Home

Comparative Literature with a Year Abroad BA

London, Bloomsbury

This dynamic programme examines world literature from diverse geographical and cultural perspectives and equips students for a career in today's global society, with the added attraction of a year spent overseas at one of our partner universities in Europe or the Americas. It combines comparative critical inquiry with a more in-depth study of one or two modern European languages, literature and culture.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
4 academic years
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£9,535
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£29,800
Programme starts
September 2025
Application deadline
29 Jan 2025
UCAS course code
Q201

Entry requirements

A levels IB Diploma Other qualifications
Grades
AAA
Subjects
A humanities subject required. French or Spanish required at grade A if one of these is to be studied as major language pathway.
GCSEs
English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4.

Contextual offer information

Grades
ABB more about contextual offers
Subjects
A humanities subject required. French or Spanish required at grade A if one of these is to be studied as major language pathway.
GCSEs
English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4.
Points
38
Subjects
A total of 18 points in three higher level subjects with no score below 5. French or Spanish required at higher level grade 6 if one of these is to be studied as major language pathway

Contextual offer

Points
34 more about contextual offers
Subjects
A total of 16 points in three higher level subjects with no score below 5. French or Spanish required at higher level grade 6 if one of these is to be studied as major language pathway.

UK applicants qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

Equivalent qualification

Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 33 credits at Distinction and 12 credits at Merit, all from Level 3 units. Please note, where subject specific requirements are stipulated at A level we may review your Access to HE syllabus to ensure you meet the subject specific requirements prior to a final decision being communicated.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

D3,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. French or Spanish required at grade D3 if one of these is to be studied as major language pathway

A,A,A at Advanced Highers (or A,A at Advanced Higher and A,A,A at Higher). French or Spanish required at grade A if one of these is to be studied as major language pathway.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades AAA. A humanities subject required. French or Spanish required at grade A if one of these is to be studied as major language pathway.

International applications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

Access and widening participation

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.
Check your Access UCL Scheme eligibility

Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

English language requirements

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

Course overview

In Years 1 and 2, you will take modules in comparative literature and select from a wide range of options across different specialisms. You will also take culture-specific compulsory modules in the School of European Language, Culture and Society (SELCS) or in the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES). Additionally, you will study language and literature modules in one foreign language (selected prior to enrolment), either at beginner level or at more advanced level alongside students taking modern languages degrees.

The third year is spent abroad where your foreign language of choice is spoken. At least 50% of the subjects studied abroad must be in the area of literary and cultural studies. You may also study a second language, subject to the host university's permission.

In your final year, you will continue studying either your first foreign language or a different foreign language (which may be the one you began studying abroad) at an advanced level, together with elective modules in comparative literature. You will also take a dissertation module, allowing you to focus on an area of interest from your studies.

What this course will give you

UCL as London's Global University provides the ideal environment in which to undertake a Comparative Literature degree. You will work with both academics and fellow students from all over the world. 

This programme offers the opportunity to study one or two modern languages to an advanced level, and incorporates an engagement with literature written in different cultural contexts.

The Year Abroad will give you a deeper understanding of a modern foreign language and its variants, as well as giving you the experience of living and studying in another country.

Our location in London provides access to frequent and varied cultural events, a huge range of museums, galleries, specialist libraries and bookshops, theatres, cinemas, cuisines and cultural societies.

Teaching and learning

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Upon successful completion of 480 credits, you will be awarded a BA (Hons) in Comparative Literature with a Year Abroad.

Modules

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

We are keen to ensure that students feel part of a community at UCL and therefore offer programme-specific core modules in Year 1 that students take together with their respective cohort. These offer a broad sense of their chosen discipline and an opportunity to share learning experiences. They also support students to make informed choices for their future years of study to carve out a degree pathway that suits them. Please visit our Undergraduate Modules page for more details.

