The MA Literary Studies at Leiden University offers you a specialised qualification in one of four languages and cultures, or a comparative perspective on literature and society. You can tailor your degree to match your interests and ambitions, with options to combine majors, take electives across specialisations, study abroad, or pursue an internship.
As a student of Literary Studies, you’ll benefit from the expertise of internationally renowned scholars at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society (LUCAS). You’ll develop a critical and investigative mindset that prepares you to tackle complex challenges in any professional role.
The programme gives you the freedom to customise your curriculum. You can combine majors, take electives from other programmes, study abroad, or do an internship to deepen your focus. This year The Times Higher Education Supplement ranked Leiden University 21st in the world for the study of Arts and Humanities.
This Master's prepares you to become an expert at your respective language and its culture. Our graduates work at different types of organisations, such as education, communication and marketing, government and cultural institutions. Jobs include language teacher, author, content marketeer and speech writer.
Do you want to become an expert on language and culture? Or do you want to study literature and culture from a comparative perspective? Then Literary Studies at Leiden University is the right Master's programme for you. Find out if you are eligible for this Master's programme by checking the admission requirements.
A centre of expertise on languages and cultures of the world
If you’re interested in languages and cultures, Leiden University is the best place to study. The university’s global expertise places our programmes at the top. In Leiden and The Hague, we study languages and cultures from all regions of the world and from prehistory to the present day. In this way, we create a broad view of the world; the key to mutual understanding.
Video: Our experts on Languages and Cultures explain
Due to the selected cookie settings, we cannot show this video here.
Leiden University offers students a rich environment in which to reach their potential.
The right location to study Literary Studies
Leiden University's Faculty of Humanities is consistently ranked among the top 30 Humanities faculties worldwide in the THE World University Ranking. At Leiden University, the oldest university in The Netherlands, you can access the best teaching staff, the latest research, and a wealth of resources found nowhere else in the world. With Leiden’s world famous collections of original manuscripts and periodicals, you have literature at your fingertips.
Research expertise
The Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society (LUCAS) is a leading European centre for research and teaching in languages, literature, art and culture. The Master’s programme in Literary Studies makes full use of the centre’s academic range, with a high-level of individual supervision and the flexibility to customise programmes that is to the benefit of all students.
A centre of expertise on languages and cultures of the world
When it comes to languages and cultures, Leiden University is the university. The global expertise present places our university at the top. In Leiden and The Hague, we study languages and cultures from all regions of the world and from prehistory to the present day. In this way we create a broad view of the world; the key to mutual understanding.
Due to the selected cookie settings, we cannot show this video here.
The Humanities Hub in Leiden houses some great facilities to support your studies—like the AI Lab, Digital Lab, MediaLab, Translation Lab, Journalism Lab, Editorial Room, podcast studio, and film studio. Whether you're into AI, media, or storytelling, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to build hands-on skills. Best of all, these are exactly the kind of skills that stand out on the job market after you graduate. Want to find out more? Take a look here!
Preparing your career
Our reputation means that your qualification is respected by organisations worldwide. Our graduates enjoy successful careers thanks to their broad and global mind-sets, specialised and in-depth knowledge, and strong critical-thinking skills.Our graduates are equipped to solve the challenges facing society now and in the future.
Diversity and inclusion
We are convinced that our education can only flourish if everyone within the programme feels supported, respected and empowered to do their best work. We find it important to offer a learning environment that allows for different perspectives and points of view that students bring with them, depending on their ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, health, religion, age or socio-economic background. Every new generation sees the world from a new perspective – and our students are the newest generation. We look forward to hearing more about your perspective. Leiden University has been pursuing diversity policy since 2014, with the aim of creating a diverse and inclusive learning and working environment for all staff and students.
Due to the selected cookie settings, we cannot show this video here.
Learn the newest insights from established scholars.
This one-year, full-time programme is taught across two semesters. It includes compulsory courses based on your chosen specialisation, elective courses, and a Master's thesis. For detailed information about the curriculum, please check the five specialisations.
All specialisations are available in both full-time and part-time formats. Please note that part-time study does not include evening classes.
Internships
You have the opportunity to do an internship in the Netherlands or abroad. Past internship locations include the Royal Library The Hague, the Dutch Embassy in Paris, and Royal Brill Editions. You’ll need to arrange your own internship and follow the approval procedure.
Extracurricular opportunities
You can participate in community-building events, alumni sessions, and internship information meetings. Student associations also organise cultural and social activities.
Leiden Leadership Programme
If you’re interested in developing your leadership potential, the Leiden Leadership Programme offers training sessions, seminars, and a Personal Leadership Roadmap to help you grow.
Community-building
Throughout the year, the programme hosts events that connect students, alumni, and staff. These include:
Career talks with alumni
Internship information sessions
Cultural and social activities organised by student associations
Masterlanguage Courses
As a literature student, you can take part in Masterlanguage—a national network offering advanced courses in German, English, French, Italian, Classics, and Dutch literature and culture. Courses are taught in the target language and held at universities across the Netherlands.
Career support
The Humanities Career Service provides guidance on internships, career planning, and job applications. You can also join workshops, webinars, and the Mentor Network to connect with alumni.
