Taught Postgraduate Programmes: the MLitt

The School of English offers a broad range of taught postgraduate courses leading to two awards: either the Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip), awarded after successful completion of an appropriate number of taught 5000-level modules between September and June of the academic year, or the MLitt, awarded after successful completion of both the Diploma element and a supervised research dissertation of 15,000 words submitted at the end of August. (Note that at St Andrews, as at Oxford, Cambridge and the other three ‘ancient’ Scottish universities -- i.e. those founded before 1600 -- the MA is an undergraduate award.)

The School’s MLitt programmes offer rigorous core disciplinary study combined with the flexibility to develop an individual Special Topic or take a module from another MLitt, or even from another School altogether. All named MLitts consist of a Research Skills module, a solid core of integrated specialist modules, and 20 credits left ‘free’ for Optional modules. The 20-credit option was introduced to the Mediaeval English MLitt in 2007 and was extended to all academic MLitts in 2011.

For those who require flexibility above all, the School’s new MLitt in English Studies gives access to the full menu of 5000-level academic core modules offered by the School as well as the option to take up to two Special Topics in English Studies.

Degree Structure: MLitt

Students must successfully complete 180 credits, of which 120 are earned in taught 5000-level modules and 60 in the dissertation. For the PGDip, students must pass 120 credits’ worth of 5000-level taught modules.

1. Research Skills
   All MLitt students must take EN5100 Research Skills and Resources (20 credits) or EN5101 Research Skills for Creative Writers (20 credits)
2. Core Disciplinary Study
   On the named MLitts listed below, a further 80 credits will be taken up by specialist core modules for that programme.
   • Mediaeval English
   • Modern and Contemporary Literature and Culture
   • Shakespeare and Renaissance Literary Culture
   • Romantic/Victorian Studies (not running 12-13)
   • Women, Writing and Gender
   • Creative Writing
   On the MLitt in English Studies, a minimum of 60 credits must be taken from anywhere in the School's menu of core 5000-level modules (modules available are listed under Options).
3. Flexibility
   All School of English MLitt/PGDip programmes leave a final 20 credits free for students to ‘spend’ in one of three ways:
   • a core module from another named English MLitt
   • EN5401 or EN5402 Special Topic in English Studies 1 or 2
   • a 20-credit module from another School (where approved)
   Students on the MLitt in English Studies have 40 credits free for these options.