MA Black British Writing

This ground-breaking course is timely and necessary, taking black British writing seriously as a discipline.

Why study MA Black British Writing at Goldsmiths?

This degree is a world first. There’s nowhere else you can study black British writing in such an in-depth way – in the actual country where the writing is produced.

It’s timely and necessary. Black and minority ethnic people continue to be massively underrepresented in academia, and texts written by black authors are often missing from university course lists. A degree that takes black British writing seriously is a vital step in increasing intellectual awareness of, and amplifying, these black British voices. In studying this Masters, you will become part of this process.

You’ll be looking at an extremely diverse range of texts, analysing work from novelists, poets, short story writers, essayists, and playwrights. You’ll also locate these writers in their historical context, gaining an understanding of the history of black people in Britain and how they were represented and perceived.

We welcome applications from those seeking academic careers, professionals who are returning to learning, and performers and artists who wish to develop their analytic and critical thinking skills.

Skills:

You will develop transferable writing and oral skills at a high academic level, demonstrating the ability to think and work in an interdisciplinary manner using a range of methodologies. Your ability to work collaboratively and to facilitate and participate in group discussions will be enhanced. You will also develop skills in identifying the socio-cultural, historical, political and literary issues that shape and impact upon contemporary literary and performance texts.

Careers:

The MA’s design allows for a diverse range of applications of its contents to careers including education, counselling, community arts, arts practice, social services, cultural organisations, or towards research degrees (MPhil; PhD). Our courses consolidate the influential presence of contemporary Black British writing. It is recognised as both intrinsic to conceptions of British cultural heritage but also distinctive within the body of British writing.