This programme offers students an understanding of British politics based on theoretical, empirical and historical analysis of the development of the British state since 1900. It provides excellent preparation for further academic research or a career in government, a range of related private sector areas, and many kinds of non-governmental organisations.
This core pathway is designed for flexibility, allowing you to choose over half of the MA content from a wide range of optional modules.
In the School of Government and Society we offer much more than a degree. As a student here, whether undergraduate or postgraduate, you have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of events, with some or all of the costs paid for by the School.
This programme offers students an understanding of British politics based on theoretical, empirical and historical analysis of the development of the British state since 1900.
Drawing on extensive staff expertise in the area of British political economy, and offering students a range of options to complement their core studies of British Politics and the State, it provides excellent preparation for further academic research or a career in government, a range of related private-sector areas, and many kinds of non-governmental organisations.
Issues and topics examined include:
One of the real strengths of our masters programmes is the wide range of available modules, giving students the ability to tailor their course of study to their own academic interests.
More information on: Political Science MA (with specialist pathways)
Learning, teaching and assessment
Learning and teaching take place through a variety of means, including:
A range of assessment methods are used on the modular components of the programme, including oral presentations, essays, literature reviews and research papers.
The degree provides excellent preparation for further academic research or a career in government, a range of related private-sector areas, and many kinds of non-governmental organisations.
Skills gained
Students will gain expert training in the following areas:
In addition to specialist training in British politics, students also have the opportunity to choose optional modules covering a wide range of subjects across the disciplines of political science and international relations.
Enhancing your Student Experience
In the School of Government and Society we offer much more than a degree. As a student here, whether undergraduate or postgraduate, you have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of events, with some or all of the costs paid for by the School.
Some of these are targeted to help you build skills and experience for your CV, others are more open events designed to expose you to high-level speakers on current debates relevant to all Government and Society students.
Read more of our students' experiences and profiles on the school website.
Graduates from the School have gone on to work in a range of careers, with recent graduates working with organisations such as the United Nations, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, local authorities in the UK and overseas and the Department for International Development.
The School takes employability very seriously and as well as linking students to the central careers services, also incorporates opportunities to enhance their employment prospects, including highlighting work experience opportunities, encouraging volunteering in extra-curricular projects (such as student seminars and events) and by inviting backgrounds for students to meet.
More information about careers and employability
Careers Networks
The Careers Network provides a dedicated service to help you find work experience or internship opportunities outside of your studies, either part-time during term-time, or over the summer vacation. Right from the start of your degree you will have access to our interactive careers service, through which many regional, national and international employers advertise their vacancies, and your college internship officers will go out and about to find vacancies that will be a useful addition to your CV.
Find out more about support for work experience and internships, bursaries, or mentoring.
This new and unique Masters importantly addresses black writing as a continuum. Its heritage in British culture is considered along a trajectory marked by historical presences as connecting with migratory, indigenous and global perspectives.
Introducing the MA Black British Writing - “It’s a story that hasn’t really been told”
The MA draws upon the expertise of literary, drama and theatre specialists from the Departments of Theatre and Performance and the Centre for Caribbean Studies.
The degree is made up of:
Full-time students study both compulsory modules and two options and write their dissertation across one year of study.
Part-time students select one compulsory module and one option per year across two years and write their dissertation in their second year of study.
Core modules
Option modules
You choose two options from those available in the Department of Theatre and Performance and the Department of English and Comparative Literature.
This could include:
Intermediate exit points
It's possible to exit the programme early with a Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate if specific learning outcomes have been achieved. These options can be discussed with the course convenor.
You will develop transferable writing and oral skills at a high academic level, demonstrating the ability to think and work in an interdisciplinary manner using a range of methodologies. Your ability to work collaboratively and to facilitate and participate in group discussions will be enhanced. You will also develop skills in identifying the socio-cultural, historical, political and literary issues that shape and impact upon contemporary literary and performance texts.
We are oriented towards serving your individual goals and aspirations for self-development; it will generate an articulable body of transferable knowledge and skills.
Besides developing your knowledge of best current research methods and of facts and concepts specific to the featured field of study, the proposed programme will offer training in:
The MA’s design allows for a diverse range of applications of its contents to careers including education, counselling, community arts, arts practice, social services, cultural organisations, or towards research degrees (MPhil; PhD).
Our courses consolidate the influential presence of contemporary Black British writing. It is recognised as both intrinsic to conceptions of British cultural heritage but also distinctive within the body of British writing.
Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.
British Music Studies is a fast-growing research field in today’s musicology.
This pathway takes the broadest perspective on modern British art music, offering case studies in the work of the ‘great composers’ of the tonal idiom such as Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Britten, evaluation of the Anglican choral tradition and the British symphonic tradition, examination of the problematic status of modernism in British music before 1960, and criticism of modernist and postmodernist composition since World War II. Approaches are critical, analytical and sociological, with some reception history as well.
