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Comparative Literature MA

London, Bloomsbury

Hone your skills in comparative literary studies while soaking up the expertise of interdisciplinary specialists. The Comparative Literature MA enables you to develop your own interests while gaining an in-depth understanding of modern literary theory and comparative literature. Taught at UCL, world renowned for its multidisciplinary research and cross-cultural ethos, this is an exceptional opportunity to become proficient in this field.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£16,800
£8,400
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£35,400
£17,700
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of a first or a very high upper second-class Bachelor's degree (average 65%) in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this course is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

On this MA course, you acquire a thorough understanding of modern theories of literature, the contexts of literature and the interaction between literatures, and gain practical experience in comparative literary studies.

The course also develops the critical and analytical skills necessary for research in this field. You gain a breadth of knowledge, cultural awareness, enhanced writing skills, and a familiarity with advanced textual analysis, learning to work flexibly and creatively across cultures and in a range of fields.

We are particularly interested in innovative approaches to literary and cultural studies, and in research with a comparative, cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary focus. This includes research in the following fields: world literature, literary and cultural theory, material and visual cultures, reception studies, themes and genres, cultural history, comparative gender and performance studies, translation studies, diaspora and migration studies, and new media.

You take compulsory modules which are designed to work as a postgraduate-level foundation and provide you with the specific skills to research and write academic essays. You work with a supervisor to develop your research interests and write a dissertation in your final term and over the summer. You have the option of choosing between a taught or research pathway. On the research pathway, you select fewer optional modules in favour of writing an extended dissertation to focus on your own interests.

Who this course is for

The course is particularly suitable for students with a first degree in a language and literature subject, or in a related subject such as English, History, Cultural Studies or Media studies. A sophisticated understanding of cultural diversity is essential. A reading knowledge of at least one language other than English is normally expected, but not obligatory.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

The course is delivered by the Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry (CMII) within UCL’s School of European Languages, Culture and Society (SELCS).

With its exceptional range of modern and ancient languages and cultures, UCL provides a comprehensive environment for comparative literary study drawing on the collective expertise of specialists from SELCS and across the Faculties of Arts & Humanities, and Social & Historical Sciences, the Institute of Education and Society, and the School of Slavonic & East European Studies (SSEES).

Many UCL staff have comparative and interdisciplinary research interests in addition to their subject specialism, with 83% of SELCS-CMII research activity being graded 4* ‘world leading’ and 3* ‘internationally excellent’ in the REF 2021.

We are based in London’s literary quarter in Bloomsbury and surrounded by the greatest concentration of libraries, museums, archives and professional bodies in Europe. Our location offers students access to special collections in modern languages and culture at UCL and other world-class libraries nearby, such as Senate House and the British Library. Other libraries and research centres within walking distance of campus include the British Museum; the Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies of the University of London; the Institute of Historical Research and the Warburg Institute.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Teaching (22%), publishing, journalism and translation (17.1%), are common destinations for graduates with an MA in Comparative Literature, and employment as an author, translator, higher education professional, editor or copywriter are becoming increasingly attractive alternatives.

Some graduates pursue careers that make special use of their cultural knowledge or language skills, including working for charities, NGOs and international development (2.4%), while others continue with academic research and higher education (4.9%). Other graduates choose careers in varied industry sectors, such as policy and government (2.4%), IT and technology (9.8%), and accountancy and financial services (7.3%).*

*Graduate Outcomes Survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017 - 2022 cohorts.

Employability

Our graduates are highly valued by employers for their interdisciplinary skills and linguistic and cultural knowledge. Transferable skills include intercultural understanding, translation and communication skills, and analytical rigour.

Skills acquired as a result of taking this course include: ability to conduct research in library archives and electronic archives; ability to synthesise and summarise large amounts of information; ability to use evidence in order to construct a convincing argument; ability to work with texts in more than one language; acquisition of sensitivity to the cultural register of texts; ability to plan workloads efficiently and meet deadlines.

Networking

The multidisciplinary research culture at UCL ensures that there is a wide range of seminars, lecture series and other opportunities to exchange ideas. The number of libraries and institutes in Bloomsbury means that wider cultural opportunities are always readily available.

UCL Careers also offers a range of services, providing access to skills development, recruitment and networking events.

Teaching and learning

The course is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, coursework assignments and private study. Term 3 is devoted to the dissertation project. 

Students are assessed by a variety of methods, which may include coursework, presentations, written essays, unseen examinations and the research dissertation. Teaching sessions are interactive, with a limited amount of lecturer presentation and an emphasis on student participation and critical discussion.

For a full-time postgraduate course, we recommend around 20-25 hours of independent study per week. Contact hours may vary depending on module choices, but full-time students will have approximately 8-10 contact hours each week during term time, spent in lectures and seminars.

For a part-time postgraduate course, contact hours would usually be 4-6 hours per week across 2-3 days and we recommend around 10-12 hours of independent study per week. Those undertaking language modules may have additional contact hours. There is minimal teaching during the Third Term as students focus on the dissertation and other assessments.

Modules

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. 

There are two pathways through the course: taught and research. During the academic year, you will take three compulsory modules and also choose a further 60 credits of optional modules (usually four 15-credit modules spread across both terms). On the research pathway, you will take 30 credits of optional modules (usually two 15-credit modules).

During Term 2, in addition to your taught modules, you will start to formulate your dissertation proposal. Planning and research will continue into the third term, when you will develop your dissertation outline and structure in discussion with your supervisor. You will give a presentation of your dissertation project to your peers and tutors. This is a non-assessed but compulsory element of the MA.

You will then spend the summer researching and writing your dissertation with the support of your supervisor. On the taught pathway, your dissertation will be 12,000 words, and on the research pathway, your dissertation will be 18,000 words.

There are two pathways through the course: taught and research. In Year 1, you will take three compulsory modules, which set the foundation for the whole MA, preparing you for further learning and for your dissertation.

During Terms 2 and 3, you will formulate your dissertation proposal. In the summer you then develop your outline and structure in discussion with your supervisor and begin to research your dissertation.

In Year 2, you take a further 60 credits of optional modules (usually four 15-credit modules spread across both terms), to develop your broader understanding of comparative literature and to build on key concepts introduced in the first year. On the research pathway, you will take 30 credits of optional modules (usually two 15-credit modules).

In the third term, you will give a presentation to your peers and tutors on your dissertation project. This is a non-assessed but compulsory element of your MA. You will then spend the summer of Year 2 continuing to research and write your dissertation with the support of your supervisor. On the taught pathway, your dissertation will be 12,000 words, and on the research pathway, your dissertation will be 18,000 words.

Compulsory modules







Optional modules







Writing Otherwise: Experiments in Creative Criticism

Black Atlantic Lives and Afterlives








Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Comparative Literature.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £16,800 £8,400
Tuition fees (2026/27) £35,400 £17,700

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Additional costs may include expenses such as books, stationery, printing or photocopying. Students receive a free printing allowance each year and pay for any additional printing (see details), while books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library as hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Comparative Literature at graduate level
  • why you want to study Comparative Literature at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this course
  • how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of this course
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this course match what the course will deliver.

We are also interested in candidates who demonstrate evidence of leadership.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry
Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry

selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk

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