Which authors will I read on the Advanced Diploma in Literature Studies?

Reading lists change each cohort, but typically span canonical and contemporary English-language fiction, lyric poetry from the early modern to the present, modern drama and essayistic non-fiction. The comparative module brings in major translated works. The Advanced Diploma in Literature Studies is shaped to read both deeply and widely.

How is the Advanced Diploma in Literature Studies assessed?

By essay across each reading strand, a critical-theory portfolio and the final independent critical project. There are no closed-book exams. Tutor feedback is detailed, with redrafts encouraged on every major piece.

Can I study the Advanced Diploma in Literature Studies online?

Yes. The online route mirrors the seminar-led on-campus course with live small-group discussion, recorded close-reading lectures and asynchronous discussion forums. Online students join a virtual reading group that runs through the academic year.

Is the Advanced Diploma in Literature Studies a good fit for aspiring reviewers and editors?

Yes. The course's review-writing and critical-theory work directly support careers in literary editing, reviewing and publishing. Several recent graduates have placed reviews in UK national broadsheets and literary magazines while studying.

What essay sample is required for the Advanced Diploma in Literature Studies?

A 1,000-to-2,000 word piece on any literary text — academic, journalistic or essayistic — that shows your reading practice and critical voice. Coursework, published reviews and blog posts are all acceptable. Admissions will discuss your options if needed.

Advanced Diploma in Literature Studies | LSJHML London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Advanced Diploma in Literature Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a twelve-to-fifteen-month senior-track UK qualification for serious readers and writers who want a structured immersion in literary form, comparative reading and contemporary criticism. You will work across novels, poetry, drama and essayistic non-fiction, develop a close-reading practice, and finish with an extended critical project supervised by a tutor with an active research portfolio.

This Advanced Diploma in Literature Studies is built for people who already read for pleasure and want to read for argument — to understand how a sentence does its work and why a critical tradition has settled on the canon it has. Seminar discussion is central; the reading is not optional.

Key Features

Senior-track UK qualification in literature at Level 5, aligned with the English Association and British Comparative Literature Association frameworks.
Four major reading strands — fiction, poetry, drama, essayistic non-fiction — each taught by a specialist.
Critical theory module covering formalism, post-structuralism, feminist, postcolonial and ecocritical reading practices.
Comparative reading workshops placing English-language literature alongside translated works in dialogue.
Independent critical project of 6,000-to-8,000 words supervised one-to-one.
Bachelor's top-up pathway into a UK literature degree at LSJHML or a partner university.

What You Will Learn

The Advanced Diploma in Literature Studies is structured around the working competencies of a literary critic: close reading, comparative analysis, theoretical literacy and clear critical writing. You leave able to produce a piece of close reading worth publishing, situate a text within its critical tradition, and articulate a sustained argument about literary form.

Close reading — prosody, syntax, narrative voice, image, structure.
Genre and form — the novel, lyric poetry, dramatic structure, the long essay.
Literary history — major periods, movements and crises in English-language literature.
Comparative literature — reading in translation, translation theory basics, transnational literary networks.
Critical theory — formalism, structuralism, post-structuralism, feminist, postcolonial and ecocritical approaches.
Contemporary literary criticism — current debates in UK and international literary culture.
Critical writing — review form, the long-form essay, the academic article.
Research methods for literary scholarship — bibliography, archival sources, citation conventions.

Who This Advanced Diploma Is For

Diploma-level humanities or literature graduates ready for a more demanding critical qualification.
Editors, reviewers and writers wanting to deepen their critical practice on a recognised credential.
Teachers refreshing or extending their literature subject knowledge.
Mature readers and career-changers planning postgraduate or research-track work in literature.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the Advanced Diploma in Literature Studies move into editorial, teaching, research and curatorial roles where literary literacy is central. Typical roles include:

Editor (literary publishing, magazine, journal)
Critic (literary review, broadsheet books desk)
Academic Researcher (post-further-study, university or research institute)
Curriculum Designer (literature, English language, examinations)
Lecturer in Literature (post-further-study, FE or HE)
Literary Programmer (festival, library, cultural venue)

The Advanced Diploma is a strong base for a final-year BA in English Literature or Comparative Literature, or for postgraduate work in literary studies.

Entry Requirements

A UK Diploma (Level 4) or equivalent in a related subject, OR completion of secondary school plus one year of relevant work experience.
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement, CV and a short essay sample on a literary text.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with three years of relevant work experience.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.