Programme Specification (Postgraduate) Date amended: October 2009

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1 Programme Specification (Postgraduate) Date amended: October Programme Title(s): MA English Studies 2. Awarding body or institution: University of Leicester 3. Typical entry requirements: Normally an upper second class honours or equivalent degree in English. Those without such qualifications are either required to satisfy the Chair and Admissions Tutor in a qualifying exam (usually an essay) or are required to satisfy the University that previous training and experience provides sufficient qualification. Applicants whose first language is not English must meet the University s requirement in their IELTS (or equivalent) score. 4. Programme aims: The programme aims 1. to enable students to pursue their particular interests within English literary studies, from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present day, by offering a range of specialist taught option modules and individual supervision for dissertations 2. to equip students with advanced research skills in order to enable students to carry out independent research to postgraduate standard 3. to facilitate independent scholarly enquiry, thinking and judgement 4. to prepare student for future careers or further postgraduate work by enhancing transferable skills including: accessing, retrieving and evaluating information from a range of sources; presenting material clearly and effectively in both oral and written formats; managing and organising time 5. Reference points used to inform the programme specification: External Examiners Reports University of Leicester Learning and Teaching Strategy 6. Programme Outcomes: Intended Learning Outcomes Demonstrate detailed knowledge of specific periods and types of literature, and of associated critical discourse. Demonstrate an understanding of research methods appropriate to these periods or topics. Teaching and Learning How Demonstrated? Methods (a) Subject and Professional skills Knowledge

2 Intended Learning Outcomes Demonstrate an understanding of the editorial and contextual issues affecting interpretation, the processes surrounding the production, transmission and reception of texts at different periods and an ability to carry out formal and thematic analysis of literary representations of different kinds. Demonstrate an ability to practice textual analysis, editing and contextualisation, and to compile a bibliography. Demonstrate an ability to analyse and evaluate of a range of primary and secondary sources, and to incorporate relevant material into written work and oral presentations. Demonstrate an ability to present information clearly and effectively, both orally and in written form, to conference or publication standard. Discriminate between competing sources in different media. Locate and retrieve information relevant to the task in hand, analyse and marshal complex ideas and report on findings. Present ideas with clarity and in an appropriate register, both orally and in written form. Familiarity with means of data presentation appropriate to different kinds of material. Participate in large and small group discussions, and give constructive feedback on formal and informal presentations by others students. Teaching and Learning Methods Concepts Techniques 10 week Bibliography, Research Methods and Writing Skills module, comprising of seminars, workshops, lectures and demonstration. Critical analysis Presentation Appraisal of evidence Seminar and private study. (b) Transferable skills Research skills Bibliography, Research Methods and Writing Skills module, assessed and unassessed dissertation presentation sessions, seminars. Communication skills Presentation linked to Bibliography, Research Methods and Writing Skills module, assessed and unassessed dissertation presentation sessions. Data presentation Bibliography, Research Methods and Writing Skills module, assessed and unassessed dissertation presentation, seminars. Working relationships Seminars and presentation sessions. MA English Studies How Demonstrated? Essays, presentations, and Essays, Bibliography presentation, assessed and unassessed dissertation presentations and Essays, Bibliography presentation, assessed and unassessed dissertation presentations.. Class participation and participation in practice sessions for assessed presentations.

3 Intended Learning Outcomes Balance preparation and assessment demands of concurrent modules. Identify and develop transferable skills. Teaching and Learning Methods Managing learning Seminar and meetings with personal tutor. Career management Seminars and meetings with personal tutor. MA English Studies How Demonstrated? Class participation and prompt submission of written work. Structured self-reflection within context of PDP meetings. 7. Special features: This programme will give students the option of choosing to take either a word or word dissertation, depending on other modules chosen. The programme will therefore provide a solid foundation for further postgraduate study and will also appeal to those intending to pursue careers in other areas. 8. Indications of programme quality: Commenting on the existing MA ELR programme, elements of which will be retained, the External Examiner, Professor Alan Fletcher, University College Dublin, noted that assessment procedures were entirely appropriate, and that double marking was an indispensible check and balance [ ] a hallmark of the quality of [the Leicester] system. He also pointed to the excellent range of options, which play to the School s research strengths, and indeed choice will be augmented on the new programme. 9. Outline of Programme Structure This programme aims to cater for students who have already studied English to BA level and who wish to consolidate and develop their knowledge and research skills. Students will be able to create their own routes through the course; those who already have clearly defined interests in particular areas will be able to specialize whilst those who have more wideranging interests will be able to take advantage of the many and varied option modules on offer. All students will be equipped with advanced research and writing skills, and the choice of or word dissertation means that both those who already know that they wish to continue to a research degree and those who see the MA as an end in itself will be accommodated. In Semester 1, all full-time students will take: Bibliography, Research Methods and Writing Skills for Postgraduates (20 credits, assessed by presentation and dissertation bibliography) Editing and Textual Cultures (30 credits, assessed by a 2000 word critical review and a 3000 word essay) One 20 credit option module from those listed below. The exact choices will vary from year to year, but we intend to ensure that there will be sufficient choice for students to focus their attention within a particular period should they wish. In Semester 2, full-time students will take EITHER: Cities of Words (30 credits, assessed by a 5000 word essay) One 20 credit option module from those listed below word dissertation (60 credits, assessed by written submission and including an unassessed presentation at the end of Semester 2). OR: One 20 credit option module from those listed below word dissertation (90 credits, assessed by presentation at the end of Semester 2 and written submission)

