Course outline

Choose English at Brunel and you’ll be joining one of the best English departments in the UK, with the opportunity to gain a thorough grounding in all the key areas of literary studies from canonical authors such as Shakespeare and Austen, through to 21st Century novels, neo-Victorian fiction, digital writing and global literature. Our academics have earned Brunel an established reputation for teaching and research in contemporary literature, creative writing, renaissance studies, nineteenth century literature, and postcolonial studies and beyond. Our goal is to ensure our English students find their studies as inspiring as we do.

In this Pre Masters you will take the following four core modules. If you also choose the work placement option you will take an additional module:

Interactive Learning Skills and Communication

Students will develop a range of academic and communicative skills necessary for successful study at postgraduate level. They will also develop a range of transferable communicative skills (written and oral) that prepare students for professional life and develop independent learning and encourage students to take responsibility for their personal, academic and professional development.

Critical and Creative thinking

The Critical and Creative Thinking module has been designed to assist learners in developing a range of critical and analytical thinking skills necessary for successful study at postgraduate level. This will be achieved by learners gaining an understanding of concepts used in critical thinking; interpreting the arguments of others and developing effective arguments of their own whether in spoken or written form.

Research Methods

This Research Methods module has been specifically designed for students who are required to demonstrate appropriate research and study skills at Masters level at Brunel University. Successful completion of this module indicates that students have obtained a good understanding of and ability to apply the requisite skills involved in understanding, evaluating, conducting, and reporting research. This module is designed to assist students in developing a critical awareness and familiarity with research methods; and provide students with underpinning knowledge and understanding of research methods and methodologies and a solid grounding for the more advanced research skills required in postgraduate study.

Applied Concepts

This module has been designed to guide students through the key activities and concepts which need to be undertaken and applied for the production of a written report at postgraduate level. The students are encouraged to reflect upon their approach in constructing their report, through continual feedback in tutorials, developing skills that will help in the re-evaluation of the decisions they make, drawing upon theory and its relation to practice. Students will produce a short appraisal of their self-reflection to accompany the completed report. The students will be required to present their work both in written and oral form. This module will enable students to apply concepts which they have studied in the complementary modules on the Pre Masters programme element.

This pathway leads to the following Brunel University London Master's degrees:

Careers and your future

An English master’s will equip you with a set of enviable skills which are vital for careers in publishing, print and electronic media, the culture industries and education.

Your skills will also be attractive to employers within sectors where accuracy in the written descriptive word is a central feature, including law, the civil service, advertising, marketing, financial services and business.

Above all, the English Literature MA will benefit your own writing, critique and self-expression.

If, at the end of the course, you decide to continue your studies to doctoral level, you will have the essential skills to join a flourishing research culture at Brunel.

Outside of your classroom, you can look forward to a calendar of events and activities organised by the Brunel Centre for Contemporary Writing, including the annual Hillingdon Literary Festival: a free weekend of literary performances from internationally renowned authors, writing workshops and lively debates right here on the Brunel campus.