Shaping the world with words.
Writers of literature take us on pleasurable and challenging journeys of the imagination. Studying English helps you read more deeply, in fiction, poetry and critical prose, and take in the sounds and signs of language in the world around you.
Studying English also helps to develop writing skills for your own communication, whether for creative pleasure or for your profession.
At Otago you can study literature from Old English to contemporary poetry and prose, New Zealand literature, post-colonial literature, popular literature such as crime fiction, and critical theory.
We also offer courses in Writing – creative writing, and writing for professional purposes.
Why study English?
Language is power. We use language for the whole range of activities that make us human, from passion to politics; we negotiate through language in every waking moment of our lives. Literature is language at its most effective.
English at Otago is designed to fulfil three main aims: opening up the vast and delightful range of literatures written in English; providing a grasp of the concepts and techniques for analysing texts; and improving communication skills of every kind.
By taking English you will find your perceptions sharpened, your understanding deepened and your enjoyment enhanced - for life. Above all, you will equip yourself for a career in almost any sector of society.
Literature in English embodies a high level of creative insight into human behaviours, preoccupations, politics and passions. By learning about language from its best practitioners, students gain critical skills that are valued by employers, governments and educationalists; skills that are essential for people taking an active role in an open society.
By immersing yourself in literature, you will gain a unique understanding of the roots of society and its cultures and also develop your own powers of analysis, creativity and imagination.
Are you just starting uni?
Learn about studying English as an undergraduate at Otago.
Choose a study option
Whether you are advancing your career with our specialised graduate qualifications or pursuing in-depth research and expertise through our postgraduate programmes, Otago is here to support your aspirations.
Postgraduate qualifications
Honours, masters’, PhDs, and other advanced degrees for graduates. Just one additional year of study will earn you a valuable postgraduate degree. Or perhaps you want the depth of a full year of research-only time during a master’s or to step up to a PhD.
Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons))
A four-year degree focusing on advanced study and culminating in a research project in the final year
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts)
A two-semester programme of structured coursework, and in some cases supervised research, extending the knowledge and skills gained from the bachelor’s degree
Master of Arts (Coursework) (MA(Coursework))
A coursework degree with an optional research dissertation component, usually completed in 12 to 18 months of full-time study, or part-time over a longer period
Master of Arts (Thesis) (MA(Thesis))
A one- or two-year degree entailing a major research project, culminating in a thesis
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Engage in original research leading to a doctoral thesis, supported by comprehensive academic and social networks
Graduate qualifications
Our graduate qualifications are crafted to transition students from foundational studies to advanced, specialised knowledge.
Ready to apply?
Take your expertise to the next level with advanced study.
Programme details
Compare programmes for this subject.
| Papers |
|---|
| ENGL 490Dissertation and two further 400-level ENGLpapers |
| or |
| ENGL 480Research Essay and three further 400-level ENGLpapers |
The Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts) programme in English is the same as the programme for the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons)).
| Dissertation / Studio Project Requirements |
|---|
| ENGL 590 Research Dissertation |
| Two 500-level HUMS papers (worth 60 points) |
| 400-level ENGL papers worth 60 points |
| Papers-Only Requirements |
| Two 500-level HUMS papers (worth 60 points) |
| 400-level ENGL papers worth 120 points |
| Note: Students are able to take one of HUMS 501-503 not already taken as an optional paper in this pathway. |
| Thesis |
|---|
Note: Students who have not completed a Bachelor of Arts (BA(Hons)) in English or a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts) in English must complete the required papers for the BA(Hons) in English prior to undertaking the thesis. |
Papers
View a list of all related papers below.
