The academic study of comics within degree programmes in English literature

Across the United Kingdom comics have become part of the curricula of English university programmes. This roundtable discussion, held at the Third International Comics Conference at Bournemouth University in July 2012, examined the growing presence of comics on English literature degrees. Participants shared their experiences of introducing and designing undergraduate courses on comics, of embedding comics in modules dominated by poetry and prose literature, and of teaching students unfamiliar with the comics medium. This article ends with a collaboratively written evaluation of what the future holds for comics in higher education in Britain – on English degrees and beyond.