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Postgraduate Study

Our postgraduates study and research across the spectrum of English Studies with support from world-leading scholars and an excellent research environment.  

Postgraduate students benefit especially from our links with research centres and institutes within Durham University, such as the Institute for Medieval and Early Modern Studies, the Centre for Poetry and Poetics, the Centre for Modern Conflicts and Cultures, and the Institute for Medical Humanities.

Postgraduates also experience our extensive extra-curricular events programme, which brings leading researchers and writers to share their expertise, as well as our partnership with external organisations such as Durham Book Festival. 

Graduates from our MA or PhD programmes are highly employable, and go on to further academic study or varied careers in the UK and internationally. 

Find out more about postgraduate life
38th
38th in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 English Language and Literature
3rd in the UK for English according to the Complete University Guide 2023
Our postgraduate community comprises around 60 taught postgraduates and 60 PhD researchers
World leading research 90% of our research activity was judged to be 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent' in the Research Excellence Framework 2021
University student
After I arrived in Durham, it was quite daunting to move from the light-hearted welcoming week at my college to the serious, academic environment of the English department. As it turned out, I had no reason to worry at all - the staff were very friendly and welcoming, as were the students. Most of us were new to Durham, and a large portion of the group is international as well.

Ida Marie Halvorsen
Former MA student

Postgraduate Courses

Thanks to our large body of world-leading scholars, our courses give you the freedom to study broadly or to specialise within English, or to engage in interdisciplinary learning and research.

MA pathways in English Literature

As well as our core MA we offer named pathways from Medieval to Twenty-First Century
Students listening during a seminar

MA in Creative Writing

The MA in Creative Writing is an academically rigorous programme, taught by award-winning writers
Female student using laptop

PhD research by dissertation

Our academic staff expertise will support your research interests
Female student using laptop for taking notes to study

PhD and MLitt in Creative Writing

Combine a creative portfolio with supervised literary-critical research
Postgraduate Photography

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Interdisciplinary MAs

As well as our wide-ranging postgraduate courses in Literary Studies we contribute to interdisciplinary postgraduate qualifications:

  • Master of Data Science (MDS) Digital Humanities
  • MA in Medieval and Early Modern Studies
  • MA, Diploma, or Certificate in Medical Humanities
  • MA Environmental Humanities

Get in touch

If you have any enquiries please contact us or follow us on social media.