Whether undertaken for the continued love of literature, or for personal or professional development, studying our MA English Literature will help you gain a more confident critical voice, and advanced analytical and research skills.

Stories powerfully shape our experiences and identities in the modern world. Books and films instruct us about how the voices of the past inform the present and the future. They tell us about politics, gender, sexuality and race, our landscape, environment and the digital. Stories are told about places and people, but also show how modern myths are made. How can we read such stories critically?

English Literature at Northumbria gives you the key skills to navigate and offer a critique of narrative and storytelling. How is literature politicised? How are classic texts adapted for the contemporary moment? Literature’s continued relevance is everywhere. Our course gives you the skills to understand the importance of literature: who has the authority to influence, and with what motives.

Culminating in a major piece of research of your own, you will shape debate and ideas in your chosen field of literary studies, showing mastery of the discipline and an ability to redefine our approach to the stories that shape our world.

You will be taught by internationally recognised scholars who are at the cutting edge in their field. Our modules draw your ideas and our research specialisms together, allowing you to develop your ideas within communities of research and new ideas.

The Humanities department is home to many exciting research groups. Within English, we have particular strengths in the Early Modern period, the Long Eighteenth Century, Modern and Contemporary, and Gender. The diversity of our expertise means we can support you in pursuing your interests.

This English Literature course is an ideal choice for anyone interested in literature and who wants to develop a mastery of the subject. Whether you aspire to pursue higher research, embark on a publishing Masters or leverage your advanced cultural and intellectual skills in various professional settings, this program offers a well-rounded foundation for success

You might, want to develop your employability prospects or be interested in continuing your studies at PhD level, but are still looking for inspiration on exactly where to focus. The MA will also provide you with the professional skills to succeed within teaching, marketing, publishing, museums/archives, public policy, management, among many others.

During the English Literature MA you will be encouraged to become more aware of the production and determination of meaning by historical, social, political, stylistic, ethnic, gender, geographical and other contexts.

This heightened awareness is facilitated through examining literature produced within a wide range of contexts: different periods; geographical locations; as well as a variety of social backgrounds (institutional, gendered, private, public, domestic). This wide-ranging critical examination opens up new perspectives on literary texts and provides you with the strategies needed to discuss literature in expert and critically informed ways.

The MA offers distinctive research-informed modules from a pool which is reviewed on an annual basis to ensure the quality of the learning experience, while the core modules Critical Contexts and Research Methods: Traditional and Digital will run in all years.

This MA reflects – and is informed by – staff interests across periods, locations, and theoretical approaches: from the Early Modern period to contemporary writing; British, American and transnational literature; sexuality; and cultural heritage.

Each MA module is reflective of areas of staff expertise, ranging from the gory delights of the Gothic to how associations between authors and locations lead to the development of literary heritage sites, such as Dove Cottage.

Northumbria’s Humanities department works with a range of cultural partners including New Writing North, the co-operative movement, Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums and Shandy Hall, providing students with direct industry exposure and live project opportunities.

This MA reflects – and is informed by – staff interests across periods, locations, and theoretical approaches: from the Early Modern period to contemporary writing; British, American and transnational literature; sexuality; and cultural heritage.

Each MA module is reflective of areas of staff expertise, ranging from the gory delights of the Gothic to how associations between authors and locations lead to the development of literary heritage sites, such as Dove Cottage.

Northumbria’s Humanities department works with a range of cultural partners including New Writing North, the co-operative movement, Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums and Shandy Hall, providing students with direct industry exposure and live project opportunities.

The delivery of the MA offers a degree of flexibility by allowing you to choose your learning environment. The MA in English Literature is offered in a traditional classroom setting with regular face-to-face supervision, or alternatively you can complete the course via distance learning through a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

The Humanities department is made up of a community of learners all the way through from first year undergraduate to final year PhD level. All Humanities staff are engaged in research and actively create the knowledge that is taught in the department.

English Literature MA students, as part of Northumbria’s Humanities department, will have access to the new Institute for Humanities which houses a range of specialist research resources.

The subject area of English and Creative Writing produces high quality research and has been successful in securing external funding for research projects from the British Academy, the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and the Leverhulme Trust.

Northumbria is rated in the UK top 15 for the quality of its English Literature, Language and Creative Writing publications. You can explore some of the key themes here.

Furthermore, as an MA student in English Literature you will engage with the activities of the Institute for Humanities, which is home to five international journals in English studies and which regularly hosts an exciting range of seminars, symposia and conferences on topics as varied as Memory, Heritage and Identity; Transnationalism and Societal Change; Digital Humanities; Medical Humanities; and American Studies.

On completion of the MA, you will have improved your employability through enhancing your critical skills and attitudes, presentation skills, and reflective and evaluative abilities. You will be self-motivating, be capable of making decisions in complex situations, and possess a thirst for independent learning.

In addition to these personal skills, you will have demonstrated a critical awareness of the current research and scholarship within your discipline, facilitating your ability to interpret knowledge in a variety of professional fields.

The MA builds on undergraduate skills, distinguished by the level of intensity, complexity, and density of study. Advanced communication skills and media literacy must be demonstrated along with exceptional ability for time management, ethical and professional understanding, and highly developed research and inquiry skills.

There are considerable opportunities for you to advance your studies further, and advice in writing PhD and funding applications is available. The course offers a qualification that may enhance promotion prospects in some professions – most notably teaching, professional research, museums/archives, public policy, and project management.