American Literature Since 1945 – (M.A.)

The English Department at Aberystwyth provides an excellent intellectual environment for postgraduate study. The main University library is well stocked with standard texts and critical works, and the National Library of Wales, adjacent to the campus, is one of the UK´s copyright libraries, holding one of the most extensive collections of books and manuscripts in Europe.

We are a medium sized department whose twenty members of staff are able to offer supervision in most of the main areas of literary studies including some developing areas of the subject such as ecocriticism, contemporary fiction and creative writing. The department´s main strengths lie in American fiction and poetry, postcolonial and ethnic studies, literary theory, British literatures across all periods since the medieval area, women´s writing, queer studies, and contemporary poetics. We are eager to invite applications for MPhil or PhD degrees, full-time or part-time. All postgraduate students in the University receive research training and the Department usually gives PhD candidates some teaching experience during their stay.

This programme offeres an opportunity to study a wide range of American Fiction, poetry and drama from the second half of the twentieth century. A particularly innovative feature is its focus on cultural difference, as seen for example, in the option on 'Ethnic American Literature and Cultural Memory' which explores the writing of 'ethnic' and 'minority' groups.

This programme offeres an opportunity to study a wide range of American Fiction, poetry and drama from the second half of the twentieth century. A particularly innovative feature is its focus on cultural difference, as seen for example, in the option on 'Ethnic American Literature and Cultural Memory' which explores the writing of 'ethnic' and 'minority' groups.

You will take two one-semester core modules, and four option modules, one of whcih may be selected from the wider list of MA modules offered by the Department of English and Creative Writing. During the latter part of the spring semester and over the summer vacation, you will work with a supervisor on an approved topic which you have chosen for your dissertation (to be submitted in early September).