As a lover of the written word, our MA English Literary Studies offers you the freedom to explore a wide range of themes, genres and periods of time in literature.
We have a commitment to research-led teaching which is carried out by globally renowned scholars. The breadth and depth of activity in the Department fosters a lively learning environment and offers plenty of opportunities to follow your own interests or explore new areas of study.
You will select three electivemodules from a broad range of English Literary themes and genres - including Romanticism, Medieval Literature, Renaissance and Modernism - or from other options across the Arts & Humanities Faculty. Your studies will benefit from the work taking place in research centres and institutes within Durham University, such as the Institute for Medieval and Early Modern Studies, the Centre for Poetry and Poetics, the Centre for Modern Conflicts and Cultures, and the Institute for Medical Humanities.
We offer this MA course as a one-year full-time option or through part-time study over two years. The flexibility and broad choice mean you will be able to study fields of literature that interest you and give you the greatest pleasure, all within a learning framework that supports your work.
Course structure
All the MA programmes offered by the Faculty of Arts & Humanities consist of three components:
a Major Research Project to the value of at least 60 credits
Core Modules to the value of 0-90 credits, depending on the programme
Elective Modules, making up the total number of credits to 180; some of these modules will be defined as Recommended Electives for particular programmes.
For students studying the MA in English Literary Studies, the Integrated Dissertation (Major Research Project (90 credits)) is an in-depth study of a particular topic, author, or genre that aims to encourage the development of sophisticated argument, the marshalling of evidence, and the reading of relevant criticism and contextual material. It offers you a wide range of learning opportunities in research methods and resources in literary studies, the development of your thinking about bibliographical issues as well as accuracy, consistency and integrity in the presentation of material and the use of secondary sources.
Additionally, you will choose 90 credits of elective modules from across the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, so that your total number of credits adds up to exactly 180.
The MA offers flexibility and independence and a wide range of literary optional modules which allows you to tailor your studies to your interests.
Each module is taught in small seminar groups including 20 hours of contact time over the academic year. Given the emphasis on research-led work, you will be expected to do a considerable amount of preparation for the seminars including short presentations and workshop-related activity.
You will also undertake a major dissertation on a subject of your choice that will contribute a further 22 hours of contact time over the first two terms through fortnightly seminars, plus five dedicated individual consultations with your dissertation supervisor in the third term.
In preparation for the dissertation, you will write a research proposal at the start of the second term and draft a chapter that will be reviewed by your supervisor.
Assessment
While your options are broad, assessment is rigorous, and the majority of modules are assessed by coursework, usually two essays per module.
You will also be required to produce a 12,000-word dissertation on your specialist area which could be based on a theme, genre or period. In preparation, you will submit a research proposal for which you will receive feedback and then you will produce a draft chapter which will be commented on by your supervisor.
Entry requirements
You will normally require an English or English-related Honours degree (at least a 2:1 or equivalent) from a recognised university.
You are required to submit the following information with your online application:
Academic Transcripts and Certificates, if available and if degree already attained
Personal statement of about 500 words describing background in English studies / areas of interest and study.
The tuition fees for 2025/26 academic year have not yet been finalised, they will be displayed here once approved.
The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).
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