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MA English Syllabus and Subjects

31-12-2024

Master of Arts (MA) in English is a two-year postgraduate programme that combines modern and classical literature. It focuses on three key components of English literature: drama, prose, and poetry. The MA English syllabus is designed to equip students with the skills to analyse literature from various historical periods, including celebrated works from previous centuries, and develop their conceptual ideas. This enables them to produce written content such as articles, reports, books, and novels. The MA English subjects include works like Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (modern version), John Milton's Paradise Lost, Descriptive Linguistics, Generative Linguistics, and the Process of Speech Production. The syllabus may vary across colleges, depending on their curriculum and objectives. Students can access the MA English syllabus for 2024-25 by downloading the PDF from the official website of their chosen institution. Today, we shall look at the syllabus of MA in English for some of the top colleges in India:

MA English Entrance Exam Syllabus

Students must clear entrance exams like Delhi University (DU) MA Entrance, Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Examination (JNUEEE), Jamia Millia Islamia Entrance, or Presidency University Master's Degree Entrance Test (PUMDET), conducted by their preferred university, to secure admission into the MA English programme. Let us look at the overview of the exam pattern and syllabus for the MA English Entrance:

MA English Entrance Exam Syllabus

Exam Pattern	Details
Mode	Written Test
Duration	1 hour and 30 minutes
MA syllabus English (Entrance Exam)	BA English syllabus + English proficiency
Topics covered in the MA English Syllabus	17th-Century and Early Modern Poetry 18th-Century Poetry, Drama, and Fiction 19th-Century Poetry, Drama, and Novel Medieval Poetry Early 20th-Century Poetry, Fiction, and Drama (up to WWII) Modern and Postmodern Critical Theories American Literature Classical Theory and Neo-Classical Criticism Romantic Criticism Indian Writing in English, Dalit Literature, and Indian Literature Contemporary Writings Research Methodology Language and Comprehension

MA English Syllabus

The MA English syllabus of Delhi University (DU) spans four semesters, offering both core and elective subjects. The core MA English subjects are designed to provide in-depth knowledge of literature, fiction, poetry, and drama, with topics like Language and Linguistics, Shakespeare's Works, Literary Criticism, and 20th-Century Poetry and Drama. The elective MA English subjects allow students to explore diverse areas, such as Literature and Gender, Visual Arts and Literature in Europe, American Literature, and Ancient Greek and Latin Literature. The subjects primarily focus on English literature, including novels, poetry, and fiction from diverse periods and cultures. This equips students with the skills to articulate their ideas effectively in engaging and readable content. We have presented the semester-wise MA syllabus English for the students to refer to:

First-Year Syllabus for MA English

1st Semester	2nd Semester
14th-20th Century British Poetry	20th-Century British Novels
Appreciating Shakespeare	20th-Century British Drama
Literature and Film	American Literature
Digital Content Writing	Indian Writing in English
Scholarly Writing	Classical Literary Criticism

Second-Year Syllabus for MA English

3rd Semester	4th Semester
16th-19th Century Literary Criticism	Dissertation
20th-Century Literary Theory and Criticism	Foreign Languages
Gender Studies	Fiction
Postcolonial Literature	Literary Criticism
Culture Studies	Fiction from 1900 Onwards
Literature Review	Postcolonial Novel
Foreign Language	Project Work/Viva

JNU MA English Syllabus

The MA English syllabus of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) emphasises exploring English literature from England and other regions, such as India, America, Australia, and Ireland. It includes courses on critical thought (Western and Indian), literary theories, and cultural studies to help students connect literature to its context, compare theories and texts, and understand how history, ideology, and material forces influence literary and artistic works. Let us look at the JNU MA English syllabus:

