The MA in Irish Literature and Culture is designed to develop a strong scholarly appreciation of the texture and range of literary and cultural production in Ireland and engage students in current theoretical developments in the area. The programme will encourage students to critically examine the changing landscape of Irish society as expressed through a variety of media, including literature, film and art. Modules variously address contemporary Irish poetry, Irish drama and theatre, visual culture in Ireland, gender and sexuality, and the Irish novel. Students will be encouraged to immerse themselves in several of the different traditions and forms of writing and cultural production in Ireland, and to engage with a diversity of theoretical approaches. The programme builds on the considerable research interest of faculty in the areas of Irish and also gender studies.

Modules may include:

First Semester

• EN661 Literary and Cultural Theory (10 credits)
• EN645 Irish Literary Modernism (10 credits)
• EN646: Identity and After in Contemporary Irish Art (10 credits)
• EN671 History of Irish Theatre Production (10 credits)

Second Semester

• EN641 Contemporary Irish Poetry (10 credits)
• EN642 Contemporary Irish Film (10 credits)
• EN644 Word and Image in Irish Culture (10 credits)
• EN662 Queer Beings:  Writing Gender, Writing Sexuality (10 credits)

EN691 Dissertation and Research Skills Seminars  (30 credits)

Modular Structure:

Students can either elect to focus on a specific area – Irish or Postcolonial – or to combine modules from these subject areas.

• Students take 4 modules  (selected from EN641- 6)
• Students must take Theory module (EN661)
• Dissertation and Research Skills Seminar (EN691)

Spotlight on EN646: Identity and After in Contemporary Irish Art

This module looks at a range of contemporary Irish artists, working in a variety of media, and discusses their work in the context of ideas of ‘post-identity’, ‘post-politics’ and relational aesthetics. The module will address the apparent cultural non-specificity of much of this work and its relation, or otherwise to Irish identity. Artists discussed will vary from year to year, but may include for example John Gerrard, Gerard Byrne, James Coleman, McDermott and McGough, Sean Hillen, Jaki Irvine, Factotum, Connolly & Cleary, Hannah Starkey, Jesse Jones, Desperate Optimists. Topics and media for discussion will include New Topographic Photography, art video/film, digital art, community art and public art. Exhibitions which run contemporaneously with the module will be used as a basis for discussion.

Thesis supervision:

As part of the Masters, students must complete a dissertation (c. 14, 000 words). Working with their advisors, students are encouraged to plan the research and writing of their research project. Seminars on best practice in postgraduate research and writing will be offered.

Postgraduate Diploma in Irish Literature and Culture (60 credits): 

This programme enables students to take the 6 taught modules, one of which must be

EN661, and is awarded to candidates who do not elect to complete a dissertation.

MA Teaching Team:

Faculty teaching on the MA programmes include: Dr Conrad Brunstrom; Professor Joe Cleary; Dr Ide Corley; Dr Denis Condon; Professor Luke Gibbons; Dr Oona Frawley; Dr Colin Graham; Dr Conor McCarthy; Professor Chris Morash; Dr Emer Nolan; Dr Stephen O’Neill; Dr Chris Stokes; Dr Moynagh Sullivan. The School of English boasts an impressive array of award-winning and internationally recognized publications, and expertise in fields including Irish literature; gender and queer studies; visual culture; Shakespeare; African and postcolonial literatures; and film and theatre. See http://english.nuim.ie/staff.shtml for further details.

General Information: At a Glance

Admissions:

Applicants are expected to have obtained at least a Second Class Honours grade (II.1) mark in English, or equivalent (GPA of 3.0 or higher).

Duration of MA Programmes:

1 year Full-Time

Closing Date for Applications:

31 July 2012

Programme Commences:

September 2012

Application Procedures and Guidelines:

http://graduatestudies.nuim.ie/

For more information please see www.english.nuim.ie or contact Dr Stephen O’Neill, Postgraduate co-ordinator, MA programmes.