English Literature Summer School
If you are a keen reader, then you will know that there are few pleasures like finding a new book or poem that you love, or discovering a fresh perspective that transforms your appreciation of an old favourite.
This Summer School will guide you to some fantastic work that you might not yet have encountered, while at the same time showing you how to apply the essential tools of literary criticism, from historicism to psychoanalysis.
This journey will be all the richer for being undertaken alongside your fellow students, with seminars, close reading, and debates all giving the opportunity for you to work together in a friendly and supportive environment to explore your reactions and understanding. Groups will be small (maximum 12 students), to give plenty of opportunities for personal engagement and connection.
The tutors for this course are selected for their exceptional communication skills, outstanding academic record, and passion for literature – you can see our tutors page for some example profiles. Throughout this adventure, your tutor will act as guide, facilitator and mentor.
This year the online course will focus on early English Literature from Beowulf to the Renaissance, including Middle English, Medieval Literature, Chaucer and Shakespeare. Various critical lenses, including feminist, post-colonial, pyschoanalytic and historicist approaches will be introduced.
See a more detailed outline for the Summer School.
For full practical and booking details just scroll down past the reviews.
If you are a keen reader, then you will know that there are few pleasures like finding a new book or poem that you love, or discovering a fresh perspective that transforms your appreciation of an old favourite.
This Summer School will guide you to some fantastic work that you might not yet have encountered, while at the same time showing you how to apply the essential tools of literary criticism, from historicism to psychoanalysis.
This journey will be all the richer for being undertaken alongside your fellow students, with seminars, close reading, and debates all giving the opportunity for you to work together in a friendly and supportive environment to explore your reactions and understanding. Groups will be small (maximum 12 students), to give plenty of opportunities for personal engagement and connection.
The tutors for this course are selected for their exceptional communication skills, outstanding academic record, and passion for literature – you can see our tutors page for some example profiles. Throughout this adventure, your tutor will act as guide, facilitator and mentor.
This year the online course will focus on early English Literature from Beowulf to the Renaissance, including Middle English, Medieval Literature, Chaucer and Shakespeare. Various critical lenses, including feminist, post-colonial, pyschoanalytic and historicist approaches will be introduced.
See a more detailed outline for the Summer School.
For full practical and booking details just scroll down past the reviews.
‘This was such an amazing course! I think the thing that made it so enjoyable were the staff running it. Although challenging, the course opened my eyes to a whole different perspective on literature – and the speakers really helped me to understand some of the harder texts. I would definitely recommend this course as it is worth every minute.’
‘I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone doing A-Level English or considering studying English at University. The week left me feeling inspired and wanting to learn more about the subject areas we covered, most of which are not even touched upon at school. The teachers encouraged us to discuss theories and philosophies of literature that piqued our interests, and several of these debates spilled over into lunchtime and even after class! The other students were really friendly and easy to get along with. I went home feeling equally uplifted and educated by my time here… Thank you to everyone for making the experience so enjoyable!’
‘The Debate Chamber Summer School was a fantastic experience and one well worth applying for. Not only was it made thoroughly enjoyable by the effort and expertise of the tutors, but will undoubtedly prove invaluable in the future when drawing on the variety skills learnt.’
Click here for more reviews of our literature courses, or on the trustpilot link below for general reviews.
Practical Details
The online English Literature Summer School is open to students aged 15 – 18. Teaching hours on each day will run from 10.00am till 3.30pm, with a lunch break.
Early English Literature Summer School (Origins to Renaissance) will take place August 26th – 29th 2025.
These are live online events, with small seminar groups offering fully interactive classroom discussion and debate. The events will not be recorded, so it is essential that you are able to attend during the course hours, and that you have a reliable audio and video internet connection.
The fee for this four-day Summer School is £425, and you can reserve your place with a 25% non-refundable deposit (up to the end of the deposit period). The remainder of the payment is due eight weeks in advance of the course start date. Please see here for full booking terms and conditions.
If you have any questions, simply call us on 0800 810 1058 or email us at [email protected].
Debate Chamber offers a limited number of full and partial bursaries to students who could not otherwise afford to attend. If you would like to apply for a bursary then please complete your bursary application here.