English Literature MA
1-2 years, full- or part-time
There are many reasons to study literature in English at advanced level: to explore other periods and cultures; to develop your research and communication skills; to pursue career goals; or simply because you love reading. All are possible on this MA, where you will work to develop your interests with internationally recognised experts in the discipline.
Programme Director
Dr Ben Parsons
bp62@le.ac.uk
Course enquiries
+44 (0)116 252 2620
ArtsPGT@le.ac.uk
Course description
Course description
Please note, this course is being advertised subject to approval.
On our English Literature MA, you’ll explore the rich variety of writing in English from the Middle Ages to the present day, and – if you choose – develop a specialism in a particular period. Our programme allows you to work in-depth on medieval and Renaissance material, or on Victorian literature, or on contemporary literature, and to encounter authors from around the world.
Led by internationally recognised and world-leading experts, you’ll examine the cultural and historical factors that have shaped and continue to shape literature. You’ll build your academic knowledge and professional skills, culminating in a dissertation project of your own devising. In the process, you’ll receive training in research, communication and analysis crucial for a variety of careers.
The programme begins with two core modules designed to hone your skills and practise them on a range of literary works at an advanced level. At Leicester, interdisciplinary investigation is vital to our research. You’ll have the chance to find this out for yourself with your first choice of option. You can choose to study either boundary-crossing literature, creative writing, or film.
From this point, your module choices allow you develop a specialism in a particular period, or mix-and-match to explore a range of topics that intrigue you. You will also take an Advanced Research Methods course to prepare you for your dissertation, and to develop your abilities writing and presenting to academic and non-academic audiences.
Finally, you’ll complete a dissertation with one-on-one support from an academic specialising in your chosen subject. The dissertation provides an excellent grounding in research if you're thinking of continuing to doctoral level, while simultaneously delivering evidence of a wide range of skills that are highly valued by employers.
This programme draws directly on the diverse research of the teaching team. You’ll be taught by experts in literature and related fields, whose expertise is nationally and internationally recognised through their publications, collaborations, and engagement with the public.
You’ll also become part of a vibrant postgraduate and research culture in the School of Arts, Media and Communications. This culture is driven by the interests of students and staff, and by institutes such as the University’s world-famous Centre for Victorian Studies (founded 1966) and the lively Centre for New Writing. Alongside your studies you can join in a variety of formal and informal extracurricular events on literature, language and creative writing running throughout the year. Leicester is fantastic city in which to explore literature, and the city’s diverse, inclusive character is reflected in our academic community and in our curriculum.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
A minimum of a 2:1 degree in English literature or language or its equivalent. You will be asked to provide a personal statement as part of your application, explaining why you have chosen this course.
Where appropriate, you may be asked to submit an essay as part of our admissions process. We will contact you if this is the case.
We recommend that you apply for this course by mid-summer at the latest.
English Language Requirements
IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 in reading and writing elements or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.
International Qualifications
Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.
Countries listFees and funding
Fees and funding
UK Students
Starting in September 2026
- £11,200
If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.
Find out more about scholarships and funding.
Did you know you can apply for a Government Postgraduate Loan? Find out if you’re eligible.
International Students
Starting in September 2026
- £20,200
You will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.
Find out more about scholarships and funding.
Careers and employability
Careers and employability
A Master's degree in English Literature is excellent preparation for a wide range of careers.
As well as deepening your knowledge of your chosen areas of English, you will work intensively on developing your research, communication and analytic skills. The Advanced Research Methods module focuses on communicating research to both academic and non-academic audiences, enabling you to rehearse explaining your work (and how it matters) to groups such as employers and the wider public.
Optional modules offer further employment-related training. For example, on the ‘Discoveries’ module, you will curate a research exhibit based on an item from the university’s special collections, and use digital storytelling software to enhance your presentation.
One popular career choice has been teaching English, either in the UK (having completed teaching training) 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, proofreading, advertising, arts administration, public relations, television and radio, film, and other media-related jobs are also ideal destinations for English Literature graduates.
