English Literature: Modern and Contemporary Fictions MA
London, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 up to 2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 Jul 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 17,500 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* international | UK: £9,700
Open Days at University of Westminster
Undergraduate Open Day 23 November 2024/ Postgraduate Online Open Day 26 February 2025
Introduction
Our English Literature: Modern and Contemporary Fictions MA gives you the opportunity to study English literature in a modern university environment while taking advantage of London's rich cultural life. You'll examine literary texts in the wider context of cultural production and relate them to their social, historical and political circumstances.
Our team of academic specialists make use of the many nearby museums, galleries and libraries in their teaching. The course will be of particular interest if you wish to prepare for further study at MPhil or PhD level or if you're teaching English and wish to gain a further qualification and investigate current developments in the field.
Studying the MA, you'll have the chance to revisit and reinvestigate the texts, critical practices, institutions and periods of English Literature in order to see it in new and exciting ways.
The course consists of three core modules, which together will help you to develop advanced skills of argument, synthesis, research and presentation. Themes and Problems in Modern and Contemporary Literature introduce you to current major themes in contemporary literature, in particular, the ways in which contemporary texts engage with and mediate ongoing crises and conflicts post-2001. Writing the Self explores issues such as life-writing, autofiction, embodiment, biography, memory, otherness, and the non-human.
The Dissertation, which can be written on an appropriate topic of your choice, is also a core module. The option modules provide an opportunity for you to deepen and extend your knowledge of a range of periods, issues and forms across the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
Top reasons to study with us
- Research-led teaching – You'll learn from staff with cutting-edge expertise in fields such as critical theory, memory studies, queer theory, urban culture, and experimental writing
- Relevant and contemporary modules – Our modules consider how literature relates to some of the most vital questions affecting the world today, such as migration and climate crisis
- Gain experience in the cultural industries – Our Work Placement in Cultural Institutions module allows you to take advantage of the wealth of cultural institutions in London and gain crucial experience
- Learn in the heart of London – Studying at our Regent Street Campus in central London, you'll be part of a diverse, global community
Why study this course?
- Fantastic central London location
You'll be studying in the centre of one of the world’s greatest cities, within easy reach of London's unrivalled library, cultural and archive resources. - Study across disciplines
Our interdisciplinary modules give you the opportunity to study a wide variety of cultural forms and broaden your understanding of contemporary culture. - Benefit from cutting-edge expertise
Our teaching is current and research-led, with our staff including experts in critical theory, memory studies, queer theory, urban culture, and experimental writing.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible postgraduate students.
There is a range of funding available that may help you fund your studies, including Student Finance England (SFE).
Curriculum
The following modules are indicative of what you'll study in this course.
You'll study three core modules and choose four modules from the optional modules listed below.
Core modules
- Dissertation
- Themes and Problems in Modern and Contemporary Literature
- Materialities, Institutions and Contexts
Option modules
- Queer Now
- Experimental Women’s Writing, Photography and Film
- London and Modernism: Manifesto, Literature, Painting, Film
- Trauma in American Modernity: The Nation and its Limits
- Urban Cultures
- Work Placements in Cultural Institutions
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Job roles
This course will prepare you for a variety of roles, including:
- Content writer
- Cultural events coordinator
- Editor
- Educator
- Journalist
- Publishing professional
- Researcher
Graduate employers
Graduates from this course have found employment at organisations including:
- Darley Anderson Literary Agency
- Moore Kingston Smith
- Pearson Education
- University of Essex
Westminster Employability Award
Employers value graduates who have invested in their personal and professional development – and our Westminster Employability Award gives you the chance to formally document and demonstrate these activities and achievements.
The award is flexible and can be completed in your own time, comprising a set of core and optional extracurricular activities.
Activities might include gaining experience through a part-time job or placement, signing up to a University-run scheme – such as mentoring or teaching in a school – or completing online exercises.