English Literature and Culture
| Specialisation of: | Literary Studies |
|---|---|
| Degree: | Master of Arts in Literary Studies |
| Mode of Study: | Full-time, part-time |
| Duration: | 1 year (full-time); 1,5 year (part-time) |
| Start date: | September, February |
| Language of instruction: | English |
| Location: | Leiden |
| Croho/isat code: | 60813 |
The English Literature and Culture specialisation of the MA in Literary Studies provides you with an opportunity to develop your knowledge of a wide range of literary works and genres in English, from the Middle Ages to the present. Since English is a world language, you will not only read works from the more ‘traditional’ canons of British and American literature, but also from such diverse areas as the Caribbean, South-Africa and India.
You can also choose to focus on Philology, that is, the study of medieval and early-modern texts and text media against their cultural-historical background. This approach may vary from analysing manuscripts to (digitally) unravelling linguistic phenomena such as the meaning of specific words or phrases; from studying themes in Anglo-Saxon heroic poetry or Arthurian romances to politeness conventions in eighteenth-century letter collections.
Literature knows no bounds in time or place, and this specialisation offers you a chance to explore this rich variety.
The courses about American Literature will also be offered in the new American Studies programme.
Students choose from a range of seminar options. These courses vary from year to year, but always include topics related to American writing, and to both Medieval and (Early) Modern texts in English. Such courses range from ‘popular’ culture (fantasy, horror) to reception of the classics, from Beowulf to Chaucer and from Milton and Shakespeare to Anglo-American films
Reasons to choose English in Leiden
- The Leiden English Department offers a full range of the traditional and modern standard subjects of English studies.
- The department employs a very wide range of specialists of excellent standing.
- The Leiden University Library holds a large collection of manuscripts, books, periodicals, and other material and provides excellent access to electronic media.
- Supervision and counselling in the department have a good reputation.
- Students benefit from the strong network of international contacts with English departments all over the world.
