English

To successfully undertake this postgraduate study, you will ideally need to have an undergraduate honours degree in English or a closely related subject. Although your degree need not be in English, you must show some knowledge of the subject, together with the study skills expected of a graduate in this field. You should be aware that a degree of at least 2.1 or equivalent will greatly increase your chances of successfully completing the MA. It is expected that your spoken and written English will also be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum score of 7 under the International English Language testing system (IELTS).

The MA English assumes that a candidate for a master’s degree already has the knowledge and skills usually acquired by pursuing the subject at undergraduate level. The qualification will not offer remedial undergraduate training for those who have an inappropriate undergraduate degree or inadequate experience. Any student beginning the qualification without an undergraduate degree or equivalent experience in English should do so at their own risk. If you would like further advice regarding this, please speak to an adviser.

Before you enter the degree you must be able to:

• write clear, concise, accurate prose
• read large quantities of text quickly, accurately and critically
• classify evidence precisely and assess its value and reliability
• argue logically, consistently and sceptically
• marshal various sorts of evidence to support a logical argument.