Overview

At the University of Surrey you'll benefit from the expertise of our academics who are leaders in their fields. They’ll inspire you to extend your understanding of literary history, genre and theory, introducing you to a variety of up-to-date approaches to literary studies.

Career opportunities

The English Literature is a course with a strong emphasis on contemporary, 21st-century literary forms and themes, and on literature and cultural production with an innovative, sometimes avant-garde dimension. The material you read (and possibly write) can therefore range from gaming narratives, screenplays, travel writing and experimental poetry to science fiction, children’s literature, neohistorical fiction and queer ecology. At the same time, there is ample scope to study other periods and more traditional, canonical texts; for example, from the medieval era or from the Victorian period. The programme also builds in plenty of flexibility (e.g. via its Open Writing modules, the dissertation and several other modules), giving you scope to home in on the topics and texts that most interest you. This means you can use the MA to lay down a good foundation for PhD study, or just to explore a particular enthusiasm or fascination in depth. The skills you develop on this course are a gateway to a wide range of careers in the creative industries and heritage sector and in business roles such as marketing, PR, HR and professional writing. 97 per cent of Literature and Languages postgraduate students go on to employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2024, HESA). Some of our graduates have gone on to start their careers in the following roles:
Content writer

Editor

Publisher

Journalist

Teacher

Technical writer

Arts administration.

Get more details

Visit programme website

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Research And Writing Skills

21st-century Literary Studies: Theories, Methodologies And Approaches

Open Writing I

Travel Writing Past And Present: Themes, Forms, And Critical Perspectives

Beyond Tolkien - Rewriting Fantasy

Queer Ecologies And Environmental Literature

The Age Of Chivalry: Medieval And Early Modern Romance

Check out the full curriculum

Visit programme website

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months
Part-time
- 24 months
- Flexible

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-22 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-07-15 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

88

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

67

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Credits

180 alternative credits

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Guildford, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Literature British Studies View 229 other Masters in Literature in United Kingdom

Explore more key information

Visit programme website

Join for free or log in to access our complete career info list.

Academic requirements

GPA

Lower Second Class

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

88

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

67

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

A minimum of a 2:2 UK honours degree in English literature, history or philosophy.

Alternative degree subjects can be considered by the faculty on a case-by-case basis. A sample of written work and/or interview may be requested.

We may be able to take relevant work experience into consideration if you don't meet these requirements. If you have at least one year of relevant experience in a full-time graduate-level role (or a minimum of two years’ experience in a relevant graduate-level part-time role) please provide full details of your role and responsibilities in your personal statement and CV when you submit your application.

Make sure you meet all requirements

Visit programme website

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

21800 GBP / year

≈ 21800 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

10900 GBP / year

≈ 10900 GBP / year

Additional Details

Part-time UK: £5,500 International: £10,900

Living costs

Guildford

United Kingdom

660 - 1140 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Check for any work restrictions

Visit programme website

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Loading

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for English Literature.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Career opportunities

Get more details

Programme Structure

Check out the full curriculum

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

Explore more key information

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Make sure you meet all requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Additional Details

Living costs

Guildford

Funding

Check for any work restrictions

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

Our partners