Contemporary Literature and Culture

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The MA Contemporary Literature and Culture is an exciting new postgraduate programme, based at the prestigious Centre for New Writing.

Students on the MA will be able to take full advantage of the Centre's resources, expertise and impressive events programme. They will have access to prominent writers both on the staff and appearing at the Centre's Literature Live and Martis Amis public events, with recent visitors including John Banville, Will Self, Rose Tremain, Galway Kinnell and Michele Roberts. They will also be encouraged to mix with the Centre's MA Creative Writing cohort, allowing a unique and productive dialogue between the creative and the critical.

Students on the MA will be taught by experts in contemporary literature and culture across the English and American Studies subject area, including M.J. Hyland, Geoff Ryman, Vona Groarke and Kaye Mitchell, and will also be eligible to attend Professor of Creative Writing Martin Amis's exclusive master classes.

Example modules include: Contemporary Fiction, The American Body and Queer Cinema.

Course aims The programme will have a truly contemporary perspective, considering literature produced from 1970 to the present day but with particular focus on the period since 1990. Module details

The core course, Reading the Contemporary, will introduce key ideas and concepts in the study of contemporary literature and culture. It will consider a range of critical perspectives but also the material contexts in which contemporary literature is produced and received, along with topical themes such as identity, nationalism, history, trauma culture and literature and terrorism. A diverse range of options will be on offer, allowing students to work on contemporary British, American, Irish and Postcolonial literature and culture, specific topics such as gender and sexuality, or specific forms such as film, poetry or the novel. A dissertation of 12,000 - 15,000 words will give students the opportunity to produce, under supervision, an extensive piece of work on a topic of their choosing, from within the field of contemporary literature and culture.

Academic entry qualification overview: A First or Upper Second class honours degree or its overseas equivalent, in English or a closely related area.English language: If your first language is not English, you need a minimum of IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL 600 (paper-based) or 250 (computer-based). We also may request a 1,500 word essay on any subject relevant to the discipline.International entry requirements: We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. English Language Requirements CAE score: (read more) Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) is part of the Cambridge English suite and is targeted at a high level (IETLS 6.5-8.0). It is an international English language exam set at the right level for academic and professional success. Developed by Cambridge English Language Assessment - part of the University of Cambridge - it helps you stand out from the crowd as a high achiever. 60 (Grade C)