M.Phil. (English Literature) Syllabus, Course Structure and Program Schedule 2025-2026

M.Phil. in English Literature: Course Structure

An M.Phil. in English literature program is divided into semesters and consists of a dissertation which is an integral part of the course. Every student needs to submit a dissertation in the last semester and defend their thesis in front of a panel of professors form their university. Method of instruction includes classroom teaching, seminars, and presentation. Students are also assessed throughout the program through various assignments and projects. They also have to submit a paper in each term on a topic assigned to them.

M.Phil. in English Literature: Syllabus

The syllabus for M.Phil. in English Literature varies widely across universities in India. The table below gives a general overview of the syllabus and topics covered. Universities may, however, remove or add a paper on their discretion at any time.

Name of Paper	Topics	Description
Research Methodologies	Meaning and objectives of research Research in Language and Literature Materials and Tools of Research The process of Research Presentation of Research Literature Survey	This paper introduces a student to research methodologies and their application.
Literary Theory and Criticism	Post-Colonial theory Feminist Theory Queer Theory Deconstruction Structuralism Culture Studies Reader-Response Theory Historical Criticism New Criticism Psychoanalytic Post-Structuralism Marxist Theory	This paper introduces to different literary theories and how these can be applied to critically appreciate works of literature.
Renaissance Studies	Political Context Culture & Society Literary Figures Prose and Poetry Elizabethan Sonnet Elizabethan Plays Sidney, Spenser, Donne	Renaissance is considered the golden period in the history of English Literature. In this course, students learn about the various aspects of Renaissance literature.
Eighteenth-Century Literature	Enlightenment Development and Form of Novel Neo-Classicism Prose and Poetry Historical Context Eighteenth century European literature	In this course, students study Eighteenth century English and European Literature.
Indian Writing in English	History Debates Indian English Poetry Indian English Plays Indian English Novels	This course introduces to works of Indian writers writing in English. This course also delves in the context of these writings and debates surrounding them.
Shakespeare	Tragic Plays Comedies Historical Plays Sonnets Discourse on Shakespeare	Shakespeare is a stalwart of English Literature and this course studies his works with a critical perspective.
Literature in the Nineteenth Century	French and European Realism Novels Prose and Poetry Drama Debates and discourse Victorian Literature	This paper delves into the discourses on literary works of the Nineteenth century.
Twentieth Century Fiction and Poetry	Modernism Lost Generation Poets of the World War I Dadaism Surrealism Poets of the World War II Literature Post World War	This course inspects the developments/changes in fiction and poetry during and after the two world wars. It also introduces to the various literary movements.

Apart from these broad category courses, every university may have other courses which are specific in nature and cover topics from a wide variety of genres, authors, and discourses. Below is an example of such courses: