Victorian Studies MA
Our MA in Victorian Studies provides an inter-disciplinary approach to the study of the Victorian period. Leicester is home to the internationally renowned Victorian Studies Centre and you’ll benefit from our expertise as the longest established Victorian Studies Centre in the UK.
Founded in 1966, our Centre has a 50 year tradition of innovation and excellence, with research strengths in Victorian science, Life-Writing, Dickens, and the Brontës, among others. Our students also benefit from a range of extracurricular activities from reading groups and public seminars, to our annual Victorian Studies Lecture. We were also proud to host the George Eliot Bicentenary Conference in July 2019, which brought together scholars from across the globe. Our welcoming, internationally-diverse postgraduate community will provide a supportive and stimulating environment for your studies.
This course offers you an ideal platform to delve into the areas of Victorian life that interest you the most, offering you greater depth and insight than previous studies. You will also be exposed both to canonical works and hidden gems of the time, giving you an excellent grounding in this fascinating period of history.
Because you study the Victorian Society module in your first semester, you will be fully equipped with a knowledge of the Victorian era, while becoming familiar with both the major developments and the nuances of the period. This knowledge will be invaluable throughout the rest of your MA in all core and option modules.
The option modules available to you reflect the huge range of our academics' research interests - from 19th century literature to social history and the history of science. You are bound to uncover unique and fascinating aspects of Victorian life whilst doing this MA.
The Victorian Studies Centre draws on a number of research areas, including History of Art and Film, History, English Local History, Urban History and English. They are able to offer a broad and fascinating range of perspectives on Victorian literature, art and society in the light of modern cultural and literary theories. These perspectives, which may take into account feminist or postmodernist reading of texts, will offer a fresh outlook on familiar (or not so familiar) works.
Careers and employability
A Masters degree in Victorian Studies is an excellent preparation for a wide range of careers. As well as deepening your knowledge in your chosen areas, you will also develop transferable skills, such as research, analysis, and presentation skills.
Completing an MA can be the first step in an academic career in Higher or Further Education, whilst also enhancing your career options outside the field of academia.
One popular career choice is teaching English, either in the UK (having completed a PGCE) or abroad (with a TEFL or TESOL qualification). Many of our students go on to careers as journalists on local, national and specialist newspapers and magazines. The fields of publishing, advertising, arts administration, PR, television, the film industry and other media-related jobs are also ideal destinations for English Studies graduates.
Previous graduates have gone on to careers as:
- archivists
- civil servants
- librarians
- parliamentary researchers
- social workers
- IT consultants
- accountants
- solicitors or barristers after completing a Law conversion course
Our Career Development Service is here to support you, with advice on interviews, CVs, work experience, volunteering and more. From Freshers’ Week to Graduation and beyond, they are here to help you reach your professional goals.
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