe!). Every day I came home absolutely buzzing and it really helped cement my desire to take English Literature at university. Thank you so much to all the tutors and the rest of my group for making this week a brilliant and memorable experience.”
Read more reviews from previous English Literature Summer School students here.
Practical Details:
All the Summer School events will be held at Student Central, University of London in Bloomsbury, Central London, and will take place in July and August 2020. Please note that these courses are not residential, and accommodation must be arranged independently if required.
You can find full details of schedules, dates, costs, student reviews and tutors at https://debatechamber.com/project/english-literature-summer-school/. Please note that there is a limited amount of bursary funding available for students who would otherwise have financial difficulty in attending.
To book a place please visit http://www.debatechamber.com/, call us on 0800 810 1058, or email info@debatechamber.com. Places will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.