Undergraduate prospectus 2020

Entry requirements

Modules - what you study and when

Our students usually select from a range of compulsory and optional modules to add up to 120 credits.

Some departments offer courses that don't feature optional modules whereas other courses are fully flexible.

You can find out more by:

• Viewing course information on School of English website
• Viewing course information on Department of Music website
• Contacting the department using the details in the 'More' section

The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers.

In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.

School of English

We are a research-intensive school with an international perspective on English studies. Students can specialise in their chosen subject, whilst taking modules from other programmes, forging interdisciplinary connections. We are famous for our pioneering work with communities, locally and internationally. We encourage our students to get involved and to apply their academic learning, working in partnership with external organisations both within the city of Sheffield and beyond.

Our staff are researchers, critics, and writers. They're also passionate, dedicated teachers who work tirelessly to ensure their students are inspired.

We keep seminar groups small because we believe that's the best way to stimulate discussion and debate. Our modules use a range of innovative assessments and can include designing websites, writing blog posts, and working with publishing software, in addition to writing essays and delivering presentations.

We're committed to providing our students with the pastoral support they need in order to thrive on their degree. All students are assigned a personal tutor with whom they have regular meetings. You are welcome to see any of the academic staff in their regular office hours if there's anything you want to ask.

School of English website

Department of Music

Our departmental ethos combines high achievement with a sense of community and a shared passion for music. Our internationally recognised research informs our high-quality teaching and our student experience is second to none. Specially designed for music study, our £8.5m facilities provide the ideal environment for our diverse and cutting-edge teaching and research.

The Jessop Building houses study and rehearsal rooms, with dedicated specialist spaces including our historical instruments collection, ethnomusicology space and collection, music psychology lab and music technology lab. The Soundhouse is our purpose-built facility for instrumental lessons, practice, small-scale rehearsals and sound recording, and houses the internationally-renowned University of Sheffield Sound Studios for recording and electroacoustic composition.

We're ranked fourth in the Russell Group for overall satisfaction according to the 2019 National Student Survey.

Department of Music website

What our graduates do

The academic aptitude and personal skills that you develop on your degree will make you highly prized by employers, whatever your chosen career path after university:

- Excellent oral and written communication
- Independent working
- Time management and organisation
- Planning and researching written work
- Articulating knowledge and understanding of texts, concepts and theories
- Leading and participating in discussions
- Negotiation and teamwork
- Effectively conveying arguments and opinions and thinking creatively
- Critical reasoning and analysis

Our graduates are confident and articulate. They have highly developed communication skills, equipping them for a wide range of careers in journalism, the charity sector, marketing and communications, theatre and television production, PR, copywriting, publishing, teaching, web development, accountancy, and speech and language therapy, among other fields.

Many of our students go on to postgraduate study, research, and an academic career.

Student profile

"The academics in the department are friendly and supportive, going above and beyond whenever I have needed assistance. Every single module I have taken has been engaging and intellectually stimulating. Under their excellent teaching, I feel that I have grown into an independent researcher and critical thinker."

Scott Moore ,
BA student in the School of English

"The department of music is a really welcoming, inspiring place to study. What I study is incredibly diverse. I've just returned from a year in Brussels to complete my final year."

Emily Compton
Music

Work experience
There are lots of opportunities to get work experience. Hands-on projects are integrated into several academic modules and every year our University Concerts team provides internships. Alternatively, you can lead a music project or workshop in a local school through our student-led volunteering organisation Music in the City. All of these experiences will help you build a compelling CV.

You can also study our courses with the Degree with Employment Experience option. This allows you to apply for a placement year during your degree where you'll gain valuable experience and improve your employability.

Study abroad
There are opportunities to study abroad, for a semester or a year, as part of a three or four-year degree programme. We have exchange agreements with universities in the USA, Australia, Canada, Singapore and throughout Europe.