School of English Masters for alumni

We hope that over the last few years you have enjoyed your time studying with us at Leeds. This page outlines the opportunities for continuing your studies by pursuing a Masters in the School of English.

The School offers three taught MA courses; MA English Literature, MA Creative Writing and MA Postcolonial Studies. These courses offer a range of taught, specialist modules, which you study alongside producing an original MA disseration (research project).

We also offer a Masters by Research degree, in which you research an extended thesis on your chosen topic over the course of the year, rather than taking taught modules. This is another way of exploring your interests, whether in literature, language, theatre studies or creative writing.

If you have any questions about MA study in the School, whether about the programmes or application process, please contact Dr Mel Evans, Taught Postgraduate Admissions Tutor.

Masters Study Information Event Recording

Are you thinking about studying a Masters or would just like to find out more about your options? Please watch our recording of a recent informal information session in the School of English.

Discussion and Q&A session covers:

Programmes that we offer
The benefits of studying an MA
Funding, finance, and practicalities
How to apply? When to apply?

Watch: School of English MA information session

Two students sit on a large rock on campus. They have a laptop between them and in the background is greenery and the Priestley Building.

Alumni bursary

As an alumni of the University of Leeds you may be eligible for a 10% bursary when undertaking a Masters with us.

Why do postgraduate study in the School of English?

Continuing your studies with a Masters allows you to pursue your interests from your undergraduate degree (e.g. Romantic literature, creative writing, postcolonialism, manuscript studies) and further develop your skills and knowledge in your chosen subject area. If you enjoyed the challenges and opportunities of your final year project or dissertation, then Masters level study gives you further chances to undertake original research on the topics and materials of your choosing.

Studying for a Masters also helps to develop valuable transferable skills (such as project design management, extended writing, and critical thinking) which will prepare you for, and help you stand out in, your future career.

By studying a Masters with us, you are part of the School’s large postgraduate research community and will benefit from, and contribute to, our active research environment. Through your own research, and through the chance to attend staff led research seminars and events, you’ll be involved in discovering new and ground-breaking knowledge.

What does studying a Masters involve?

On our taught Masters courses you take a combination of core and optional modules. The core modules provide training in postgraduate research skills, particularly relevant for your research project (dissertation).The optional modules reflect the research expertise of our academic staff, and allow you to look at new or previously studied topics in greater depth and detail than at undergraduate level.

Modules are taught using a mixture of extended seminars (usually 2-hours), class workshops, specialist trips (e.g. visits to special collections) and plenary lectures.

The MA research project or dissertation is the pinnacle of Masters level study. You work on developing your ideas from the start of your Masters, working collaboratively with your MA dissertation supervisor. There is the opportunity to present your work and gain feedback at the MA Research Conference, before you submit the completed thesis at the end of the summer.

If you do a Masters by Research, then you do not take any taught classes for credit. Instead you focus on developing your research project throughout the 12 months of the course, submitting a longer dissertation. It is possible for students taking a Masters by Research to audit some taught MA modules, through prior agreement with the module leader.

Funding support and how to apply

There is no formal application deadline, meaning that you can apply up to the start of the first semester of the academic year. However, scholarship and other funding support schemes have deadlines that are much earlier than this, and so we recommend applying to your chosen MA by the end of July to ensure you are eligible for these.

As a University of Leeds graduate, you may qualify for a 10% tuition fee bursary.

If you are an international student then you may be eligible for the Brontë International Scholarship.

You can find out more about funding your Masters on the University’s website.

Our Masters programmes

MA Creative Writing

This course appeals both to those who wish to deepen and broaden their creative writing practice, and to those who are working towards a single publishable piece of work.

Hear from our students

In this video series our Masters students and the academics that have played a big part in their time at Leeds sit down to reflect on the past year.

You’ll hear about topics such as what it’s like to study a Masters compared to an undergraduate, how students tackle their research projects, student experience on particular modules and more.

Taster talks

Our School is home to a vibrant and innovative research community in which we blend research and practice to explore an diverse and extensive range of areas including many interdisciplinary endeavours.

Our taster talks were recorded during a workshop for the MA Research Project module, which prepares our students for their dissertations and creative project research. The talk will give you a flavour of the different interests and expertise of staff within the School of English, which informs the kinds of module content and teaching on our MA programmes.

School of English Masters for alumni