Postgraduate MA
Comparative Literature
Comparative Literature at Kent offers an excellent environment for the postgraduate study of literature beyond national and linguistic borders.
Comparative Literature at Kent offers an excellent environment for the postgraduate study of literature beyond national and linguistic borders.
The programme involves the study of literature from two or more linguistic traditions. You engage in and pursue detailed literary and cultural analysis that crosses boundaries.
The MA programme explores three main areas: themes, genres, movements and major literary figures; the interactions and exchanges between literary traditions; and the theory and practice of comparative literature. These complementary strands encourage comparative analysis in a variety of contexts, ranging from the study of national literatures to the exploration of different genres, periods, media and literary theory.
You begin by studying a choice of four modules across the Autumn and Spring terms, before writing a 12,000-word dissertation over the summer, supervised by an expert in the department.
You begin by studying a choice of four modules across the Autumn and Spring terms, before writing a 12,000-word dissertation over the summer, supervised by an expert in the department.
The MA in Comparative Literature is an ideal programme for those wanting to engage in and pursue detailed literary and cultural analysis that crosses national boundaries.
A second class honours degree (2.2 or above) or equivalent in a relevant subject (eg, Comparative Literature, English, Modern Languages, Classics, and other related disciplines).
All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.
The University requires all non-native speakers of English to reach a minimum standard of proficiency in written and spoken English before beginning a postgraduate degree. Certain subjects require a higher level.
For detailed information see our English language requirements web pages.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take modules from other programmes so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.
Duration: One year full-time, two years part-time
The figure of the psychopath has haunted the popular imagination for centuries. First written about by Theophrastus – a student of Aristotle – the so-called 'unscrupulous man' paved the way for modern understandings of psychopathy. Since 1888, when German psychiatrist J.L.A. Koch first coined the term psychopastiche, psychiatrists and neuroscientists have been concerned with understanding the psychological, behavioural and social idiosyncrasies that define the disorder.
On the one hand, the psychopath is associated with criminality, social delinquency, a lack of empathy and even evil; on the other, they are the subject of a complex mental illness that can be medically diagnosed, treated and controlled. More recently, the psychopath has been viewed as an expression of a particular brand of masculinity that is rooted in the narcissistic materialism of the modern world. While psychopaths constitute a disproportionate number of the criminal population, they also appear in the corporate world, successfully blending with society and achieving (often substantial) socio-economic success.
Bringing together psychiatric discourses and literary and filmic analysis, this module will examine the figure of the psychopath in its various manifestations as it appears in literature and film. It offers students an introduction to the medical humanities and an opportunity to develop their thinking around this complex and intriguing figure.
This module is designed to familiarise students with the history of Comparative Literature as an academic discipline, to develop their ability to analyse critically the major conceptions of Comparative Literature that have emerged over the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and to enable them to apply theories of Comparative Literature in the analysis of literary movements, literary genres, literary topoi, and literary figures who recur at different moments in literary history.
Students will begin by studying a range of major conceptions of Comparative Literature, and will consider the implications for the discipline of Comparative Literature of theories of globalisation, multiculturalism, translation studies, and world literature. They will then proceed to analyse selected literary works within the framework of these conceptions of Comparative Literature. The module will therefore combine a theoretical with a practical literary-critical dimension, encouraging close reading and an appreciation of historical context in the analysis of theoretical and literary texts.
Theoretical interest in the fantastic has increasingly developed over recent decades following the acclaimed seminal study by Todorov, The Fantastic (1973). Students will explore major works of the genre from several European countries in conversation with a range of critical perspectives (such as discourse theory, narrative theories, and psychoanalytical theory). The comparative nature of the module will also afford an opportunity to enhance understanding of the literatures and specific texts studied in their respective cultural contexts.
The idea that emotions might play a role in the production and reception of literature is not exactly a new one. Since antiquity, writers have pondered the affective power of literature. The creative writing process itself is often linked to affective or emotional states, such as grief and desire. And literary characters like Medea, Romeo and Juliet, Werther, and Mr Darcy have come to embody specific forms of emotion. The scholarly response to this area of inquiry has come in waves. Only a few decades ago academic research on the emotions was scarce. Now, we witness an unprecedented surge of interest in our feelings and their cultural transformations and encodings. Often explained as a postmodern response to the shortcomings of structuralism, this surge has touched most academic disciplines from the humanities to the neurosciences. The ongoing intensity has pushed the debate to a meta-level, considering what has been coined ‘the turn to affect’ (Ruth Leys) as a phenomenon that is, in itself, worthy of critical inquiry.
