Click on this text to read an interview with CIRCL Visiting Scholar 2018-19 Dr Haiya Dong about her studies and experiences while at CIRCL in Reading, including of the M(Res) in Children's Literature!

'Be prepared to completely challenge the way you think about interpreting texts and media'; 'take this course if you want to go for a doctorate and actually do something original ... there's no program like it in the States.'

'After a first term I felt the benefits of the [CIRCL] approach in all areas, not just academically, and at the close of [the taught part of the MA] am excited to continue my learning into my dissertation and take the approach into my next steps, in a career and personal sense.'

'This whole year has been an exercise in learning how to think in new and different ways.  I can’t imagine ever finding any program quite like it and I’m glad to have taken part in it.'

'The Children's Literature Masters has been really enjoyable, I loved revisting old childhood favourites and viewing them from a new perspective as well as discovering new authors, critics and opinions on children's literature.'

“I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Always challenging, the course approached and encouraged me to deal with many issues in a rigorously academic way. The work on the course was always innovative and now I can see how the course changed the way I can think about problems and solutions in both academic and non-academic contexts. I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to deal with their own and other’s assumptions in a thoughtful and explorative way."

'With great support from the tutors and friends I have had a wonderful year in exploring and reconsidering the way I have been thinking all my life. In many ways it is my personal journey during which I have learnt a lot, not only about how to (or not to) find an answer but also about how to raise a question. As an international student I would like to say that the MA is very challenging, yet very liberating.'

Click on this text to read an interview with Dr Krissie West about her experiences as a student on the M(Res) in Children's Literature and the CIRCL PhD.

'Intriguing. Challenging. Opens up a whole new world for me. Would recommend the course to anyone who seeks unique ideas and inspiration, especially for the PhD level. All the staff are very helpful and supportive.'

'The Children's Literature Masters has been really enjoyable, I loved revisiting old childhood favourites and viewing them from a new perspective as well as discovering new authors, critics and opinions on children's literature.'

'I know that I would never have thought of undertaking a PhD without undertaking my MA in CIRCL.'

'The MA is like choosing the red pill in the film the Matrix - because you can't look at the world the same way after taking the course!'

'Studying the MA in Children's Literature was an excellent introduction to and preparation for academic practice and further research as it provided me with an opportunity to engage in discussions surrounding the issues addressed by current researchers during CIRCL seminars in a nurturing and supportive environment.'

'I gained much more than I had expected from the MA. The course was not just about children's literature; it led me to reconsider the way I read, think, and argue. It prepared me for my PhD research and had an influence on my whole life. I can sincerely say that the MA in Children's Literature at Reading is worth attending, even if you need to travel all the way from the other side of the earth (which is more or less what I did, as an international student).'