Scottish Literature/Theology & Religious Studies MA
ABB – BBB at A level, A-level English or another Humanities subject; graduates earn a median £21,500 three years on.
A-level English or another Humanities subject · 85% of entrants came with A levels · 92% stay on after year 1 · Glasgow course page, Discover Uni
What do you need to get in?
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. A contextual offer can be lower for applicants from under-represented backgrounds; none is published for this course.
Glasgow course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
- 1A-level English or another Humanities subject
UCAS tariff points — a points scale for grades: A* = 56, A = 48, so A*A*A = 160. Entrants’ totals include extra subjects.
Other qualifications2
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Scottish Highers | AAAABminimum from S5: BBBB | Higher English and a Higher Humanities subject at AA. (AB or BA may be considered). |
| IB | 34 (6,5,5) | English HL6 or Humanities HL6 with English SL6. |
What do you study?
Compulsory modules this year: arts & humanities 76% · transversal skills 13% · language & communication 11%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Glasgow course page · optional modules vary by year
- Scottish Literature 1B: Stories We Tell Ourselves
What you learn (9)
- describe key periods, writers and ideas in Scottish literary history
- explain approaches used in Scottish literary criticism
- analyse texts from different literary genres
- identify formal features and other literary characteristics in a text
- apply literary and theoretical concepts to discuss course texts
- explain theoretical concepts in written discussion of texts
- conduct research on literary and cultural topics
- produce close readings of literary texts in written form
- present critical arguments clearly in academic writing
- Scottish Literature 1A: The Fantastic and the Real
What you learn (7)
- describe the development of Scottish literary history
- identify key Scottish writers and their ideas
- explain core concepts of literary criticism such as genre, form and point of view
- apply literary criticism concepts to analyse texts in essays
- identify major literary and historical periods and movements
- conduct research on literary texts and present findings in writing
- analyse texts through close reading and wider cultural context
Year 2 · 2 core · 40 credits ≈ 400 hours
- Scottish Literature 2A: Early Scottish Literature & Language
What you learn (10)
- translate sample passages of Older Scots into modern English
- analyse linguistic features of sample Older Scots texts
- identify recurring themes and concepts in medieval literature
- evaluate the significance of medieval literary themes and concepts
- analyse primary texts as independent literary works
- situate primary texts within their cultural and historical context
- identify different genres of medieval literature
- assess the functions served by medieval literary genres
- apply close reading techniques to produce historical and linguistic analysis
- reflect in writing on discussions held during seminars
- Scottish Literature 2B: Early Scottish Literature & Language
What you learn (6)
- outline the historical development of scottish literature from 1550 to 1800
- describe the historical and cultural context of early scottish literature
- analyse texts of scottish ballads
- compare characteristics of oral and literate literary cultures
- explain the function of different literary genres within the period
- reflect in writing on seminar discussions
Year 3 · 14 core · 320 credits ≈ 3,200 hours
- Scottish Literature: Theory and Criticism
What you learn (5)
- differentiate literary criticism from critical theory
- analyse issues arising from applying historicist methods to scottish texts
- explain how various theoretical approaches affect interpretation of a scottish text
- describe key movements in scottish literary criticism since the 1880s
- apply fundamental theoretical concepts to analyse scottish texts
- Alternative Renaissances
What you learn (4)
- distinguish English/European Renaissance literature from Scottish Renaissance literature
- explain how humanist traditions shaped distinct cultural priorities in Scottish literature
- analyse the expression of the Scottish Renaissance within a chosen literary form
- evaluate how such literary material reshapes definitions of the Scottish Renaissance
- Contemporary Scottish Literature
What you learn (7)
- identify major authors and texts in contemporary Scottish literature
- evaluate the significance of key Scottish writers and works since 1979
- identify traditional Scottish literary genres
- assess traditional literary genres in relation to mass media forms
- critique dominant assumptions about Scottish literature and modern society
- outline the evolving features of post-WWII Scottish literary sensibility
- evaluate the possibilities and constraints of the literary forms studied
- Dissertation in Scottish Literature
What you learn (7)
- analyse a chosen topic in depth, covering text and context
- plan an independent research project with clear milestones
- conduct independent research in a structured, efficient manner
- define key terms relevant to a literary debate
- incorporate published critical perspectives into an argument
- construct a sustained analytical argument in extended prose
- synthesise research findings into a coherent written account
- Popular Literary Enlightenment, 1710 - 1790
What you learn (4)
- critique texts across diverse literary genres
- differentiate popular literature from official literature
- describe genres of eighteenth-century scottish popular literature
- explain how these networks shaped popular literary culture
