▁Irish ▁univers ities , ▁pre domin antly ▁within ▁the ▁ancient ▁English ▁and ▁Scottish ▁univers ities . ▁ ▁England ▁▁ ▁Within ▁the ▁English ▁University ▁system ▁ML itt ▁degrees ▁are ▁not ▁offered ▁in ▁all ▁institutions , ▁nor ▁in ▁all ▁discipl ines . ▁ ▁An ▁M . L itt ▁may ▁be ▁awarded ▁as ▁an ▁alternative ▁to ▁the ▁Master ▁of ▁Philosoph y ▁research ▁degree ▁and ▁is ▁usually ▁placed ▁higher ▁in ▁the ▁hierarchy ; ▁starting ▁with ▁degrees ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁post grad uate ▁Master ▁of ▁Arts ▁( MA ) ▁and ▁Master ▁of ▁Science ▁( MS c ), ▁then ▁Master ▁of ▁Philosoph y , ▁and ▁finally ▁Master ▁of ▁Let ters . ▁Note ▁that ▁this ▁var ies ▁from ▁the ▁position ▁in ▁Scotland . ▁Stud ents ▁att ending ▁English ▁Univers ities ▁may ▁apply ▁for ▁an ▁ML itt ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁instance ; ▁for ▁others ▁who ▁have ▁completed ▁two ▁years ▁of ▁a ▁Doctor ate ▁( such ▁as ▁a ▁Ph D ▁or ▁D Ph il ) ▁and ▁who ▁do ▁not ▁wish ▁to , ▁or ▁cannot , ▁continue ▁with ▁the ▁final ▁year ( s ), ▁there ▁is ▁the ▁option ▁to ▁write ▁up ▁their ▁completed ▁research ▁so ▁far ▁and ▁gradu ate ▁with ▁an ▁ML itt ▁degree . ▁ ▁Scotland ▁▁ ▁The ▁ML itt ▁is ▁awarded ▁within ▁Scottish ▁Univers ities ▁on ▁its ▁own ▁mer it ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁a ▁one - year ▁taught , ▁ ▁or ▁two - year ▁research ▁course ▁of ▁post grad uate ▁study ▁rather ▁than ▁as ▁a ▁sub - Ph D ▁compens atory ▁alternative ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁English ▁model . ▁ ▁The