MA Literary Studies: Pathway in Modern and Contemporary Literature

UK

1

What will I learn?

This pathway of the MA Literary Studies focuses especially on twentieth and twenty-first century literature.

Why study the MA Literary Studies: Modern and Contemporary Literature pathway at Goldsmiths?

  • On the compulsory module for this programme, you'll look at the most significant trends, influences, and movements in twentieth-century literature. This includes literary realism, expressionism, absurdism, writing on the Holocaust, and the emergence of poststructuralism and postmodernism.
  • We study some of the most important European and American texts of this time period and situate them within their relevant cultural contexts. We'll get you reading and analysing works by James Joyce, André Gide, Samuel Beckett, W.G. Sebald, Primo Levi and Virginia Woolf – among others.
  • You'll have the opportunity to pursue your wider interests by studying three options from the large provision of the department, choosing at least one of these in an area that is relevant to modern literature.
  • You will be able to further develop your interest in literary theory or literary-theoretical approaches to literature and culture through a 15,000-word dissertation to be submitted at the end of your programme of study.

Skills

You'll develop transferable skills, including:

  • enhanced communication and discussion skills in written and oral contexts
  • the ability to analyse and evaluate different textual materials
  • the ability to organise information; the ability to assimilate and evaluate competing arguments

Careers

Graduates of this programme have gone on to pursue careers in:

  • publishing
  • journalism
  • public relations
  • teaching
  • advertising
  • the civil service
  • business
  • industry
  • the media

Which department am I in?

English and Creative Writing

Study options

Full Time (1 Year)

Tuition fees
£18,560.00 (US$ 23,969) per year
Accommodation - Budget - GBP 158 - GBP 337 per week.
Start date

September 2025

Venue

Goldsmiths Campus

New Cross,

London,

Greater London,

SE14 6NW, United Kingdom

Full Time (1 year)

Tuition fees
£18,560.00 (US$ 23,969) per year
This is a fixed fee
Start date

September 2025

Venue

Goldsmiths, University of London

New Cross,

Lewisham,

SE14 6NW, SOUTHERN ENGLAND, England

Entry requirements

For international students

Students should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard in a relevant/related subject. Students might also be considered for some programmes if they aren’t a graduate or their degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that students have the ability to work at postgraduate level. Students need to have an IELTS score of 7.0 with a 7.0 in writing and no element lower than 6.5. TOEFL: 100 overall with 25 in Writing and no lower than 21 in each other skill.

*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.

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