Postgraduate Taught

English Literature

A student standing between the shelves in a library reading a book
Two students laughing while working together in the library
A male student writing on a notepad while working on a picnic bench with an open book beside him
A female student sat in a chair holding a book while another student crouches next to her
Lay the foundations for the career you want by studying the writers and forms of writing that interest you most with this flexible Masters degree.
Find your inspiration in our 7-storey library. It's home to over a million books and extensive digital resources drawn from libraries and archives across the world.
Our degree is career-focused and trains you to analyse, research and communicate at a very high level – skills that are highly valued by employers in a range of sectors.
English has been taught at Hull since 1928. As one of England’s oldest universities, we have a proud heritage of academic excellence.
A student standing between the shelves in a library reading a book
Two students laughing while working together in the library
A male student writing on a notepad while working on a picnic bench with an open book beside him
A female student sat in a chair holding a book while another student crouches next to her

Study English Literature in the city described as the most poetic in England, where Philip Larkin wrote some of his best work.

You’ll gain insight into society, culture and politics by developing an understanding of the power of language and why it affects how we interpret and communicate with the world around us.

Through our MA English Literature course, you’ll explore global literature with internationally renowned researchers, working on real-world projects, covering themes such as sustainability, collaboration and resilience.

Choose the writers, or forms of writing, that most interest you.

  • World-leading researchers

    teach on this course

  • Acquire knowledge

    across a variety of contemporary themes

  • Over 1 million books

    in our 7-storey library

  • Work on real world projects

    and enhance your career prospects

  • Focus on writers and texts

    that interest you most

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Course overview
Module options

About this course

Through seminars, creative writing workshops, student presentations and small group exercises you’ll study a range of cutting-edge modules, acquiring knowledge in a variety of subjects and genres within English studies.

Supported by internationally renowned researchers, you’ll gain skills in independent writing and research and develop a set of professional competencies for use in your future career. You will also gain insight into key research areas in the field of English Literature, as well as explore contemporary global issues and challenges.

This highly flexible MA programme allows you to choose the writers, or forms of writing, that most interest you. All students take the compulsory research module in Trimester 1, designed to provide and encourage the development of a set of competencies in creativity, engagement, and communication. Students also take an innovative module exploring literature and the emotions, where you'll be introduced to a wide range of texts and theoretical perspectives. You then choose two additional modules in English Literature, including such topics as gender, intertextuality, and the environment. 

The programme culminates in a summer research project leading to a dissertation. You choose the project and then work on it over the summer months with dedicated support from an academic subject specialist.

Choose your modules

For a full Masters degree, you'll study 180 credits over the duration of your course. Some programmes offer a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) qualification or a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) qualification. For a PGDip, you'll study 120 credits, and for a PGCert, you'll study 60 credits.

Research, Creativity and Engagement

You'll be trained in research and practice-based methods in literary studies, creative writing or both. You'll work with the University-based Journal of Gender Studies to develop your reviewing skills or preparing your work for publication skills. You'll then present aspects of your research at a conference day.

Compulsory•30 credits

Literature and the Emotions

This innovative module considers a variety of literary texts in relation to current critical and theoretical work on the history of emotions. You will study a number of emotions in their cultural and historical contexts, and how they are represented in Renaissance literature, Romantic poetry, and contemporary fiction.

Compulsory•30 credits

Dissertation

What fascinates you? You will make an original contribution to research by designing, carrying out and writing up a project on a topic of your choice, supported by your dissertation supervisor.

Compulsory•60 credits

Gender in Popular Culture

This module analyses masculinity and femininity in genres central to contemporary popular fiction and film, such as crime fiction, chick and lad lit, war fiction, true crime and the gangster movie. You'll analyse these novels and films using the theoretical perspectives of Bakhtin, Foucault, Butler, Bourdieu and Fiske.

Optional•30 credits

Climate Fiction: Writing Water in a Warming World

This module focuses on representations of water in contemporary climate fiction. You will explore the capacity of fiction to imagine possible futures, alongside concepts including eco-anxiety, environmental injustice, and sustainability.

Optional•30 credits

Shakespearean Transformations

You will be introduced to classical and early modern theories of imitation and originality, and modern theories of intertextuality as a starting point for considering how works by Shakespeare and other early modern writers can be understood as intertextual ‘transformations’ in relation to both classical and medieval precursors, and contemporary works of fiction and art.

Optional•30 credits
6 Modules

Our academics

You’re taught by internationally-renowned scholars, published poets, fiction writers, and scriptwriters. People who bring their expertise, creativity and passion into everything you learn.

We’re part of the Larkin Centre research group. In REF 2021, 93% of our research was ranked world-leading or internationally excellent.1

See more academics for this subject
Dr Stewart Mottram
Featured academic

Dr Stewart Mottram

Dr Stewart Mottram specialises in environmental approaches to literature, focussing on the writing of flood risk regions across time. He works with environmental specialists to foreground the history of flooding and its role in shaping cultures.
Dr Anna Fitzer
Featured academic

Dr Anna Fitzer

Anna researches representations of sentiment, sensibility, and libertinism in 18th-century fiction and drama, women's writing, and early Romantic literary biography and memoir. She has written extensively about Frances Sheridan and her daughters.

