About the programme

The new MA aims to equip a new generation of postgraduate students to conduct research into the compelling issues that arise in our discipline at a time when questions of canonicity are under revision and new approaches to literary studies are generating new archives and addressing the coloniality of received archives. The course helps to equip students to develop their own research paths and would make excellent preparation before moving into the PhD.

Course structure

The coursework MA includes the following components:

• Two core courses
• Two elective courses
• One ‘minor’ dissertation of 25,000 words, to be undertaken in the second year of registration.

The first year of the MA is devoted to coursework, comprised of two electives and two core courses. Students are invited to select two electives in total. These can be made up from within one of the streams, if they would like to align themselves with one of the sub-specialities in preparation for their dissertation the following year. However, it is not necessary to select both electives from one stream. Students are at liberty to choose their electives from 2 different streams.

There are 5 streams, each of which represents an area of speciality within the Department:

• Black Literary and Intellectual Traditions
• Gender and Sexuality in African Literature
• World Literatures in English
• Literature and the Archive
• Between the Critical and Creative

Course work is completed in the first year of the programme.

A ‘minor’ dissertation of 25,000 words is undertaken in the second year of the programme. Students register for the dissertation during the second year of the programme, through the following code: ELL5001W.

Compulsory (core) courses

In addition to the 2 MA electives, students are required to take 2 MA core courses which are designed to support the work of research. All coursework MA students will, therefore, be required to register for the following two courses during their first year of study:

Literary Theory in the Global South

• The first semester core course aims to introduce students to key debates and fields of knowledge around postcoloniality and decoloniality, with an emphasis on reading and producing literary theory from the global South. It asks of students to think through and write about the meanings of being situated in the global South as producers of knowledge. Students will be expected to draw on and synthesise the work of key postcolonial and decolonial theorists, with the aim of epistemologically orienting their own work as produced from the global South.
• The course will consist of various modules such as “Decoloniality”, “Postcolonialism, Feminism and Performance”, “Engaging History, Historicity and Historicism”, and “Theory from the Global South”. These will be co-taught by academic staff.

Research Methods in English Literary Studies

• The second semester core course focuses on ‘Research Methods’. It aims to equip students with the tools to do archival research and build their own archives, to identify and engage the field(s) within which their research is located, to work across disciplines, to formulate a compelling research topic and to structure the robust argument that will underpin the dissertation. Modules focusing on these research skills will be co-taught by academic staff.
• The Research Methods core course will require a 4000-word research proposal as a final output, ensuring that students start delving into research for their dissertations during the second semester of their coursework and creating valuable momentum for the year of independent research.

Electives

Electives are offered within each of the following streams of inquiry:

1. Black Literary and Intellectual Traditions
2. Gender and Sexuality in African Literature
3. World Literatures in English
4. Literature and the Archive
5. Between the Critical and Creative
6. Environmental Humanities

Admission requirements

• An Honours degree is required.
• Students with a strong academic record to Honours level in English or a related subject are encouraged to apply. Students who have taken time off since completion of their BA, or who have had an unusual path to the Masters programme are also encouraged to apply.
• Students must have been awarded at least 65% for an Honours degree in English or a related discipline.

How to apply

1. Make an online application for study through the central UCT admissions office by no later than 31 October for South African applicants and no later than 30 September for international applicants.
2. Your application materials should include the following three documents:

• Statement of motivation of about 1 page. Please include at the end of the statement the names and contact details (email and telephone) of two academic referees whom the Committee could contact if needs be. We do not require written references to be submitted in the first instance.
• A sample of your written work.
• Academic transcript. External applicants must attach an official academic transcript and internal applicants can submit an unofficial transcript showing their student number. If final results are not yet available, please forward them as soon as they are. Some students may be admitted provisionally based on mid-term results and subject to satisfactory performance in their final exams.

Admissions process

The decision-making process will involve a close examination of your transcripts, an example of a critical essay and a statement of motivation. You are requested to please provide the names of two referees at the end of your statement of motivation.

Admissions decisions will be made by a Departmental Committee.

In line with the UCT mission of equity and excellence, the committee will deliberately seek to ensure that the class will reflect the diversity of talent available in the country.

The Departmental Committee will meet during November each year to make decisions on admissions. Applicants will then be notified early in December by email whether they have been accepted. In exceptional cases a small number of applicants may be wait-listed for acceptance.

Once an applicant’s admission has been confirmed by the Department of English Literary Studies, the Humanities Faculty Office Graduate School will send a formal letter of admission stating registration dates.

Successful candidates are asked to confirm their acceptance in writing within two weeks.