York is one of a handful of universities offering a Victorian literature Masters and after some module investigation and a glowing review of the university from a friend of mine, I applied to study here. With a vibrant city and tight-knit campus community, I can’t imagine being anywhere else.
The department
Interdisciplinary study is a huge part of doing a literature Masters at York. You can select option modules from outside your course, as well as from a different course within the department. Being initially torn between Romantic and Victorian literature, knowing I had options gave me a real sense of freedom.
English may not have many contact hours, but there are so many opportunities outside timetabled events. English and Related Literature is part of four different centres: the Centre for Medieval Studies, Centre for Renaissance and Early Modern Studies, Centre for Eighteenth Century Studies and Centre for Modern Studies (from 1830 to present). There are guest lectures, conferences and seminars scheduled regularly throughout the year. You don’t even have to be part of the centre running the event, you can just show up! In most cases, refreshments are also provided. It’s a fantastic chance to listen to experts in the field and make the most of your time at York.
Beyond academia, the department runs Wellbeing Workshops: relaxed sessions usually involving some sort of craft, all free of charge. It’s a great way to take a break and take your mind off of studying.
Social life
York boasts over two hundred societies and if there’s nothing to your taste, it’s simple to set up your own! After having only one English-related society at my undergraduate university, scrolling through the societies page and seeing several different literature societies blew my mind. LitSoc runs events and a book club with a general topic so you can choose your own book. Shakespeare Society puts on two plays a year that you can get involved in. Tipsygate Readers also have a book club roughly once a month and run loads of socials between. Finally, the Jane Austen Society have even hired out York Mansion House for a private Georgian dancing lesson.
Wentworth is the University’s dedicated postgraduate college. If you don’t live in the college, most postgrad students are still affiliated with it. They run events – especially in the first few weeks when everyone is settling in – including coffee meet ups and brunches (and decorating the Christmas tree in reception) so meeting people is much easier. The Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) is a union just for postgrads and organise events on campus, around the city, and even as far as Edinburgh. Having an exclusive postgraduate space was such a big influence in choosing to study at York and it really hasn’t disappointed; both Wentworth and the GSA (and the English and Related Literature department) send regular emails with events happening and there’s usually always something in my calendar every week!
York itself
After studying in a large city, being at a campus university has been a breath of fresh air. Getting across Campus West only takes fifteen minutes. There’s wildlife everywhere and being just out of the city is perfect when it’s Christmas market season. The main campus is still reasonably close to the city centre (a thirty-minute walk on an average day, twenty minutes if a meeting has overrun and you need to get to the cinema before the film starts) and with several different routes you can easily explore everything York has to offer. If you want a quiet Sunday then walking around the lakes or heading over to Campus East is the perfect thing (there are ducks and rabbits galore). There’s so much going on in York that if you want a more active weekend, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
There are walking tours and trails in York and in the autumn The York BID runs Ghosts in the Gardens. Between September and November, a collection of wire sculptures pop up around the city and you could absolutely spend an entire Saturday trying to track them all down if you wanted.
Before coming here, York’s literary connections were part of what drew me to the university. The city is alive with history, there’s no doubt about that. Being so close to the Brontës and Whitby made it the perfect location for me to study Victorian Literature.
I hope I’ve given you a taste of life at York and you’re excited to begin your literature masters. Read more English blogs.
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