MA English Literature

From Medieval incunabula to twenty-first century experimental writing, this MA in English Literature involves the study of a broad range of textual forms and literary periods to support students' individual specialisation. The programme examines the diversity and variety of the subject and is designed to equip students with the high-level skills necessary for further research or facilitate progression into a wide range of careers. This MA enables students to develop a deeper level of critical understanding of literary practice for the twenty-first century.

The programme actively enhances writing, communication, and research skills by connecting the study of literature to popular career pathways (including publishing, teaching, working in cultural industries, or more advanced academic research). On this course, you can study the work of writers from Chaucer and Shakespeare to Stephen King and Zadie Smith, different forms of print culture, and modes of textual or narrative response such as film adaptations, video games, or neo-Victorian novels. This flexible programme allows you to adapt your focus according to your personal areas of interest, whether your interest is pursuing your passion for the subject or gaining valuable skills for the graduate job market.

Students on the MA will extend their knowledge of familiar critical frameworks (such as gender studies, cultural materialism, or psychoanalysis) to engage with cutting-edge theoretical developments in the field. Some of these approaches might include medical humanities, animal studies, age studies, 'Blue' humanities, affect theory, material culture studies, critical race theory, new sincerity, and reception theory. Students are encouraged to develop a wide range of critical tools to leverage in their textual analysis.