ENGL papers
| Paper Code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGL120 | 2026, 2027 | Creative Writing: How to Captivate and Persuade | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| ENGL121 | 2026 | English Literature: The Remix | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| ENGL127 | 2026, 2027 | Essentials of Writing | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| ENGL128 | 2026, 2027 | Essentials of Communication | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| ENGL131 | 2026, 2027 | Controversial Classics | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| ENGL132 | 2027 | World Literature, Global Challenges | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| ENGL218 | 2026, 2027 | Shakespeare: Stage, Page and Screen | 18 points | Semester 1, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL219 | 2026, 2027 | Poetry and Music | 18 points | Semester 2, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL220 | 2026, 2027 | Creative Writing: Reading for Writers | 18 points | Semester 2, Semester 1 |
| ENGL222 | 2026, 2027 | Literature and Activism: The Art of Protest | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL223 | 2026, 2027 | Fantasy and the Imagination | 18 points | Summer School, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL228 | 2026, 2027 | Writing for the Professions | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| ENGL230 | 2026, 2027 | Creative Writing for Games and Interactive Media | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| ENGL233 | 2026, 2027 | Literary Theory: From Marxism to Ecocriticism | 18 points | Semester 1, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL241 | 2026, 2027 | Irish-Scots Gothic and the Gothic as Genre | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 1 |
| ENGL242 | 2026, 2027 | New Zealand Literature: Connecting Worlds | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| ENGL251 | 2026, 2027 | Special Topic | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL254 | 2026, 2027 | Magic and Treachery in Medieval Literature | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 2 |
| ENGL277 | 2026, 2027 | Public Prose: Feature Writing, Creative Nonfiction | 18 points | Semester 1, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL311 | 2026, 2027 | Renaissance Literature | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL312 | 2026, 2027 | Literature in the Age of Invention | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL313 | 2026, 2027 | Victorian Literature | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 2 |
| ENGL317 | 2026, 2027 | Modernist Fiction | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| ENGL319 | 2026, 2027 | Poetic Revolt from Soho to Social Media | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 1 |
| ENGL320 | 2026, 2027 | Creative Writing: Crafting Voices | 18 points | Semester 1, Semester 2 |
| ENGL323 | 2026, 2027 | Fantasy and the Imagination (Advanced) | 18 points | Summer School, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL335 | 2026, 2027 | Romantics, Revolutionaries, and the Imagination | 18 points | Semester 2, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL339 | 2026, 2027 | Māori and Pacific Literature | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 1 |
| ENGL340 | 2026, 2027 | Modernism: Joyce | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL341 | 2026, 2027 | Irish-Scots Gothic and the Gothic as Genre | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 1 |
| ENGL342 | 2026, 2027 | Digital Literature: Technologies of Storytelling | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 2 |
| ENGL350 | 2026, 2027 | Special Topic | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL353 | 2026, 2027 | Reading Minds: Literature and Psychology | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| ENGL354 | 2026, 2027 | Monsters and Monstrosity in Medieval Literature | 18 points | Semester 1, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL377 | 2026, 2027 | Public Prose: Feature Writing, Creative Nonfiction | 18 points | Semester 1, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL391 | 2026, 2027 | Poetry and Music | 18 points | Semester 2, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL404 | 2026, 2027 | A Topic in English Language | 30 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL454 | 2026, 2027 | Medieval Misogyny: Subverting the Antifeminist Tradition | 30 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 1 |
| ENGL465 | 2026, 2027 | A Topic in New Zealand Literature | 30 points | Semester 1, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL467 | 2026, 2027 | Special Topic | 30 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL469 | 2026, 2027 | Writing Revolutions: How Modernism Changed the World | 30 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL470 | 2026, 2027 | Storyworlds and Cognition | 30 points | Semester 2, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL471 | 2026, 2027 | A Topic in Romanticism | 30 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL473 | 2026, 2027 | A Topic in 19th Century Literature | 30 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL474 | 2026, 2027 | Special Topic | 30 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL475 | 2026, 2027 | Reading and Writing Crime Fiction | 30 points | Semester 1, Semester 2 |
| ENGL476 | 2026, 2027 | A Topic in English Literature 1660-1800 | 30 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 1 |
| ENGL477 | 2026, 2027 | A Topic in American Literature | 30 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL478 | 2026, 2027 | A Topic in Postcolonial Literatures | 30 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| ENGL480 | 2026, 2027 | Research Essay | 30 points | Full Year, 1st Non standard period (1 July 2026 - 1 June 2027), 1st Non standard period (12 July 2027 - 9 June 2028) |
| ENGL490 | 2026, 2027 | Dissertation | 60 points | Full Year, 1st Non standard period (13 July 2026 - 11 June 2027), 1st Non standard period (12 July 2027 - 9 June 2028) |
| ENGL590 | 2026, 2027 | Research Dissertation | 60 points | 1st Non standard period (27 February 2026 - 19 February 2027), 2nd Non standard period (17 July 2026 - 9 July 2027), 1st Non standard period (5 March 2027 - 25 February 2028), 2nd Non standard period (16 July 2027 - 7 July 2028) |
Contacts
English and Linguistics Programme
School of Arts
Email english@otago.ac.nz
Web otago.ac.nz/english
This information must be read subject to the statement on our Copyright & Disclaimer page.
Regulations on this page are taken from the 2026 Calendar and supplementary material.
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