About this course

Develop your critical skills on this Global Literary Industries Management MA at the University of Southampton. You’ll study Shakespeare, Austen and creative writing, and benefit from practical sessions and placement opportunities. Your learning will include exclusive access to curators, theatre directors, novelists and heritage venues. This master’s course will prepare you for a career in the literary or cultural industries.

This UK master’s course will provide you with the knowledge and practical skills for a career in literature and culture, in areas such as:

journalism
publishing
archiving
broadcasting
arts writing
heritage management

You’ll learn from academics with professional experience in these fields, and explore the latest literary and cultural developments. Areas you’ll explore include:

new media
online and interactive publishing
gaming and narrative
adaptations and translation
literary tourism
heritage management

We combine practical and critical approaches on this course, meaning you’ll have the skills to work in these industries as well as the knowledge to understand their cultural significance.

You’ll be able to fit the course to your interests or career plans through your choice of optional modules, which cover everything from script-writing to literature and law.

You’ll spend a signficant part of the course working on a major independent research project, allowing you to create your own professional portfolio.

Course lead

Your course leader is Professor Nicky Marsh, Associate Dean for Research and Enterprise in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. Her researches focuses on late 20th and 21st century British and American literatures, theories of gender, postmodernism, poetics and economics. Read Professor Marsh’s staff profile to find out more about her work.

Course location

This course is based at Highfield.

Awarding body

This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.

Download the programme specification

The programme specification sets out the learning outcomes of this course and details how the course is taught and assessed.

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Download 2021-22 programme specification

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Entry requirements

You’ll need a 2:1 degree in an arts, business, humanities or social sciences subject.

Find the equivalent international qualifications for your country.

English language requirements

If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:

IELTS score requirements

overall score: 6.5
reading: 6.0
writing: 6.0
speaking: 6.0
listening: 6.0

We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.

Got a question?

Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000

Course structure

On the full-time course your studies will last a full 12 months.

For the first 8 months (semesters 1 and 2) you'll focus on the taught part of the course. Some of your modules will be compulsory, others we will ask you to choose from a list of options.

For the rest of the course, you’ll work independently on your final project. You’ll have one-to-one meetings with your supervisor during this time to discuss your progress.

Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.

Modules

For entry in Academic Year 2021-22

You must study the following modules:

Approaches to Critical and Creative Concepts

This core module for the MA Global Literary Industries Management introduces the critical vocabularies for understanding the literary and cultural industries. It introduces the key conceptual and creative ideas that underpin literary arts management. It e...

Communicating the Cultural Industries

Final Project (Global Literary Industries Management)

The aim of this module is to provide a concerted period of independent study alongside tutor and peer discussion and feedback. The module aims to bring together and utilise your learning and skills development in the previous modules, and for you to refle...

Literary Industries and New Media

The global industries shaping contemporary literary cultures are diverse, dynamic and rapidly changing. They incorporate children’s literature, graphic novels, plays and poetry, site-specific and experimental writing, popular genre fiction, as well as the...

You must also choose from the following modules:

Fiction Before Austen

At the start of the eighteenth century, the novel as we now know it did not exist. Since the 1980s the idea of the 'Rise of the Novel' has been rehearsed and rehearsed again as critics have explored new narratives and new approaches to narrative fiction. ...

Jane Austen's Style

Jane Austen is today indisputably the best-known and most widely read author of the long eighteenth-century. She is increasingly admired as an innovator in her style, although she also drew influence from several precursors and contemporaries. This module...

Narrative Non-Fiction: The Interdisciplinary Art

Writing is inherently an interdisciplinary art. From novelists to poets to narrative non-fiction writers, writers tend to delve into fields that are not their own. Ian McEwan shadows neurologists for several years as he was researching Saturday; Hilary Ma...

Narrative, Place, Identity

This module investigates how cultural narratives have been produced, disseminated and consumed across national boundaries since the mid-twentieth century. Through examination of a range of narrative forms, including fiction, essay, memoir, film and photog...

Scriptwriting

This module is an introduction to the basic skills and contexts of script writing. It is not aimed at any one specific medium but will offer introductions to the requirements of theatre and film. You will be expected to engage in some practical drama work...

Special Project (Text, Context, Intertext)

The Special Project (Text, Context, Intertext) module will allow you to write a written assignment or equivalent on a topic of your choice, undertaking independent research with individual guidance from the convenor. You will normally have three one-to-o...

