English Studies MA

Manchester Metropolitan University

This is a flexible and challenging masters course, delivered by a team of tutors with internationally recognised academic expertise in an array of specialist areas, based in Manchester – a UNESCO city of Literature, with a programme of events you can take advantage of and a burgeoning culture of creative industries looking for talented graduates.

MA English Studies allows you to build your own bespoke masters experience, selecting from a range of units to reflect your interests in the further study of English. Or you could choose to follow one of three bracketed specialisms:

MA English Studies (Contemporary Literature, Film and Theory) focuses on contemporary cultural practices and critical theoretical interventions. This pathway reflects research strengths of staff in contemporary literary and film studies, critical and cultural theory, memory and trauma studies, the critical medical humanities and queer, postcolonial and cultural disability studies.

MA English Studies (The Gothic) begins with the pre-history of the Gothic mode in the seventeenth century, explores its eighteenth and nineteenth-century incarnations and concludes with contemporary manifestations of the mode. You will study plays and novels, films and television, framed by socio-cultural perspectives, and critical and theoretical analyses.

MA English Studies (Postcolonial Studies) explores Anglophone literature from across the postcolonial world in relation to its many social, cultural and historical contexts as well as contemporary critical and cultural theories. The specialism foregrounds the links between postcolonial literary practice and decolonial cultural politics, focusing on both the impact and representation of nationalism, migration, globalisation and trauma.

Choose to study the course on campus full-time in one year or part-time over two. You could also take this qualification online via distance learning.

Features and Benefits

• Accessible - An accessible masters degree you can study in the evening, full-time and part-time.

• Based in Manchester - A diverse and creative city, that is a designated UNESCO City of Literature (2017)

• Exciting opportunities - Take advantage of the English Department’s involvement with heritage projects, festivals, conferences, libraries, the creative industries and a varied programme of literary/research events.

• Personal learning experience - Taught in small groups, you will benefit from the expertise of research active staff from whom you will learn specialist subject knowledge, professional research skills and conference presentation skills.

• Research quality - We are 8th out of 89 UK universities for the quality of our impact in English Language and Literature research (REF 2014).

• Industry connections - You will benefit from regular seminars by visiting speakers as well as a thriving conference schedule.

• Support for you - A personal tutoring system is in place, ensuring that all students have a tutor with whom they can discuss any aspect of their academic developments.

• Academic expertise - Take advantage of the expertise of a number of research centres within the English department, which directly inform our teaching across the different pathways. Led by Minoli Salgado, a new Centre for Migration and Postcolonial Studies was founded in 2021, and the Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies, launched in 2013, capitalises on the expertise of a high number of internationally renowned Gothic scholars housed in the Department of English; Centre Head, Linnie Blake, along with Xavier Aldana Reyes and Sorcha Ni Fhlainn form the Centre’s core members.

• Online distance learning - You can participate in the programme through the University online learning platform, this will follow the same course outline as those attending in person. Teaching and learning is tailored for distance-learning students and includes online discussion groups and tutorials.

Accredited by the Royal Society of Biology for the purpose of meeting, in part, the academic and experience requirement of membership and Chartered Biologist (CBiol).

Accredited by the Royal Society of Biology for the purpose of meeting, in part, the academic and experience requirement of membership and Chartered Biologist (CBiol).