MA Literary Studies: Pathway in American Literature & Culture

This pathway of the MA Literary Studies aims to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the literature that has sought to define or has emerged from 'America'.

Why study the MA Literary Studies: American Literature pathway at Goldsmiths?

• You will be engaged in a rigorous study of American literary criticism and theory. You will read a variety of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American literature and assess how American critical and theoretical conceptions shape American literature, producing different “Americas”.
• In particular, you'll study some of the ways in which nineteenth- and twentieth-century American literature sought to understand the nation in the face of the fragmenting effects of modernity and postmodernity.
• While the core module gives you a strong grounding in this field, the flexible structure of the MA will offer you the opportunity to pursue your wider interests by studying three options from the large provision of the department, choosing at least one of these in an area that is relevant to the literature and culture of the Americas.
• You will be able to further develop your interest in American literature and culture through a 15,000-word dissertation to be submitted at the end of your programme of study.

Skills

You will develop transferable skills, including:

• enhanced communication and discussion skills in written and oral contexts
• the ability to analyse and evaluate different textual materials
• the ability to organise information; the ability to assimilate and evaluate competing arguments

Careers

Graduates of this programme have gone on to pursue careers in:

• publishing
• journalism
• public relations
• teaching
• advertising
• the civil service
• business
• industry
• the media

Students should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard in a relevant/related subject. Students might also be considered for some programmes if they aren’t a graduate or their degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that students have the ability to work at postgraduate level.