Master of Arts [M.A] [English Literary Research] From Lancaster University

If you have a clear idea about a particular area of study you may prefer to take a Research MA rather than to follow a taught course programme. This course of study will be more individualised, more specialist and is centred on a one-to-one relationship with a supervisor. The MA is valuable in itself, but also provides an excellent bridge to higher degrees.

Your main activity as a student will be the writing of a thesis (of between 30,000 and 35,000 words) on a topic agreed with a personal supervisor. A third of the way through the course you will be expected to present a 5,000 word paper, fully articulating the topic and locating it in relation to existing work on it. Assessment is based partly on this paper (22%), partly on the compulsory Research Methodology (6%) but mainly on the thesis (72%) to which it leads. The course is available either full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years).

As well as receiving regular personal supervision, you will also work with other research students by participating in a number of seminar programmes, which provide an essential focus for study as well as practical guidance in thesis preparation: