Our flexible structure allows you to assemble programmes of study tailored to your personal and professional interests. You can opt for the open pathway, or choose one of our specialist pathways: Medieval and Renaissance; Romantic and Victorian Studies; Modern and Contemporary Literature; Gender and Sexuality Studies; Cultural and Critical Theory, which groups together groups of taught modules with related research activities and skills training available in the School. As a part-time student, you will take one module per semester.

The degree is structured in two parts.

Part one

You choose four modules from a range of specialist options. You take one module per semester.

All teaching is by seminars and workshops structured around student participation, featuring opportunities to present your work. Each module consists of a two-hour seminar per week and is assessed by a 4,000-word essay (or equivalent).

In addition to the taught modules, you will attend weekly workshops on research methods and scholarly presentation.

Part two

You will undertake a dissertation of 16,000-20,000 words on a subject of your choice, developed in consultation with a supervisor in the field.

You will start your dissertation in May of your second year for submission the following January.

Our flexible structure allows you to assemble programmes of study tailored to your personal and professional interests. You can opt for the open pathway, or choose one of our specialist pathways.

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2020/21 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2020.

Year one

Year two

How will I be taught?

Teaching is delivered in seminar groups for all modules. The teaching for each module is text-based and revolves around the exploration of concepts and ideas from range of literary, historical, and theoretical perspectives within the broad field of English Literature.

The learning activities vary from module to module as appropriate, but will include such as activities as interactive discussions of prepared texts/topics and, in some cases, student-led presentations. 

Encouraged to explore our excellent library resources, you are expected to undertake preparation including wide-ranging reading to enable full participation.

How will I be supported?

You are encouraged to discuss your ideas with module tutors both in seminars and on a one-to-one basis in office hours and in consultation with allocated personal tutors.

The second part of the MA is examined by dissertation, for which you receive individual one-to-one supervision.

Feedback

Discussion of essay plans and dissertation proposals is offered throughout the programme, and written feedback is provided on both formative and summative assessments. 

How will I be assessed?

Each module on Part One is assessed by a 4,000-word essay or equivalent (which can include up to 10% of the module being assessed by oral presentation).

Part Two is examined by a 16,000-20,000-word dissertation. 

What skills will I practise and develop?

Knowledge and understanding

• Fundamental grounding in a number of discrete research areas and the critical debate surrounding them.
• Fundamental grounding in research and bibliographic methods.
• Awareness of the historical and cultural contexts of literary texts.

Intellectual skills

• Ability to identify, gather and evaluate a wide range of materials appropriate to the topic.
• Analyse and interpret material drawn from a diversity of sources.
• Demonstrate and exercise independence of thought and ideas.
• Ability to reason in a critically sustained manner.
• Ability to plan and execute an individual research topic.

Subject-specific (writing) skills

• Ability to apply techniques of close analysis to both historical and literary texts.
• Ability to challenge, review or question received ideas about the meanings of historical and/or literary texts.
• Ability to demonstrate a good knowledge of academic systems of the presentation of arguments.
• Ability to sustain a critical argument that engages with the nuances of a literary text.
• Ability to write at a level appropriate to research work.
• Preparation for advanced academic study.

Tuition fees

UK and EU students (2020/21)

More information about tuition fees and deposits, including for part-time and continuing students.

EU students entering in 2020/21 will pay the same tuition fee as UK students for the duration of their course. Please be aware that fees may increase annually in line with inflation. No decisions regarding fees and loans for EU students starting in 2020/21 have been made yet. These will be determined as part of the UK's discussions on its membership of the EU and we will provide further details as soon as we can.

Students from outside the EU (2020/21)

More information about tuition fees and deposits, including for part-time and continuing students.