Skip to content Accessibility statement
Home>Study at York>Postgraduate taught>Courses 2024/25>Literature of the Romantic Period, 1775-1832 (MA)

MA Literature of the Romantic Period, 1775-1832

Investigate the innovative and diverse literature of the Romantic period​

Year of entry: 2024 (September)

Length

1 year full-time,
2 years part-time

Start date

September 2024 (semester dates)

Meet us

Join us online or in person to find out more about postgraduate study at York.

Upcoming events

Find your own path through the literary and cultural history of the period. Develop an understanding of the engagement of Romantic writing with a range of political, social and aesthetic issues in the period.

You'll investigate the cultural meanings and associations of the variety of styles and genres in which Romantic writing was produced, and study a range of different critical perspectives on Romantic literature.

You’ll engage with the wider research culture of the Department of English and Related Literature, one of the UK's largest research centres in modern English, and the interdisciplinary Centre for Eighteenth Century Studies. There will be a diverse schedule of seminars, conferences and reading groups for you to attend. You’ll also be part of the Humanities Research Centre, a vibrant interdisciplinary hub which will enable you to form close social and intellectual bonds over the course of your study.

35th in the world

for English Language and Literature in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023

7th in the UK for English

Complete University Guide 2024

Course content

You'll examine the selected literary and aesthetic works in the light of the historical circumstances in which they were produced, and will develop a broad view of the major changes in sensibility and ideology of the period. 

You'll study modules from a range of options offered by the Department of English and Related Literature and other arts and humanities departments. You'll also hone your research skills with dedicated training, and complete a research dissertation. You'll study 180 credits in total.

Modules

 You can investigate contemporary issues such as:

  • accounts of revolution
  • the place of women writers
  • the role of periodicals as a cultural medium
  • the importance of ideas of Empire and the Orient
  • the representation of landscape
  • Romantic aesthetic theory and poetic practice

You'll be introduced to key voices and themes from the Romantic period. Taught by scholars who specialise in the period, our seminars will explore some of the literary conversations, debates, hopes and disappointments which were produced by this age of revolution and innovation. You'll also learn valuable research, writing and presentation skills. Topics may include using library and online research resources, use of archives, academic writing and how to get work published.

Core modules

Option modules

You will also study three option modules. Examples may include:

Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.

Dissertation

Your dissertation offers you the chance to examine a topic in depth and to develop your research skills.

In Summer Term and over the vacation you'll work on a 14,000-16,000-word dissertation with regular supervision from a member of staff.

You'll submit your dissertation in September. Recent dissertation topics have included:

  • Representations of Prostitutes in Romantic period novels
  • Indian mythology in Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poetry
  • Representations of men in Jane Austen’s novels
  • Perceptions of the body in French and British Revolutionary Women’s Writing
  • Images of Breath in the work of Mary Shelley and Percy Bysshe Shelley
  • Romantic poetry and astronomy
  • Constructing the French ‘other’ in the 1790s

The York approach

Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.

Students who complete this course will be able to:

  • Analyse significant literary and cultural texts from the Romantic period closely and critically, interpreting them with reference to the social, political, economic and/or aesthetic contexts in which they were produced, reproduced, and received.
  • Evaluate and contribute to scholarly debates around literary Romanticism, and around Romantic-era literary and cultural production and print culture.
  • Deploy knowledge of specialist fields within the broader remit of Romantic literature and culture – for example Romantic aesthetic theory and poetic practice, political revolutions, the place of women as writers, ideas of Empire and the Orient, the representation of landscape – in order to ask and answer innovative questions about the literary production of this period.
  • Initiate, conduct, and take responsibility for independent research, drawing on skills honed by graduate-level research training, research-led teaching, and the completion of a substantial dissertation project.
  • Communicate sophisticated written arguments in a clear, accurate and persuasive fashion, synthesising evidence from multiple sources so as to convey information creatively and convincingly.
  • Engage in verbal discussion of complex textual material, demonstrating versatility, rigour, and confidence in the reception, appreciation, and articulation of high-level ideas and perspectives.
  • Direct their own development, bringing new knowledge and skills to bear upon a range of contexts including (but not limited to) doctoral study in modern English literature and related fields.
Everything I’ve experienced so far has been wonderful and made me really glad I chose to come here. The Humanities Research Centre is a fantastic concept, but what’s really made my time at York so different is just how friendly and inclusive the Department is, from academics letting me pester them with my ideas to the wide range of research seminars and guest lectures.
Emily, MA Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture

Read more from our students.

