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MA English Literary Studies

Explore a wide range of literature across different periods and genres

Year of entry: 2024 (September)

Length

1 year full-time,
2 years part-time

Start date

September 2024 (semester dates)

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Study the cultural meanings and associations of the various styles, genres and mediums in which English literature is produced. Explore a range of different critical and theoretical perspectives on advanced literary study on this flexible Masters programme. 

Choose the modules that interest you the most, and develop an understanding of how English literature engages with a range of political, social and aesthetic issues. 

Taught and supervised by world-leading scholars, the course will develop your research skills, which you'll apply to a substantial piece of independent research. This will provide you with a foundation for doctoral research, as well as transferable skills for related careers in teaching, publishing, arts management and journalism. ​

You’ll engage with the wider research culture of the Department of English, one of the UK's largest research centres in modern English. 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.

World-leading research

A top ten research department according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021).

34th in the world

for English in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2024

8th in the UK for English

Complete University Guide 2025

Course content

You'll choose option modules from a range offering opportunities to work across different literary periods and genres. You can choose from modules on poetry, fiction and drama from the medieval to the modern. You can study literature in relation to issues of gender, politics, film or postcolonialism, and enrich your learning with a module from another arts and humanities department. Some modules will take an interdisciplinary view, others will focus on a particular discipline.

You'll also hone your research skills with dedicated training, and complete a research dissertation. You'll study 180 credits in total.

Modules

Core modules

You'll 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.

Option modules

You will also study four option modules. These may include:

Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.

Dissertation

Your dissertation offers you the chance to examine a topic in depth and to develop your research skills. You'll work on a 14,000-16,000-word dissertation with regular supervision from a member of staff.

You'll submit your dissertation at the end of your course. Recent dissertation topics include:

  • Impotence, Infidelity, and Male Identity in Restoration Sex Comedies
  • Reticence in Modern Northern Irish Poetry
  • Beauty and Beasts: The Women of Guillermo del Toro’s Films
  • Godlessness, Love and Fame in Shakespeare’s Poetry
  • Windows and Thresholds in Margaret Oliphant's Fiction

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 closely and critically, interpreting them with reference to the social, political, economic and/or aesthetic contexts in which they were produced, reproduced, and received.
  • Synthesise information from a range of critical sources in a sophisticated and mature fashion, carefully evaluating and selecting material to make for controlled, informed, convincing and creative argumentation.
  • Evaluate and contribute to scholarly debates around literature, including its history, inheritances, legacies, relation to socio-economic conditions, conceptions of authorship and textuality.
  • 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 English literature and related fields.
This has been possibly the most rewarding year of my life. I have learned a great deal in the Department, where leading experts care passionately about their teaching. It has been a joy working through the various modules I was able to choose (from a huge range of options).
Richard, MA English Literary Studies

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

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

You'll normally attend two 2-hour seminars each week. If you are a part-time student you'll attend one 2-hour seminar a week.

Seminar groups consist of fewer than 15 students in most modules, though some core modules may involve a larger number of students. You'll complete essential reading for each seminar, and we encourage you to read more widely around the topic.

You'll attend a series of training lectures and workshops, designed to address presenting your work, writing at MA level, transferable skills, and career development.

Over the course of the year, you'll give regular seminar presentations and attend research seminars and day conferences hosted by the Department. 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 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. Most of your contact hours will be in locations nearby on Campus West. Some of your teaching will take place 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.

Working in Berrick Saul
English teaching Adam Kelly

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

  • broadcast journalist
  • editor
  • content producer
  • English teacher
  • marketing manager
  • lecturer

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

Related courses

Find out more about all of our English MA courses.

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