English Literature at York?

[PollyDolly1]

Hello,
My daughter is looking to study English Literature at Uni next year. Her favourite uni so far is York however, she is still a bit undecided over whether to choose it. I wondered whether anyone had studied English Lit there, or have a DD or DS that has recently studied there? What did you think about the course? Was the teaching good? If you don't mind answering, what field of work did you go into after graduating? (She is interested in career prospects, her school is very science and maths driven and states anyone who does an arts degree will get nowhere in life 😒). Also, she likes the idea of the collegiate system - any colleges you recommend for someone studying English lit? She is quite worried about making friends, she doesn't like drinking and partying that much...is York a place where she could still find friends easily?

Thank you very much if you read this and reply!

[PollyDolly1]

Oh! I thought it would've been anything but the posh college...it seems to offer the economy accommodation. Apparently it's due for a revamp soon though, we looked around a Derwent block but apparently it used to be Langwith and was part of the original accommodation blocks. It seemed pretty basic, but the college is renowned for being welcoming so seems a nice atmosphere. She also liked Vanbrugh as well I seem to remember, she definitely wanted accommodation on the West campus instead of the East campus.

[MrsBartlet]

I am sure it has changed since the 90s. When we took dd to visit I couldn't believe how much it had changed and there were new buildings everywhere. Perhaps Derwent hasn't been upgraded yet like the others and that could then change the intake.

[wizzler]

I graduated from Alcuin in 1986 ...Derwent was posh then too!

[Piggywaspushed]

It used to be Langwith?

If I was dead , I'd turn in my grave at that statement!

Langwith , Vanbrugh and Derwent were mainly the English student colleges.

We must overlap mrsB because we called Derwents that too

[JunkRevolution]

fight the good fight for the Arts and resit the Cult of Stem

Hell yes!

[gnushoes]

Daughter started out in Derwent a few years ago - she is shy and found it v friendly - made lots of good friends. It’s also cheaper as it’s in the older, prettier campus where I think the English dept is too. Known the uni for years - it’s great. English dept fab too.

[PollyDolly1]

@gnushoes thank you for your reply! I'm glad to know that your shy daughter found it friendly...that is reassuring as my daughter is quite shy and pretty much a non-drinker, she was a bit worried about making friends...did she find it easy to settle in out of interest? I do know a case of one girl who was very unhappy at york and in Derwent, but hopefully that is quite unusual! I do have it in the back of my mind that I don't want my daughter to experience what she did.

[Piggywaspushed]

To be frank, if a student is going to be unhappy , they'll be unhappy : I am not sure the university makes a huge difference. For some, being away from home for the fist time, without the same support mechanisms they had at school, and at home, is overwhelming and not something you truly know how you will react to until you get there.

York has in its favour that it is quite small and has small units within it (although that can also be rather claustrophobic). I did have two friends drop out : one was failing. and one was homesick.

Bristol is the uni I can name that has had big problems recently with suicides and has been called to account for its provision for struggling students.

There is a drinking culture at all universities. But, unless it has changed a huge deal, York never really had that huge freshers' week, student union thing going on. I was never put under pressure to drink but uni is where I 'discovered' drinking as a social thing (prior to that I lived in a 'dry' district of Glasgow!) : your DD could change quite a lot.

I went to an Open Day at half term and the guy talking said between the ages of 18- 21 people change more than at any other point in their lives : and I think that is true, very true.

In summary, though, York is a safe city, very friendly, just the right size, and down to earth, lots of students but also a good relationship between town and gown. There are lots of job opportunities for students, too. I had my ups and downs there but wouldn't swap it for anywhere else I could have gone (apart from maybe Oxford!)

[Masonbee]

Waves at piggy and winkly We must have been there at similar times, I still have my copy of King James bible and metamorphosis. I also remember Vilette and Richard iii on pre-reading list.

So yes a million years ago, but I absolutely loved it! A campus feel but close enough to get to town and be part of the city, which is gorgeous and had a night life without being overwhelming! I would have been lost in London or Manchester...

Do you apply for colleges now? I just got randomly allocated to one, (ah, Goodricke) At the time at least, it wasn't at all like Oxbridge or Durham and there was loads of mixing with people from different colleges. One of my best friends to this day was at another college (Langwith). I regularly went to all of the colleges for lectures / food / study rooms/ bars, as did most people. I don't think it matters hugely which one you are at to be honest. There was quite a bit of variation in the standard of halls though, hopefully that's improved!

I've been pretty employable! Applying to one job someone said to me, "you've got a 2:1 from York, which is a very good university, are you sure you'd be happy just doing x?" so I don't think she needs to worry on that score!

It's Russell Group and the vast majority of grad schemes (should she choose that route) don't specify which subject they want, they just like you to have a good degree from a good university so unless she wants to go into engineering or science, her school are being ridiculous!


Can't comment on what it's like now but I found it very friendly with lots of societies and a range of things to do to meet different people. I expect some of your experience will be about the people you happen to meet, which is very hard to predict at any uni, tbh

[Masonbee]

Teaching-wise Jonathan Dallimore was great when I was there and my personal tutor Mary something (feel bad I cant remember her name )

I know Clementine Beauvais is there and she is excellent!

