How is the MA Literature Studies different from an MA English?

The MA Literature Studies includes a substantial comparative and world-literature dimension alongside the English tradition. Students wanting a purely English-focused master's should consider that route instead; the MA Literature Studies is for readers who work across traditions and forms.

Do I need a second language for the MA Literature Studies?

No. Comparative work is taught with works in translation and Anglophone world literature. Students who do have a second language can pursue translation-based dissertation work, but the MA Literature Studies is fully accessible to monoglot English readers.

Can I take the MA Literature Studies part-time?

Yes. The MA can be taken over 24 months part-time. Online and distance routes are designed for working professionals, with evening seminars and a dissertation timeline that fits around editorial or teaching work.

What kind of dissertation will I write on the MA Literature Studies?

A 12,000–15,000 word dissertation on a literary question agreed with your supervisor. Recent topics have included comparative readings of contemporary diaspora fiction, critical reception of an undervalued twentieth-century poet, and the politics of translation in selected modernist texts.

Is the MA Literature Studies recognised by UK employers and academic institutions?

Yes. The MA Literature Studies is a UK master's degree aligned to English Association, British Comparative Literature Association and Society of Authors standards. Publishing, editorial, education and cultural employers recognise the credential, and the dissertation supports doctoral applications.

MA Literature Studies in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The MA Literature Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a one-year UK postgraduate degree for graduates and working editorial professionals who want a research-grade encounter with English and comparative literature. You will work across periods and traditions at advanced level, engage with current critical theory and methods, and produce a 12,000-to-15,000-word dissertation on a literary question of your choice.

This MA is for readers who want their next encounter with literature to be at research level. The MA Literature Studies treats literary scholarship as a living field — open to contemporary fiction and poetry, attentive to comparative method, and disciplined by current theory.

Key Features

UK master's degree in literary study — one year full-time, with online and distance routes.
English and comparative strands — canonical and contemporary English literature taught with works in translation and world literature in English.
Current critical theory module at research level.
Research methods strand — primary research, archives, secondary literature, basic quantitative tools.
London literary archives module using the British Library and selected institutional collections.
12,000–15,000 word dissertation supervised by an active researcher.

What You Will Learn

The MA Literature Studies is structured around the working method of a literary scholar at postgraduate level. You graduate able to read closely across traditions, situate literary work in current critical conversation, design and run substantial research, and write at the standard required for academic publication or applied editorial use.

Advanced close reading across poetry, drama and prose.
Early modern literature — Shakespeare and contemporaries at research level.
The long nineteenth century — Romantic and Victorian study, comparative angles.
Modernism and the twentieth century — major figures, contextual reading.
Contemporary literature — twenty-first-century writing, current critical debate.
Comparative literature — works in translation, comparative reading methods.
Current critical theory — schools and current debates at advanced level.
Research methods and dissertation craft — proposal, fieldwork, write-up, viva preparation.

Who This MA Is For

BA graduates in literature, English or comparative literature seeking research-track training.
Working editors, publishers and editorial researchers wanting a postgraduate credential.
Teachers and lecturers preparing for senior-track or doctoral routes.
International students seeking a UK literature master's with a comparative dimension.

Career Pathways

The MA Literature Studies supports senior editorial, publishing, education and academic careers. Typical destinations include:

Editor (senior trade publisher, academic press, magazine)
Critic (literary press, journal, broadcaster)
Academic Researcher (after doctoral study)
Curriculum Designer (school, awarding body, EdTech)
Lecturer in Literature (after doctoral study)
Senior Editorial Researcher (publisher, broadcaster, festival)

The MA Literature Studies also serves as a launchpad for doctoral research.

Entry Requirements

A UK 2:2 honours degree (or international equivalent) in literature, English or a related subject, OR a 2:2 in any subject with two years of relevant editorial or teaching experience.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement (max 1 page) outlining your motivation, relevant experience and intended dissertation area.
Two academic or professional references.
Applicants without a related undergraduate degree may be considered with significant industry experience and a written sample.

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.