English Literature, MA by Research

Start dates: 1st October, 1st January, 1st April & 1st July. An MA by Research in English Literature enables you to undertake a substantial independent research project of a publishable standard. Your project will take one year full-time or two years part-time. It is suitable if you want to undertake a first research degree as an isolated culmination of taught studies, or if you are considering further research in form of a PhD. You will submit a thesis of up to 40,000 words, demonstrating original research with a significant contribution to the subject area. This is followed by an oral examination of the thesis (a viva voce examination, or viva). A number of research groups also offer focus and community for staff and postgraduates: • The Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Research (MEMO) • The Centre for research into Gender in Culture and Society (GENCAS) • Centre for Research into the English literature and language of Wales (CREW) We offer supervision in most areas of literature from the middle ages to the present. Our particular research strengths include: • Welsh writing in English • American literature • Gender • Medieval, renaissance, eighteenth and nineteenth-century writing and culture • Modernism and postmodernism • Irish poetry • Contemporary literature • Critical and cultural theory • Science Fiction and Ecology/Environmentalism • Human-Animal Studies Your project will be agreed in consultation with supervisors and we recommend these discussions are started before applying, to help draw up an initial proposal. You will be closely supervised by two experienced academics with relevant expertise throughout the course of the project. This involves fortnightly meetings in your first term and meetings at regular agreed intervals thereafter. As a research student, you are required to attend skills and training courses. You deliver presentations to research students and staff at departmental seminars, at the annual departmental postgraduate symposium in June, and at the School of Culture and Communication Postgraduate conference.

If English is not your first language you will need an acceptable pass in an approved English Language qualification to make sure you get the full benefit from studying at Swansea. We consider a wide range of qualifications, including the Swansea University English Test, the British Council IELTS test (with a score of at least 6.5 and 6.5 in each component). A full list of acceptable English Language tests can be found here.

International students: £19,300 per year

UK students: £5,006 per year

UK/Home: £5,006 per year

International: £19,300 per year

Apr or Jul 2026

Rolling admissions – apply as early as possible

• Singleton Park Campus, United Kingdom