English Language and Literature MA (Hons)

Level: Undergraduate

Subject: English Language

Year of entry: 2026

Key facts

UCAS Code

Q300

Award

MA (Hons)

Duration of study

4 years

Delivery

Full-time

Study location

Central Area

Start date

September 2026

School

School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Study abroad

Available

Placement

No

Open days and events

About the degree programme

Many of the world's most fascinating and influential literary works have been written in English. This programme offers you the opportunity to study the development of the English language through and alongside literature written in English from around the globe. 

On this programme, you will cover a wide range of texts and their cultural contexts, from the Middle Ages to the present. Through this engagement, you will build a skillset that is:

  • critical
  • analytic
  • linguistic
  • literary
  • creative

You will also deepen your understanding of:

  • the principles of theoretical linguistics
  • the way we learn language
  • the regional and social variations of the English language and language in general
  • methods of communication

How long it takes to complete this degree programme

This programme is studied over 4 years.

A key benefit to studying a 4-year degree programme is that you have the flexibility to study a range of subjects, outside your chosen degree programme, in Year 1 and Year 2.

This allows you the opportunity to study other courses that interest you or enhance your degree. By the end of Year 2, you can decide which of these subject areas you want to focus on in the honours years of your programme.

How long it takes to complete our degree programmes

How a joint degree programme works

A joint programme allows you to gain a well-rounded learning experience. You will have more exposure to different disciplines, allowing you to expand your knowledge and expertise.

Teaching on joint programmes is split across the two subject areas, and teaching will take place in locations associated with both subjects.

You will gain a different perspective through studying more than one subject and have a wider skill set that is highly attractive to future employers.

Programme rankings

  • We are ranked 3rd in the UK, and in the world's top 10 universities, for English Language and Literature in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. We conduct world-leading research in these subjects.

Programme benefits

  • You will study at the heart of a UNESCO World City of Literature.
  • As part of your study of the English language, you can choose to study Scots, which has its own rich linguistic and literary tradition.
  • Over the course of your four-year programme, it is also possible to study other world cultures and languages.

The programme equipped us with multiple essential and transferable skills which will prove useful. The skills of close reading, critical analysis, and ability to adjust the writing to fit a particular style or a set of criteria are among the assets which seem particularly crucial for my future aspirations.

Roman Ashurbekov MA English Language and Literature, graduated 2023.

Find your entry requirements

Use the dropdowns to find out your entry requirements.

  1. Select the country where you are studying or where you studied your qualification.
  2. Select the qualification you are studying or studied.
United Kingdom,

Tuition fees for MA (Hons) English Language and Literature

View the tuition fees for one academic year of MA (Hons) English Language and Literature.

Tuition fees for this programme

Additional costs

There will likely be additional costs if you choose to study abroad in Year 3.

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that a single student can potentially spend a maximum of £920 to £2,257 on living costs each month, depending on your accommodation.

This estimate covers the costs of:

  • accommodation
  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel within Edinburgh
  • health and wellbeing costs

See a breakdown of living costs

Scholarships and funding

Funding information

You can find detailed information on financial support available, based on where you are living, in our funding section.

Funding

What you will study

Our four-year programme is extremely flexible.

In Years 1 and 2, in addition to studying English Language and Literature, you will choose option courses from a wide list of subjects.

You will then specialise in your honours years (Years 3 and 4) by choosing courses based on your interests.

English Language

In English Language, you will take two semester-long introductory courses:

  • Linguistics and English Language 1A: offers a brief introduction to the study of language in general and of English in particular
  • Linguistics and English Language 1B: will help you develop the tools and knowledge needed to investigate the different subsystems of language
English Literature

You will take two Literary Studies courses which will introduce you to the essential skills needed for the critical close reading of the following literary genres:

  • poetry
  • drama
  • prose

You will read works of literature written in English from around the world, and encounter a range of ideas about the nature and purpose of literary study.

Option courses

You will complete your Year 1 studies with option courses chosen from a wide range offered by the University.

You can, for example, choose to study an ancient or modern language in its cultural context. We offer one of the widest range of languages of any UK university and most are suitable for complete beginners.

