Your postgraduate studies on the Modern and Contemporary Literature MA pathway will be shaped and informed by leading international researchers in the literature and culture of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Our research and teaching focuses on some of the most critical and pressing issues of our time, including contemporary racism as a legacy of transatlantic slavery in neo-slave narratives; surrealist depictions of climate change; global feminisms; the precarity of whiteness in American novels; and the crisis of post-modernity in contemporary writing. Tutors contributing to the pathway include New Generation Thinkers, award-winning writers and critics, and members of the Global Literatures Research Group.
Regular visits by a range of international writers and poets, in association with the Centre for New and International Writing, will enhance your study. In the past we have welcomed writers including George Saunders, Nuar Alsadir and Jay Bernard. The pathway integrates teaching with Liverpool’s host of world-class cultural institutions and venues, such as the Everyman Theatre, the International Slavery Museum, Tate Liverpool and the Liverpool Biennial.
Please note: when applying, please choose ‘MA English Literature’ from the list of programmes. You should specify the specific pathway which you wish to study in your personal statement.
The MA is particularly suitable for graduates looking to pursue careers in the arts, culture, creative and heritage sectors, including journalism, copywriting, management in arts and culture organisations and teaching.
The MA in English Literature provides students with rigorous academic training in the broad interdisciplinary field of literary history, theory and culture. The professional skills that students will develop upon completion of the programme will prepare them well for a wide range of potential employment areas.
Departmental support includes:
The qualifications and exam results you'll need to apply for this course.
You'll need to demonstrate competence in the use of English language, unless you’re from a majority English speaking country .
We accept a variety of international language tests and country-specific qualifications .
International applicants who do not meet the minimum required standard of English language can complete one of our Pre-Sessional English courses to achieve the required level.
Do you need to complete a Pre-sessional English course to meet the English language requirements for this course?
The length of Pre-sessional English course you’ll need to take depends on your current level of English language ability.
If you don’t meet our English language requirements, we can use your most recent IELTS score, or the equivalent score in selected other English language tests , to determine the length of Pre-sessional English course you require.
Use the table below to check the course length you're likely to require for your current English language ability and see whether the course is available on campus or online.
If you’ve completed an alternative English language test to IELTS, we may be able to use this to assess your English language ability and determine the Pre-sessional English course length you require.
Please see our guide to Pre-sessional English entry requirements for IELTS 6.5 overall, with no component below 6.0, for further details.