COURSE CURRICULUM

In the first year of this degree, students are introduced to the foundational concepts of literary and media studies through a variety of engaging and interdisciplinary modules. Contemporary Literary Studies encourages students to critically interpret post-millennial literary texts while familiarizing themselves with current debates and techniques in literary analysis. Understanding Social Media complements this by exploring the impact of digital platforms on identity, politics, work, and communication through contemporary examples. Modules such as Poetry and The Novel provide a historical and theoretical grounding in literary traditions, helping students build confidence in reading and analyzing poetic and narrative forms. Cinematic Identities offers a lens into American cinema's role in reflecting and shaping ideas about gender, race, and class from the 1940s to the present. Connecting with Audiences supports students in developing an awareness of how texts and media are received by diverse publics. In the second year, students deepen their critical engagement through Media Theory, where they study foundational theoretical perspectives that continue to shape media studies, and Researching Media & Culture, which provides practical knowledge of research methodologies essential for academic inquiry in media and cultural contexts. These modules help students refine their analytical, research, and interpretive skills. In the final year, students demonstrate their academic growth and specialisation through the Extended Project and Dissertation, undertaking sustained, independent research on a chosen topic. These capstone modules require students to apply their cumulative knowledge, engage with complex theoretical frameworks, and develop a clear, coherent argument supported by evidence. The program overall blends literature, media, and cultural studies to foster a broad and flexible understanding of textual and media forms, preparing students for careers or further study in a variety of fields.