Science Fiction Studies

[Anonymous No.1824971]

So, /lit/ I hope you guys can help me...

I want to study science fiction, but I can't seem to decide where. My current interest is Liverpool University's SF Studies MA, but that would probably entail me having to do another undergraduate program first (majoring in English or something). I'm graduating in Japanese Language and Literature right now in Brazil and, although I'd rather not have to do another undergraduate course, I think I'll have to anyway.

I'm not really sure if you can help me, /lit/. But I really wanted some insight that goes beyond the inevitable "That degree won't help you with anything" or any of its variants.

tl;dr What would be the best university for a anon that wants to study scifi?
Also, scifi general?

[Anonymous No.1824975]

I know plenty of people who've gotten into graduate programs with degrees even less related to the field they're entering so just try including in application essays good reasons why the Jap lit specialty will help with sci-fi and pretend you'll be specializing in Jap sci-fi - do they even write it?. Sell it as giving you a unique knowledge base they likely don't have represented in anyone else.

[Donne !!1KTjHlHWKsb No.1824997]

I'm at Liverpool at the moment doing English Undergrad. Can give you info on the undergrad course here if you want, and the general English faculty. One first thing is that the SF module that they usually run in the third year here isn't available for this coming academic year, so I don't know what the status would be for the M.A running or not.

[Anonymous No.1825002]

>>1824975
Yeah, I figured I'd have to do something like that. Worst case cenario, they say no and I try for undergraduate. And it wouldn't be a great leap, japanese sci-fi is really unique in some respects.
My final dissertation is on the works of Abe Kobo and how it helped produce a truly japanese take on science fiction that is followed until today, so I guess they do write it.
Anyway, thanks for the feedback. Any idea on which university I should try?

[Anonymous No.1825020]

>>1824997
Oh, man. I would really appreciate if you could give me a rundown of the course, anything you think could help me (reminding you that my country's university system is quite different). I was thinking about getting into undergraduate anyway because I'm not terribly confident on my knowledge of literature from a academic perspective, specially English literature since I didn't study it in high school, only self-taught (Brazilian anon here).

And as for the SF.MA, The Liverpool University site seems to suggest that it is available. Anyway, I'm not terribly concerned since I'll only be able to apply for 2012.