Course summary

The Masters by Research is a new and exciting programme offered by the School of Humanities at Liverpool Hope University The programme offers its students the opportunity to research in depth a topic that particularly interests them in the field of English Literature. Research will be supervised and supported by a member of staff within the English Literature team, and will culminate in the production of a 30,000-35,000-word dissertation. This is a great opportunity to develop your identity as an independent literary critic and produce an in-depth, wide ranging piece of academic writing, all with the support of a dedicated and friendly research-active English Literature team behind you. Students will be asked to think carefully about the historical and cultural contexts of a literary text’s production. They will also be encouraged to examine the effectiveness of theoretical and critical approaches as aids to study and self-development, as resources for the advancement of knowledge and understanding generally, and as a means for generating and investigating creative and independent research questions related to the close reading of literary texts. A taught Advanced Research Skills module will guide you through the stages for exploring and refining your research plan before you embark upon the dissertation itself. The MA by Research in English Literature will develop students’ capacity for advanced and sustained project management skills. These include outlining, defining and planning a research project, establishing and meeting deadlines, recording and reflecting on outcomes and generating sophisticated and robust arguments. Students will be challenged to find their own academically critical voice that will enable them to discuss their chosen topic against the background of contemporary academic debates.