English Studies
Coursework
The Master of English Studies will provide grounding in contemporary critical approaches to the study of literatures in English.
It will allow students the opportunity to specialise in a wide spectrum of subjects associated with English, American and Australian literature across a broad historical range. It will also offer students a chance to familiarise themselves with academic debates about the status of world cultures, and it will enhance discussion and communication skills.
The postgraduate programs in English Literature and English Language studies have been designed to allow students to extend their studies in English beyond the undergraduate level, with a greater emphasis on in-depth study of current directions in particular fields and exploratory discussion with academic specialists. Recent graduates have undertaken these programs in order to become more competitive professionally, to renew or refresh their expertise, to develop research skills in the discipline and to enjoy new discoveries in a favourite field of endeavour.
The objectives of the programs are to develop knowledge and skills within the discipline and to promote a deep understanding of scholarly research and practice. As a capstone experience, students will be offered the option either to write a dissertation or to engage in a shorter research project relevant to particular professional practices or other special interests.
See also: Creative Writing
Contact Department website: sydney.edu.au/arts/english/
Dr Jan Shaw
Phone: +61 2 9351 7413
Email:
Awards and requirements
Graduate Certificate English Studies
Candidates for the Graduate Certificate in English Studies must complete 24 credit points including
- 12 credit points of core units of study
- 12 credit points of elective units of study
Graduate Diploma in English Studies
Candidates for the Graduate Diploma in English Studies must complete 48 credit points, including
- 24 credit points of core units of study
- 24 credit points of elective units of study
Master of English Studies
Candidates for the Master of English Studies must complete 72 credit points, including
- at least 24 credit points of core units of study
- a maximum of 42 credit points of elective units of study
- at least 6 credit points of capstone unit of study
Candidates for the Masters program who have completed previous study in a relevant discipline may be eligible for a reduction in the requirements in accordance with the table below.
| Level of prior learning | Full-time duration | Credit points to complete |
|---|---|---|
| No background | 1.5 years | 72 |
| AQF Level 8 eg. Honours in a relevant discipline, as determined by the Faculty | 1 year | 48 |
Research
The department has a vital research culture and offers postgraduate supervision across an extensive range of areas. These include: Medieval and Early Modern Literature; Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Literature; Modern and Contemporary Literature; Australian and Aboriginal literature and culture; American literature and culture; British and Irish Literature; World Literatures; literary and cultural theories; studies in gender and sexuality; film and TV studies; scholarly editing and language studies; poetry, poetics, drama and the novel; rhetoric, aesthetics, hermeneutics and semantics; and creative writing. Research clusters, reading groups, cross-disciplinary ventures and collaborative research projects offer an unparalleled research environment for postgraduate students.
Contact
Department website: sydney.edu.au/arts/english/
Prof. John Frow
Phone: +61 2 9351 2571
Email:
Awards and requirements
Please refer to the degree resolutions in this handbook and to the ‘Faculty Admissions Policy and Procedure for: Doctor of Philosophy: Pathways to admission’, for information on the specific admission requirements for different research award courses. sydney.edu.au/handbooks/arts_PG/research/phd.shtml
Master of Arts (Research)
Master of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy