[Ican'tthinkofone]

Hello There,

Came across this site trying to get a perspective on what UK universities would be good for a Taught Master's in English Literature. I am planning on mainly focusing on Shakespeare and Renaissance literature, though I also want the ability to branch out slightly from there.

So far I have offers from U. Exeter, Queen Mary, U. Essex, and Newcastle. I am waiting to hear back from Goldsmith's, U. Bristol, and Kingston University.

Currently I am leaning towards Exeter or Queen Mary, based off of a combination of reputation, rankings (though I realize those are mainly weighted towards undergrad), location, and general interest in the modules. Though I also figure I will strongly consider Bristol should I get in there.

I have almost no experience in the UK, so any advice you can give on those programs, and the areas they are in would be appreciated.

Sorry if I am repeating a question already asked, I've scanned through these forums and have not come up with one yet.

Thank you,

[nonswimmer]

(Original post by Ican'tthinkofone)
I have almost no experience in the UK, so any advice you can give on those programs, and the areas they are in would be appreciated.

Google is your friend! And there is plenty of information about the programs and the areas they are in on the web.

Suggest you do some more research on the programs then come back with specific questions (maybe addressed to the forums for each university?)

Then you will get lots of helpful replies.

[kassiopeia]

Queen Mary is supposed to be very good for English Literature

[janjanmmm]

(Original post by Ican'tthinkofone)
So far I have offers from U. Exeter, Queen Mary, U. Essex, and Newcastle. I am waiting to hear back from Goldsmith's, U. Bristol, and Kingston University.

Exeter is probably a place to go. Bristol is not bad, if they take you, lovely place to live in, too.
Goldsmith's, Kingston - why did you even bother? Even with funding these two do not make any sense.

[thatfineframe]

I don't know much about Queen Mary, so they may be awesome! I can comment a little on Exeter, though. Friends who have gone through the programme there (same pathway as you) speak very highly of it. I've also spoken to some of the faculty and they seem particularly friendly and welcoming.

I applied there myself but they have had all their funding cut and I was given funded offers elsewhere; otherwise I would happily have attended Exeter. I think you'd probably have a great time there - but wherever you go, I hope it turns out really well. Good luck making the choice, and congratulations on all your offers!

[QHF]

I did my BA at Queen Mary and came fairly close to doing their MA. Their English department is good* & big, and strong on early modern (as a medievalist I'm obliged to avoid using the word 'Renaissance') stuff. They also have the Centre for Editing Lives and Letters, which kicks ass if you want to do interdisciplinary archival stuff in the sixteenth, seventeenth or eighteenth centuries. Also, QM is in London and much more convenient than Exeter for the BL.

That said, there've been rumblings in the press of discontent from staff in various disciplines at QM at the way the university's being run, and it's now been a few years since I was on the spot, so I don't know what working conditions are like at the moment for the people who'll be teaching the masters.

I'm sure Exeter is good too though. As nonswimmer says, more specific questions might elicit more helpful information.

--

* The RAE was a bit of an arbitrary stitch-up, but QM didn't come joint-second by accident -- and the RAE was at least looking at research, not the undergraduate experience.

[thatfineframe]

(Original post by janjanmmm)
Exeter is probably a place to go. Bristol is not bad, if they take you, lovely place to live in, too.
Goldsmith's, Kingston - why did you even bother? Even with funding these two do not make any sense.

Why did you neg me for my reply to this thread? It was offered in perfectly good faith, and apparently we ... agree that Exeter is a good place, so I am completely confused.

[janjanmmm]

(Original post by thatfineframe)
Why did you neg me for my reply to this thread? It was offered in perfectly good faith, and apparently we ... agree that Exeter is a good place, so I am completely confused.

Sorry, I did it by mistake. They should have a way to undo it, but they don't, and it will not let me give you positive rep now, either.

On the same note: I am not sure why was I negged, either. I gave an honest advise, "in perfectly good faith" as you say it, and apparently people do not like it.

[thatfineframe]

(Original post by janjanmmm)
Sorry, I did it by mistake. They should have a way to undo it, but they don't, and it will not let me give you positive rep now, either.

On the same note: I am not sure why was I negged, either. I gave an honest advise, "in perfectly good faith" as you say it, and apparently people do not like it.

No worries, then - I was genuinely surprised, that's all. I didn't neg you in retaliation; seemed a bit childish. I'm guessing it might have been exactly the same thing, a mistake. This is a calm thread, by TSR standards.