Find Year 1 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

English Language

You will take two further semester-long courses in Linguistics and English Language. They look at:

  • linguistic theory
  • the structure and history of English
English Literature

We will introduce you to the study of English literature in its cultural and historical contexts through literature from the late Medieval period to the mid-Twentieth Century.

These courses will explore the relationship between literary texts and the formation of national, international and imperial cultures.

Option courses

As in Year 1, you will choose from a range of option courses outside your primary subjects.

Find Year 2 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

English Language

You can start to specialise and choose the topics that interest you most. Advanced courses in English language available at this level include:

  • English Historical Syntax
  • Global Englishes
  • Stylistics 
    Scots and Scottish English

You can also choose from a range of courses in other areas of linguistics. 

English Literature

Courses offered in literature at this level span different periods, topics and approaches to literary study. Depending on staff research and other commitments, we offer a very wide range to choose from.

Skills development options include two courses in Reading Theory. If you choose to do your dissertation in English Literature in Year 4, these courses will help you prepare by covering key issues, concepts, and developments in literary theory and criticism.

Find Year 3 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

You will continue to choose advanced, honours-level courses based on your interests. 

You will also write an honours dissertation. The dissertation is a piece of your own work and is an important part of your undergraduate studies.

Find Year 4 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

Study abroad

You will have the opportunity to study abroad in Year 3 of this degree at one of our partner universities.

If international travel restrictions allow, you may be able to choose where you study from our selection of international partners.

A study abroad experience will allow you to immerse yourself in a different culture, enrich your learning and enhance your future job opportunities.

Your study abroad options

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Most courses are taught through a combination of: 

  • lectures
  • tutorials
  • seminars
  • some small-group project work 

You will also do some independent practical work in Year 2 and more independent study in Years 3 and 4. 

In addition to classes, you will need to read widely to get the most out of your courses.

Assessment

Years 1 and 2

Assessment methods will vary depending on your chosen courses.

In English Language, you will complete continuous assessment through tests and assignments.

For English Literature, you will have combination of:

  • coursework (completed throughout the year)
  • final assessments (at the end of a teaching block; these may include exams)
Years 3 and 4

You will be assessed through:

  • coursework
  • exams
  • projects
  • your dissertation

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a school adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.

Academic support and guidance

The PPLS Skills Centre provides support with writing essays and dissertations, but also offers appointments on:

  • programming
  • data collection
  • statistical analysis

Where you will study

Study location

When you are on campus, you can expect to spend most of your time in the University of Edinburgh's Central Area:

  • in class
  • in the library
  • in the lab
  • in one of our many social and support spaces

The Central Area is located on the edge of Edinburgh's historic Old Town, surrounded by lots of green space.

Academic facilities

The University holds many literary treasures in its extensive collections. These include an extensive collection of:

  • early Shakespeare quartos
  • other early modern printed plays
  • the Corson Collection of works by and about Sir Walter Scott

Modern literature and poetry are well-represented, with the W.H. Auden collection and the libraries of:

  • Lewis Grassic Gibbon
  • Hugh MacDiarmid
  • Norman MacCaig

Our specialist linguistics and phonetics equipment ranks among the best in the world. It includes:

  • recording studios
  • a perception experiment laboratory
  • an eye tracking laboratory

Virtual tour

You can take a closer look at the University’s Central Area and explore our facilities on the Virtual Visit site. 

Take a virtual tour of the Central Area

Career paths

Skills and experience

Studying the development of the English language through and alongside literature shows an openness to different ideas and perspectives. This is important in many careers across the world.

Through this programme, you will gain literary and linguistic skills and develop your creativity and critical thinking.

Graduating with a four-year master of arts degree from our University also shows:

  • intellectual maturity
  • resilience
  • flexibility

The skills you can demonstrate to employers when you graduate include the ability to:

  • understand, analyse and articulate complex issues and concepts
  • manage your time to meet deadlines on different types of projects
  • work independently and as part of a group

Opportunities across sectors

During your time with us, you will study a range of subjects, with the option to take courses in world languages and other areas of the humanities and social sciences.

As you progress through your honours years (Years 3 and 4), you will specialise in:

  • different literary topics, periods or genres
  • different aspects of the English language

This broad education gives you the foundations to excel in a range of career sectors, especially those that value transferable humanities skills.

