Postgraduate Masters Master of Arts Comprehensive

MA Literature in English

College of Distance Education 1 year Sandwich

How to Apply

Getting In

The Programme

The People

Programme Details

Post First Degree Entry

Level 800

About This Programme

The Master of Arts in Literature-in-English is a Sandwich-mode graduate programme of the Department of English, Faculty of Arts. It produces graduates capable of ethically critiquing literary productions, teaching Literature-in-English effectively, and applying literary, cultural and theoretical insights to diverse professional and societal contexts.

The programme runs over two semesters and carries a minimum credit load of thirty (30) credits. Each semester combines three core courses with at least two electives. The first-semester core is Research Methods, The Novel in Africa, and Studies in Literature and Society; the second-semester core is Modern African Poetry, Data Analysis, and Teaching and Learning Literature. The electives range across literary stylistics, oral African literature, critical approaches to literature, studies in individual English writers, special author in African literature, literature and film, Caribbean literature, literary perspectives on autobiography, feminist theory, postcolonial studies, literature and globalisation, contemporary Ghanaian literature, humour and literature, literature and memory, drama and theatre in Africa, and artificial intelligence in English studies.

Courses are delivered through a combination of online and face-to-face lectures, seminars and practical sessions. This revision introduces Artificial Intelligence in English Studies as a new course.

Programme Aim

Aim(s)

To produce graduates capable of ethically critiquing literary productions, teaching Literature- in-English effectively, and applying literary, cultural and theoretical insights to diverse professional and societal contexts.

Programme Objectives

Objective(s)

Enable students to analyse and interpret literary texts across genres, periods and cultural contexts using appropriate critical and theoretical frameworks.

The Department of English traces its origins to the former Department of Arts, one of the three foundational departments of the then University College of Cape Coast. Over the years the Department has expanded and diversified its academic offerings, particularly at the postgraduate level, in response to evolving national priorities and global developments in English studies.

Historically the Department offered MA and MPhil (English) programmes during the regular academic semesters, each with two streams: English Language and Literature-in-English. In the 2011/2012 academic year this structure was reviewed and reconfigured, and the MA (English) programme was redesigned into two separate programmes: MA (English Language) and MA (Literature-in-English). Both MA programmes were subsequently aligned with the policy of the School of Graduate Studies, University of Cape Coast, which stipulates that MA programmes be delivered in the Sandwich mode.

In addition, the School of Graduate Studies introduced a flexible Step-Up/Step-Down policy, allowing students enrolled in the MPhil programme to upgrade to PhD status or, where necessary, transition to the MA programme based on their academic performance in coursework. This policy has enhanced academic progression and provided multiple pathways for postgraduate training.

Within this evolving institutional framework the Department has trained a substantial number of graduates who contribute to diverse sectors of the economy, both within Ghana and internationally, including education, governance, law, security and business. The sustained demand for graduates, particularly in the education sector, underscores the programme's strong employability profile and continued relevance, and enrolment has correspondingly increased over the years. The revised MA Literature-in-English programme builds on this established tradition while responding to contemporary developments in the field, integrating emerging areas such as digital humanities and interdisciplinary approaches to literary studies.

Entry Requirements

A first degree with at least Second Class Honours (Lower Division) in English or a related discipline (e.g. Literature-in-French, Chinese Literature, Ghanaian Language, African Studies).
Applicants with a Third Class degree in English or a related discipline and at least two years working experience after graduation may be considered for admission after passing an interview and/or a written examination.

Grade	Numerical Value
A1	1
B2	2
B3	3
C4	4
C5	5
C6	6

Grade	Numerical Value
A	1
B	2
C	3
D	4

Code	Title	Credits
ENG818	Research Methods	3
ENG831	The Novel in Africa	3
ENG861	Studies in Literature and Society	3
ENG812	Literary Stylistics	3
ENG813	Oral Literature in Africa	3
ENG824	Critical Approaches to Literature	3
ENG855	Studies in Individual English Writers	3
ENG856	Special Authors in African Literature	3
ENG857	Literature and Film	3
ENG858	Caribean Literature	3
Total credit hours	30

Code	Title	Credits
ENG821	Feminist Theory	3
ENG869	Data Analysis	3
ENG871	Teaching and Learning Literature	3
ENG823S	Contemporary Ghanaian Literature	3
ENG860	Literary Perspectives on Autobiography	3
ENG862	Feminist Theory	3
ENG863	Postcolonial Studies	3
ENG864	Literature and Globalization	3
ENG865	Contemporary Ghanaian Literature	3
ENG867	Humour and Literature	3
ENG868	Literature and Memory	3
ENG870	Drama and Theatre in Africa	3
Total credit hours	36

Code	Title	Credits
ENG818	Research Methods	3
ENG831	The Novel in Africa	3
ENG861	Studies in Literature and Society	3
ENG821	Feminist Theory	3
ENG869	Data Analysis	3
ENG871	Teaching and Learning Literature	3
Total credit hours	18

Code	Title	Credits
ENG812	Literary Stylistics	3
ENG813	Oral Literature in Africa	3
ENG824	Critical Approaches to Literature	3
ENG855	Studies in Individual English Writers	3
ENG856	Special Authors in African Literature	3
ENG857	Literature and Film	3
ENG858	Caribean Literature	3
ENG823S	Contemporary Ghanaian Literature	3
ENG860	Literary Perspectives on Autobiography	3
ENG862	Feminist Theory	3
ENG863	Postcolonial Studies	3
ENG864	Literature and Globalization	3
ENG865	Contemporary Ghanaian Literature	3
ENG867	Humour and Literature	3
ENG868	Literature and Memory	3
ENG870	Drama and Theatre in Africa	3
Total credit hours	48

Graduation Requirements

Course Requirements: A candidate for the BCom (Accounting) degree must pass all courses taken, meet Inter-Faculty course requirements.
Credit Requirements: A candidate must accumulate a minimum of 140 credits (including Advance Credits).
Additional Requirements: The candidate must attain a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 1.0. In addition, the candidate must have settled financial and other obligations to the university.