University of Westminster

English Literature: Modern and Contemporary Fictions MA

Our English Literature: Modern and Contemporary Fictions MA gives you the opportunity to study English literature in a modern university environment while taking advantage of London's rich cultural life. You'll examine literary texts in the wider context of cultural production and relate them to their social, historical and political circumstances.

Our team of academic specialists make use of the many nearby museums, galleries and libraries in their teaching. The course will be of particular interest if you wish to prepare for further study at MPhil or PhD level or if you're teaching English and wish to gain a further qualification and investigate current developments in the field.

Studying the MA, you'll have the chance to revisit and reinvestigate the texts, critical practices, institutions and periods of English Literature in order to see it in new and exciting ways.

The course consists of three core modules, which together will help you to develop advanced skills of argument, synthesis, research and presentation. Themes and Problems in Modern and Contemporary Literature introduce you to current major themes in contemporary literature, in particular, the ways in which contemporary texts engage with and mediate ongoing crises and conflicts post-2001. Writing the Self explores issues such as life-writing, autofiction, embodiment, biography, memory, otherness, and the non-human.

The Dissertation, which can be written on an appropriate topic of your choice, is also a core module. The option modules provide an opportunity for you to deepen and extend your knowledge of a range of periods, issues and forms across the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.

Top reasons to study with us

• Research-led teaching – You'll learn from staff with cutting-edge expertise in fields such as critical theory, memory studies, queer theory, urban culture, and experimental writing
• Relevant and contemporary modules – Our modules consider how literature relates to some of the most vital questions affecting the world today, such as migration and climate crisis
• Gain experience in the cultural industries – Our Work Placement in Cultural Institutions module allows you to take advantage of the wealth of cultural institutions in London and gain crucial experience
• Learn in the heart of London – Studying at our Regent Street Campus in central London, you'll be part of a diverse, global community

Why study this course?

• Fantastic central London location
  You'll be studying in the centre of one of the world’s greatest cities, within easy reach of London's unrivalled library, cultural and archive resources.
• Study across disciplines
  Our interdisciplinary modules give you the opportunity to study a wide variety of cultural forms and broaden your understanding of contemporary culture.
• Benefit from cutting-edge expertise
  Our teaching is current and research-led, with our staff including experts in critical theory, memory studies, queer theory, urban culture, and experimental writing.