Our alumni have gone on to careers, sometimes through graduate training schemes, in the following sectors:

  • private
  • public
  • not-for-profit
  • for-benefit

Industries our graduates have worked in include:

  • business, finance and commerce
  • technology
  • communications and marketing
  • creative writing and publishing
  • culture, heritage, and the arts
  • education and training - including Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)
  • journalism, broadcasting and media
  • leisure and tourism
  • politics and law
  • research, consultancy and venture acceleration

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals.

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies.

With the Careers Service, you can:

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions

Visit the Careers Service website

Further study

The research skills you will develop on a four-year programme, especially in your honours years, are valuable if you want to continue studying at a postgraduate level. 

We typically offer:

  • taught and research-led MSc degrees in English Literature and English Language
  • MSc degrees in Playwriting, Creative Writing and Applied Linguistics
  • interdisciplinary MSc programmes in Comparative Literature and Intermediality

Beyond literature and related fields, a degree in English prepares you for further study in almost any humanities and social science subject.

How to apply

You must submit a full application through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) before the relevant deadline.

Guidance on applying through UCAS

What you need to apply

As part of your application, you will need:

  • your academic qualifications
  • a personal statement
  • evidence of your English language skills (with relevant qualifications)
  • a reference

How we select

If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements by the relevant deadline, then your application will go into our selection process.

As part of this selection process, we will review all the information you submit in your UCAS application when we decide who to select for this degree programme.

How we select applicants

When to apply

  • 2026 entry UCAS deadline: 14 January 2026 (6:00pm GMT)

This is the deadline for all UK, EU and international applicants to non-medicine and veterinary medicine programmes.

To find out if any degree programmes have spaces after 14 January 2026, search the University of Edinburgh on the UCAS website.

Search degrees that are open on the UCAS website

Key application dates and deadlines

After you apply

After you have applied for your degree programme, we suggest you have a look at the following information to help you prepare for university:

Applying as an international student

As an international student, you apply for this degree programme through UCAS.  

Find out more about applying through UCAS  

Visas and immigration 

If you do not have the right to live in the UK, you will need to apply for and secure a Student visa before the start date of your degree programme.  

Our Student Immigration Service can help you with the Student visa application process. 

Applying for a visa  

Agents  

An education agent is someone who can help you with the application process as an international student. 

We work with education agents around the world and have a list of local offices you can contact.  

Find contact details for an education agent

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single undergraduate students from outside Edinburgh. To be eligible, you need to meet all criteria and apply for accommodation by 16 August in the year of your entry to the University.

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

The Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) supports more than 300 student-led societies and clubs, including LingSoc, the Linguistics and English Language Society.

EUSA also supports LitPALS, the Peer-Assisted Learning Scheme for English Literature, where students across year groups help each other with study skills and topics. 

Across the University, there are opportunities to participate in:

  • reading and writers' groups
  • poetry slams
  • creative writing and publishing
  • student theatre

We also have a fantastic Writer-in-Residence who organises talks and workshops by visiting writers and runs our annual writing prizes. Their drop-in sessions give you the chance to:

  • share your work
  • get feedback
  • meet other student writers
  • get inspiration and prompts for new work

The city of Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the first United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World City of Literature. Many greats of English, Scottish and world literature have called Edinburgh home. It is a great place to study, write and perform prose, poetry and drama.

The city's resources for studying literature are exceptional.

For example, Edinburgh has a fantastic range of:

  • publishing houses
  • bookshops
  • theatres
  • cinemas

Many of these resources are located close to the University's Central Area, making them easy to access between classes.

You will also study near the:

  • National Library of Scotland
  • National Museum of Scotland
  • Edinburgh Central Library
  • Scottish Poetry Library
  • Scottish Storytelling Centre
  • Writers’ Museum

We have strong links with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which welcomes around 1,000 authors to our city each year.

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include:

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustment

Health and wellbeing support services

Contact us

Contact us through our enquiry team if you have any questions about this programme.

Open days, events and visits

Find out when our next open days will be taking place

Open days, events and visits

Chat to our students on Unibuddy

Related degree programmes

Other degrees in English Language

You may also be interested in

Discover Uni data

This information is part of a government initiative to enhance the material that higher education institutions provide about their degree programmes.

It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.

Some programmes do not have Discover Uni data available.