The aim of this module is to reflect on the ongoing cross-disciplinary discussion, and to explore in what ways we can make some of its key findings productive for the analysis of literary texts. The module opens with a critical introduction to some of the most relevant themes and trends in emotions studies considering anthropological, neuro-psychological, historical, and sociological approaches (for example by Ekman, Rosenwein, Nussbaum, Damasio, Massumi, Illouz, and Leys). Following on, we shall focus on examination of a selection of literary and autobiographical works that range from the age of Sturm und Drang (Goethe) to the nouveau roman (Duras). The idea is to discuss these works in close conjunction with the suggested secondary material, and to explore the following sets of questions:
The individual sessions are organised around the exploration of three specific emotions: love, grief, and guilt. The module concludes with a summary of our key findings that will enable us critically to evaluate core aspects of the current state of debate.
Assessment is by one 5,000-word essay for each module, and the dissertation.
This programme aims to:
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
You develop intellectual skills in:
You gain subject-specific skills in:
You gain the following transferable skills:
Comparative Literature is part of the Division of Arts and Humanities which embraces other disciplines including: Classical & Archaeological Studies, English Literature Modern Languages and Linguistics, History, Architecture, Philosophy, Drama and Theatre, Film, Art History, Media Studies and Religious Studies. This means that students enrolled on a postgraduate programme in Comparative Literature can draw on the excellent resources of a diverse team of teachers with expertise in many areas.
The research interests of our staff are specifically comparativist in nature, and include the European avant-garde, modernism and postmodernism, postcolonial literature, literary theory, and the relationship between literature and the visual arts. In addition to the research expertise of our staff, all postgraduates in Comparative Literature benefit from the activities organised by the Centre for Modern European Literature and Culture. These include lectures by prestigious guest speakers, research seminars, conferences and a reading group.
The Templeman Library has excellent holdings in all our areas of research interest, with particular strengths in modern European literature. The Department provides high-quality IT facilities, with state-of-the art language laboratories, dedicated technical staff and designated areas for postgraduate study. Language-learning and translation facilities include eight all-purpose teaching rooms and two networked multimedia laboratories.
All postgraduate students have the opportunity to undertake both subject-specific training and an extensive postgraduate skills training programme provided by the Graduate and Researcher College.
Every year, a considerable number of native speakers of foreign languages follow our courses, and several European exchange students stay on to do graduate work. There are also foreign language lectors who are either combining teaching with a Kent higher degree or completing a dissertation for their home universities. We can assist with language-training needs for overseas postgraduates, particularly where English is concerned.
Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Among others, they have recently contributed to: Comparative Critical Studies; French Studies; Forum for Modern Language Studies; German Life and Letters; Modern Language Review.
All students registered for a taught Master's programme are eligible to apply for a place on our Global Skills Award Programme. The programme is designed to broaden your understanding of global issues and current affairs as well as to develop personal skills which will enhance your employability.
Areas of particular research strength in Comparative Literature at Kent include the European avant-garde, modernism and postmodernism, postcolonial literature, literary theory, literature and medicine, literature and the visual arts, literature and sexuality, and literature and philosophy. The list below indicates the range of current research interests of members of staff within Comparative Literature and the other disciplines with whom we work closely.
Many of these staff are members of the Centre for Modern European Literature and Culture. They can supervise postgraduate students for the MA or PhD degrees in any of their respective areas of expertise. If you are considering applying to undertake a research degree, we encourage you to contact us to discuss your plans at an early stage of your application.
Many of the most significant European writers and literary movements of the modern period have traversed national, linguistic, and disciplinary borders. Co-directed by the departments of Comparative Literature and Modern Languages & Linguistics, the Centre for Modern European Literature and Culture aims to promote collaborative interdisciplinary research that can do justice to these kinds of border crossing. Ranging across English, French, German, Italian and Spanish literature, the Centre focuses in particular on the European avant-garde, European modernism and postmodernism, literary theory, the international reception of European writers, and the relations between modern European literature and the other arts, including painting, photography, film, music and architecture. The Centre’s activities include a lecture and seminar series and the regular organisation of conferences.
Founded in 2007, the Centre for Language and Linguistics (CLL) promotes interdisciplinary collaboration in linguistic research and teaching. Membership embraces not just the members of English Language and Linguistics but also other members with an interest in the study of language, as well as researchers in philosophy, computing, psychology and anthropology, reflecting the many and varied routes by which individuals come to a love of language and an interest in the various disciplines and subdisciplines of linguistics.
Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website.
A postgraduate qualification from the University of Kent opens up a wealth of career opportunities by providing an impressive portfolio of skills and specialist knowledge.
Comparative Literature graduates develop key skills, including critical thinking, analysis and problem solving. They go on to successful careers in areas such as the media, academia and many different cultural institutions including libraries, museums and galleries.
We also recommend that you take advantage of the expertise and knowledge available from our Careers and Employability Service, which provides a range of advice, guidance and opportunities to enhance your career.
The 2022/23 annual tuition fees for this course are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk.
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Find out more about general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
This course page is for the 2022/23 academic year. Please visit the current online prospectus for a list of postgraduate courses we offer.
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