Program Overview

---

Comparative Literature (MLitt) 2025 entry

Overview

Develop skills in cross-cultural communication, cultural competence, and empathy – all highly valued by employers in an increasingly globalised world.

Application Deadline

Thursday 7 August 2025

Starts

September 2025

Duration

One year full time

School

School of Modern Languages

Fees

• UK: £12,030
• Rest of the world: £25,900

Why Study This Course?

The programme explores the global understanding of literature and culture. You will gain a critical evaluation of classical and contemporary theoretical approaches, study a broad range of texts across national, cultural, and linguistic borders, and explore the relations between them.

• Engage with traditional and new approaches to comparative literature, deepening your understanding of the field, and working with texts both in their original languages and in English translation
• Enjoy a close-knit postgraduate community and friendly environment with small class sizes
• Explore new approaches to reading texts and reflecting on your own critical practices through innovative core and optional modules
• Benefit from cross-disciplinary studies via an optional module in the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Studies as part of your degree

Teaching

Mainly seminars.

Class Sizes

Typically 5 to 15 students.

Dissertation

A 15,000-word project with ongoing support.

Assessment

Modules are assessed through coursework. There are no final exams.

Modules

The St Andrews degree structure is designed to be flexible. You study compulsory modules delivering core learning together with optional modules you choose from the list available that year.

You must take at least one optional module.

If you choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MLitt, there is an exit award available that allows suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) or postgraduate certificate (PGCert) instead, finishing the course at the end of the second semester of study.

Compulsory

• Comparative Methodologies and Research Skills 1: You will problematise established approaches and explore new and emerging directions to conceptualise how you think texts might best be analysed and compared. The module's methodologies will underpin your acquisition of a range of transferable skills essential in academic research and non-academic roles.
• Comparative Methodologies and Research Skills 2: Furthers and strengthens your engagement with comparative methodologies, your analytic and critical skills, including writing abstracts and research proposals, presenting a conference paper, disseminating research for diverse audiences, planning a conference, and IT and web research skills.

Optional

• Literary and Cultural Introspection: Invites you to look inward and consider areas of critical importance such as sex, gender, race, psychoanalysis, and the medical humanities in relation to the self. You will engage with case studies in translation from experts across the School of Modern Languages to encourage a breadth of scholarship.
• Literary and Cultural Extrospection: Invites you to look outward and consider areas of critical importance such as the postcolonial, de-colonial, the transnational, and memory studies in relation to society. You will engage with case studies in translation from experts across the School of Modern Languages to encourage a breadth of scholarship.

Dissertation

The programme concludes with your submission of a 15,000-word intra- or inter-cultural dissertation supervised by a specialist in the area.

What It Will Lead To

Careers

Alongside your academic learning, you will develop your broader capabilities and employability.

Graduates have gone on to careers in fields including:

• Consulting
• Energy resource management
• International development
• Journalism
• UN interpreting
• Public policy
• Publishing
• The civil and diplomatic services
• University academics and administrators

We are committed to supporting your career aspirations, whatever stage your career is at. Our Careers Centre can help connect you to our extensive global alumni community for advice and mentoring, as well as offering career coaching, bespoke workshops, employer connections, experiences, and application support.

Our International Education and Lifelong Learning Institute can also support you with academic and professional skills development.

The University’s Entrepreneurship Centre offers start-up support for those looking to freelance as well as create their own business.

Elevate Your Career

Alumni of Modern Languages postgraduate programmes have gone on to work in a variety of global, commercial, financial, and research institutions, including:

• Deutsche Welle
• Morgan Stanley
• Usborne Publishing
• World Bank

Further Your Education

As well as a PhD degree, the School of Modern Languages offers supervision for two research-based Masters degrees – the Master of Studies by Research (MSt (Res)) and the Master of Philosophy (MPhil).

Postgraduate research

Expand Your Network

Engage with the School's wider research community through research seminars, its four research centres and institutes, and its highly successful Byre World series.

Why St Andrews?

The School of Modern Languages is the largest modern languages department in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK.

We are also distinguished by the breadth of our research which spans language, literary, and cultural studies across eight distinct language areas – Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Persian, Russian, and Spanish – and Comparative Literature. Our research covers a range of cultural-historical epochs from the Middle Ages to the present day. This breadth is reflected in the literary and cultural topics you will study on the degree.

The School promotes discipline-specific and collaborative teaching and learning so you may explore your own particular interests in greater depth and breadth.

Alumni

When you graduate you become a member of the University's worldwide alumni community. Benefit from access to alumni clubs, the Saint Connect networking and mentoring platform, and careers support.

“It’s a stimulating environment – engaging with different perspectives and having my views challenged has been beneficial to me both personally and to my academic growth. I’ve had the chance to meet new scholars, organise conferences, build my academic portfolio and teach. Be prepared to work hard but also you will have the best time of your life.”

Nicola - Livorno, Italy

Entry Requirements

• A 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
• English language proficiency. See English language tests and qualifications.

The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.

Application Requirements

• CV or résumé with a history of your education and employment
• Personal statement of around 500 words outlining your personal motivations for applying and how the course fits with your career ambitions
• Sample of your own, single-authored academic written work of around 2,000 words in English
• Two references, one of which must be academic
• Academic transcript and degree certificate

For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.

English Language Proficiency

If English is not your first language, you may need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. See approved English language tests and scores for this course.

Fees and Funding

• UK: £12,030
• Rest of the world: £25,900

Before we can begin processing your application, a payment of an application fee of £50 is required. In some instances, you may be eligible for an application fee waiver. Details of this, along with information on our tuition fees, can be found on the postgraduate fees and funding page.

Scholarships and Funding

We are committed to supporting you through your studies, regardless of your financial circumstances. You may be eligible for scholarships, discounts, or other support:

• GREAT Scholarship
• St Andrews Sanctuary Scholarship
• St Leonard's funding opportunities
• Graduate discount (15% off tuition fees)

Modern Languages scholarships