Master Programme in English with Specialisation in Literature in English60 Credits

Advanced level education must entail an advancement of knowledge, skills and ability relative to basic level education and must, in addition to the basic level requirements
- further develop the ability of students to independently integrate and use their knowledge,
- develop the ability of students to deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations, and
- prepare the students for employment which requires a high degree of independence or for work in research and development.

Knowledge and understanding

For a Master of Arts/Science (60 credits) degree the student shall have:
- demonstrated knowledge and understanding in the main field of study, including both an overview of the field and specialised knowledge in certain areas of the field as well as insight into current research and development work, and
- demonstrated specialised methodological knowledge in the main field of study.

Competence and skills

For a Master of Arts/Science (60 credits) degree the student shall have:
- demonstrated the ability to integrate knowledge and analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information
- demonstrated the ability to identify and formulate issues autonomously as well as to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames
- demonstrated the ability in speech and writing to report clearly and discuss his or her conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which they are based in dialogue with different audiences, and
- demonstrated the skills required for participation in research and development work or employment in some other qualified capacity.

Judgement and approach

For a Master of Arts/Science (60 credits) degree the student shall have:
- demonstrated the ability to make assessments in the main field of study informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical issues and also to demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work
- demonstrated insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used, and
- demonstrated the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her ongoing learning.

On completion of the programme the student will be able to
- demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the development of literary theory , from the twentieth century until today,
- demonstrate the ability to apply this knowledge in the form of individual literary text analyses with a high degree of theoretical awareness of the relationship between language, literature and culture,
- demonstrate advanced knowledge of literature in English,
- independently plan and carry out a well-defined literary research task in English language literature which demonstrates theoretical insight and awareness of one’s own ideological and ethical values,
- demonstrate the oral and written ability and proficiency necessary to argue effectively in clear academic English for complex interpretations and analyses of literary and critical texts and to actively be able to interact with others in a critical and constructive environment.

The programme consists of three obligatory courses and a number of optional courses. In the first semester of the programme, all students take an obligatory 7.5 credit course in critical and scholarly writing, and three optional 7.5 credit courses. Students can choose any of the literature courses that are offered at advanced level in English. Students who have not previously taken the course Literature and Theory, or the equivalent, are required to take this course as one of the three optional courses during the first term of the programme. It is also possible to take, as an optional courses, a 7.5 credit course at advanced level in a related subject area if relevant to the planned thesis topic. During the second semester of the programme, students take two obligatory courses, Advanced Literary Theory (7.5 credits) and Degree Thesis (15 credits). Students should also take another optional 7.5 credit literature course at advanced level.

Scholarly Writing in Literary Theory and Criticism 7.5 ECTS
This course is studied during the first semester of the programme and aims at preparing the student for writing the Degree Thesis by developing knowledge and skills in the literary research process and scholarly writing. During the course the student will write a process-oriented essay on a well-defined literary problem.

Literature and Theory 7.5 ECTS
This course is aimed at students who have not earlier done the basic course in literary theory at undergraduate level – which is a prerequisite for the Advanced Literary Theory course during the second semester. The course aims at introducing the student to basic literary and cultural criticism and theory, and providing a practical knowledge of the main developments within the discipline from liberal humanism to ecocriticism. The course includes practical exercises in the writing of literary criticism from a number of literary and cultural schools of criticism.

Advanced Literary Theory 7.5  ECTS
This course is studied during the first half of the second semester of the programme and aims at further developing the student’s knowledge in contemporary literary theory. In contrast to the earlier Literature and Theory course studied, the students taking this course are confronted with extracts from theoretical, original texts (in English translation) which they interpret and discuss. The students then apply these theories to a limited number of literary texts in order to further develop their critical thinking and theoretical awareness, both orally and in writing. In this way the course functions as a scholarly basis and source of inspiration for the thesis work.

Degree Thesis 15 ECTS credits
The programme ends with an individual thesis project which enables students to reach the goals of the programme. Students deepen their knowledge within an area of literature by independently planning and carrying out a well-defined research task which contributes new knowledge to the field. The work is carried out as a writing process where students present and discuss their work with the supervisor and with their fellow students. The work is presented in the form of a scholarly essay which follows appropriate critical praxis for acknowledgment and documentation of sources.

Students who fulfil the objectives of the programme and pass all the courses will – upon application – receive a Filosofie magisterexamen, huvudområde: Engelskspråkig litteratur (Degree of Master of Arts (60 Credits), Main Field of Study: Literatures in English).

The title of the programme will be specified on the degree certificate.