MA in Literary Studies
Introduction
The Aberystwyth MA in Literary Studies offers you a broad engagement with English literature with the opportunity to develop expertise in one of a number of specialist areas. By studying the latest developments in critical theory and research methodology you will cultivate the necessary skills to undertake your 15,000 word MA Dissertation – an extensive piece of critical research in your chosen area. You will also develop a host of transferrable skills which you may deploy in a range of other academic or employment contexts.
As a student on the MA in Literary Studies at Aberystwyth, you will benefit from the University’s superb library and information technology resources and have access to the unrivalled collections of the National Library of Wales.
Overview
The MA in Literary Studies provides a number of modules in fascinating subject areas, including Romanticism's Radical Cultures, Ethnic American Literature, Postmodern Genres and many more. An important part of the course is the writing of a 15,000-word Dissertation in a field chosen by you in consultation with a specialist supervisor. We will take great care in assigning you a supervisor whose interests match your own as closely as possible.
A substantial part of the course is devoted to research preparation skills including exploiting library resources, using electronic journals and other IT skills, building a bibliography, researching and writing a proposal, structuring your Dissertation, developing and sustaining an argument, footnotes and referencing, and oral presentation skills. You will also be taught to interrogate the different kinds of 'textuality', or aspects of the literary text, which need to be taken into account in the study of literature at postgraduate level and beyond.
Application Details
In addition to completing the standard University application package (How to apply), candidates are asked by the Department to supply the following supplementary documents:
(1) A letter of application (1 side of A4) that explains why you want to enrol on the Literary Studies (or the particular Literary Studies pathway) MA. It should include a brief account of your academic study to date, touching on relevant literary/critical issues as appropriate – you might mention, for example, the authors to whose work you are particularly drawn, the topics and ideas that are of special significance to you, and the methodologies you have found particularly valuable in your encounter with literary works. The account will be important in helping us to arrive at a decision about your general suitability for the programme.
(2) A representative sample of critical work, written during the past three years, of no more than 3000 words. You are allowed to send work submitted as part of a previous degree.
Fact File
| Duration: | 1 Year: September to September |
| Assessment: | Assessment takes the form of: research proposal, including a related bibliographic element; a case study; examined oral presentations; and 6,000-word assignments. Each student will complete a MA Dissertation of 15,000 words which deals with an area of chosen study in the third semester. |
| Entry Requirements: | 2.i Honours degree |
| English Language Requirements: | If you have a BA Hons degree from a UK university, you do not need to take an English proficiency test. Further in formation on English Language Requirements |
| Course Fees: | Full time study: UK and EU students £6574 Non-EU students £9500 Part time study: UK and EU students £3287 Non-EU students £4750 Information on Fees and Funding |
At a Glance (Q392)
Year 1 Core (40 Credits)
You must take the following
Research Skills In English Studies (1): Methods And Materials
Research Skills In English Studies (2): Tackling Textuality
Year 1 Options
You should choose two options from the following list, one module in each semester:
Career Development
Qualification: MA in Literary Studies
This degree will suit you:
- If you are fascinated by particular developments in English Literature
- If you want to contribute to the academic understanding of periods in literary history
- If you wish to cultivate your own skills as a writer
- If you want to develop your research and analysis skills for future work in academia
Employability
Every MA course at Aberystwyth University is specifically designed to enhance your employability. In addition to developing your writing and research skills, this course will help you to master key skills that are required in almost every postgraduate workplace. You will be pushed to improve your approaches to planning, analysis and presentation so that you can tackle complex projects thoroughly and with professional independence. Your MA in Literary Studies will place you in the jobs marketplace as a professional writer with highly desirable skills suitable for a career in the arts, literature, journalism and many others.
Key Skills and Competencies Study Skills
You will learn how to identify and interrogate the most relevant materials and literature in your field. You will be taught to master a range of investigative methodologies and, importantly, you will learn to justify your preferred methodological approach to your subject. You will learn how to deploy your research and analysis in critical discussion to assert your expertise and build your academic argument. You will learn to quickly assemble, assimilate, interpret and present a broad range of information regarding your specialism, a set of skills keenly sought by many employers from the civil service and journalism to industry and commerce.
Self-Motivation and discipline
Studying at MA level requires high levels of discipline and self-motivation from every candidate. Though you will have access to the expertise and helpful guidance of Departmental staff, you are ultimately responsible for devising and completing a sustained programme of scholarly research in pursuit of your MA degree. This process will strengthen your skills in planning, executing and analysing work projects in ways that reflect standard practice in the world of employed work.
Transferable Skills
The MA is designed to give you a range of transferable skills that you can apply in a variety of research interests and employment contexts. Upon graduation, you will have proven your abilities in structuring and communicating ideas efficiently, writing for and speaking to a range of audiences, evaluating and organizing information, working effectively with others and working within timeframes and to specific deadlines.
Contact
For further information:
Find out more about this course from english@aber.ac.uk
Department of English and Creative Writing
Other important information: