About us Welcome to English and Scottish Literature at the University of Edinburgh.A UNESCO World City of Literature, Edinburgh is a remarkable place to study prose, poetry and drama. Join us in the historic centre of this festival city, close to many national libraries, resources and collections.Having first offered courses on ‘rhetoric and belles lettres’ over 250 years ago, we are the oldest department of English Literature in the world.We are a community of writers and readers. Our expert staff include a fantastic Writer-in-Residence, and there are multiple student societies for literature and drama enthusiasts to publish, discuss and perform.We teach over 30 undergraduate MA honours programmes in English and Scottish Literature, all of which take four years to complete.We also have a large community of postgraduate students on programmes ranging from one-year masters degrees to PhDs. Research and activities The Department of English Literature is involved in a variety of research and projects including the James Tait Black Memorial Prizes, Britain’s oldest literary awards. News and events News and features from English and Scottish LiteratureWhat's on in English and Scottish Literature QS World Rankings by Subject 2025 The University of Edinburgh is ranked 3rd in the UK for English Language and Literature and Arts & Humanities.Globally, we’re in the World Top 10: English Language and Literature (7) and Arts & Humanities (10).The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings are based on research citations and the results of major global surveys of employers and academics.They are International Ranking Expert Group (IREG) approved. Undergraduate study Take a single or joint honours degree and develop your analytic, linguistic and creative skills by engaging with a broad range of texts and a variety of approaches to reading. Postgraduate study Choose from a range of taught and research-led programmes and join one of the UK's largest and most vibrant communities of postgraduate English Literature students. James Tait Black Prizes Find out more about Britain's oldest literary awards. Established in 1919, the James Tait Black Prizes for Fiction and Biography are the only prizes of their kind judged by scholars, including postgraduate students. The winners of the James Tait Black Prizes 2025 were announced on Friday 30 May 2025. Scottish Universities' International Summer School (SUISS) Join students from around the world at the heart of Scotland’s capital during the international summer festivals. Choose from short courses in:Text & Context: Literature from 1900 to the PresentCreative Writing Contemporary Theatre and PerformanceSUISS 2025 runs from 7 July to 16 August This article was published on 2024-08-12
