COURSE CURRICULUM

The MA in Literary Studies at Aberystwyth University offers a rich and flexible program for students interested in deepening their understanding of English literature. The course combines rigorous academic training with the opportunity to explore a diverse range of literary themes, genres, and periods. At its core, the program develops students’ research capabilities through modules such as Research and Project Planning and the Master’s Dissertation, a 60-credit independent research project that allows students to investigate a topic of their choosing in depth, guided by academic experts.In addition to core research training, students can tailor their studies through a range of specialist optional modules. These reflect the department’s strengths in literary history, theory, and cultural studies. Modules such as Romantic Radical Cultures and Women, Fiction and Female Community, 1660–1792 offer insight into early literary traditions and gender dynamics, while Late Modernist Poetry and Reading Ulysses provide opportunities to explore challenging and influential literary movements of the twentieth century. Students interested in contemporary themes can choose Queer and Now: 100 Years of Queer Writing or Postwar American Fiction, which examine identity, politics, and social change in recent literature. Sensational Sales: Victorian Popular Literature 1848–1894 investigates literary trends and mass readership during the nineteenth century.This degree is supported by outstanding resources, including access to Aberystwyth University’s well-equipped library and the nearby National Library of Wales, one of the UK’s major research libraries. These resources enhance opportunities for original research and engagement with rare texts. Graduates of the MA in Literary Studies will leave with advanced skills in analysis, writing, and independent research, making the program ideal preparation for doctoral study or for careers in education, publishing, media, cultural institutions, and other sectors where critical thinking and literary knowledge are highly valued.