4 Part-time students will take Bibliography, Research Methods and Writing Skills for Postgraduates and Editing and Textual Cultures in Semester 1 of year 1. They will then be able to choose when to take their two option modules, and whether they wish to take the longer To ensure equity of supervision, part-time students will be allocated dissertation supervisors approximately 3 months earlier than full-time students, whether they choose the or word Option Modules EN7113 Lexicology and Lexicography: Words and Dictionaries EN7210 Managing Knowledge: Dictionaries and Ideology EN7114 English Books and Texts: EN7220 Introduction to Manuscript Studies EN7216 Church and State in Medieval Literature EN7217 Heroic Poetry in Old English and Old Norse EN7221 Gender and Sexuality in Medieval European Literature EN7218 Classical and Post-Classical Latin EN7xxx Literary Journeys EN7xxx Literary Journeys EN7122 Charles Dickens EN7124 Evolution and Entropy: Changing Representations of the Sciences in Victorian Literature EN7125 Victorian Lives: Life-Writing in the Victorian Period EN7126 Women in Literature, Culture and Society, EN7134 Literature and Gender EN7135 Writing Fiction EN7133 Poetry Writing and Contemporary Poetry EN7136 Jewish American Literature. EN7215 The Country House in Literature HA7105 Pre-Raphaelites in Context 10. Progression and awards (including Scheme of Assessment) Scheme A Students taking a 60 credit dissertation follow (i) below and those taking a 90 credit dissertation follow (ii) below: (i) Masters To be awarded a master s degree a candidate must: (i) obtain at least 90 credits at 50% or above in the taught modules and no more than 15 credits below 40%; (ii) have satisfactorily completed all coursework requirements in the taught modules; and (iii) achieved a mark of 50% or above in the To be awarded a master s degree with merit a candidate must: (i) obtain at least 60 credits at 60% or more in the taught modules; (ii) achieve a mark of 60% or above for the dissertation; and (iii) have no fail marks To be awarded a master s degree with distinction a candidate must: (i) obtain at least 90 credits at 70% or above in the taught modules and a mark of 60% or above in the dissertation; or (ii) obtain at least 60 credits at 70% or above in the taught modules and a mark of at least 70% in the dissertation; and (iii) have no fail marks.

5 Postgraduate Diploma To be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma a candidate must: (i) obtain at least 90 credits at 50% or above with no more than 15 credits below 40%; and (ii) have satisfactorily completed all coursework requirements To be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma with merit a candidate must: (i) obtain at least 60 credits or more at 60% or above; and (ii) have no fail marks. To be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma with distinction a candidate must: (i) obtain at least 90 credits or more at 70% or above; and (ii) have no fail marks. Postgraduate Certificate To be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate a candidate must: (i)obtain at least 45 credits at 50% or more in the taught modules and no marks less than 40%; and (ii) have satisfactorily completed all coursework requirements. (ii) Masters To be awarded a master s degree a candidate must: (i) obtain at least 60 credits at 50% or above in the taught modules and no more than 15 credits below 40% (ii) have satisfactorily completed all coursework requirements in the taught modules; and (iii) achieved a mark of at least 50% or above in the To be awarded a master s degree with merit a candidate must: (i)obtain at least 60 credits at 60% or more in the taught modules; (ii) achieve a mark of 60% or above for the dissertation; and (iii) have no fail marks To be awarded a master s degree with distinction a candidate must: (i) obtain at least 90 credits at 70% or above in the taught modules and a mark of at least 60% in the dissertation; or (ii) obtain at least 30 credits at 70% or above in the taught modules and a mark of at least 70% in the dissertation; and (iii) have no fail marks Mark Scheme 50-59% = Pass 60-69% = Merit 70%+ = Distinction Classifications Distinction To be awarded a distinction, a candidate will have achieved the specified learning outcomes of the programme to an excellent or very high standard, displayed a very high command of the subject and technical and analytical skills and demonstrated independence of thinking and excellent research potential.

6 Merit To be awarded a pass with merit, a candidate will have achieved the specified learning outcomes of the programme to a very good standard, displayed a high command of the subject and technical and analytical skills and demonstrated independence of thinking and very good research skills. Pass To be awarded a pass, a candidate will have achieved the specified learning outcomes of the programme to a satisfactory standard and displayed a sound command of the subject and technical and analytical skills and demonstrated independence of thinking and sound research skills. 11. Rules relating to re-sits or re-submissions. Candidates will normally be allowed one opportunity to resubmit work for any element of assessment they have been deemed to have failed. In exceptional circumstances the examiners might allow a candidate to carry a module failed on resubmission provided that the average of all coursework marks equals at least 50%. Candidates should note, however, that in the event of a successful resubmission, the bare pass mark of 50% will be awarded. No mark is final until ratified by the External Examiner. 12. Additional information [e.g. timetable for admissions] We aim to admit the first students to the MA English Studies in October 2010 Appendix 1: Module Specifications and Module Descriptions EN7001 Bibliography, Research Methods and Writing Skills for Postgraduates (existing module) EN7xxx Editing and Textual Cultures (developed from an existing module) EN7xxx Cities of Words EN7220 Introduction to Manuscript Studies (existing module) EN7221 Gender and Sexuality in Medieval European Literature (existing module) EN7xxx Literary Journeys EN7xxx Literary Journeys EN7xxx Dissertation 60 credits (developed from an existing module) EN7xxx Dissertation 90 credits (developed from an existing module)