Many students also go on to study PhDs at Leicester and other institutions around the UK (and the world), having been given extensive support in developing their research interests and projects through the course of their studies with us, both through their dissertations and through our personal tutoring system. Others again have gone on to work in sectors as varied as heritage, the civil service, charities, university administration, advertising, finance, and the performing arts.
Examples job roles after graduation include:
- Archivist
- Civil servant
- Copywriter
- Head teacher
- IT consultant
- Lecturer
- Librarian
- Market researcher
- Parliamentary researcher
- Social worker
- Solicitors or barristers (after completing a Law conversion course)
- Surveyor
Our Careers and Employability 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.
Related courses
Related courses
Course structure
Core modules
Core modules
Semester one
- Introduction to Postgraduate Research
- The Family in Literature
Semester two
- Advanced Research Methods
Plus your Dissertation.
The modules listed reflect those currently available to students. Every year, we review our modules and their content to ensure that our courses maintain the best academic and student experience possible. Whilst this does mean elements of your course may change in future academic years, it ensures your course is giving you a research-inspired education and preparing you for your future.
Option modules
Option modules
Semester one
Choose one option module from:
- Stolen Stories: Texts Rewriting Texts
- Poetry Writing and Contemporary Poetry
- Researching Cinema History
Semester two
Choose one option module from:
- Discoveries
- Victorian Perspectives
- Twentieth-Century Movements
Then one option module from:
- Early Modern Ghost Stories
- Bodies 1850-1918
- Twenty-First Century Fiction
- Writing Fiction
The modules listed reflect those currently available to students. Every year, we review our modules and their content to ensure that our courses maintain the best academic and student experience possible. Whilst this does mean elements of your course may change in future academic years, it ensures your course is giving you a research-inspired education and preparing you for your future.
Why Leicester?
Research seminars, talks by visiting authors, creative writing workshops, and informal book groups are part of the lively research culture of the School of Arts, Media and Communications.
A highlight of the year is the annual Literary Leicester festival, which has featured prize-winning authors from around the world, and involves a fantastic assortment of public events and workshops.
Notable authors who have given public talks at the University include Sue Townsend, Carol Anne Duffy, Jacqueline Wilson, Sarah Waters, Paul Muldoon, Adam Kay, Marlon James, Michael Morpurgo, Val McDermid, and Caroline Lucas.
Alongside a wealth of electronic resources, our University Library has collections ranging from medieval manuscripts to the papers of contemporary playwrights.
Teaching and learning
Each module will be taught through a mixture of seminars and guided independent study. 15-credit modules will involve 10 hours of taught seminars (typically divided into five two-hour sessions) and 140 hours of guided independent study, while 30-credit modules involve 20 hours of teaching (typically divided into 10 two-hour sessions) and 280 hours of guided independent study. Students on the Dissertation module will be offered five hours of one-on-one meetings with their supervisor or supervisory team.
All assessment will be carried out through coursework, with assignments carefully customised to reflect the variety of skills students are asked to acquire and demonstrate throughout the degree. Most modules will be assessed by essays, ranging from 3,000 to 4,500 words in length, but these will be accompanied and supported by further tasks, many of which will involve utilising skills desirable for a number of careers: e.g., project proposals, critical reviews, oral presentations, research-based exhibitions. The MA will culminate with a dissertation, a substantial written project of 15,000 words for which students will formulate their own research question and identify their own sources, with support from a supervisor specialising in their chosen field.
Key dates
September 2026 start
- Application deadline: 4 September 2026 (Please note if you require a visa to study you will be required to submit your course application by 24 July 2026)
- Deposit payment deadline: 7 August 2026
- CAS request deadline: 4 September 2026
- 70% tuition payment deadline: 4 September 2026
Apply now
| Course | Qualification | Duration | Start Dates | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course English Literature | Qualification MA | Duration 1 year full-time | Start Dates September each year |
Availability
Please note, this course is being advertised subject to approval. |
| Course English Literature | Qualification MA | Duration 2 years part-time | Start Dates September each year |
Availability
Please note, this course is being advertised subject to approval. |
