MA in Modern English Literature

Overview

Run by the Department of English Language and Literature at Mary Immaculate College since 2002, this highly successful one-year taught Master of Arts programme in Modern English Literature has graduated over 160 students, with 97% achieving an honours MA degree.

Key Features

• Focus on 20th and 21st-century texts with contemporary approaches.
• Engagement with a research-active and highly published faculty.
• Small class sizes to ensure one-to-one attention.
• Two research methodology modules guiding the 15,000 to 20,000-word research dissertation.
• Mixture of synchronous and asynchronous delivery modes, with content provided through interactive online options including:
  • Discussion forums
  • Reflection journals
  • Blogs and vlogs
  • Online seminars
• Flexibility to engage with content at your schedule, whether on campus or online.

Programme Aims

• Widen and deepen students' knowledge and appreciation of English literature and contemporary critical theory.
• Familiarise students with traditional and modern technological sources for research in English literature.
• Equip students with the requisite knowledge and skills for doctoral studies.
• Familiarise students with the latest online technology relevant to the study of English.
• Enhance career opportunities for graduates.

Career Opportunities

Potential career paths include, but are not limited to:

• Teaching at primary and post-primary levels
• Entry to PhD programmes
• Technical writing
• Journalism and media work
• Copyediting and web editing
• Academic administration
• Magazine publishing (both print and online)
• Digital marketing and corporate blogging
• Research administration and instruction design
• Irish heritage studies and tourism
• Public relations and policy analysis

Graduates may also pursue further studies at the PhD level.

Programme Content

The curriculum includes seminars, presentations, round-table discussions, and individual question-and-answer sessions. Assessment methods consist of:

• Online exercises
• Presentations
• A 2,000-3,000 word essay for each module
• A 15,000-20,000-word thesis

Module outlines:

Semester 1

• EH5712: Poetics and Politics of Irish Identity
  • Exploration of contemporary Irish identity in narrative and poetic texts through various theoretical paradigms.
• EH5741: Modernism: Texts and Contexts
  • Examination of modernist texts, particularly those influenced by women writers across late 19th and 20th centuries.
• EH5771: Migration and Biopolitics in 21st Century Literature
  • Analysis of displacement and belonging through contemporary literature, exploring vital sociological questions.
• EH5761: Research Methodology 1 (Pass/Fail)
  • Preparation for thesis work, focusing on research question selection and structuring arguments.

Semester 2

• EH5742: Modern American Literature
  • Study of diverse modern American novels in various sub-genres, contextualising their societal reflections.
• EH5792: World Literature
  • Exploration of modern and contemporary literature in varied English expressions and translations from diverse cultures.
• EH5732: Contemporary Postcolonial Literature and Theory
  • Investigation into post-colonial critical theory and its implications on the literature of formerly colonised nations.
• EH5782: Research Methodology 2 (Pass/Fail)
  • Continued guidance on thesis drafting and writing process, focusing on structural and time management skills.

Entry Requirements

• A 2.2, 2:1, or 1st honours degree is required.
• Applicants with relevant work experience or suitable qualifications may also be considered.
• Interviews may be required for some applicants.

Assessment Framework

Elements of assessment include structured essays, portfolios, and critical reading assignments, culminating in a comprehensive dissertation project guided by faculty advisors throughout the programme.

This master's programme is designed not only to foster scholarly engagement but also to prepare graduates for a multitude of professional avenues in academia and beyond.

Mary Immaculate College (MIC), known in Irish as Coláiste Mhuire Gan Smál, is a university-level College of Education and the Liberal Arts in Limerick, Ireland, academically linked with the University of Limerick. Founded in 1898 by Bishop Edward Thomas O'Dwyer and the Sisters of Mercy for the professional education of Catholic primary school teachers, MIC is the oldest third-level institution in Limerick City.

The foundation stone was laid on 8 December 1898 on an 11-acre site jointly purchased by the Bishop and the Sisters of Mercy, with construction led by Dublin architect George Byrne and Limerick contractors Molloy. The College opened its doors to its first students on 21 September 1901, and was officially opened on 16 May 1902. From its original 75 young women enrolled in 1901, MIC has grown into a multi-campus institution with a student population of over 5,000.

