Literatures in English

The Master’s in Literary Studies, programme Literatures in English at VU University Amsterdam focuses on the relation between literature and visual culture. Rooted in the VU tradition of studying the relations between word and image, this specialized interdisciplinary programme will teach you to analyze the various ways in which textual and visual culture interact. The topics studied from this perspective range from the Renaissance stage to screenwriting, from the relation between poetry and photography to film adaptations of gothic novels. The courses in this programme are closely linked to the current research of staff members, so that students are involved in cutting-edge developments. You are encouraged to explore your own interests in depth using the tools and theories we provide you with, culminating in your own research project when you write your MA-thesis in the second semester. 

The Literatures in English programme attracts a large number of students from abroad each year. About half the students in our courses are Dutch, but in the last two years, we have also had attracted students from Egypt, Germany, India, Romania, Russia, South Africa, and the United States. All courses in this MA programme are taught in English. Except for Literature & Society which is a lecture series, all courses are seminars. This means that nearly all your classes take place in vibrant groups of up to twenty students with lots of opportunities for interaction, discussion, but also independent research. The VU is an internationally-oriented university in Amsterdam, the capital of The Netherlands.