English and Literary Studies

This is a diverse and vibrant major that gives students the opportunity to tailor their learning according to their interests and career pathway, from creative writing and performance studies, to the rich history of the western literary tradition. Our units look at the rich history of the western literary tradition: Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf; writers who have done much to shape the way we live imaginatively in the world today. The major also offers units that look at the exciting ways in which literature works in the newly globalised world. Other important elements of the major are creative writing, where students produce their own creative work; screen and performance studies, which examine texts in media not confined to the written page; and the study of everyday life (gender, race, class) as it is mediated textually and imaginatively. 

After he was introduced to Shakespeare by a teacher in year 6, James Evans fell in love with acting and went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts with a major in English and Linguistics at UWA in 1998. James is now the Associate Director of Bell Shakespeare, Australia’s national theatre company specialising in Shakespeare and the classics.

James knew he would need a mix of theory and practice of Shakespeare for his future career so chose UWA for his studies. The great reputation for teaching and research in the UWA School of Humanities as well as the vibrant campus life was definitely an additional contributing factor.

Life on campus definitely lived up to what was promised for James. He was involved in the UDS - University Dramatic Society based at UWA and was president of the society in his final year. Some of the happiest memories of James’ life came from putting on shows in the Dolphin Theatre with what he calls ‘a bunch of creative misfits’ and is still good friends with many of them.

James is in his dream career, getting to live and breathe Shakespeare every day. He directs, acts and edits text for large-scale productions. He also regularly consults on educational programs, even writing and presenting an iPad App for kids called Starting Shakespeare that won ‘Best New App’ honours from Apple in 17 countries. James is directing a national tour of Julius Caesar for Bell Shakespeare heading to Perth in August.

A degree in arts and humanities from UWA gave James the ability to think critically, construct and clearly present his opinions and to listen and collaborate with others. These have been crucial skills for his career in the performing arts.

• Expand your skills - Taking a second major either in a complementary area or in something like Economics or Business Law will show you have developed skills such as, teamwork, critical thinking, digital literacy and presentation skills – which are highly sought after in the workforce.
• Add it to your resume – Employers are looking for graduates who have skills in a variety of areas. Two majors will expand your career prospects and help you stand out amongst the crowd.
• Study your passion alongside your interests – Do you love Marketing? Law? History of Art? Pursue a career while studying something else you love! Your second major can be from any other school across the university.
• No additional time – Choosing two majors instead of one won’t add any additional time to your undergraduate degree. A standard bachelor degree consists of the same amount of units either way.
• Discover what you want to do while you’re doing it – Not sure what career you want when you graduate? It’s very common for undergraduate students to be unsure. Choosing two majors in different areas will give you the opportunity to explore multiple interests and see what fits best. Majors can be switched until the end of your first year without adding any time onto your degree.

Check out the popular combinations for this major to get some inspiration on complementary areas to study.