Master programme in English: Literary specialisation

The Master program in English is for you if you wish to develop your skills in understanding, analyzing, and contextualizing cultural expressions or language use in English, one of the globally most influential languages in contemporary life. Are you interested in popular culture and genre literature? Social media? Global English literature or communication? Language learning? This program offers opportunities to immerse yourself in these topics and more!

The diverse forms of the English language are extensively present in public and private life, as well as in both local and international culture. The study of English use and English-language cultural expression is therefore concretely relevant and has many potential applications across domains such as education and academia, politics, culture, media, business, and more.

The program specializations share a joint theme of "English in contemporary life". The linguistic specialization comprises courses that mainly concern applied linguistics, with an overall focus on perspectives and methods for studying and understanding language use as social interaction, cognition, text, and discourse. The literary specialization comprises courses that variously concern cultural and literary negotiations of contemporary life, with an emphasis on historical and geographical contextualizations as well as critical perspectives. The program's courses highlight contemporary language use and materials, as well as contemporary theories and methods, and are intimately tied to research specializations at the department. The courses do not merely concern the English language and English literature in themselves, but also concern how linguistic and literary perspectives can shed light on societal phenomena, issues, and developments.

Education

The Master program in English offers specialized training in the English subject, with either linguistic or literary specialization. Elective courses from either of the two specializations can also be combined within the chosen specialization.

The first semester is composed of obligatory courses, after which the course progression is based on a combination of elective courses within the program and optional courses offered by Karlstad University or at other universities. During the third semester, it is possible to choose to study abroad. Except for the obligatory introductory course and the degree project, the exact course progression through the program depends on what year the student is enrolled as well as the student's own choices and preferences. The flexibility offered by this program structure means that you will not adhere to a course progression determined in advance. Instead, you may yourself plan your progression in consultation with the program coordinator and the study and career counselor.

On the website for either specialization, you can see an example outline of a recommended course progression for full-pace studies. The program courses are offered on a rotating schedule. Therefore, which courses are obligatory during the first semester, as well as which are elective during the subsequent semesters, will vary based on the student's year of enrolment. Please note that the names and order of the program courses may change.

Form of Instruction

The program's obligatory and elective courses are offered at half- or quarter-pace. This makes it possible for students to complete the program in two years at full pace or in four years at half pace.

Instruction takes the form of remote learning, and is entirely distance-based. Instruction is generally conducted in the form of seminars, lectures, and group work. Most of the program courses comprise real-time virtual meetings during weekdays. Therefore, we expect students to be able to make themselves available for one or several online meetings per week throughout the semesters.

Examination is most commonly in the form of individual written assignments and oral presentations. However, other forms of examination may occur according to the courses' respective syllabi.

Semester 1	ECTS credits
Theoretical perspectives on literary and cultural negotiations (Obligatory)	15
African popular literature from the postcolonial novel to contemporary comics (Obligatory)	7.5
Women writers' science fiction and fantasy (Obligatory)	7.5

Semester 2	ECTS credits
Dystopia and apocalypse (Elective)	7.5
African American women's novels (Elective)	7.5
Optional course (Optional)	15
Degree Project in English Literature (Master) (Elective)	15

Semester 3	ECTS credits
Science Fiction and Intercultural Encounters (Elective)	7.5
Negotiating the autobiographical I: American women's autobiographies 1968-2020 (Elective)	7.5
Optional course (Optional)	15

Semester 4	ECTS credits
Degree Project in English Literature (Master) (Obligatory)	30

*Full-time study always equals 30 ECTS credits per semester (20 weeks).

Elective course: Students are free to choose among certain alternative courses, often depending on their choice of specialisation.

Optional course: Students are free to choose any course offered at Karlstad University or at other universities. Courses listed are examples of recommended or frequently chosen courses for a specific programme.