MA 21st Century Literature

The principal intellectual aim of this programme is to contribute to the process by which the significant and innovative writers and dramatists of the new millennium are discovered and discussed. It also aims to begin to identify new patterns, clusters, trends and paradigms in contemporary prose, poetry and drama.

Level One

The core first level of the course, 'English Now', uses fiction, life writing, drama and poetry written in the UK and Ireland since 2000 as a focus for exploring the state of English literary studies in the 21st Century.

'English Now' is divided into two single semester modules on contemporary writing from the UK and Ireland, addressing first poetry and drama, then life writing and fiction published since 2000. The two core modules use 21st Century literature firstly as an opportunity to consider the relationship between literature and its context; secondly as a way of raising current theoretical issues and concerns; thirdly as material for exploring formal issues; and finally as a focus for a consideration of the 'singularity of literature' – that which makes literature a unique human activity. These modules are combined with a research skills module which completes the PG Certificate level.

Level Two

The second level of the course consists of two specialist modules on contemporary literature from a set of options which prepare students for a 15,000 word dissertation on a subject chosen and researched by the student.

At the second (PG Diploma) level the course offers the opportunity to select more specialist modules in contemporary writing that address themes, topics or theoretical perspectives from both within the UK and Ireland but these options also widen the geographical reach to include an international literary market. Students choose two options from a list including contemporary literary constructions of London; 21st Century women’s writing; contemporary American Fiction; 21st Century literary theory; the Neo-Victorian novel; ecocriticism; and utopian & dystopian writing. Each of these leads to a small research project which is designed to prepare students for the final part of the programme, a 15,000 word dissertation on a subject chosen by the student by negotiation with a supervisor, and researched and written up in the final months of the Master's.

Specialist areas of staff expertise include:

• 21st Century Literature
• Post-colonial Studies
• Post-War Political Theatre
• Caryl Churchill
• William Golding
• Modernism
• Renaissance Literature & Drama
• Ecocriticism
• Utopian Studies
• Women’s Writing (18th Century – Present)
• Life Writing
• American Studies
• Trauma Studies
• Creative Writing
• 18th and 19th Century Writing.

The 'English Now' programme modules run consecutively in semesters A and B, the two specialist options concurrently with them in sequence from the beginning of Semester A to the end of Semester B. The dissertation proposal is submitted towards the end of Semester B and the dissertation itself at the end of the academic year in September.

Part-time students will take the PG Certificate level 'English Now' modules at Level One and the specialist options at Level Two (PG Diploma), followed by the Master’s dissertation in the summer of Level Two.

English staff have research strengths in late 20th and 21st Century writing and have particular expertise in contemporary action, drama, poetry, film and popular culture.

For further details please contact the Programme Leader:

Dr Siân Adiseshiah
Programme Leader, MA English Studies
Lincoln School of Humanities & Performing Arts 
University of Lincoln 
Lincoln 
LN6 7TS 
sadiseshiah@lincoln.ac.uk  
Tel: +44 (0)1522 886840 
 

Or Postgraduate Admissions Tutor:

Dr Christopher Marlow 
cmarlow@lincoln.ac.uk  
Tel: +44 (0)1522 837358

For further information about fees, scholarships and bursaries please see our Fees & Funding pages.

Fees and Funding