First Year (Semester 1 & 2)	Second Year (Semester 3 & 4)
Modern English Usage Phonetics & Language	Literary Theory
Grammar and Usage	Poetics
Theme Writing	Natyashastra (Chapters I & VI)
Word Substitution, Idioms and Phrases, Synonyms, and Antonyms	Essay on Dramatic Poesy
Literary Appreciation	Essay on Criticism
Advanced Comprehension	Biographia Literaria
Aspects of Pronunciation and Word Structure	Tradition and Individual Talent

English Literature: Elizabethans and Augustans	Twentieth Century Literature: Poetry and Drama
The Duchess of Malfi, King Lear, The Tempest	The Waste Land
Paradise Lost, The Battle of the Books	Toad, Coming, At Grass, The Whitsun Wedding
	Pike, View of a Pig, Home Roosting, Thistles
	Saint Joan, Riders to the Sea, Waiting for Godot
	The Birthday Party
English Literature: Pre-romantics and Romantics	Twentieth Century Literature: Prose and Fiction
Ode to Simplicity, Ode to Evening	Shooting an Elephant, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Ode on the Distant Prospect of Eton College	The Rainbow, To the Lighthouse, The Toy Shop
Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
The Rivals, The Prelude (Book 1), The Rime of Ancient Mariner
Kubla Khan, Ode to Grecian Urn

Victorian Literature	American Literature
Mansfield Park, Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus	Various Works
Spring and Fall, Pied Beauty, A Tale of Two Cities
Wuthering Heights, Jude the Obscure
	Applied Linguistics and Contemporary English Grammar
	Practical Language Studies

DU MA English Syllabus

The MA English programme at DU aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of English literature, language, and related disciplines. The DU MA English syllabus expands students' knowledge of literary works from various periods and cultures, including British, American, and Indian literature. It also emphasises the study of critical theories and frameworks such as postcolonial studies, feminism, and modern literary criticism to help students effectively analyse and interpret texts. Let us look at the DU’s MA in English syllabus:

First Year	Second Year
Semester 1	Semester 2
Life, Literature and Culture: Medieval Literature	Life, Literature and Culture: 16th and 17th Century
Classical To Pre-Modern Literature	Criticism and Theory
Poetry 1	Introduction to the Study of Language
Aesthetics and Literature	Poetry II
Politics, Literature, and Philosophy	Fiction Literature of the Americas
	Dalit Studies
Semester 3	Semester 4
Life, Literature and Culture in the 18th Century	Life, Literature and Culture in the 20th Century
Life, Literature and Culture in the 19th Century	Post-Independence India Literature
Postcolonial Literature and Theory	Religion and Literature
Research Methodology	Dissertation
Criticism and Theory
Gender Studies

IGNOU MA English Syllabus

The MA in English programme at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) aims to provide students with a solid understanding of English and American literature and emerging areas such as Canadian, Australian, and Indian English literature. The programme helps learners develop a deep understanding of these literatures in their historical and critical contexts. Students are expected to have strong reading, comprehension, and writing skills as a prerequisite. Let us look at the IGNOU MA English syllabus:

First Year	Second Year
British Poetry	Literary Criticism and Theory
British Drama	American Literature
British Novel	Indian English Literature
Aspects of Language	New Literatures in English
	Australian Literature
	English Studies in India
	American Novel
	A Survey Course in 20th-Century Canadian Literature
	Writings from the Margins
	Contemporary Indian Literature in English Translation
	Comparative Literature: Theory and Practice
	Indian Folk Literature

PU MA English Syllabus

The MA in English syllabus at Panjab University (PU) aims to give students an in-depth understanding of English literature. The programme aims to impart critical thinking skills, enhancing students' ability to analyse texts from diverse literary traditions, including British, American, and postcolonial literature. The MA English syllabus Panjab University fosters a holistic understanding of literature in its socio-cultural, historical, and political contexts of different genres, periods and cultures. Let us look at the PU MA English syllabus:

First Year	Second Year
Semester 1	Semester 2
Greek and Classical Literature	Modern Drama
Classical Poetry	Renaissance and Neoclassical Literature
Study Skills	19th Century Poetry
17th Century Poetry	Twentieth-Century Novel
18th Century Novel	Victorian Novel
Elizabethan Drama	Literary Criticism
Semester 3	Semester 4
Critical Theory	20th Century Poetry
American Fiction	Post-Colonial Fiction
American Drama	Twentieth-Century Drama
American Poetry	Linguistics
20th Century Prose	Literature in English around the World
Research Methodology	Short Stories
	Essays

BHU MA English Syllabus

The MA English programme at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) aims to give students an in-depth understanding of English and Indian literature and the major literary theories and criticism. The MA English subjects offered at BHU focus on enhancing students' ability to analyse and interpret literature from various periods, such as the Renaissance, Victorian, and Modern eras, alongside postcolonial and contemporary writings. Let us look at the BHU MA English syllabus:

First Year	Second Year
Semester 1	Semester 2
Introduction to Linguistics	Linguistics and English Language Teaching
Poetry I (Chaucer to Blake)	Poetry II (Wordsworth to Arnold)
Drama I (Marlowe to Wilde, excluding Shakespeare)	Drama II (Shakespeare)
Prose	Fiction I (Defoe to Hardy)
Semester 3	Semester 4
Poetry III (Hopkins to Ted Hughes)	Fiction II
Drama III (Twentieth Century Drama)	Literary Criticism & Theory II
Literary Criticism & Theory I	Indian Literature in English II
Indian Literature in English I	Indian Literature in Translation or New Literature in English
American Literature I	Women Writing

Final Thoughts

The MA in English is a comprehensive and enriching programme that offers a deep dive into classical and modern literature, focusing on key components such as drama, prose, and poetry. The syllabus varies across different institutions, with each university offering a unique blend of core and elective MA English subjects, covering areas like literary criticism, linguistics, American and Indian literature, and postcolonial studies. To gain admission to the programme, students must pass entrance exams conducted by reputed universities like Delhi University, JNU, and Jamia Millia Islamia, which evaluate literary knowledge and English proficiency. A diverse MA English syllabus prepares students to engage in research, literary analysis, and creative writing. This exposure can help students pursue career opportunities in academics, publishing, writing, and cultural studies.

FAQs

Can I do MA and B.Ed together?

Yes. You can pursue an MA and B.Ed in the same year, provided one is in regular mode and the other in distance mode.

How many papers are there in MA English?

The MA English programme has nine papers in total. Four papers are included in the first year, and five are covered in the second year.

Which subject is best for an MA in English?

All subjects within an MA in English are good, as they offer diverse opportunities for exploration and specialisation. Whether you choose literary theory, creative writing, linguistics, or a focus on specific literary traditions like British, American, or Indian literature, each subject provides valuable insights and skills.

What is the entrance exam for MA English?

The entrance exams for MA English include the JAIN Entrance Test - Undergraduate (JET-UG), Common University Entrance Test Postgraduate (CUET PG), and the Lovely Professional University National Entrance and Scholarship Test (LPUNEST). Additionally, some reputed universities, such as JAIN (Deemed-to-be-University), DU, JNU, IGNOU, BHU, and Savitri Bai Phule University, may have their specific entrance exams for admission to the course.

Can we do PhD after MA?

Yes. You can pursue a PhD after completing a master's degree in India. To be eligible, most universities require candidates to have a master's degree with a minimum percentage, typically around 50-55%. Additionally, candidates must pass entrance exams such as the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) or the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research National Eligibility Test (CSIR-NET).

Which MA is most in demand?

Some of the MA programmes that are most sought-after are as follows:

MA in English
MA in Psychology
MA in Economics
MA in Journalism and Mass Communication

Which is better, English language or literature?

It depends on your interests. If you are interested in studying and understanding literary works critically, then an English literature course would be a better option. However, an English language course might be more suitable if you are more interested in the evolution of communication techniques and language acquisition.