Master of Western Literature

The Master in Western Literature is an initial Master’s programme aimed at an in-depth, intercultural, and comparative study of literature from different Western traditions and periods. Through a range of contemporary theoretical and methodological perspectives, you will learn to understand literature as a complex cultural phenomenon in constant interaction with society and other media.

About the programme

Through a range of contemporary theoretical and methodological perspectives, you will learn to understand literature as a complex cultural phenomenon in constant interaction with society and other media.

The master starts from a critical interrogation of categories such as ‘Western’ and ‘literature.’ It provides you with a theoretical, comparative, and transnational framework that sustains your in-depth study of the literatures and periods in which you choose to specialise, which you can select from a broad range of electives.

The program consists of three modules: 

1. The core module includes the master's thesis and two compulsory courses. One course provides insight into the historical construction of “Western literature” and the ways it has been criticized and modified in the last few decades. The other offers a series of seminars on works that are central to the Western tradition. 
2. The transversal module allows you to choose one or two comparative courses in which teams of lecturers critically develop crucial perspectives in the study of Western literature. These courses tackle questions such as: what is the relation between gender and literature? How does literature circulate in transnational circuits? How does literature change through time? And what is the influence of the Bible on Western literature? 
3. The elective courses give you the opportunity to zoom in on the literary traditions and the theoretical and comparative question that interests you. 

Career perspectives

As a graduate of this master, you combine analytical skills, a capacity for abstract thought, and an appreciation of the complexity of cultural phenomena. This combination is much sought after in a range of professions.

Through your advanced insight into intercultural relations, moreover, you will be exceptionally well placed to work in embassies, European institutions, translating services, and international companies. Because of their extensive knowledge of literature and the skills to report on it, many of our graduates take up important roles in the publishing world, the media, and journalism.