MA International Contemporary Literatures and Media

at National University of Ireland Galway

The late 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century saw fundamental cultural changes brought about by factors such as globalisation, the end of the Cold War, and technological and communicative innovations, and these changes are intensely reflected in literature and media. The course programme includes the study of seminal texts, films and other media by international authors and artists mostly from the 1960s to post-modernism and beyond. Non-English texts will be read in translation.

You will study four core modules (The Art of Reading, Contemporary Genres, Worlds of Fantasy, Literature and Conflict) and two optional modules from other programmes (for example: Irish Contemporary Drama, Digital Film and Culture, Journalism, Gender and Sexuality in Irish Cinema, Culture and Colonialism) across Semester One and Two and will be required to undertake a dissertation.

Curriculum Information
Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases). 
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Year 1 (90 Credits)

• Optional GR521: Interpreting Literature: Theories & Methods - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional FM6106: Gender, Sexuality and Cinema - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional EN541: Colonialism In Twentieth Century Cultural Theory - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional GR512: Modern German Literature I - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional FM512: Film History I - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional FM521: Critical Theory I - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional SH530: Latin-American Literature I - 15 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional FR528: The Literature of France in Algeria - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional GG6100: Feminist and Gender Theorising - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional EN547: Literature And Colonialism - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional GR6100: Language & Intercultural Communication - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional FR530: Journaux D'ecrivains - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional DJ6127: Global Media and Society - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional EN6136: Thinking about Books/Thinking about Theatre - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Required MIC504: The Art of Reading - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Required MIC6101: Worlds of Fantasy: Literature, Film, Computer Games - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Required MIC502: Dissertation - 30 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional DT6101: Irish Drama and Theatre from Beckett to the Present - 10 Credits - Semester 1
• Optional IS109: Gaelic & Free: Cultural Politics & Writing in Irish since 1939 - 10 Credits - Semester 2
• Optional IS108: The Politics of Modernity: Writing in English, 1922 to the present - 10 Credits - Semester 2
• Optional FM6100: Film exhibition, administration and education - 10 Credits - Semester 2
• Optional SH531: Latin-American Literature II - 15 Credits - Semester 2
• Optional GR513: Modern German Literature II - 10 Credits - Semester 2
• Optional FM522: Critical Theory II - 10 Credits - Semester 2
• Optional FM6119: Film, Politics, and Colonialism - 10 Credits - Semester 2
• Optional DJ6122: Researching the Media - 5 Credits - Semester 2
• Optional EN6101: Books Journalism - 10 Credits - Semester 2
• Required MIC501: Contemporary Literary Genres - 10 Credits - Semester 2
• Required MIC6100: Resisting through Culture: Conflicts in Europe and Beyond - 10 Credits - Semester 2

Second Class Honours NQAI Level 8 degree or equivalent in any discipline with a strong literature or media component.

Fees: EU
€6,850 full-time; €3,465 part-time p.a. 2022/23

Fees: Tuition
€6,710 full-time; €3,360 part-time p.a. 2022/23

Fees: Student levy
€140 p.a. FT; €105 p.a. PT 2022/23

Fees: Non EU
€16,540 p.a. 2022/22

Student levy €140 - payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI.

If you are interested in contemporary culture, but are looking for a less anglo/US-centric offering, then this is the course for you.

Postgraduate students acquire a flexible skills base in dealing with creative and communicative tasks, along with analytical, organisational and research skills. They move on to avail of a corresponding range of career opportunities after graduation. Careers can be developed in, for example, publishing, print and electronic media, the culture industries and education.