English Literature, M.A.

University of Amsterdam, Graduate School for Humanities

Disciplines:

Language, Literature and Cultural Studies

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Quick facts

Country:	Netherlands	Duration:	12 Months
City:	Amsterdam	Start Date:	September
Educational Form:	Taught	Languages:	English
Education Variants:	Full Time
Application Deadline:	April 1; Non EU: February 1
Annual Tuition Fee:	€ 1672 € 10500 (non-EEA)

Programme Description

English Literature is a track of the MA in English Language and Culture. The programme is rooted in literary analysis but also works at the leading edge of interdisciplinary humanities scholarship. In particular, the programme provides students with insight into the history and theory of literature in English and explores its relationships with other media, engaging key issues of intellectual concern in society, politics, and culture. English Literature is understood in the broadest sense, as a diverse and complex mode of expression that includes works from American, British, Commonwealth, and postcolonial contexts.

Courses designed to explore various periods, genres, themes, and theories are supplemented with regular lectures by visiting scholars. Students develop original hypotheses and test them in their class presentations, research papers, and final thesis.

Studying English Literature at the University of Amsterdam

The University of Amsterdam's (UvA) English Department is an intellectually diverse community of scholars with a long tradition of excellence and innovation dating back nearly one hundred years. The Department's scholarship and teaching covers the full range of English Studies - including British and American literature, English language and linguistics, critical theory, and cultural history. Master's level courses explore the space beyond formal and disciplinary boundaries, together with the overlap between not only various methodologies, theories, historical periods and social spaces, but also between language and literature.

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Requirements
Accreditation
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Course offerings reflect the expertise of staff members engaged in research ranging from Chaucer to postmodernism. The faculty is particularly strong in the literatures of 19th and 20th centuries and the relations between literature and other media, including film, television, and new media. Students who complete this degree will develop the skills to think critically about literary texts and cultural practices, and will take part in the ongoing theoretical debates and discussions in the field.

Programme outline

The Master's programme in English Literature yields 60 ECTS credits:

30 credits in English literature,
10 credits for electives
and 20 credits for a Master's thesis.

The specific number of credits a student is required to obtain through coursework is determined by the admissions committee and is based on the student's previous qualifications. Fulfilment of all the requirements will take at least one year.

Thesis

The Master's thesis reports on research carried out by the student under the supervision of two academic staff members involved in the programme. The subject of the thesis must be mutually agreed upon by the student and the academic adviser.

Degree requirements

English Literature is a track of the MA in English Language and Culture. Students who successfully complete this programme receive a Master's degree in English Language and Culture and the title Master of Arts (MA).

Credit transfer

Students who show exceptional promise during a Regular or Professional Master's programme are encouraged to continue their studies in a Research Master's programme. Once students are admitted to the Research Master's programme, they can transfer credits earned during their previous course of study towards their Research Master's degree. The examination committee determines which courses qualify for transfer.

You are normally required to take an English Proficiency Test if you come from a non-English speaking country.

Most European Universities recognise the IELTS test.

More information

Requirements

Specific entry requirements

Applicants for the Master's programme should have at least a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent in English language and culture, comparative literature, or cultural studies (including film and media). The level of the Bachelor's degree must be comparable to that of a Dutch Bachelor's degree.

Students who have a related academic background in the humanities and feel they are equipped to follow the Master's programme are encouraged to apply.

Applications will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

General entry requirements

Applicants must also fulfil the general entry requirements of the Graduate School for Humanities regarding academic background, grade average and English language proficiency.

English Language

All non-native English speakers applying to the Faculty of Humanities are required to demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English to enrol in university-level courses. Students must be able to read textbooks, understand lectures, take part in classroom discussions and undertake
written work in English.

Applicants must submit one of the following tests. No other tests are accepted. For contact information regarding these tests please visit their websites.

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)- Academic The IELTS exam is offered by the British Council at least once a month upon request. Students are required to have a score of at least 6.5, with a minimum score of 6.0 for the separate components of the test. Students should contact the nearest British Council centre in their home country to register for this test as soon as possible. Original test scores should be sent either by IELTS directly or by the student to the admissions Office of the Graduate School for Humanities.
Cambridge International ExaminationStudents can also take the Certificate in Advanced English exam (CAE) or the Certificate of Proficiency in English exam (CPE). The minimum scores are: 'A' for the Certificate in Advanced English or 'B' for the Certificate of Proficiency in English. Original scores should be sent either by Cambridge Examinations or by the student to the Admissions Office of the Graduate School for Humanities. Chinese applicants are recommended to do the IELTS (academic) language test in order to apply for the NESO Certificate. See: How to apply / Applicants from China

Accreditation

English Literature is a track of the MA in English Language and Culture. This master’s programme has been legally accredited by the Dutch government. This means that upon successful completion of the programme students will receive a legally accredited master's degree in English Language and Culture and the title Master of Arts (MA). Before 2010, the study programme will be presented to the Accreditation Organisation of The Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) for renewal of the accreditation.