English Literature, MA (Hons)

Edinburgh is recognized as the first UNESCO World City of Literature, a renowned hub that has nurtured many luminaries in English, Scottish, and global literature.This programme enhances your critical, analytical, linguistic, and creative skills through engagement with diverse texts and varied reading approaches. You will examine the cultural contexts of English writing from the late Middle Ages to the present, selecting honours courses based on your interests in specific topics, periods, or genres. Studying literature equips you to contribute meaningfully to a society where understanding texts is vital, fostering openness to diverse ideas—a key asset in various careers and the global marketplace.Edinburgh provides an exceptional environment for studying, writing, publishing, discussing, and performing prose, poetry, and drama. As the oldest department of English and Scottish Literature in the UK and one of the longest-established worldwide, we offer outstanding resources, including the University's Special Collections and the National Library of Scotland. The programme is flexible: in Years 1 and 2, you study English Literature alongside optional courses from various disciplines, then specialize in your honours years.