World Literatures in English

In line with the other MSt strands in the English Faculty, the MSt is made up of four elements:

• the ‘A’ course, intended as an introduction to key themes and debates in postcolonial and world literatures;
• a ‘B’ course on book history, including postcolonial and world literature approaches to book history;
• two ‘C’ or option courses, one in Michaelmas term and one in Hilary term; and
• a ‘D’ element, the dissertation, which is handed in at the end of the final term, Trinity (June).

The descriptions below supply more detail on the A, B and C courses.

The MSt programme is assessed via the submission of four pieces of coursework. In addition to the dissertation, you will submit three essays of 6,000 to 7,000 words – one at the end of the first term, and two at the end of the second term – relating to the B and C courses that have been taken.

A. Core course: The Colonial, the Postcolonial, the World – Literature, Contexts and Approaches

The ‘A’ course, which runs in Michaelmas term, comprises eight 1.5 to 2-hour seminars and is intended to provide a range of perspectives on some of the core debates, themes and issues shaping the study of world and postcolonial literatures in English. Each seminar will be led by a member of the Faculty of English or other relevant faculty and will include one or more short presentations from students on the week’s topic. There is no assessed A course work, but students are asked to give at least one presentation on the course, and to attend all the seminars. The methodologies you will encounter on this course are intended to prepare you for situating your dissertation in a chosen field of research. You should read as much as possible of the bibliography over the summer – certainly the primary literary texts listed in the seminar reading for each week.

B. Core course: Bibliography, theories of text, history of the book, manuscript studies

This is a compulsory, assessed course, taught via a range of lectures and seminars in each of the first two terms. The B-course for the MSt in World Literature strand introduces students to the methodologies and theories of bibliography, manuscript studies, textual scholarship, and book history framed within the broad concerns and methodologies of world literature book history and the emergence and institutionalisation of the categories of world and postcolonial literature within global and local literary spaces and the publishing industry.

The course begins in Michaelmas with a general introduction to theories and methodologies of material textual scholarship (‘Material Texts 1800-present’) alongside an introduction to manuscript study and archive use in world literature (‘Material Methodology’). In late Michaelmas and Hilary it moves on to specific discussion of the institutions of world literature, culminating in student presentations and feedback on the B course essay project in weeks 3-6 of Hilary term.

C. Special options

Students are able to choose from ‘C’ course options concerned specifically with World Literatures, as well as from any other ‘C’ course options on offer in the English MSt. Options taken by MSt students in this strand have, in recent years, included:

• ‘African Literature’, engaging with some of the important cultural and political dynamics shaping the work of renowned authors such as Wole Soyinka, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Athol Fugard, Ama Ata Aidoo, Ken Saro-Wiwa and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie;
• ‘Humanitarian Fictions’, looking at the revived idea of Humanitarianism in English, Anglophone, and World literary studies and raising specific questions about how the novel in particular embraces the discourse of human rights and humanitarianism to address global modernity’s emergences and discontents;
• ‘Literatures of Empire and Nation’, investigating the literary and cultural perceptions, misapprehensions, and evasions that accompanied empire, and the literary forms that negotiated it; and
• ‘Prison Writing and the Literary World’, mapping prison writing from the UK, the US, Ireland, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa as a distinctive form.

D. Dissertation

You will write a 10,000 to 11,000-word dissertation on a subject of your choice, but related to the work you have been doing over the year. You will be assigned to a member of academic staff who will act as your supervisor.

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Faculty of English and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Faculty of English.

Many English taught-course students go onto doctoral research, both at Oxford and at other universities worldwide. Other graduates pursue careers in occupations including teaching, journalism, law, publishing and the civil service.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. In certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information, please see our page on changes to courses.

Other courses you may wish to consider

If you're thinking about applying for this course, you may also wish to consider the courses listed below. These courses may have been suggested due to their similarity with this course, or because they are offered by the same department or faculty.

All graduate courses offered by the Faculty of English Language and Literature

English DPhil

English (1550-1700) MSt

English (1700-1830) MSt

English (1830-1914) MSt

English (1900-Present) MSt

English (​650-1550) MSt

English and American Studies MSt

English Studies (Medieval Period) MPhil

World Literatures in English MSt

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Entry requirements