Skip to main navigation Skip to main content
The University of Southampton
×
English Part of Humanities ➞ Postgraduate study

MA English Literary Studies (Twentieth Century and Contemporary) (1 year)

Studying during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
For full-time study this course is running in January 2021. Find out how we’re safeguarding our students and staff during coronavirus.
For part-time study it is not possible for the University to offer this course in the 2020/2021 academic year, due to the effect of the coronavirus on our staff and facilities. We're regularly updating our coronavirus plans , so check back soon for an update.

The MA pathway in Twentieth Century and Contemporary Literature will enable you to explore the complex cultural histories of literatures in English from the twentieth century to the present, and offers advanced training in the practice of close textual study, history and theory. Individual modules trace the paradoxes of modernity within the intersecting discourses of aesthetics, education, economics, ethnicity, nationalism, legality, science, sexuality and urbanization.

The programme can be taken over one year full time or two years part time.

Introducing your degree

The MA pathway in the long twentieth century will give you the opportunity to specialise in the literature and culture of modernity. It is taught by world-leading experts who are as passionate about the subject as you are, and is linked to the Southampton Centre for Modern and Contemporary Writing. It will empower you to conduct advanced-level research and independent thinking in theory, history, and criticism; to make effective use of archives, manuscripts, and research libraries; and examine how modern and contemporary writing influences the public understanding of climate change, economics, conflict, medicine, religion, security, and more. Not only will you emerge with an internationally-recognised masters degree from a top Russell Group university, you will also acquire the critical thinking and writing skills that will give you the competitive edge, either as a future scholar or as a professional in areas such as broadcasting, creative writing, secondary school teaching, librarianship, museums and galleries, publishing and roles in the heritage industry.

Our pathway in Twentieth Century and Contemporary Literature allows you to specialise in the literary culture and history of the long twentieth century. It is taught by leading experts in the field and has a unique link to the Southampton Centre for Modern and Contemporary Writing .

The MA English Literary Studies (Twentieth Century and Contemporary) will enable you to work independently in the field; to explore how genres, authors, and texts participate in wider public discourses concerning race, gender, embodiment, disability, climate change, science, globalization, and sexualities; to examine the interface between literary and visual cultures; and to evaluate unique publications and archival resources specific to the period. It will develop your knowledge and understanding of critical and research methods appropriate to the period; raise your awareness of the historical and critical reception of literature and culture in the long twentieth century; and empower you to explore the nuances of literary meaning in the contested cultural field of twentieth-century public culture.

View the programme specification for this course for 2019/20 entrants

View the programme specification for this course for 2020/21 entrants

Typical entry requirements

For 2020 entry
Qualification Grade
English language requirements

All applicants must demonstrate they possess at least a minimum standard of English language proficiency. Applicants requiring a visa to study in the UK who do not offer GCSE English language (or GCSE English) at the required level will need to meet the following English language proficiency requirement. Find out more about the University’s English Language requirements.

Band C IELTS 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in all components

Degree

First- or upper second class honours degree or an equivalent standard in other qualifications approved by the University in English literature or a cognate discipline.

English Language

IELTS 7.0 overall, with minimum of 7.0 in writing, 6.5 in reading, listening and speaking, or an equivalent standard in other qualifications approved by the University.

Selection process

Selection process: Online application

Sample of written work (the work should be a piece of academic writing related to English Literary Studies or related field and which shows evidence of some research)

Interview may be required on a case by case basis to assess suitability of course

This page contains specific entry requirements for this course. Find out about equivalent entry requirements and qualifications for your country

This page contains specific entry requirements for this course. Find out about equivalent entry requirements and qualifications for your country.

Typical course content

The MA pathway in Twentieth Century and Contemporary Literature will enable you to explore the complex cultural histories of literatures in English from the twentieth century to the present, and offers advanced training in the practice of close textual study, history and theory. Individual modules trace the paradoxes of modernity within the intersecting discourses of aesthetics, education, economics, ethnicity, nationalism, legality, science, sexuality and urbanization.

The programme can be taken over one year full time or two years part time.