I went into teaching afterwards and now work in HE. Others I know, went into journalism and social work

[MermaidCafe]

I also went to york but still live in the city 15 years later - it's worth mentioning that the uni has expanded massively and there are a number of new colleges in the new heslington campus - on the main campus bizarrely some of the colleges have swapped names and some of the older colleges have moved to the heslington campus. So really any advice re colleges is sadly dated due to all of this!
All the colleges are very closely co-located - very different to Durham/oxbridge and students tend to end up with friends from many colleges. Its a fabulous place to be and an easy city to be a student in, she'll need a bike to get around!! Good luck.

[PollyDolly1]

Thank you, this information is so helpful! And yes, you apply for your college now, you choose it when you are going through the accommodation process I think (well, that's the idea I got from the open day!)
Yes'm, you do hear stories about people who absolutely hate university, and it makes me worried. You've just got to hope that your child adapts well and finds themselves in a good group of people.

[Piggywaspushed]

mason , I think you may be a bit after me, as we didn't even use the phrase Russell Group in the halcyon days. I still have my beloved Norton Anthology of Poetry. I looked up York yesterday and all the professors are still there and they must be ancient! Sid Bradley, Stephen Minta, Judith Woolf, Felicity Riddy, the amazing Hugh Haughton : I don't think Sid must do much now since Anglo Saxon (which is why I went to York) seems to have disappeared.

It si definitely true that, although people are loyal to the name of their college (as you can tell from this thread!) it really doesn't matter (there were the odd ones from St Lawrence Court and that other strange place which I assume has gone now!) but otherwise everyone did mix. It's not collegiate in the sense of Oxbridge at all.

[Do2Little]

The massive advantage York has over some other universities is the plentiful supply of accommodation. They can move back onto campus in year 3 & 4. There is a large choice of housing for year 2 close to the campus.

I've got children at other universities where accommodation is much more expensive and harder to find.

The new campus is being added to and has a new eating place this term.

[PollyDolly1]

I'm glad they have a lot of accommodation. The girl who I briefly mentioned above who wasn't enjoying uni had problems relating to accommodation. She was allocated a shared room and her and the room mate didn't get on, it really affected her enjoyment of first year. I didn't even know they shared rooms nowadays!

[Piggywaspushed]

I honestly wish my DS would go there , mainly so I could visit him. Sadly, he isn't clever enough !

[QueenNefertitty]

I did English lit at York, over 10 years ago as an undergrad.

I'm currently working with a young woman who did her undergrad there in the same department, and graduated last year.

Both of us have wonderful memories, are very thorough researchers, and not only enjoyed our time there, but remain passionate about our degree subject. I have a meeting next week with a senior stakeholder who was a few years ahead of me in the same department at York, and who refers to her time there still.

We've all done well for ourselves in creative careers, and - more importantly- all look back fondly on our time there. It's a great department, at a solid uni, and it's a great city to study in. I'd highly recommend.

[Piggywaspushed]

Blimey, shared rooms were allegedly being phased out when I went there ! I was in what was called a 'spilt double' (B103A if anyone cares) which was their attempt at solving the problem by taking double rooms putting in a corridor and bunging a wardrobe in between the remaining bit. You could hear everything EVERYTHING next door.

I think students expect more these days. En suites etc etc. I just needed a bed.

I'm sure a shared room can be avoided : but best to look into it. I had six friends in double rooms : two sets of twins and a married couple ( at the age of 18...).

[QueenNefertitty]

Also another Goodricke here!

[Piggywaspushed]

Just looked all this up in fascination. The weird place still exists : Fairfax House.!

[wizzler]

Ha! ... Had a boyfriend in Fairfax House. !

I absolutely loved my time at york. The collegiate approach meant it was so friendly, and you got to know everyone in your college quickly.

Saw the Boomtown rats play Central Hall there... and they nearly put the whole building in the lake!

[BubblesBuddy]

If Derwent is old and the cheapest, that is why the private school ex -boarders prefer it. They can cope with shared bathrooms and shared bedrooms! Less need to ensuite and all mod cons. Its the "pampered" children from cosy homes who want en suite. They are the majority of course! Ditto Wills Quad at Bristol (6 share one bathroom and the oldest furniture imaginable). Generally students know where their friends are likely to be. A sort of underground intelligence system.

[Piggywaspushed]

Not really so bubbles. If you go back to the 80s Derwent was like that when all the accommodation was the same shit

I think you are right possibly about the underground intelligence bit though : although it never made sense in the 80s and 90s when colleges were allocated, apparently at random!

[pastachucker]

Also went to York and loved it (not for English Lit though).
I went to a private school but ALL of my friends at York were state school educated. Still friends with several of them years later.
I found it very friendly. I wasn't a big drinker but there was still loads to do.
English Lit always had an excellent reputation.

There was a weirder place than Fairfax House - it was in the grounds of the Retreat. Something or other house.

[LemonysSnicket]

I didn’t go to York, although my colleague did. I went to Lancaster and we both graduated this year - she with a BA me with my MA both in Eng Lit - and we have just been employed as trainees at a major national newspaper.

Arts students can get fab jobs, and they don’t only have to work in the arts if they change their minds. My friend did history and her first job is as a trainee accountant earning 30k p/Annum.

Tel her to choose what she loves. If she’s good at it she’ll get somewhere.