MPhil in Literature, Culture and Thought
Mat Collishaw, Insecticide 13. Used with permission of the artist.
Contents
Please see the Applying to MMLL page for information on applications and funding.
By Advanced Study
Overview
The MPhil in Literature, Culture and Thought by Advanced Study offers students the opportunity to explore a diverse range of interests—in literature, theory and cultural history—in a rich and dynamic scholarly context.
You will have the opportunity to study cultural artefacts across a wide range of language areas, at least one of which you will be required to study in the original language.
The programme introduces you to a broad range of critical theory and intellectual history and includes the writing of a dissertation based on original research. You take three taught courses consisting of lectures and seminars, one of which is a core course in critical theory.
At Cambridge, you will be taught by some of the world’s leading literary historians and the most cutting-edge theorists in the field of modern languages. To see all our teaching staff, please refer to the staff list.
Many students specialise in modern literature and critical theory from various contexts. In addition, the course has dedicated pathways for students who wish to specialise in Medieval and Early Modern studies or Latin American studies.
Medieval and Early Modern Pathway
Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, with hand-written annotations by Michel de Montaigne. Cambridge University Library, Montaigne 1.4.4.
Interested in pre-modern literature and culture? This pathway offers a dedicated course of training for students who have already begun to think of themselves as specialists of the medieval or early modern worlds. Core Course seminars in Rhetoric and Poetics and Palaeography (Michaelmas Term), along with a wide choice of interdisciplinary and language-specific Modules (Lent Term), will equip you with the skills and critical perspectives you need to approach pre-modern texts in a rigorous and theoretically sophisticated way.
Latin American Pathway
The Latin American Pathway includes two modules run in conjunction with the MPhil in Latin American Studies, one of which is a module on Latin American Film.
Please view the links on the left for more information about the course, and explore the website for more information about the Faculty as a whole. Enquiries relating to entry requirements and academic matters can be directed to the Postgraduate Office, and enquiries relating to the practicalities of applying can be made to the Postgraduate Admissions Office. All applications need to be made formally through the Postgraduate Admissions Office portal.
Applying
Enquiries relating to entry requirements and academic matters can be directed to the MMLL Postgraduate Office (postgraduatestudies@mmll.cam.ac.uk) and enquiries relating to the practicalities of applying can be made to the Postgraduate Admissions Office. All applications need to be made formally through the Postgraduate Admissions Office portal.
Applicants will need to have achieved a minimum of a UK high II.1 (67%) or equivalent in a primary degree in an appropriate subject, or a USA GPA of 3.6. They will also need to meet the University’s English language requirements and be proficient to C1 level in the language of the material (literary, cultural, historical, intellectual) they propose to study; this must be a language taught in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics.
This course was formerly titled European, Latin American and Comparative Literatures and Cultures, or ELAC.
By Thesis
Overview
The MPhil in Literature, Culture and Thought (LCT) By Thesis is a research course. The core course introduces students to a broad range of critical theory concepts and methods of textual analysis (and, if relevant, paleography). The course as a whole allows for in-depth study of specific cultures and contexts, and includes the writing of a thesis based on original research.
The majority of students will follow the MPhil by Advanced Study course. The MPhil by Thesis course is for students falling under exceptional circumstances: it is designed for students whose already have a substantial level of familiarity with the study of literary texts or other cultural material in the relevant culture, and who already know the area they wish to research for their thesis. To be eligible for consideration, a student will need (a) an appropriate level of linguistic and/or cultural expertise and (b) a clear idea of the area in which the thesis will be written.
Educational aims
The main aims of the course are:
- to develop and test the ability to carry out a substantial advanced project of independent research in an area of literary, cultural or film and screen studies falling under LCT, presented in the form of a 30,000-word thesis
- to develop and test the ability to make a significant contribution to learning that reflects one academic year of dedicated Master's-level research.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the programme students will have:
- developed a knowledge of critical theory and methods of textual analysis (and, if relevant, paleography), and an ability to work with theory or specific critical approaches;
- developed a deeper knowledge of one or more areas of Literature, Culture and Thought and of the critical debates within that (or those) area(s);
- developed more advanced critical judgement and sensitivity to literary texts or other cultural material;
- demonstrated advanced skills in literary analysis (or the analysis of other cultural material);
- developed intellectual and practical research skills
- managed a sizeable research project (of 9 months duration, culminating in a 30,000 word dissertation) which will represent a considerable achievement in its own right and prepare students for longer research projects (in particular a PhD).
Teaching
Students will follow some elements of the MPhil by Advanced Study, but formal assessment is by a 30,000 word thesis alone.
MPhil by thesis students will normally attend the Core Course in Michaelmas Term (which is attended by students on the MPhil by Advanced Study). There is the option of attending MPhil by Advanced Study modules, subject to the approval of the Course Director and relevant module leaders.
Applicants may find it useful to look at staff research interests within the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics to find out more about potential supervisors in their fields of interest.
Schedule:
- End of Michaelmas (winter) Term: Submission of developed thesis proposal and first 5000 words (precise content to be agreed with supervisor)
- Early June: Submission of the thesis
Supervisions
Students following the MPhil by Thesis will normally have discussed their proposed research in advance with a staff member specialising in the relevant subject area, and this person or an equivalent will be appointed as supervisor throughout the year. It is expected that a student will be capable of largely independent work. For equity, there are norms for the amount of supervision each student can expect to receive. Seven hours of supervision throughout the course is provided. Supervision for the thesis can be taken in half-hour units, as appropriate and as agreed with the supervisor. The University of Cambridge publishes an annual Code of Practice which sets out the University’s expectations regarding supervision.
Assessment
The examination process is very similar to that of the PhD, and consists of two parts: scrutiny of the thesis by one internal and one external examiner, and a viva involving both examiners and the candidate. Some candidates may be asked to carry out corrections to their thesis which may mean graduating in October rather than in July.
Outcome
Students receive the overall outcome of pass/fail. No mark is awarded for the MPhil By Thesis.
Part-time students
It is also possible to take a part-time route for the MPhil By Thesis course, and the expected timeframe would be 21 months, with a thesis submission date of early June in the second academic year of study.
Part-time students will be required to attend the Core Course lectures and one Core Course seminar in their first term. Students attend one Module in the Lent term of the first year. 'By Thesis' students do not submit essays for lectures, seminars or modules. The rest of their first year and all of their second year is devoted to the thesis. The thesis will be submitted in early June of the second year.
Schedule for part-time students:
- Early October, year 1: course starts
- Michaelmas (autumn) Term, year 1: Core Course lectures and 1 mini-seminar
- Lent (winter) Term, year 1: Students take one module (optional)
- End of Lent (winter) Term, year 1: Submission of a developed thesis proposal
- Early June of year 1: Submission of first 5000 words (precise content to be agreed with supervisor)
- End of Lent (winter) Term, year 2: Short informal oral presentations and discussion
- Early June of year 2: Submission of the thesis. Around two to three weeks later there is an oral examination (viva) on the thesis.