A Masters by Research (MScR) programme is ideal if you would like to complete a short piece of independent research in English Literature. The programme is a good stepping stone to a PhD, but is of equal value as a stand-alone qualification. As a Masters by Research student, you will be part of a wider masters community while specialising in what most interests you right from the beginning of the programme. This is how it is different to a taught Masters (MSc). Our highly flexible programme enables you to complete an MScR degree through a combination of coursework and a final dissertation of 15,000 words. Your coursework will take the form of two essays of 6,000 words on topics related to your research focus. You will also complete assignments in research skills and methods. Research excellence Based on our performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF), over 90 per cent of our research and impact is classed as world-leading and internationally excellent by Research Professional. 69 per cent is graded at the world-leading level – the highest of REF’s four categories. In Times Higher Education's REF analysis, English at Edinburgh is ranked fifth in the UK (out of more than 90 institutions) for: the overall quality of our publications and other outputs the impact of our research on people’s lives our supportive research environment Our interdisciplinary environment brings together specialists in all periods and genres of literature and literary analysis. Given the breadth and depth of our expertise, we are able to support students wishing to develop research projects in any field of Anglophone literary studies. These include: American studies literary and critical theory the history of the book gender and sexuality studies global Anglophone literatures, where our specialisms include Pacific, African, South Asian, and African-American writing We have particular strengths in each of the main periods of English and Scottish Literature: Medieval Renaissance/early modern Enlightenment Romantic Victorian Modernist Post-war 21st century Contemporary Emergent research themes in the department include the digital humanities, the economic humanities, the environmental humanities and literature and medicine. Explore our range of research centres, networks and projects in English and Scottish Literature Go beyond the books Beyond the Books is a podcast from the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at research and the people who make it happen. Listen to a mix of PhD, early career and established researchers talk about their journey to and through academia and about their current and recent research. Browse Beyond the Books episodes and hear our research community talk about their work