Special Project (Text, Context, Intertext)

The Special Project module will allow you to produce a written assignment or equivalent on a topic of your choice, undertaking independent research with individual guidance from the convenor. You will normally have up to four one-to-one supervisions of u...

Special Project (Text, Culture, Theory)

The Special Project (Text, Culture, Theory) module will allow you to produce a written assignment or equivalent on a topic of your choice, undertaking independent research with individual guidance from the convenor. You will normally have up to four one-...

Special Project (Text, Culture, Theory)

The Special Project (Text, Culture, Theory) module will allow you to write a 4,000-word essay on a topic of your choice, undertaking independent research with individual guidance from the convenor. You will normally have three one-to-one supervisions of ...

The Holocaust in American Film

This module will explore the various ways in which the Holocaust has been represented in film and television, with specific focus on American film. Each week will focus on a particular issue and present case studies (for example, the immediate post-World ...

Learning and assessment

Learning

The learning activities for this course include:

lectures
classes and tutorials
coursework
seminars
workshops
independent learning (studying on your own)

Assessment

We’ll assess you through:

essays
critical reviews
library and data retrieval exercises
annotated bibliographies
oral presentations
final project

You’ll work on your final project over the summer. This will be on a topic of your choice, to be agreed with your supervisor.

The project is a chance for you to develop your research skills and show your expertise in a particular area of global literary industries management.

You’ll have regular meetings with your supervisor throughout the process.

Academic Support

We'll assign you a personal academic tutor, and you'll have access to a senior tutor.

Careers

You’ll be qualified for a variety of careers in literature and culture with this degree, such as:

journalism
publishing
creative writing
editing
archiving
broadcasting
heritage management

Careers services at Southampton

We're a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020). Our Careers and Employability Service will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:

work experience schemes
CV/resume and interview skills workshops
networking events
careers fairs attended by top employers
a wealth of volunteering opportunities
study abroad and summer school opportunities

We have a thriving entrepreneurship culture. You'll be able to take advantage of:

our dedicated start-up incubator, Futureworlds
a wide variety of enterprise events run throughout the year
our partnership in the world’s number 1 business incubator, SETsquared

Fees, costs and funding

Tuition fees

Fees for a year's study:

UK students pay £9,250.
EU and international students pay £19,850.

Check fees for other versions of this course.

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams.

Find out how to pay your tuition fees.

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. Explore:

10% alumni discount

If you’re a graduate of the University of Southampton you get a 10% discount on your postgraduate tuition fees.

Postgraduate Master’s Loans (UK nationals only)

This can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master's course. Find out if you're eligible.

Funding your postgraduate studies

A variety of additional scholarships, grants and bursaries may be available to help you fund your master’s study, both from the University and from other organisations.

Funding for EU and international students

Find out about funding you could get as an international student.

How to apply

Use the 'apply for this course' button on this page to take you to our online application form.
Search for the course you want to apply for.
Complete the application form and upload any supporting documents.
Submit your application.

Application deadlines

UK students

Applications must be received no later than 4 weeks before the start of the course. You must supply all supporting documentation at least 2 weeks before starting your course.

International students

We recommend you apply at least 6 weeks before the start of the course to ensure you're able to meet our requirements and apply for a visa in time.

We cannot guarantee students who do not meet these deadlines will be able to begin their course.

Application assessment fee

We’ll ask you to pay a £50 application assessment fee if you’re applying for any postgraduate taught course that starts in or after September 2021.

This is an extra one-off charge which is separate to your tuition fees. It covers the work and time it takes us to assess your application. You’ll be prompted to pay when you submit your application which won’t progress until you've paid.

If you're a current or former University of Southampton student, or if you're applying for a Master of Research (MRes) degree, you will not need to pay the fee. Find out if you’re exempt on our terms and conditions page.

Supporting information

When you apply you’ll need to submit a personal statement explaining why you want to take the course.

You’ll need to include information about:

your knowledge of the subject area
why you want to study a postgraduate qualification in this course
how you intend to use your qualification

You'll also need to send 2 academic references.

Please include the required paperwork showing your first degree and your IELTS English language test score (if you are a non-native English speaker) with your application. Without these, your application may be delayed.

Learn more about how to apply with our postgraduate application guide.