Programme and Learning Outcomes

The track Literary Studies - Text in Context is the ideal stepping stone to an academic career in literature or literary studies. During this two-year programme you will learn to approach historical and contemporary texts from an international perspective, examine the societal significance of literature, and discuss current literary issues with other scholars at the highest academic level. This track is closely aligned with the research conducted by staff members at the Institute for Historical, Literary and Cultural Studies, which in turn is linked to various national and international research programmes. What makes this track within the Research Master in Historical, Literary and Cultural Studies so unique is its emphasis on tekst and its context: issues like regionalism, nationalism and transnationalism in literature are at the core of this programme. Depending on your research ambitions, you can focus on literary studies, literature, or a combination of the two. The research master in Literary Studies offered by Radboud University is the only literary research master in which depth of the (sub) discipline and attention to contemporary literary debates are combined with a broader humanities orientation. This track is an excellent preparation for a national or international PhD programme within the field of literary studies.

Criteria Research Master Thesis

The thesis requirements follow from the objectives outlined in the Research Master in Historical, Literary and Cultural Studies. The thesis is the final component of the research master. The general goal is to demonstrate your ability to conduct independent scientific research within your selected discipline. This means you can offer a personal interpretation of the selected subject matter and apply this to discipline-specific knowledge and debates. The thesis will reveal your ability to design and execute literary research with minimal supervision and report on the results in publishable form. In addition to a mastery of general scientific skills, the thesis also demonstrates your insight into the specific nature of one or more literatures or literary theories. The thesis is based on relevant sources and current scholarly literature.

Learning objectives: Capable of designing and executing original historical-scientific research at a professional level. This includes:

(1) selecting a topic from the professional scientific discourse and devising a relevant and original research question;
(2) systematically collecting relevant sources and current scholarly literature;
(3) designing a methodologically sound and independent argument;
(4) presenting this argument in a clear and organised manner, in accordance with the rules of scientific accountability.

Method of instruction: The master's thesis will be executed according to the research proposal and under individual supervision.