Master's in English Literature. 2 years – 120 credits. Curriculum

I. Program description

1. Contents
The Master's program in English Literature consists of graduate level study of literature in English (of Britain and North America and the larger world) and serves as an extension of work at the Bachelor's level. The courses at the Master's level involve a higher degree of specialization and in-depth study than courses for the Bachelor's Degree. The Master's program consists of two years of study, one year of coursework and one year of writing of a Master's thesis (an independent scholarly monograph).

2. Professional objectives
The Master's Degree in English Literature provides a foundation for seeking work within fields as diverse as teaching, publishing, media, cultural work, and (private and public) administration. What distinguishes the Master's competence in English literature from a Bachelor's is in addition to professional specialization its scholarly monograph (the Master's thesis) which represents an experience with project work that is relevant for higher positions in the public and private domain. The Master's Degree in English Literature prepares the student for study at the Ph.D. level.

3. Program administration
The Faculty Board for the Bachelor's and Master's Programs (Styret for fakultære bachelor- and mastergradsprogram).

4. Participating disciplines
Since the subject of English is the only Humanities literature program conducted wholly in English, the courses for the International Master's Program in English Literature are normally given by the English faculty.

5. Admission requirement
To be admitted to the program, the student must have a Bachelor's Degree with a major in English or equivalent education. Students applying for admission must have a grade average of at least a B or the equivalent.

6. Program structure The program consists of the following components:

• 60 credits of coursework
• 60 credits for a Master's thesis

Credits of coursework from other fields (Comparative, English, French, Scandinavian, Russian, Sami, and German Literature) may be accepted as part of the degree in English Literature if they contribute to giving the Master's study a particular thematic structure or support the work with a Master's thesis. The fact, however, that courses in the above-mentioned fields are rarely given in English at Tromsø University in practice means that the coursework will consist of the English faculty offerings specified below. In exceptional cases, an upper-division undergraduate course in English Literature may by application be accepted as part of the Master's coursework if that course closely supports the profile of the Master's study or is closely connected with the work with the Master's thesis; such an application must be supported by the Thesis adviser and be approved by the Faculty Board for the Master's Program.

7. Master's thesis
The Master's thesis represents a 60-credit monograph of normally 80-100 pages. It is normally an individually written work. The topic for the thesis is chosen by the student in consultation with the thesis adviser.

8. Specializations
The Master's degree is generally defined, i.e. as a degree in literature in English.

9. Student exchange
Students will normally be expected to carry out their studies in Tromsø, but it is possible to take parts of the course work abroad (1-2 semesters), preferably in connection with exchange agreements with universities/colleges in Europe, USA, Canada, Asia and Australia. Note that after taking graduate courses at institutions abroad, students must apply to have them formally accepted as part of their degree.

10. Part-time studies
The program is in principle open for part-time students, but it is not specifically tailored to accommodate part-time study.

11. Cross-/interdisciplinary courses
At present no joint courses from different fields are offered that may be relevant to a degree in English literature.

12. Teaching and evaluation methods
Teaching takes the form of lectures and seminars. In connection with the Master's thesis an adviser is appointed who will monitor the student throughout the work with the thesis. Each course as well as the Master's thesis will be given a grade (from A to F). The course descriptions give specific information about types of exams/papers required in each course.

13. Student evaluation
The students will be given the opportunity to evaluate the teaching of all study subjects on two occasions
- About halfway through the course, in the form of a conversation between the teacher(s) and students, or written feedback to the teacher(s), and/or administrator of the study program within which each subject is based.
- At the end of the course, by filling out an official evaluation form, to be submitted anonymously to the relevant teacher(s).

II. Progression of study The normal and recommended progression is the following (students may start in either the fall or the spring term):

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Compulsory subjects	30 stp ENG-3000-courses in literature/culture
	60 stp Master's thesis
Optional subjects	30 stp

• Colonial Discourses in British 19th-C Literature (10 credits)
• Virginia Woolf and British Modernism (10 credits)
• Native American Literature (10 credits)
• Narrative Strategies in the Modern American Novel (10 credits)
• Contemporary American Nature Writing (10 credits)

• Captivity Narratives, 1760-1900 (10 credits)
• British Romanticism and Sexual Politics (10 credits)
• William Faulkner and American Modernism (10 credits)
• American Lives (10 credits)
• The American Short Story (10 credits)