Mission

Mary Immaculate College is a third-level Catholic College of Education and the Liberal Arts. The College community promotes excellence in teaching, learning and research at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and seeks to foster the intellectual, spiritual, personal and professional development of students within a supportive and challenging environment that guarantees the intellectual freedom of staff and students. In particular, the College seeks to foster in its students a spirit of justice and compassion in the service of others, together with an openness to the religious tradition and values of each individual.

The College promotes a sense of identity enriched by an awareness of its Catholic tradition, the cultures, languages and traditions of Ireland, and its special commitment to the Irish language. Mary Immaculate College respects cultural diversity and strives to promote equity in society, providing an environment where all have the freedom and opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Founding vision

MIC continues to embrace the founding vision of Catherine McAuley, who established the Sisters of Mercy as champions for the most marginalised in society, with the conviction that education was essential to that mission. This emphasis on social justice and educational inclusion remains central to the College's institutional identity as it has grown and diversified over more than 125 years.

Academic structure

MIC offers programmes across two faculties, Education and Arts, spanning Level 4 to Level 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications. Undergraduate programmes are offered in:

• Primary and Post-Primary Teaching (Bachelor of Education, Teaching Council-accredited)
• Liberal Arts, with a choice of 14 subjects across a flexible, wide-ranging programme
• Early Childhood Care and Education
• Psychology, including a Bachelor of Science in Psychology incorporating workplace experience
• Drama and English
• English Language and Literature

The MIC Thurles campus additionally offers post-primary teacher education programmes in Home Economics, Gaeilge, Mathematics, Business Studies, Theology and Religious Studies, and Accounting. Postgraduate study is available across both faculties at Diploma, Master's and PhD level, alongside professional development and lifelong learning programmes.

Campuses

MIC is a multi-campus institution with centrally located, state-of-the-art facilities in both Limerick City and Thurles, Co. Tipperary:

• MIC Limerick: the College's original and main campus on South Circular Road, home to the historic 1899 building that remains central to College life today, alongside a state-of-the-art Sports Complex completed in 2008 at a cost of €16 million, and the 510-seat Lime Tree Theatre, officially opened in October 2012
• MIC Thurles: incorporated into MIC in 2016, originally established as a second-level school in 1837 and later a major seminary, today offering seven undergraduate programmes delivered by staff from both the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Arts, with on-campus accommodation and the O'Dwyer Library housing approximately 15,000 print resources

Both campuses are characterised by an informal, relaxed atmosphere and a close rapport between students and staff, with the amenities of city and town life on the doorstep.

Affiliation with the University of Limerick

MIC has been academically linked with the University of Limerick since a formal partnership was established in 1990, with UL becoming MIC's accrediting body. Degrees were conferred by the National University of Ireland until 1994, and by UL from 1995 onward. In 1999, MIC became the first Irish College of Education to offer a Bachelor of Arts degree programme. The first PhD was awarded by MIC in 2003. MIC is also a member of the Shannon Consortium, a collaborative framework alongside the University of Limerick and Technological University of the Shannon.

Student life and facilities

• Wired FM (Wired 99.9FM): Limerick's only licensed student community radio station, run in partnership with the Technological University of the Shannon
• Lime Tree Theatre: a 510-seat venue on the Limerick campus hosting theatre, music, comedy, traditional arts, school performances and conferences
• MIC Munster GAA Centre of Excellence and extensive College Sport opportunities, supported by the dedicated Sports Complex
• CRAFT Maker Space, supporting hands-on creativity and enterprise
• Mary Immaculate Students' Union (MISU), marking 25 years of representing the student body
• Clubs and Societies, Arts and Culture programming, and a strong Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Interculturalism (EDII) commitment
• Recognition as an Age Friendly Campus
• Careers Service, Study Abroad opportunities, and an Off-Campus Programme

Leadership and governance

The College's first six Presidents were members of the Sisters of Mercy, beginning with Sr Paul Quinlan in 1898, followed by Sr Veronica Cullinan, Sr Celsus Barry, Sr Loreto Ní Chonchúir, Sr Cabrini Moloney and Sr Angela Bugler. Professor Peadar Cremin, appointed in 1999, was the seventh President and the first lay person to hold the position. He was succeeded by Professor Michael A. Hayes in 2011 and Professor Eugene Wall in 2018, the ninth President in the College's history. Mary Immaculate College is currently led by Professor Dermot Nestor, President of the College, with the Bishop of Limerick serving as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.