English Literary Studies (Nineteenth Century) University of Southampton

• About this course
• This master's degree is a specialized pathway within the MA English Literary Studies program that allows you to focus in depth on the literature, culture, and history of the 19th Century (approximately 1789-1914). Through the course, you will engage with advanced study of texts and critical debates covering topics such as:
• Key debates in 19th-century studies.
• The literary marketplace and its cultures.
• Changes in aesthetics and taste.
• Issues of gender, race, class, science, and capitalism.
• Material culture and print culture.
• The program aims to give you an advanced understanding of cultural analysis, textual interpretation, and theoretical methods as applied to this dynamic period. We're ranked 6th for research quality in the UK (Complete University Guide 2026).

• Key Features and Distinctiveness
• Period Specialisation: This dedicated pathway ensures deep focus on the 19th Century, allowing for sophisticated engagement with the period's texts and contexts.
• Research Centre Link: The course is linked to the Southampton Centre for Nineteenth-Century Research, an active interdisciplinary group that hosts events like guest speakers, seminars, and conferences, allowing you to engage with ongoing scholarly debates.
• Core Module: You will study the "Approaches to the Long Nineteenth Century (1789-1914)" core module, which introduces key critical, theoretical, and conceptual debates specific to the period.
• Final Project: The program culminates in a 15,000-word dissertation, an extended piece of scholarly research on a literary aspect of the 19th century that interests you.

• Your Future Career
• The course develops key intellectual and professional skills, including advanced research, critical thinking, communication, and self-management. Graduates are prepared for careers in areas that value high-level analytical and archival skills, such as:
• Teaching and Academia (including progression to PhD research).
• Publishing and Editorial Roles.
• Librarianship and Information Management.
• Cultural Heritage and Arts Administration.

• Further Information
• Course Duration: Available as a full-time (one-year) master's or a part-time option over two or more years.
• Location: The course is based at the Avenue Campus.
• Related Pathways: Other specialist pathways within the MA English Literary Studies degree include the Eighteenth Century, Twentieth Century and Contemporary, and Postcolonial and World Literature.

Entry requirements for this course

Contact University of Southampton to find course entry requirements.

View foundation and pathway programmes to help you meet academic and language entry requirements.