MA in Children's and Young Adult Literature

DCU is currently finalising plans for a phased and incremental return to campus, with a view to welcoming all students to the DCU campuses in September. Students should plan to attend face-to face classes in Semester 1 2021-2022. Please see https://www.dcu.ie/attendingdcu-students-studying-at-dcu for more information.

Introduction

The study of children’s literature at the School of English, Dublin City University, has its origins in the long tradition of scholarship in the discipline associated with two of the university’s incorporating colleges: the former Church of Ireland College of Education offered the first postgraduate qualification (a diploma) in children’s literature, in Ireland, in 1992; the former Department of English, at St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, offered the first taught master’s programme in the discipline, in Ireland, in 1997. 

Since September 2017, students at the School of English, DCU, are able to study for the degree of Masters of Arts in Children’s and Young Adult Literature (the only named postgraduate degree in Ireland concentrating on YA literature), which marks an exciting departure for both the discipline and the new school.

From September 2021, the School is delighted to announce the Masters of Arts in Children’s and Young Adult Literature degree programme will now also be offered as full-time option.

The MA programme benefits enormously from the participation of national and international experts in the discipline, as well as from the enthusiastic commitment of its students.

Why Choose the MA in Children’s and Young Adult Literature at DCU?

• The School of English is proud of its ground-breaking history in initiating the academic study of children’s literature as a postgraduate discipline in Ireland.
• Members of the lecturing staff are experts in their fields, publishing and researching widely in the discipline, and co-founding national organisations (such as the Irish Society for the Study of Children’s Literature).
• The programme offers students the opportunity to study children’s and young adult literature in a supportive environment; small class sizes ensure that everyone has a voice, and typically promote a close and mutually supportive relationship between students; lectures and seminars are lively and varied, and promote an interactive and participative environment.
• The wide range of modules on the programme ensures that students get the best opportunity to study their particular interests.
• The programme is supported by the activities of the Centre for Research in Children’s and Young Adult Literature, including talks by world-renowned specialists in the discipline, such as Prof Emeritus Peter Hunt (Cardiff), Prof Emerita Maria Tatar (Harvard), Prof Karen Coats (Cambridge), Dr Marah Gubar (MIT) and Dr Lucy Pearson (Newcastle).
• Students of the programme have access to the special collections of children’s literature held at O’Reilly Library (DCU Glasnevin Campus).