Postgraduate study and careers in research

For postgraduate study and research opportunities, the School of English has a rich culture for fostering and supporting students to further their academic interests.

Professor Cathy Shrank, School of English

On

Postgraduate study

For postgraduate study and research opportunities, the School of English has a rich culture for fostering and supporting students to further their academic interests. Our graduate masters courses offer students the opportunity to hone, develop and explore a chosen field of study on either a full or part time basis.

As a postgraduate student you’ll further develop not only your knowledge but also skills in research, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills to name but a few.

MA student profiles

Take a look at some recent student profiles to get an idea of what our MA students have to say about their studies.

MA student Ana Paula Biazon Rocha on why she chose Sheffield

Ana Paula Biazon Rocha MA Applied Linguistics with TESOL

Ana Paula Biazon Rocha is from Sao Paulo, Brazil and studying for her Masters in Applied Linguistics with TESOL. She chose the School of English because of our diverse curriculum and excellent reputation for research environment.

MA Work Placement

You’ll also have the opportunity to develop practical skills and apply your studies via schemes such as the MA Work Placement. This optional 100-hour activity is a fantastic way to distinguish yourself in the job market and many of our students have continued to work with their partner organisation after the module has been completed.

Students taking the Work Placement module have worked with organisations across a variety of sectors including: heritage and tourism, archives, charities, galleries and arts performance, publishing, events organisation, health and wellbeing, and more.

Our partner organisations include Bank Street Arts, Bloc Projects, Chatsworth House, Film Hub North, Grimm & Co., Recovery Enterprises, Renishaw Hall, Sheffield Archives, and Sheffield newspapers - and this list continues to grow.

Work placement modules are available to students studying the following courses:

English Literature MA

Postgraduate taught

September 2025 start
1 year 2 years Full-time Part-time

Explore the breadth and depth of English literature through fiction, film, prose and creative writing. Focus on a particular time period, genre or theme or create your own bespoke pathway on our flexible MA programme.

Funding available
Pathway programme

English Literature (Creative Writing) MA

Postgraduate taught

September 2025 start
1 year 2 years Full-time Part-time

Study contemporary creative writing and develop your skills in a variety of genres and styles. Choose to specialise in either poetry or fiction, or to study both, and explore and improve your own writing through practical workshops.

Funding available

For her MA Work Placement module, Lucinda Weston designed an interactive tour of Chatsworth House for A Level students.

Careers in research

Interested in a career in research? Our department takes an active research approach to our disciplines that push the boundaries of academic research. A great place to start is our Early Career Fellowships that helps support individuals to research over a longer period of time whilst experiencing all that Sheffield has to offer.

Take a look at our research hub to explore current research themes, projects, and more.

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