ENGLISH AND AMERICAN STUDIES OXFORD UNIVERSITY - POSTGRADUATE

The Oxford English Faculty covers the history of English language and literature from the beginnings to the present day. Theoretical aspects of literary criticism, women's studies and gender studies, linguistics, post-colonial literatures, and American literature are all important and flourishing areas of teaching and research. The English Faculty consists of about 75 professors, readers, and lecturers, together with about 30 further college lecturers and research fellows. There is a graduate school of about 300, divided between the Master's coursework programmes and the research programme leading directly to the DPhil. In admitting candidates for research degrees, the Faculty will be concerned to ensure both that specialist supervision can be provided and that the library resources of Oxford are satisfactory for the particular research topic. The Faculty, located at the St Cross Building, provides lectures, seminars, central administration, and the Faculty Library; but academic staff and students are also based in and work from individual colleges which house further resources.Courses of studyMaster's coursework programmesStudents applying to the one-year Master's programme in English opt initially for one of the following four routes:*650-15501550-17801780-19001900-present dayInformation can also be found on the Faculty website www.english.ox.ac.ukEach of the four one-year Master's programmes combines training in research methods (for example, manuscript studies, textual criticism, and studies in the history of the book) with a range of core and optional courses covering period-based, generic, and theoretical issues. Within the four programmes the progress of each student will be the initial responsibility of course convenors. Seminars and lectures will be provided, and each student will write a 10,000-word dissertation on a subject to be defined in consultation with a personal supervisor allocated by the programme convenors. The dissertation will be submitted at the end of the third term. Other elements of the Master's programme will be assessed by coursework submitted over the first two terms. The Master's programme is available as a preparation for doctoral work in Oxford or elsewhere and as an independent degree. *For the medieval period (650-1550) there is also a two-year Master's course MPhil. Students will follow the same programme in the first year as the one-year course and in the second year will take additional courses, including other Medieval languages and literatures, historical and intellectual background, and write an augmented dissertation.Students on the MSt in English (English and American Studies) will follow one of the period courses from the MSt in English described above: 1550-1780, 1780-1900 or 1900-present. In place of one of the standard course options, however, they will undertake a special option in American Studies and they will also write a 10,000-word dissertation on an American subject, enabling them to make connections between English and American culture. The means of assessment will be the same as that for the MSt in English, described above, and the MSt in English (English and American Studies) may similarly be taken either as an independent course or as a preparation for doctoral work in American literature or American studies.Degrees by researchThe Degree of DPhilResearch students who have not followed the Oxford Master's programme will be expected to hold a Master's degree from another institution and may be required to follow further courses in research training as deemed necessary to the successful undertaking of their chosen topic. Students who have successfully completed the one-year Master's may apply to the DPhil programme. Acceptance will be conditional on the quality of their Master's performance, a satisfactory account of the proposed future research, and the availability of doctoral supervision in their chosen topic. For the DPhil candidates produce a thesis of up to 100,000 words. A shorter research degree programme (the MLitt) resulting in a thesis of up to 50,000 words may also be available.Library and research facilitiesThe unique collections of manuscripts and printed books housed in the Bodleian Library.The English Faculty Library is housed in the St Cross Building in Manor Road. It contains over 90,000 volumes intended for students of the English language and of English literature of all periods. Although the majority of the readers are undergraduates, the Library also provides many of the books needed by more advanced students. Most of the stock, except for some special collections and the books printed before 1800, is on open access in the reading rooms, and may be borrowed by registered readers. The Library is open to members of the University in residence who are reading for the Honour School of English or for an advanced degree under the supervision of the Board of the Faculty of English Language and Literature, to members of Congregation teaching in Oxford, and to visiting university teachers of English while resident in Oxford.Graduate Admissions University OfficesWellington SquareOxford, OX1 2JDt: +44 (0)1865 270059f: +44 (0)1865 270049