English – Master of Arts

With Massey’s Master of Arts (English) you can build on your undergraduate study and follow your passion for literature. Complete advanced research into an aspect of English, rhetoric or theatre studies.

Where you can study

Distance and online

International students

International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.

Definition of New Zealand citizens and residents

Open to international students studying online from outside New Zealand

Specialise in English for your Master of Arts at Massey

Follow your interests further

A Master of Arts (English) at Massey gives you the chance to study important literary genres and periods in depth. You’ll also explore the complexities of literary language and rhetoric.

Study great texts from the past and present

Massey’s Master of Arts (English) offers you thorough coverage of great literature in English, from Shakespeare to the present day. Our courses are taught by active researchers who share your love of literature: they will introduce you to amazing writing and the reasons why it matters.

Get an applied edge

Choose from a range of courses that will extend your English skills in creative and applied ways. Expand the horizons of your degree by taking an elective course in creative writing, theatre studies or media studies.

Think deeply about the power of language

A Massey Master of Arts (English) helps you understand how language shapes the world we live in. You’ll explore the ethical and social power of imaginative writing and rhetoric, and think deeply about the world and your place in it.

A Master of Arts in English is a good fit if you:

  • have a relevant undergraduate degree
  • wish to develop your interests in English literature and writing
  • want to investigate a particular aspect of English, rhetoric or theatre studies through independent supervised research at an advanced level.

Planning information

If you study full-time, you’ll take 120 credits per year or 60 credits per semester.

Not all courses are available in each semester.

The Master of Arts (English) is a parts-based qualification. That means you must complete the first part, before moving to the second.

Grades achieved in the first 60 credits will determine eligibility for progression to Part Two.

  • For the coursework pathway a minimum B grade average is required.
  • For the research pathway a minimum B+ grade average is required.

If you enrol in a thesis, you commence with Thesis (90 or 120 credits) Part 1, followed by Thesis (90 or 120 credits) Part 2 in the next enrolment period. Both parts combine to meet the thesis requirements with a single grade assigned to each part.

If the thesis cannot be submitted at the end of the initial Thesis (90 or 120 credits) Part 2 enrolment, you must re-enrol in Thesis (90 or 120 credits) Part 2 and pay fees each semester until submission is made.

 

Official regulations

To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.

You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Certificates.

Returning students

For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.

In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.

Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

Courses you can enrol in

Course planning key

Prerequisites
Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
Corequisites
Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
Restrictions
Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.

Part One: Coursework Pathway (120 credits) or Research Pathway (Between 60 and 90 credits)

List A: Subject courses

Choose at least 30 credits from
Course code: 139703 Critical and Creative Research 30 credits

An introduction to practices of research with creative texts. Students will learn practical techniques for planning and producing research in critical and/or creative modes. Fostering a critical voice and debating the cultural and social value of aesthetic communication will be integral to the course.

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Course code: 139710 Rhetoric, Composition and the Teaching of Writing 30 credits

An advanced introduction to rhetoric and composition as a framework for writing research and writing instruction.

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Course code: 139724 Literary Revolutions: Romantic and Victorian Literature 30 credits

A study of literary culture in Britain and the Pacific during the Romantic and Victorian periods. This course explores relationships between poetry, novels, travel writing and political treatises in the period, focusing on the distinctive nature of literary engagements with contemporary social and political upheavals.

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Course code: 139728 Early Modern Drama: Form and Performance 30 credits

An advanced study of the drama of Early Modern England and the significant social, artistic, political and religious forces that shaped it. The course will examine plays by Shakespeare and his contemporaries, investigating their material and cultural contexts using critical approaches that highlight questions of dramatic production and reception.

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Course code: 139750 Contemporary New Zealand Writers in an International Context 30 credits

An advanced exploration of contemporary New Zealand fiction and poetry and its relationship to international aesthetic practices, in the context of globalisation and postcoloniality.

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Course code: 139758 Postcolonial Theory and Writing 30 credits

An advanced introduction to theories of postcolonial ethics and identity, and their relationship to selected works of literature from a range of postcolonial contexts.

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List B: Subject courses

Choose no more than 30 credits from
Course code: 139763 Community Theatre 30 credits

What role does theatre have in the community? Is there a valid place for community theatre in a secular society? If so, what stories need to be told through theatre? How might we tell them? The exploration of these questions will involve, initially, the examination of a range of historical and contemporary models of community theatre. Students will then engage in exploratory workshops, in community research, writing, rehearsals and theatrical performance.

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Course code: 139765 Creative Writing Workshop 30 credits

An advanced study and practice of creative writing in its myriad contemporary forms.

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Course code: 154708 Modern Fiction, Popular Culture and the Media 30 credits

An examination of major developments in approaches to fiction in the twentieth century, focusing on modern and postmodern trends, and on how these have impacted on the rise and alleged decline of distinctions between elite art and popular culture. Texts for analysis are selected from both literature and film and include examples of canonical as well as popular fiction.

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Part Two: Coursework Pathway

Choose 60 credits from
Course code: 139873 Research Report English (60) 60 credits

A supervised and guided independent study.

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Part Two: Research Pathway

Choose between 90 and 120 credits from
Course code: 139816 Thesis 120 Credit Part 1 60 credits

A supervised and guided independent study resulting in a published work.

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Course code: 139817 Thesis 120 Credit Part 2 60 credits

A supervised and guided independent study resulting in a published work.

Corequisites: 139816

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Course code: 139881 Thesis 90 Credit Part 1 45 credits

A supervised and guided independent study resulting in a published work.

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Course code: 139882 Thesis 90 Credit Part 2 45 credits

A supervised and guided independent study resulting in a published work.

Corequisites: 139881

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Course code: 139883 Thesis 90 credits

A supervised and guided independent study resulting in a published work.

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Course code: 139899 Thesis 120 credits

A supervised and guided independent study resulting in a published work.

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Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

Specific requirements

To enter the Master of Arts (English) you will have been awarded or qualified for:

  • a Bachelor of Arts degree (or equivalent) with a major in the intended postgraduate subject, with at least a B grade average across the 200/300 level major courses

  • a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) with a subject in the intended postgraduate subject or a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts with an endorsement in the intended postgraduate subject, or an equivalent qualification, with at least a B+ grade average across the 700-level courses for entry to the Research Pathway or a B grade average across the 700-level courses for entry to the Coursework Pathway.

If you have a BA (Hons) or PGDipArts from Massey University in the intended Master of Arts subject as outlined above, you may apply for credit towards Part One of the qualification.

You will need to provide copies of all official academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.

English language requirements

To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.

English language skills

If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.

Fees and scholarships

Fees, student loans and free fees scheme

Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.

There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.

Already know which courses you're going to choose?

You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.

Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme

You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.

The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.

Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.

Fees disclaimer

This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.

Careers and job opportunities

Your love of literature and writing can take you into a range of professions where literacy, critical thinking and communication skills are highly valued. Employers appreciate the ability of Master of Arts (English) graduates to research effectively, analyse rigorously and communicate with style.

Through studying English you’ll develop a set of flexible interpersonal and professional skills that ensure you remain agile and able to take on future opportunities.

Our graduates have pursued careers in:

  • teaching English, creative writing, theatre studies, and English as a second language
  • publishing and e-publishing: writing, editing, researching, technical writing
  • working as a literary agent /writing coach
  • web content development
  • journalism
  • freelance speech writing, travel writing, blogging and reviewing.

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