科克大学

The Higher Diploma in Arts English is a postgraduate qualification intended for students who already have a degree in another subject and who wish to study English intensively. You study a range of second- and third-year English undergraduate modules, over the course of one academic year (full time) or two academic years (part time).

A valuable qualification in itself, the Higher Diploma in Arts in English may also be used as a pathway to further study, and the course is aimed at graduates who may wish to be considered for a subsequent master’s course in English.

The Higher Diploma in Arts English consists of modules to the value of 60 credits taken from a range of existing second- and third-year modules in English. The course runs for one year (full time) or two years (part time). Credits may be made up through a combination of lecture modules (generally 5 credits) and seminar courses (10 credits). Courses covering a wide range of periods and a diverse array of texts and critical approaches are offered every year. The range of courses offered changes every year, but the period of literature covered in modules will always range from the Middle Ages, right through to the twenty-first century.

You can take modules specialising in areas including:

European and American cinema
Irish literature
American literature
Shakespeare
Mediaeval and Renaissance writing
Victorian literature
Modernism and postmodernism
Critical theory
Drama
Poetry
The novel
The short story

This wide range ensures that students accepted to the course should be able to satisfy their individual preferences and chosen areas of specialisation.

Skills and Careers Information

Students gain extensive knowledge of numerous areas of literature in English and different approaches to the study of literature. You will be given numerous opportunities to develop your oral and written communication skills. These skills are much sought after in a wide range of administrative professions, including copy-editing and journalism. Some students take the HDip in English as a way of enhancing their prospects of becoming teachers or of further developing their teaching careers.