English Aberystwyth University

Overview

The English MPhil at Aberystwyth University offers a rigorous platform for students to engage in high-level independent research within a prestigious academic setting. This programme is designed for those who wish to pursue a specific literary interest in depth, supported by a department known for its award-winning critics and authors. By undertaking this degree, researchers contribute to a dynamic environment that values a stimulating research ethos and professional academic development.

Why English at Aberystwyth University?

The Department of English and Creative Writing provides an exceptional foundation for postgraduate success, with graduates frequently securing roles in academia, publishing, and teaching. Students have access to the main University library, which is extensively stocked with critical works and standard texts. Furthermore, the campus is located adjacent to the National Library of Wales, one of the UK’s five copyright libraries, offering one of the most comprehensive collections of manuscripts and books in Europe. This unique proximity provides researchers with unparalleled access to primary source materials and rare archives.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

• International fee: GBP 19070 per year
• National fee: GBP 4786 per year

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

The curriculum focuses on establishing a strong methodological foundation for independent research. Modules may include:

• Contemporary Poetry
• Crime Fiction
• Horror
• Nature Writing
• Black Diaspora Literature
• Postcolonial Fiction
• Women’s Writing
• Children’s Literature
• Literary Geography and Ecocriticism
• Queer Writing
• Memory and Post-memory
• Welsh Writing in English
• Literatures of Surveillance
• Irish Writing
• Gothic Literature and Ghost Stories
• Psychoanalysis
• Late Medieval Secular Literature
• Romanticism
• Modernism and Late Modernism
• Disability in Literature
• Postmodernism

Research proposals are welcomed across a vast chronological and thematic range, spanning from Medieval literature to contemporary 21st-century works. Specialist areas of supervision include Gothic literature, Victorian studies, Modernism, Postcolonial fiction, and Welsh writing in English. Students may also explore niche fields such as ecocriticism, disability in literature, and the literatures of surveillance.

Careers with English

Graduates from this programme are well-equipped for a variety of professional pathways. Many progress into further academic research or teaching roles within higher education. The analytical and communication skills developed during the MPhil also prepare students for successful careers in the publishing industry, professional writing, and other sectors requiring advanced critical thinking and research expertise.