Entry requirements

What do I need?

Typical offer
2:2 in relevant subject area

We normally require a 2:2 undergraduate degree in English (literary studies/creative writing) or a cognate humanities discipline or international equivalent.

If you’re an undergraduate student at Hull, you’re guaranteed a fast-track route to this postgraduate degree, as long as you meet the entry requirements.

In order to ensure our students have a rich learning and student experience, most of our programmes have a mix of domestic and international students. We reserve the right to close applications early to either group if application volumes suggest that this blend cannot be achieved.

What do I need?

Typical offer
2:2 in relevant subject area

We normally require a 2:2 undergraduate degree in English (literary studies/creative writing) or a cognate humanities discipline or international equivalent.

If you require a student visa to study or if your first language is not English you will be required to provide acceptable evidence of your English language proficiency level.

This course requires academic IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 5.5 in each skill. See other English language proficiency qualifications accepted by the University of Hull.

If your English currently does not reach the University’s required standard for this programme, you may be interested in one of our English language courses.

Visit your country page to find out more about our entry requirements.

Fees & funding

How much is it?

Additional costs you may have to pay

Your tuition fees will cover most costs associated with your programme. There are some extra costs that you might have to pay, or choose to pay, depending on your programme of study and the decisions you make:

  • Books (you can borrow books on your reading lists from the library, but you may buy your own)
  • Optional field trips
  • Study abroad (incl. travel costs, accommodation, visas, immunisation)
  • Placement costs (incl. travel costs and accommodation)
  • Student visas (international students)
  • Laptop (you’ll have access to laptops and PCs on campus, but you may want your own)
  • Printing and photocopying
  • Professional-body membership
  • Graduation (gown hire and photography)

Remember, you’ll still need to take into account your living costs. This could include accommodation, travel, food and more.

How do I pay for it?

How much is it?

Additional costs you may have to pay

Your tuition fees will cover most costs associated with your programme. There are some extra costs that you might have to pay, or choose to pay, depending on your programme of study and the decisions you make:

  • Books (you can borrow books on your reading lists from the library, but you may buy your own)
  • Optional field trips
  • Study abroad (incl. travel costs, accommodation, visas, immunisation)
  • Placement costs (incl. travel costs and accommodation)
  • Student visas (international students)
  • Laptop (you’ll have access to laptops and PCs on campus, but you may want your own)
  • Printing and photocopying
  • Professional-body membership
  • Graduation (gown hire and photography)

Remember, you’ll still need to take into account your living costs. This could include accommodation, travel, food and more.

How do I pay for it?

Our scholarships

We offer a number of awards, bursaries and scholarships for eligible students. They’re awarded for a variety of reasons including academic achievement and/or to help those on lower incomes.

Scholarships and bursaries are separate to student loans. And the best bit is, you don’t pay a penny back.

Find out more about our scholarships

Alumni Postgraduate Scholarship

University of Hull undergraduates progressing to a taught masters course may receive a 25% discount on the cost of their tuition fees.

Find out if you’re eligible by visiting the University of Hull Alumni Postgraduate Scholarship page.

International Scholarships and Bursaries

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries for international students.

To find out more and see if you're eligible, please visit the International Scholarships and Bursaries page.

Take a look at our facilities

Brynmor Jones Library

Our 7-storey library is home to 1 million+ books, extensive digital resources drawn from libraries and archives across the world, and stunning panoramic views of the city.

Reading Room

You’ll find the Reading Room on the first floor of our library. It offers a comfortable space and a quiet environment to study – away from the hustle and bustle of the campus.

Rare Books

Our collection includes a variety of titles published between 1473 and 2002. Texts are in 18 languages. Places of publication range from Amsterdam to Zwickau, covering 26 countries on 5 continents.

Study Rooms

You'll find over 1,000 workspaces in our library. From boardroom style meeting venues with big screen PCs, to informal group study areas and interactive whiteboards.

See more in our virtual tour

Look around

Look around

Look around

Look around

Brynmor Jones Library
Brynmor Jones Library Reading Room
Brynmor Jones Library Rare Books Room
Brynmor Jones Library Group Study Room
elizabeth-godber-creative-writing-english

Future prospects

You will leave Hull with enhanced communication, research and creative skills.

Career options include writing and editing jobs, in fields such as journalism, marketing or promotions. Many students opt to pursue further research or a career in academia or teaching.

University of Hull Open Day

Your next steps

Like what you’ve seen? Then it’s time to apply.

Make your application online now, and our admissions team will get back to you as soon as possible to make you an offer.

Apply now
How to apply

Not ready to apply?

We regularly deliver virtual and on-campus events to help you discover your perfect postgraduate course, whether it’s a subject you already love or something completely different. Our events are an opportunity for you to chat to tutors and current students and find out about the career options a postgraduate degree could lead to.

Discover more

You may also be interested in…

Course

MA Creative Writing and English Literature
  1. Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

All modules presented on this course page are subject to availability and this list may change at any time.

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