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English and Scottish Literature

  • MA (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-time
  • 14 September 2026
  • Undergraduate
Central area campus
More about The University of Edinburgh

Course options

2026-20272027-2028
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Course summary

Edinburgh is the first UNESCO World City of Literature. For centuries, it has been the home and muse of many great writers.

On this programme, you will develop your critical, analytic, linguistic and creative skills by engaging with a broad range of texts and a variety of approaches to reading.

You will explore the cultural contexts of writing in English, from the late Middle Ages to the present, and all major periods of Scottish literature. At honours level, you will specialise in specific topics, periods or genres.

Studying literature prepares you to contribute to a society in which an understanding of texts of all kinds is crucially important. It shows an openness to ideas and perspectives other than your own, an essential attribute in many careers and a global marketplace.

Why Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a remarkable place to study, write, publish, discuss and perform prose, poetry and drama.

We are the oldest department of literature in the UK, one of the longest-established in the world. Our expertise covers writing in English from around the globe.

Our Writers in Residence have included some of Scottish literature's most significant contemporary authors.

From the University's Special Collections to the National Library of Scotland, the city's resources for studying literature are exceptional.

How long it takes to complete this degree programme

This programme is studied over 4 years. This enables us to build choice and flexibility into your studies, giving you time to explore options, find what you like and build your skills.

Your first two years will be your pre-honours years. They will give you a good grounding in literary study. In addition to studying core courses in literature, you will broaden your education and skill set by choosing option courses from a range of disciplines. This gives you the chance to build your intercultural awareness in other areas of the arts, humanities, social sciences and beyond.

Your final two years will be your honours years. They will be tailored to your interests in specific topics, periods, genres, or approaches to English and Scottish Literature.

Programme benefits

  • Study over four years, giving you choice and flexibility.

  • Try out different subjects in your first two years.

  • Learn in the heart of Scotland's capital, a UNESCO World City of Literature.

  • Join societies related to what you are studying.

  • Delve into fantastic libraries and collections.

  • Try your hand at creative writing and publishing.

This course is available in Clearing. If you have submitted an application, you can add this course. If you haven’t sent us an application yet, you can do this until 24th September 2026.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Central area campus

Study options

  • MA (Hons) • Full-time • 4 Years

Start dates

  • 14 September 2026

Apply by
14 January

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
QQ32
Institution code:
E56
Campus name:
Central area campus
Campus Code:
-
Points of Entry:
Year 1

How to apply

This course has limited vacancies, and is no longer accepting applications from some students. See the list below for where you normally live, to check if you're eligible to apply.
  • EU
  • Wales
  • England
  • International
  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland
  • Republic of Ireland

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
QQ32
Institution code:
E56
Campus name:
Central area campus
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff
Not accepted

A level
A*A*A* - A*AA

A*A*A* - A*AA. Required subjects: A levels: English Literature or combined English at B.

Scottish Higher
AAAB

AAAB by end of S5 or AAAA by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: English at B.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
40 - 37 points

From 40 points with 766 at HL to 37 points with 666 at HL. Required subjects: HL: English at 5.

Detailed entry requirements, including typical offer levels, and information about other qualifications we accept, are available on the University of Edinburgh’s website. You’ll also find important information on how to apply. You must submit a fully completed UCAS application that includes details of the qualifications you are taking, including full predicted grades for qualifications not yet completed, your personal statement and your reference.

Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

UCAS Tariff Not accepted

A level ABB

ABB. Required subjects: A levels: English Literature or combined English at B.

Scottish Higher ABBB

ABBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: English at B.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme 34 points

34 points with 655 at HL. Required subjects: HL: English at 5.

Find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.5total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL (iBT)92total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
Cambridge English Advancedtotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Cambridge English Proficiencytotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Trinity ISEISE II with distinctions in all four components.
You must prove that you can read, write, listen and speak in the English language at a level that will allow you to succeed in your studies. This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals. You can meet our English language requirements with qualifications from school or an English language test. We accept any of the following, at the specified grade or higher: SQA National 5: English at C; GCSE: English at C or 4; Level 2 Certificate: English at C; International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard Level: English at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry). Before you apply, check the required subjects for this programme, as you may need a higher English grade to meet the academic requirements. We also accept other qualifications from around the world. If you don’t have school qualifications that meet our requirements, we accept any of the English language tests, at the specified grade or higher, as detailed above. Qualifications from the following English language tests must be no more than two years old from the start date of your programme, regardless of your nationality: IELTS, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT. All other types of English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of your programme. If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country or region, as defined by UKVI, there is no time limit on how old these other types of English language qualifications can be.

Full details of our English language requirements can be found on our website:https://study.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry-requirements/english-language

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

The University of Edinburgh welcomes students from the UK and all over the world. We accept a wide range of qualifications and our policies support students with diverse backgrounds and experience. UCAS entry grade data is currently not available for our degrees but we publish admissions statistics on our website. We also provide information on widening access offers and entry requirements.

Learn more on the The University of Edinburgh website

Historical entry grades data

This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).

It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.

Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not available

Historical entry grades data is not currently available for The University of Edinburgh - we are working with them to try and make it available soon - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Per year tuition fees

LocationFeeYear

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Scotland - Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees.

England/Wales/Northern Ireland - The Rest of UK (RUK) students commencing or continuing their studies in September 2026, the tuition fees will be £9,790. This is subject to Parliamentary approval and is an increase of £255 on the fee rate for academic year 2025-2026.

EU On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22. Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2022-23 or later will be in line with international fees.

Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme

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