Monash University: University handbooks: Postgraduate handbook: Units indexed by faculty
Previous page | Next page | Section contents | Title and contents

English

The discipline of English is concerned with the richest and most varied of the world’s literatures, reaching in time from Anglo-Saxon writings of the eighth century to contemporary genre fiction, and in geographical range across all the many nations in which English is a preferred medium for writing. English has also been the source of some of the most exciting theoretical and interdisciplinary advances of recent decades. English at Monash has as its ideal a fruitful interaction of new energies and modes of awareness with the strengths of traditional scholarship and criticism. It offers studies in authors from the middle ages onwards and in many thematic and theoretical fields. It is a world-recognised centre for the editing of scholarly texts, particularly from British literature pre-1800 and classic Australian poetry and fiction and postcolonial literature. Scholarly editions of Henry Handel Richardson and Mary Gilmore, and 19th-century Indian women’s writing in English are among current work in progress. The Monash Library has particularly fine collections in the field of English literature 1660-1800 and has recently acquired a rare database, exclusive to Monash University, in postcolonial studies -- Empire On-Line. Postgraduates are sought in these areas. Other particular strengths lie in women’s writing, Australian literature (including regional studies), children’s literature, literary and cultural theory, literary biography, poetics, the history of the book, the history of authorship and editorial practice and theory, 17th and 18th-century writing and new literatures in postcolonial contexts. Our most recent addition is in the field of creative fiction writing. See also the entry under ‘Comparative literature and cultural studies’ and www.arts.monash.edu.au/prospective/course/postgraduate/study_areas/.

Research strengths and supervision

Particular strengths in the department include pre-1800 British literature, Victorian literature, Australian literature (including its regional and textual character), literary and other biography, women’s studies, literary theory, literature and the history of ideas, poetics, the construction of canons and the newly emerging developments of English studies, postcolonial literature and discourse, law and literature, discourse analysis, children’s literature and discourses of childhood. Supervision is possible in all the above areas, subject to the availability of lecturers. Candidates are requested to consult possible supervisors prior to deciding on their thesis topic.

Research degrees

Supervision of PhD and research masters candidature is available. Refer to the research masters degrees and Doctor of Philosophy entries earlier in this section for details.

Previous page | Next page | Section contents | Title and contents