Course summary

Our MA in English Literature offers an advanced, thematic exploration of fascinating literary texts and their cultural significances. It is taught by a team of distinguished critics, scholars, and creative writers, all working at the cutting edge of their disciplines, in a forward-thinking learning environment with a reputation for research excellence and student support. You will be taught in small groups, as part of a friendly, diverse academic community in English, where you will hone skills in critical reasoning, applied theory, and adaptive communication to prepare you for meaningful research and career opportunities in contemporary society. As part of the College of English and Media, you will join a thriving intellectual network and benefit from a range of exciting guest seminars and public events hosted by BCU’s Institute of Creative and Critical Writing. The course is aimed at graduates who want to take their interest in literature to the next level, as a career development opportunity, or simply for the love of the subject. What’s covered on the course? The taught content is bespoke, specifically designed for English Literature students, and avoids generalised cross-Faculty modules. We take a thematic rather than a period-specific approach, which allows an unconstrained investigation into literary history and the current relevance of the subject. At the centre of the course are two thematic modules, ‘Literature and Truth’ and ‘Literature and Place’, which canvas texts ranging from the Early Modern period to the current day. The first asks about the role of perspective, narrative, and rhetoric in questioning, but also in creating, reality. The second encourages students to think about how literary writing responds to, but also constitutes, the places we inhabit and move through. Situated in the heart of a culturally diverse and always evolving city, you will be perfectly located to think about how writing intersects with the world it describes. Other modules examine how texts evolve and the role of writing in modern culture. ‘Texts in Transition’ charts the development and transformation of literary texts through the processes of writing, publishing, editing, adapting and reading. ‘Literature in Practice’ develops high-level research skills and practical capabilities to pursue opportunities across different media, in collaboration, and in the public sphere. This will prepare you for a final project on a topic of your choice, but also identify the ways in which English Studies interacts with a changing world. Building on proven research excellence and meaningful public engagement, our MA English Literature is a valuable route into an increasingly complex professional world.