You will gain expertise in the productive and receptive skills of your selected languages and deepen your knowledge and understanding of associated history, culture and society. Over the four years, you will develop valuable skills in cultural literacy and critical thinking.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

Compulsory modules




Compulsory modules




Optional modules






Compulsory modules



Optional modules

Transcultural East Asia

Proust and His Contemporaries

Hamlet From Page to Screen


Dutch Language Teaching 2







Italian Romanticism





Your learning

You will experience a wide range of learning opportunities, including lectures, seminars, tutorials, interactive groups and multimedia projects. Core modules will be taken together with all Comparative Literature students in your year. Optional modules will be taught by specialist staff from across UCL and will provide you with an opportunity to learn alongside students on other programmes.

During Terms 1 and 2, approximately 35% of a student's time is spent in lectures, seminars or tutorials and the remainder in independent study. There is minimal teaching during Term 3, which focuses on examinations and assessment, and preparation for these.

Assessment

You will be assessed by written examination and essay. Project work and a dissertation will contribute to your overall assessment. You will be required to give presentations, work on group projects and multimedia projects and actively participate in class discussion. Languages are also assessed by oral examination.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: English and Comparative Literature

—

Join us at this online event to learn more about English BA and Comparative Literature BA at UCL. Staff from both departments will outline the programmes before taking questions about studying them at UCL.

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: Modern Languages and Cultures (AM)

—

Join at us at this online event to learn more about the range of Modern Language and Culture undergraduate programmes offered at UCL. Colleagues from the School of European Languages, Culture and Society (SELCS) and the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) will outline the programmes offered and the benefits of studying a language or culture. There will be time for questions.

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: Modern Languages and Cultures (PM)

—

Join at us at this online event to learn more about the range of Modern Language and Culture undergraduate programmes offered at UCL. Colleagues from the School of European Languages, Culture and Society (SELCS) and the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) will outline the programmes offered and the benefits of studying a language or culture. There will be time for questions.

The foundation of your career

The programme will equip you with a comprehensive understanding and skillset for a range of careers across a multitude of industries.

Recent graduates have gone on to work in sectors such as publishing, journalism and translation (33%), teaching and other educational organisations (33%), and public sector roles, as well as pursuing further study at postgraduate level.*

*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017-2021 cohorts.

Employability

We seek to embed within our teaching on the programme the acquisition of transferable skills such as leadership, team work and communication skills as well as linguistic and cultural knowledge.

75% of Comparative Literature with a Year Abroad BA graduates were in work, further study or due to start work or study, 15 months after graduation.* 

*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017-2021 cohorts.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £9,535
Tuition fees (2025/26) £29,800

Fees are for Undergraduate 2025/26 entry and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases and are subject to the passing of secondary legislation. Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2025/26 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL Library as hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions.

Additional funding for the year abroad may be available via the Turing Scheme, although please note that this is an external scheme so cannot be guaranteed.

In addition, please note that if you study abroad during your programme at UCL, this is likely to incur additional costs. Studying abroad may cost between £200–£1,000 per month depending on where you choose to study. The cost of studying abroad can be difficult to predict as it will depend on your priorities and choices. There is more information available on the UCL Study Abroad website.

A guide including rough estimates for these and other living expenses is included on the UCL Fees and funding pages. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Funding your studies

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Scholarships

The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.

Next steps

Your application

We seek to select candidates who, in addition to academic achievement, have the motivation and passion for language learning, for inter-cultural inquiry, and who have a deep commitment to developing and finessing their language proficiency to an advanced level.

How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

Our admissions process aims to assess your linguistic abilities and attainments, as well as cultural awareness and intellectual potential. We may interview candidates by telephone in order to establish level of language ability. If your application demonstrates that your academic ability and motivation make you well-suited to our degree and you receive an offer, then we shall invite you to a Post-Offer Open Day, where you can experience the teaching we offer and life in the department.

Download prospectus

Got questions? Get in touch

School of European Languages, Culture and Society
School of European Languages, Culture and Society

selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.