MA English Literary Studies

Entry requirements

We will consider applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree with 53% or above in their first degree in a relevant subject area. While we normally only consider applicants who meet this criteria, if you are coming from a different academic background which is equivalent to degree level, or have relevant work experience, we would welcome your application.

Applicants may also be asked to submit a personal statement and an academic writing sample. The writing sample requested is normally around 2,000–3,000 words of prose, such as a critical essay or an excerpt from one produced for an undergraduate degree. However, this is not mandatory for your initial application. You are welcome to include a writing sample if you wish.

Course content

The programme is divided into units of study called modules which are assigned 'credits'. The credit rating of a module is proportional to the total workload, with 1 credit being nominally equivalent to 10 hours of work.

Our flexible programme enables you to choose from a varied range of modules. The compulsory dissertation is 60 credits, allowing you to tailor your degree to your own interests by selecting the remaining 120 credits from our expansive list of options.

The programme is specifically designed for those seeking high level training prior to embarking on doctoral research, recent graduates wishing to extend and enhance their studies by a year before taking up a career, individuals already in employment who are interested in career development, and those who simply wish to broaden their intellectual horizons.

Please note that this course requires you to read and analyse complex English literary texts, but we do not teach English language skills on these modules. You will need a near-native level of English to participate fully in classes and complete assessments successfully.

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

Fees

2025/26 entry

UK fees per year:

£12,500 full-time; £6,250 part-time

International fees per year:

£25,300 full-time; £12,650 part-time

Scholarships

The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships*.

For more information on scholarships and other financial support, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

^{*Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.}

Teaching and research

The MA English Literary Studies has been built to develop your critical skills for possible future careers in research, communications, publishing, or the arts. You will be exploring literary and cultural works across the centuries, developing your independent research skills and studying a wide range of media while using a variety of scholarly approaches. This is an opportunity to be based at Exeter, a UNESCO City of Literature since 2019, and to work with world-leading academics as part of a thriving research culture. The department holds regular research events including visiting scholar talks, staff seminars, reading groups and conferences.

Learning and teaching

We believe in collaborative, small group learning and teaching for your modules will be delivered through seminar groups. Each module has one two-hour seminar per week, with independent work set that involves intensive, self-motivated research and writing.

You will be encouraged to discuss your ideas and interact with your fellow students and academic staff through visiting speaker seminar series, postgraduate conferences and Research Centre activities. You will be expected to play an active role in debating and presenting your work. Throughout your programme you will develop and enhance your communication, analytical, and critical thinking skills.

Modules

On your modules you will be assisted by the coursework you produce such as critical essays. The final assessment piece will be your dissertation, the culmination of your programme of study. You will conceive, plan, research and write an independent 15,000 word piece that will display your subject knowledge and methodological skills. The dissertation is your opportunity to explore a topic that interests you in greater detail, something which may form the basis of further research or other portfolio.

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Facilities

Excellent facilities are provided by the campus libraries. Our Special Collections include the papers of several celebrated 20th Century writers such as Agatha Christie, Ted Hughes, Daphne du Maurier, and William Golding, as well as other major holdings in the Hypatia Women’s Studies Collection and the American Music Collection. You will also have access to the historical film holdings based at the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum and be close to a range of local resources across the city, including the Victorianist materials at the Devon and Exeter Institution, and the Medieval and Early Modern materials at the Cathedral Archive.

You will be able to use the whole range of Library services during your time at Exeter. We have modern study spaces, an extensive Academic Library, inter-Library loan system, and an extensive Digital Library to all of which you will have full access.

The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum, housed within the University’s Old Library, holds a unique archival collection with particular strength in the area of British Film.

The University also houses its own Special Collections which includes original papers relating to important South West literary figures such as Ted Hughes, Daphne Du Maurier, John Fowles, John Betjeman, Agatha Christie, Henry Williamson and William Golding.

The University has invested £1.2 million into Digital Humanities to create a state-of-the-art lab and research space for the examination and preservation of important historical, literary and visual artefacts. The lab will allow you to use high-tech equipment to find out more about our cultural heritage, examine items in greater detail and share discoveries with the public. For more information view our Digital Humanities Lab page.

Careers

Graduates of this MA will be well-prepared for careers in writing, publishing, journalism, film and TV, advertising and marketing, non-profit organisations, social enterprises, and education. The course also serves as an excellent foundation for pursuing doctoral research in literature. Those who complete the MA and identify a compelling research topic (often based on their third term dissertation) are encouraged to apply to the Exeter PhD.

An English degree is a uniquely versatile qualification valued by employers for the combination of communication and analytical skills as well as combining an understanding of literature and media in a historical and cultural context. For some of our students the MA is a step on the path to doctoral study, for others it opens a range of career paths in areas such as teaching, publishing, media, journalism, advertising and communications.

In recent years the positions some of our graduates have gone on to include:

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