- Textual Editing: Scottish Texts
What you learn (6)
- evaluate editorial choices available when constructing a reading text
- identify the most appropriate editorial decisions for a given text
- produce detailed annotations for a literary text
- assess how book history informs interpretation of literary texts
- assess how descriptive bibliography informs interpretation of literary texts
- discuss current theoretical debates in textual editing scholarship
- Robert Burns
What you learn (5)
- explain burns's significance as poet and song-writer
- assess burns's status as a national and international writer
- situate burns within his historical period
- relate burns's work to scottish literature and culture
- analyse manifestations of the burns cult in popular culture
- From the Beginnings to the Early Modern in Older Scots Literature (1375-1501)
What you learn (8)
- analyse content and style of selected older scots poems
- describe how metre, style and genre interact across different poetic forms
- analyse older scots texts within their literary traditions
- present literary analysis in written form
- present literary analysis orally
- explain the role of supernatural and fantasy elements in medieval scottish literature
- identify the impact of humanism on late fifteenth-century scotland
- discuss the evolution of the lyrical persona in older scots literature
- Memorialising Scottish Culture and Literature
What you learn (5)
- apply theories of narrative and memory to Scottish cultural contexts
- interpret diverse cultural materials to explain the construction of collective memory
- use digital humanities methods to analyse cultural memorialisation
- apply book history and archival techniques to examine cultural heritage artefacts
- apply course skills in a professional work placement setting
- Modern Scottish Poetry
What you learn (7)
- discuss the work of key poets from the period
- distinguish differences in form among poets of the period
- distinguish differences in subject matter among poets of the period
- compare language and imagery used by different poets of the period
- apply literary analysis techniques to poems of the period
- evaluate arguments about national identity in the poetry
- analyse expressions of modernity within the poetry
- Scottish Journeys
What you learn (6)
- analyse genres and styles of writing for distinctive Scottish traits
- produce creative work engaging with contemporary Scottish travel writing concepts
- apply archival research methods to compare related texts
- identify contemporary reviews of key literary texts
- develop independent research topics using appropriate inquiry techniques
- source primary and secondary texts to support extended written work
- Scottish Writers
What you learn (4)
- explain the cultural significance and reputation of selected Scottish writers
- relate chosen Scottish writers' work to their historical and cultural context
- critically evaluate the literary output of selected Scottish writers
- collaborate within a group to produce a research output on a chosen writer
- Scottish Fiction under Late Capitalism
What you learn (3)
- explain the development of contemporary Scottish literature alongside late capitalism
- situate literary texts within their historical and political contexts
- explain how ideological context shapes the present-day relevance of literary works
- Applied Dissertation with Placement in Scottish Literature
What you learn (8)
- evaluate a chosen topic using relevant subject-specific theories and context
- apply academic skills to practical tasks within a professional placement setting
- plan and manage an independent research and placement project
- synthesise independent research findings into a coherent written account
- analyse key concepts and debates relevant to the project topic
- integrate critical and theoretical approaches into written and practical project work
- analyse project outcomes in relation to the wider academic discipline
- reflect on personal graduate attributes developed during the placement
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
Where does it lead?
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 140 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 13, 23
Half of graduates earned between £16,500 and £27,500. Five years on, the median is £29,000. 90% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 65% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 18% left | 92% | 215 |
| In work or study, 15 months on12% studying | 90% | 60 |
| Professional or managerial job | 65% | 40 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £27,000 | 25 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £21,500 | 140 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £29,000 | 150 |
What do students say?
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 62% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 135 students answered
Highest: 99% agreed on question 1; lowest: 72% on question 26.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 99% |
| Question 2 | 98% |
| Question 3 | 98% |
| Question 4 | 93% |
| Question 5 | 92% |
| Question 6 | 91% |
| Question 7 | 90% |
| Question 8 | 74% |
| Question 9 | 81% |
| Question 10 | 78% |
| Question 11 | 86% |
| Question 12 | 88% |
| Question 13 | 89% |
| Question 14 | 75% |
| Question 15 | 94% |
| Question 16 | 95% |
| Question 17 | 85% |
| Question 18 | 75% |
| Question 19 | 79% |
| Question 20 | 95% |
| Question 21 | 86% |
| Question 22 | 95% |
| Question 23 | 91% |
| Question 24 | 74% |
| Question 25 | 74% |
| Question 26 | 72% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Glasgow’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Glasgow is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.