What others say
"I very much enjoyed doing the Master’s in French Literature and Culture of the Literary Studies degree programme. I chose this master’s because the selection of subjects on offer appealed to me enormously."
Career prospects
This Master's programme prepares you to become an expert in your chosen language and culture. You’ll be equipped with transferable skills such as analysis, communication, research, intercultural competence, and creative thinking.
Graduates work in sectors such as:
Education
Communication and marketing
Government and cultural institutions
Example roles include:
Language teacher
Author
Content marketeer
Speech writer
Teacher qualification
If you are interested in a career in teaching, you can apply for the Dutch-taught teacher-training MA at the ICLON Graduate School of Education after graduating from the master’s programme. To be admitted, you need to have a master’s degree in the relevant discipline. Fluency in Dutch is mandatory, and additional entry requirements may apply. Please visit the ICLON website to learn more about the different teacher training programmes at ICLON.
Laura den Boer
Graduated in French Literature and Culture (MA Literary Studies)
"I very much enjoyed doing the Master’s in French Literature and Culture of the Literary Studies degree programme. I chose this master’s because the selection of subjects on offer appealed to me enormously."
Personal
"I took the master’s together with a small group of students, which encouraged me to take an active role in the tutorial discussions. Taking part in the discussions helped to improve my French oral skills, as well as giving me personal contact with the teachers."
A teaching position
"After my master’s I am going to work in Lille for 6 months, where I will be a language assistant in a secondary school, helping French pupils with their Dutch. After those 6 months I plan to do the Educational Master’s in French Literature and Culture, which will afterwards hopefully provide me with a teaching position in a Dutch secondary school, in which I will be able to apply the knowledge I have gained during my French studies. In all, the degree programme at Leiden has given me a superb grounding for a job in education, because studying the many and varied subjects allowed me to acquire interesting and in-depth knowledge."
Ratna Lachmansingh
Graduated from the MA Literary Studies
Lachmansingh’s love for film runs deep. As a student, she wrote all her papers and theses on films – even though her degree was actually in Literary Studies. ‘During my gap year after high school, I went with a friend to a lecture by Frans Willem Korsten. He asked us to write down who we were. Then he said, “You probably wrote down your name, your age and your study programme, but those things aren’t what you are.” I thought that was wonderful, but also crazy. This was Literary Studies, wasn’t it? So why was it about identity? Then I started looking more closely at the curriculum.’
The Literary Studies programme turned out to be broader than she expected. ‘Through books, films and paintings, you have the chance to look at biology, philosophy, economics. I thought it was fantastic to be able to study society in this way and not have to choose just one subject. This was even encouraged.” In Lachmansingh’s case, that meant a thesis on horror films, like Night of the Living Dead, The Fly and Alien Resurrection. ‘It was so much fun!’
Alongside her studies, she was also involved in film. She soon started volunteering at what was then called the Leids Filmfestival. ‘It was a kind of exploration of what I was good at and what I enjoyed. It turned out that I really liked production: making sure that everything works out fine.’
Lachmansingh was eventually advanced to the position of general director of the Leiden International Film Festival (LIFF). ‘It’s interesting to think more broadly about the festival. Who are we? Where do we want to go? And what do we need to achieve it?’
The graphs below are based on alumni data from the MA Literary Studies 2020 through 2024.
In which sectors do students find jobs?
48 %Education
14 %Communication and marketing
5 %Financial institutions
5 %Healthcare and wellbeing
5 %Government and semi-government organisations
5 %Sport and recreation
3 %Research
5 %Publishing
10 %Other
Career preparation
Find out how this programme prepares you for your future career and check our career preparation activities.
Knowledge and skills
A unique strength on the job market
The Master's programme in Literary Studies at Leiden University equips you with a range of transferable skills and knowledge that will help you stand out in your future career. Your specialised knowledge is complemented by a broad and contextual understanding as well as critical-thinking skills that can be applied to complex conceptual problems. Other skills you may encounter in the various Literary Studies courses are:
Analysis
Oral and written communication
Research
Intercultural skills
Creative thinking
Internships
You have the opportunity to do an internship at an organisation in the Netherlands or abroad. Internships are a great way to gain first-hand experience in your area of interest and deepen your expertise. Organisations that our students have interned at include:
Royal Library The Hague, Koopman Collection
Dutch Embassy in Paris
Royal Brill Editions
Please note that you will need to find your own internship and have to follow an internship procedure for approval. Pursuing an internship may have consequences for the date of your graduation.
Literary Studies Career Colloquium
The Literary Studies Career Colloquium enables you to actively prepare your future career by providing you with information and inspiration. This programme, specially tailored for Literary Studies students, consists of a series of meetings over the year on your personal profile, academic and practical skills.
Humanities Career Service
Due to the selected cookie settings, we cannot show this video here.
Our staff can help you identify both the career that is right for you, and the necessary steps to get you there. Our team at the Humanities Career Service provides all Leiden University Humanities students with professional advice and guidance on everything from internships and career planning to job applications. The Humanities Career Service also organises regular workshops on topics such as effective interview skills and creating a successful CV. Check our video and hear from our alumni how they have benefited from our services!
