English Literature: Literature and Society: Enlightenment, Romantic and Victorian MSc
Awards: MSc
Study modes: Full-time, Part-time
Funding opportunities
This masters programme is a fascinating exploration of the ways in which writing in English has shaped or mediated political identities in England, Scotland and Ireland.
It introduces you to the relationship between literary writing and political and social discourse in Britain and Ireland between the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688 and the end of the 19th century. This is the period of the creation of the Britain in which we live today, and also the time in which ancient British, Scottish and Irish national cultures were conceptualised as a response to radical literary, social and political innovations.
In examining the role of literary writing in this period, you will evaluate the ways in which it changed in response to social and political developments. You will also explore how Romantic conceptions of history, society and the aesthetic are developed and questioned during the course of the 19th century.
The programme will be taught through a combination of seminars and tutorials over two semesters, after which you will complete an independently researched dissertation. You will complete two compulsory and two option courses, along with courses in research methods.
Compulsory courses:
- Enlightenment and Romanticism 1688–1815
- Romanticism and Victorian Society 1815–1900
- Research Skills and Methods
Option courses may include:
- Poet-Critics: the Style of Modern Poetry
- Fairy Tales
- Digital Humanities for Literary Studies
- Green Thoughts: Landscape, Environment and Literature
- The Long Summer: Edwardian Texts and Contexts 1900–1910
- Shakespeare Adapted
- Fairy Tales
Reading lists
You can find out more about core courses, and browse indicative reading lists for them, on our Course Catalogue from 2019-20.
- Semester 1: Enlightenment and Romanticism, 1688–1815
- Semester 2: Romanticism and Victorian Society, 1815–1900
*(Revised 19 November 2020 with addition of course reading lists.)
Students who successfully follow this programme will gain:
- knowledge and understanding of the role of literary writing in the formation of British, Scottish, Irish and English national identities in the 18th and 19th centuries
- practical knowledge of the range of theoretical and philosophical ideas informing contemporary literary criticism
- a grounding in the research methods of literary studies
This programme will help you to identify possible topics for advanced research in English literature, potentially leading to an academic career. The transferable skills you gain, such as communication, project management and analysis, will give you an edge in a competitive employment market.
A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in English literature or a relevant discipline.
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
English language requirements
You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.
English language tests
For 2021 entry we will accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS: total 7.0 (at least 6.5 in each module)
- TOEFL-iBT (including Special Home Edition): total 100 (at least 23 in each module). We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- CAE and CPE: total 185 (at least 176 in each module)
- Trinity ISE: ISE III with a pass in all four components
Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
Degrees taught and assessed in English
We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:
We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries.
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study.
Find out more about our language requirements:
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSc | 1 Year | Full-time | Tuition fees | |
MSc | 2 Years | Part-time | Tuition fees |
Featured funding
UK government postgraduate loans
If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments. The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on your programme, the duration of your studies, and your residency status. (Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.)
Other funding opportunities
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
- Contact: College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Admissions Office
- Programme Director, Dr Bob Irvine
- Contact: R.P.Irvine@ed.ac.uk
- School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- 50 George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9LH
Applying
Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.
MSc Literature and Society: Enlightenment, Romantic and Victorian - 1 Year (Full-time)
MSc Literature and Society: Enlightenment, Romantic and Victorian - 2 Years (Part-time)
Programme start date | Application deadline |
---|---|
13 September 2021 | 31 July 2021 |
If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.
*(Revised 13 November to remove contradictory deadline information.)
You must submit one reference with your application.
The online application process involves the completion of a web form and the submission of supporting documents.
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
Further information
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
- Contact: College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Admissions Office
- Programme Director, Dr Bob Irvine
- Contact: R.P.Irvine@ed.ac.uk
- School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- 50 George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9LH