MSc Comparative Literature

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant subject.

International qualifications

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The core courses introduce you to Comparative Literature as a discipline and practice, and to relevant theories and methods in literature and cultural studies. They will also help you develop your research skills, moving from general research methods to specific research problems, preparing you for your dissertation.

Our core courses typically include:

Research Skills and Methods
Research Methods and Problems in English Literature
Theories and Methods of Literary Study 1
Theories and Methods of Literary Study 2
Option courses
We make recommendations for optional courses based on their comparative element, but there are a broad range of subjects to choose from every year. Typically they include (but are not limited to):

Fantastic Fiction
World Literature
Literature and Photography in the 20th century
Global Shakespeare across Media: Performance, Cinema, Digital Cultures
Film, Literature, and Race
Writing in/as Translation
Postcolonial writing