The Leiden University Career Zone is an online career portal that helps you to prepare for the job market. Here you can find information, tools and tips to help you gain more personal insight, learn about the job market, develop your application skills, plan your academic and professional career, find job vacancies and discover what the Career Service can do for you.
Ask Alumni: Leiden University Mentor Network
Join the Mentor Network to contact alumni with experience on the labour market and ask them for advice. More than 1200 alumni are happy to help you!
Jelle on finding an internship via Leiden University's Mentor Network
Due to the selected cookie settings, we cannot show this video here.
We invite motivated students from around the world to apply for the Master of Arts in Literary Studies. Admission requirements may vary per specialisation, please visit the specialisation of your interest to find out more about the entry requirements.
English Literature and Culture
Application deadlines: starting in September
If you need a visa or residence permit: 1 April
If you don't need a visa or residence permit: 15 May
Application deadlines: starting in February
If you need a visa or residence permit: 15 October
If you don't need a visa or residence permit: 15 November
Application deadlines: starting in September
If you need a visa or residence permit: 1 April
If you don't need a visa or residence permit: 15 May
Application deadlines: starting in February
If you need a visa or residence permit: 15 October
If you don't need a visa or residence permit: 15 November
Application deadlines: starting in September
If you need a visa or residence permit: 1 April
If you don't need a visa or residence permit: 15 May
Application deadlines: starting in February
If you need a visa or residence permit: 15 October
If you don't need a visa or residence permit: 15 November
Application deadlines: starting in September
If you need a visa or residence permit: 1 April
If you don't need a visa or residence permit: 15 May
Application deadlines: starting in February
If you need a visa or residence permit: 15 October
If you don't need a visa or residence permit: 15 November
Application deadlines: starting in September
If you need a visa or residence permit: 1 April
If you don't need a visa or residence permit: 15 May
Application deadlines: starting in February
If you need a visa or residence permit: 15 October
If you don't need a visa or residence permit: 15 November
Your time at Leiden is about more than just studying. Some of your best experiences will stem from being a part of our lively and diverse student community, as well as from life in the beautiful city of Leiden.
Humanities Master’s Buddy Programme
The Humanities Master’s Buddy Programme has been set up by the Faculty of Humanities to help all students who are new to the university to integrate quickly and easily into university life. You will be matched to a buddy who can help you out with your academic and practical questions. Additionally you will be able to attend fun monthly activities and make friends from all over the world.
Leiden has several student organisations that specifically cater for international students. These associations organise regular social events and activities that help create the strong sense of community that exists within our international student body. The main two organisations are:
Erasmus Student Network Leiden (ESN) ESN Leiden is an international student organisation which hosts a range of activities and programmes. They also have a buddy programme which provides new students with the right support to assimilate into Leiden and the university.
AEGEE Leiden AEGEE is a leading European student association with sister organisations in over 40 countries across Europe. AEGEE organises many activities in Leiden, from dinners and pool nights to boat trips and guest lectures.
In August and February each year, Leiden University hosts the English-language Orientation Week Leiden (OWL), which welcomes both international and Dutch students. The OWL is an excellent way to get to know Leiden University, the city, and other students.
Life in Leiden
Picturesque and the perfect size, Leiden is the ideal place to spend your university days. The Faculty of Humanities is located within the heart of the city, where dozens of cafes, shops and bars line its historic laneways and leafy canals. Small enough to run into familiar faces, but big enough to keep offering surprises – you will treasure your time at Leiden. And for adventures further afield, the major cities of The Hague and Amsterdam are a short train ride away, along with Schiphol Airport, which is just half an hour away by train.
Our study and student associations organise a huge variety of social, cultural, and study events to keep you busy all year round. You can also join the University Sports Centre, which offers scheduled group sports and fitness classes, amongst other activities.
Information activities
Get to know us through our online and in-person events for prospective students!
Two speakers at the open day
Are you thinking about joining this Master's programme, and want to determine if it will be the right fit for you? Below, you can browse the events that we have coming up, and sign up to experience Leiden University and the programme for yourself. Alternatively, take a look at the Master Talks videos to find out more about the programme or check out our virtual campus tours!
Upcoming events
Master's Open Days
Master's Open Days
During the Master's Open Days you’ll have the opportunity to learn all about Leiden University’s master's programmes. Attend presentations about your chosen programme(s) or practical matters such as admissions and housing. Get real insight into the content of your preferred master's, along with the career opportunities it will bring.
On the Master Talks: programme videos platform you can find videos for each master’s programme. This includes a video which gives a short introduction to the programme. You can also find the recording of the previous Master's Online Open Days and watch the programme presentation on the platform.
Get to know the campus
Check out our virtual campus tours, filmed in 360 degrees – by dragging the video, you can look around at the surroundings yourself. Below is the video recorded at the Humanities faculty, where most of your lectures will take place; you can also view other 360 campus tours of the various university faculties here.
360 Campus tour: the Humanities faculty
Due to the selected cookie settings, we cannot show this video here.
