Master of Arts in English Literature

One-Year Program

Study Resources

Department of English

National University

7

Exam Papers

840

Class Hours

32

Total Credits

Course Syllabus Effective from Session: 2013–2014

Paper Code Paper Title Credits Hours
311101 Chaucer 4 120
311103 W. Shakespeare 4 120
311105 Modern Poetry 4 120
311107 Modern Drama 4 120
311109 Modern Novel 4 120
311111 Prose 4 120
311113 South Asian and African Literature 4 120
311114 Term Paper 2 -
311116 Viva-Voce 2 -
Total 32 840

Paper Code: 311101 | Chaucer

Credits: 4 | Class Hours: 120 hrs

Paper Code: 311103 | W. Shakespeare

Credits: 4 | Class Hours: 120 hrs

Paper Code: 311105 | Modern Poetry

Credits: 4 | Class Hours: 120 hrs

Paper Code: 311107 | Modern Drama

Credits: 4 | Class Hours: 120 hrs

Paper Code: 311109 | Modern Novel

Credits: 4 | Class Hours: 120 hrs

Paper Code: 311111 | Prose

Credits: 4 | Class Hours: 120 hrs

Paper Code: 311113 | South Asian and African Literature

Credits: 4 | Class Hours: 120 hrs

Paper Code: 311114 | Term Paper

Credits: 2

An independent research project on a topic approved by the department.

Paper Code: 311116 | Viva-Voce

Credits: 2

Oral examination covering the entire course content.

Essential Study Resources

Academic Resources

Strategies for Success in the MA Program

Time Management

With 840 class hours across 7 papers plus research requirements, effective time management is crucial:

  • Create a weekly study schedule allocating 20-25 hours per paper
  • Prioritize primary texts before secondary sources
  • Use the Pomodoro technique (25-minute focused sessions)

Reading Strategy

Develop a systematic approach to reading:

  • First reading: Overview and structure
  • Second reading: Detailed notes and annotations
  • Third reading: Critical analysis and connections
  • Use color-coded highlighting for themes, symbols, etc.

Collaborative Learning

Enhance your understanding through group work:

  • Form study groups with 3-4 classmates
  • Assign different texts to members for presentation
  • Organize mock viva sessions to practice oral exams
  • Create shared Google Docs for collective notes

Writing Excellence

Develop strong academic writing skills:

  • Practice writing thesis statements for each text
  • Learn proper citation methods (MLA style)
  • Write regular 500-word critical responses
  • Seek feedback from professors on drafts
Students studying literature

Comprehensive Syllabus Analysis

Historical Coverage

The syllabus provides a comprehensive historical survey of English literature:

  • Medieval (14th century): Chaucer's works
  • Renaissance (16th-17th century): Shakespeare's plays
  • Romantic/Victorian: Through Emerson and Thoreau
  • Modernist (early 20th century): Woolf, Eliot, Yeats
  • Contemporary (post-WWII): Postcolonial literature

This chronological approach helps students understand literary evolution.

Genre Distribution

The course balances different literary genres effectively:

Poetry (25%)
Drama (25%)
Prose Fiction (25%)
Non-fiction Prose (12.5%)
Research (12.5%)

Geographical Coverage

The syllabus moves beyond traditional English literature:

  • British: 50% (Chaucer, Shakespeare, Modern Poetry/Drama)
  • American: 20% (Whitman, Frost, Hemingway, Emerson, Thoreau)
  • European: 5% (Sartre's French existentialism)
  • South Asian: 15% (Waliullah, Roy, Nazrul Islam)
  • African: 10% (Achebe, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o)

This global perspective is particularly strong in the South Asian and African Literature paper.

Critical Approaches

The syllabus encourages multiple critical perspectives:

  • Formalist Analysis
  • Historical Context
  • Biographical Study
  • Postcolonial Theory
  • Feminist Criticism
  • Existential Philosophy

The Prose paper provides theoretical foundations with Eliot's "Tradition and the Individual Talent" and Leavis's "Literature and Society."

Literature analysis

Key Program Highlights

Balanced Curriculum

The syllabus offers a well-rounded study of English literature across periods, genres, and geographies with 840 class hours.

Global Perspective

25% of the curriculum focuses on non-British literature, preparing students for global literary studies.

Critical Thinking

The variety of texts and approaches fosters advanced analytical, interpretive, and research skills.