Skip to main content
King's College London
You are viewing a course in < Languages and literature
Postgraduate degree

Comparative Literature MA

Loading...

Study literature from five different continents, covering over 2,500 years, and compare literatures, written in many different languages, from across the world and from antiquity to the present day. We offer a unique range of options from the ancient world right up to twenty-first century European, Asian, Middle Eastern, African, and American literature as well as the opportunity to develop your language skills.

Key benefits

  • Unique combination of geographical range and historical depth.
  • Thematic approaches to facilitate cross-cultural readings on topical issues.
  • Study with academic staff who are leading experts in European and World Literatures.
  • Opportunity to specialize with optional modules from across the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, including learning a language at King's Language Centre.
  • Located in the heart of London, close to libraries and cultural institutions.
  • An internationally respected MA that offers a springboard to further study.

This course is ideal for students who want to look beyond conventional literary canons and engage in comparative study across a wide range of cultures.

Base campus

strand-quad
Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

Regulating bodies

King's is regulated by the Office for Students

Loading...

Teaching methods - what to expect

Our Comparative Literature MA provides an introduction to the practice, methodology and theory of comparative literary studies through our required module. You will then focus on more specific aspects of literary themes, genres, and historical periods, and choose a subject for your dissertation that also has a comparative focus. This flexibility means that you can pursue your own academic interests and develop a specialism of your choosing. In addition, King's Language Centre provides modules at all appropriate levels to support your study of foreign language texts.

We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.

Teaching

If you are a full-time student, we will provide you with at least six hours of teaching a week through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 33 hours of independent study.

If you are a part-time student, we will provide two to four hours of teaching each week through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 17.5 of independent study.

Assessment

    Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include coursework and assessed presentations. Coursework contributes approximately 98% and assessed presentations approximately 2% to your final mark. The exact percentages will vary depending on which modules students choose.

    For your dissertation, which you will focus on over summer, we will provide four hours of one-to-one supervision and you will undertake 594 hours of independent study. If you are a part-time student, we will provide this supervision in your second year.

    Structure

    Required modules

    You are required to take:

    Theorizing Literature across Cultures: Contemporary Debates (15 credits)
    Research Skills (15 credits)
    Dissertation (60 credits)

    Optional modules

    In addition, you are required to take five modules totalling 100 credits from a range of options from within the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. At least 60 of these should be from the list of dedicated Comparative Literature modules which may typically include:

    The World Novel (15 credits)
    Melancholia & Hypochondria (20 credits)
    Queer Connections: Male-Male Desire & the Classical Past (20 credits)
    Translation, Colonialism, Postcolonialism (20 credits)
    Myth after Slavery (20 credits)
    Polyglot Literatures of Modern Egypt: 1900-2000 (20 credits)
    Global Modernity and the Horn of Africa (15 credits)

    King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

    Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

    Employability

    For many of our graduates this course is a springboard to doctoral research. However, others transfer the skills and knowledge they develop with us to pursue careers in arts administration, teaching, journalism, tourism, international organisations, and the voluntary and financial sectors.

    Tuition Fees

    UK:

    Full time: £11,040 per year (2022/23)

    Part time: £5,520 per year (2022/23)

    International:

    Full time: £24,660 per year (2022/23)

    Part time: £12,330 per year (2022/23)

    These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

    Deposit

    When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment.

    The UK deposit is £500.

    The INTERNATIONAL deposit is £2,000. 

    • If you receive an offer on or before 31 March, payment is due by 25 April 2022.

    • If you receive an offer between 1 April and 30 June, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.

    • If you receive an offer between 1 July and 31 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.

    • If you receive an offer between 1 August and 21 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.

    • If you receive an offer from 22 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer

    If you are a current King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

    Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

    Additional Costs

    In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

    • books if you choose to buy your own copies
    • clothing for optional course related events and competitions
    • library fees and fines
    • personal photocopies
    • printing course handouts
    • society membership fees
    • stationery
    • travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
    • graduation costs

    Funding

    This course is ideal for students who want to look beyond conventional literary canons and engage in comparative study across a wide range of cultures.

    Base campus

    strand-quad
    Strand Campus

    Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

    Regulating bodies

    King's is regulated by the Office for Students

    Loading...

    Teaching methods - what to expect

    Our Comparative Literature MA provides an introduction to the practice, methodology and theory of comparative literary studies through our required module. You will then focus on more specific aspects of literary themes, genres, and historical periods, and choose a subject for your dissertation that also has a comparative focus. This flexibility means that you can pursue your own academic interests and develop a specialism of your choosing. In addition, King's Language Centre provides modules at all appropriate levels to support your study of foreign language texts.

    We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.

    Teaching

    If you are a full-time student, we will provide you with at least six hours of teaching a week through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 33 hours of independent study.

    If you are a part-time student, we will provide two to four hours of teaching each week through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 17.5 of independent study.

    Assessment

      Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include coursework and assessed presentations. Coursework contributes approximately 98% and assessed presentations approximately 2% to your final mark. The exact percentages will vary depending on which modules students choose.

      For your dissertation, which you will focus on over summer, we will provide four hours of one-to-one supervision and you will undertake 594 hours of independent study. If you are a part-time student, we will provide this supervision in your second year.

      Structure

      Required modules

      You are required to take:

      Theorizing Literature across Cultures: Contemporary Debates (15 credits)
      Research Skills (15 credits)
      Dissertation (60 credits)

      Optional modules

      In addition, you are required to take five modules totalling 100 credits from a range of options from within the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. At least 60 of these should be from the list of dedicated Comparative Literature modules which may typically include:

      The World Novel (15 credits)
      Melancholia & Hypochondria (20 credits)
      Queer Connections: Male-Male Desire & the Classical Past (20 credits)
      Translation, Colonialism, Postcolonialism (20 credits)
      Myth after Slavery (20 credits)
      Polyglot Literatures of Modern Egypt: 1900-2000 (20 credits)
      Global Modernity and the Horn of Africa (15 credits)

      King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

      Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

      Employability

      For many of our graduates this course is a springboard to doctoral research. However, others transfer the skills and knowledge they develop with us to pursue careers in arts administration, teaching, journalism, tourism, international organisations, and the voluntary and financial sectors.

      Tuition Fees

      UK:

      Full time: £11,040 per year (2022/23)

      Part time: £5,520 per year (2022/23)

      International:

      Full time: £24,660 per year (2022/23)

      Part time: £12,330 per year (2022/23)

      These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

      Deposit

      When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment.

      The UK deposit is £500.

      The INTERNATIONAL deposit is £2,000. 

      • If you receive an offer on or before 31 March, payment is due by 25 April 2022.

      • If you receive an offer between 1 April and 30 June, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.

      • If you receive an offer between 1 July and 31 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.

      • If you receive an offer between 1 August and 21 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.

      • If you receive an offer from 22 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer

      If you are a current King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

      Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

      Additional Costs

      In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

      • books if you choose to buy your own copies
      • clothing for optional course related events and competitions
      • library fees and fines
      • personal photocopies
      • printing course handouts
      • society membership fees
      • stationery
      • travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
      • graduation costs

      Funding

      Application closing date guidance

      Loading...

      Contact us

      If you would like to contact a King's Advisor you can find all our details here

      Related departments

      Open days and events

      Chat with current students and King's staff to find out about the courses we offer, life at King's and ask any questions you may have.

      explore more

      SSA bedroom refurbished 1

      Accommodation

      Discover your accommodation options and explore our residences.