English Language and Culture
Good reasons to do literature studies at VU University Amsterdam
An exceptional approach to literature studies in a unique and challenging environment.
The Literatures in English programme at VU University Amsterdam approaches literature in exceptional ways. The MA programme offers two specialisations.
Literature Visualised, in cooperation with Cultural Studies, covers the ways in which literature interacts with the visual arts. The Master’s specialization is unique in the Netherlands. Not only will you receive a thorough theoretical grounding in the latest theories on the subject, but you will also look at historical and generic developments, as well as study contemporary literature.
The Literature and Gender specialization looks at the role of gender in various aspects of literatures in English, including American and contemporary Irish literature. This is another aspect that sets the programme apart from other programmes in the Netherlands.
Since two of the courses are common to both specializations, you will also learn to look at literature from another perspective than your chosen specialization demands.
Another unique point is that both specializations give you the option of selecting a course from other MA programmes within the faculty and even selected subjects taught at other faculties. This offers you even more freedom to develop skills you may need in your future career.
Good reasons to do English language and linguistics at VU University Amsterdam
Discourse, genre, effective communication
Strong research focus
As a student of English Discourse Studies, you will be actively involved in the core of academic life: research. The specialization is structured around the research interests of our staff, which have a strong international character and outlook. Our work plays a key part in the large-scale, faculty-wide research programme in Language, Cognition and Communication. Each course within English Discourse Studies involves an element of individual research and collaborative efforts with other students.
At the heart of a Graduate School
As a student of English Discourse Studies you will be part of our Department of Language and Communication, a core element in the faculty’s new Graduate School. Being part of the Graduate School environment means you will also have close links with students in related Master’s programmes such as Translation, Linguistics, Journalism, and Communication and Information Studies.