Field trips

Join us for regional trips – destinations have included Whitby, Castle Howard, Shandy Hall at Coxwold and Fountains Abbey.

Rich local resources

You’ll benefit from the exciting collections of Romantic period texts and images at the King’s Manor Library, Minster Library and Borthwick Institute.

Research strengths

These include Romantic period radical print culture, empire and orientalism, fashion and material culture, Romantic science and medicine, and dissenting literary communities.

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees for 2024/25

Study modeUK (home)International and EU
Full-time (1 year) £10,590£23,900
Part-time (2 years)
This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation.
£5,295£11,950

Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.

For courses which are longer than one year, the tuition fees quoted are for the first year of study.

  • UK (home) fees may increase in subsequent years (up to a maximum of 2%).
  • International fees may increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).

Fees information

UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.

Additional costs

You'll need copies of the texts set for each module. Where possible, we will provide digital access. We'll let you know which texts and editions you'll need to buy (whether new or second-hand) before the start of each term.

Funding information

Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.

We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2024/25 throughout the year.

If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.

Funding opportunities

Department scholarship information

Further information about funding for English.

Living costs

You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

Teaching and assessment

You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.

Teaching format

Over the course of the year, you'll give regular seminar presentations and attend research seminars and day conferences hosted by the Department and Centre for Eighteenth Century Studies. Many of these events will be organised through the Humanities Research Centre, a state-of-the-art facility unique to York.

Facilities

​​Writers at York is a lively programme of readings and workshops, and aims to celebrate and explore the work of both emerging and established contemporary writers.

Writers at York is supported by the University of York's External Engagement Awards and the Festival of Ideas.

Teaching location

You will be based in the Department of English and Related Literature on Campus West. Around half of your contact hours will be in locations nearby on Campus West, while the other half will be based in King's Manor in the city centre.

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.

Assessment and feedback

You'll submit an essay for each module of approximately 4,500 words. The Postgraduate Life in Practice module will be assessed on the completion of a series of tasks connected to your core work for the MA. Your final assessment is a dissertation of 14,000-16,000 words.

Two students in a seminar
Historic library collection
The programme was a lively, challenging, and rewarding experience, broadening my horizons at the same time as allowing me to hone in on some of my specific research interests. The interdisciplinary scope of the MA meant belonging to a vibrant research community. I would thoroughly recommend postgraduate study at York – I enjoyed myself so much that I’ve stayed on for a PhD!
Sarah, MA Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture

Careers and skills

Our postgraduates go into a wide variety of industries, from arts administration to law. Many alumni have also gone on to become successful novelists, poets and playwrights.

Career opportunities

  • arts administrator 
  • civil servant
  • journalist
  • publisher
  • teacher
  • management consultant

Transferable skills

You'll develop a range of transferable skills including:

  • developing your creativity
  • improving your ability to filter and analyse complex information
  • intellectual independence and independent working
  • time management and people skills
  • communicating your research
  • methodological skills
  • intercultural awareness

Entry requirements

Typical offer
Undergraduate degree 2:1 or equivalent. We will consider applications from students with lower qualifications, particularly if you have high marks in relevant modules or appropriate professional experience.
Other international qualifications Equivalent qualifications from your country

Additional requirements

You will need to submit examples of written work with your application. Please see our guidance on submitting written work.

English language

If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:

Minimum requirement
IELTS (Academic and Indicator) 7.0, minimum 6.5 in each component
Cambridge CEFR C1 Advanced: 185, with 176 in each component
Oxford ELLT 8, minimum 7 in each component
Duolingo 130, minimum 120 in all other components
LanguageCert SELT C1 with 33/50 in each component
LanguageCert Academic 75 with a minimum of 70 in each component
KITE 495-526, with 459-494 in all other components
Skills for English C1: Pass overall, with Pass in each component
PTE Academic 67, minimum 61 in each component
TOEFL 96, minimum 23 in each component
Trinity ISE III Distinction in all components

For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.

If you haven't met our English language requirements

You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.

The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.

After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.

Applying

You can apply and send all your documentation online. You don’t need to complete your application all at once: you can start it, save it and finish it later.

Apply for this course

Next steps

Contact us

Get in touch if you have any questions

Jane Nay, Postgraduate Administrator

Learn more

Department of English and Related Literature

Discover York

Accommodation

We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to premium.

Student life

Explore campus and city life and hear what our current students have to say about living here.

The city

Lively, full of culture and beautiful, York is regularly voted one of the best places to live and visit in the UK.

Meet us

Find out more about York. Chat to staff and students and take the tour, on campus or online.