Year 1

Semester One
Core [?]
A core module is a module which must be taken and passed.
ENGL6131 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 30
Approaches to the Long Twentieth Century (1914-Present)
ENGL6132 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 30
Adventures in Literary Research
ENGL6135 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 60
English Dissertation
Optional
ENGL6115 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 15
Scriptwriting
ENGL6117 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 15
The Art and Craft of Fiction
ENGL6126 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 15
Special Project (Text, Context, Intertext)
ENGL6138 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 30
Approaches to Jane Austen
ENGL6144 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 30
Approaches to Critical and Creative Concepts
Semester Two
Core [?]
A core module is a module which must be taken and passed.
ENGL6135 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 60
English Dissertation
Optional
ENGL6113 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 15
Jane Austen's Style
ENGL6116 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 15
Writing for Children and Young People
ENGL6128 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 15
Special Project
ENGL6139 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 30
Jane Austen and the Heritage Industry
ENGL6141 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 15
Fiction Before Austen
ENGL6142 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 30
Literary Industries and New Media
ENGL6144 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 30
Approaches to Critical and Creative Concepts
ENGL6146 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 30
Special Project (Text, Context, Intertext)
ENGL6147 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 30
Special Project (Text, Culture, Theory)
FILM6044 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 15
The Holocaust in American Film
HUMA6015 Credit [?]
Credits are based on the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).
: 15
Narrative Non-Fiction: From Literary Journalism to Memoir

Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if s/he takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information can be found in the programme handbook (or other appropriate guide or website).

Tuition fees

Fees for postgraduate taught courses vary across the University. All fees are listed for UK, EU and international full-time and part-time students alphabetically by course name.

View the full list of course fees

Scholarships, bursaries, sponsorships or grants may be available to support you through your course. Funding opportunities available to you are linked to your subject area and/or your country of origin. These can be from the University of Southampton or other sources.

Explore funding opportunities

Costs associated with this course

Students are responsible for meeting the cost of essential textbooks, and of producing such essays, assignments, laboratory reports and dissertations as are required to fulfil the academic requirements for each programme of study.

In some cases you'll be able to choose modules (which may have different costs associated with that module) which will change the overall cost of a programme to you. Please also ensure you read the section on additional costs in the University’s Fees, Charges and Expenses Regulations in the University Calendar available at www.calendar.soton.ac.uk .

An MA in English Literary Studies is excellent preparation for a career in teaching, publishing and arts administration. Graduates of our programme go onto professional careers in writing (from journalism to fiction), education, international PhD programmes, teaching, broadcasting, and varied work in the creative industries. Former graduates and alumni return to give talks throughout the year, and you will help you make the most of the opportunities here.

A number of our graduates have gone on to careers in teaching, journalism, media and found the year-long course invaluable in shaping and developing their voice.

We are committed to providing a relevant, modern and above all enjoyable experience that will ensure that you graduate with the additional skills and understanding you need to start a career in a wide range of areas or to go on to further research.

The MA offers a wide and fascinating range of modules related to our specialisms led by academics who are experts in their chosen fields and who wish to engage you with their own experience of research.

Typically, Masters modules have small seminar groups, facilitating your engagement with the ideas and themes that you feel passionate about. Other methods of learning will include student-led debates, group work and oral presentations, individual consultation and the dissertation. Our teaching methods will challenge you intellectually and expose you to new ideas, approaches and perspectives. Our courses have many exciting additional opportunities such as visiting Chawton House Library, a unique collection of early women’s writing, a 19th-Century handpress printing workshop, and the chance to hear from visiting speakers from international universities who are frequent part of our Research Centre-led lecture and seminar series. These include the Southampton Centre for Nineteenth Century Research, Southampton Centre for Eighteenth-Century Studies, the Centre for Modern and Contemporary Writing, and the Centre for Imperial and Postcolonial Studies.

Study locations

Student life

Avenue campus

Only a few minutes walk from Highfield Campus, Avenue campus provides ... Find out more

Related Courses

Share Share this on Facebook Share this on Twitter Share this on Weibo
Privacy Settings