British Music Studies is a fast-growing research field in today’s musicology.
This pathway takes the broadest perspective on modern British art music, offering case studies in the work of the ‘great composers’ of the tonal idiom such as Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Britten, evaluation of the Anglican choral tradition and the British symphonic tradition, examination of the problematic status of modernism in British music before 1960, and criticism of modernist and postmodernist composition since World War II. Approaches are critical, analytical and sociological, with some reception history as well.
You will study two core modules:
You will also choose two optional modules from a range which typically includes:
Full descriptions are available below.
Assessment
Modules are typically assessed by written assignment, and some also require a presentation or examination. You will also complete a 15,000-word musicology dissertation.
Your learning will be enhanced by our facilities and music-making opportunities, including the Bramall Music Building and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group.
Support with academic writing
As a postgraduate student in the College of Arts and Law, you have access to the Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) which aims to help your transition from undergraduate to taught Masters level, or back into academia after time away. The service offers guidance on writing assignments and dissertations for your MA/MSc programme with individual support from an academic writing advisor via tutorials, email and the provision of online materials.
International students can access support for English Language development and skills through the Birmingham International Academy (BIA).
Your degree will provide excellent preparation for employment and this will be further enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University.
The University's Careers Network provides advice and information specifically for postgraduates that will help you to develop an effective career and skills development strategy, and to make the most of your time with us at the University. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team to deliver tailored programmes of careers events and local support.
You will have opportunities to: meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs; attend employer presentations and skills workshops; receive individual guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique; and access to comprehensive listings of hundreds of graduate jobs and work experience opportunities.
You will also be able to access our full range of careers support for up to two years after graduation.
Postgraduate employability: Music
Birmingham's Music postgraduates work in a wide range of careers within and beyond the music world. A postgraduate degree in Music develops a broad base of skills including general skills such as communication, problem solving and research, and also specific skills developed by practice and performance such as self-management, team work and presentation.
Over the past four years, 91% of Music postgraduates were in work and/or further study six months after graduation. Whilst some graduates pursue music-related careers, or go on to teaching and lecturing roles, others choose to use their transferable skills to follow career paths in fields including finance and the public sector.
This course offers you the chance to study Contemporary British History at an advanced level in a strong research environment in central London where you can choose from a wide range of options taught by experts in the field. It also includes economic, social, cultural, political and diplomatic history. Our unique course covering contemporary historiography and research methods leads to careers in research, journalism, the civil service, politics, teaching and finance.
Our Contemporary British History course will provide you with training in and experience of the historical analysis of issues that are central to understanding contemporary Britain. While we focus on the study of British history over the past century, we also recognise that you can’t understand British history without reference to other countries and regions, in particular the Empire/Commonwealth, Europe and North America.
Alongside teaching you the techniques, skills and knowledge relevant to your interests and research needs, we will equip you for both independent research and analysis in primary and secondary material, and train you to write at an advanced level. We will foster your intellectual development and independent learning ability, which you will need to continue your own professional and personal development.
To provide you with a distinctive programme with which to proceed on to a PhD and to study contemporary British history at an advanced level, preparing you for a career both in academia and/or in journalism, the civil service, consultancy, teaching, publishing and elsewhere.
Teaching
If you are a full-time student, we will provide you with six hours of teaching each week through lectures and seminars. We will expect you to undertake 34 hours of independent study alongside this.
If you are a part-time student, we will provide you with two to four hours a week of teaching through lectures and seminars in your first year, and two to four hours in your second year. Alongside this we will expect you to undertake 24 hours a week of independent study in your first year and 12-24 hours in your second year.
For your dissertation we will provide six hours of supervision and we will expect you to undertake 500-600 hours of independent study.
Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.
Assessment
We assess the majority of our modules through coursework, although modules from other departments may differ. We will assess your dissertation module through a 15-000 word essay.
Regulating body
King’s College London is regulated by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
Twentieth century Britain is one of the most exciting areas of modern history. With new documents being released every year and new archives being added to all the time, new researchers are finding an incredible range of topics to explore, examine and reassess.
Ideal for students interested in questions about Britain’s recent past, this course is designed to develop skills in critical analysis and academic research, enabling you to acquire research skills, as well as understand and apply research methodologies to the study of twentieth century British history.
Times Higher Education ranked the Department of History first in the country for its performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework exercise.
MRes programmes offer a unique opportunity to deepen and develop your knowledge of the subject by combining taught elements with research training and an individual research project. They can lead to doctoral research, and will also provide the chance for you to undertake scholarly research as an enrichment of undergraduate study or for career development purposes.
The Twentieth Century British History MRes includes three taught modules:
You will then complete a 20,000-word thesis on an agreed topic which relates to the history of twentieth century Britain and which can be appropriately supervised by a member of academic staff. If you are interested in studying for this degree, you should contact the Department of History with a proposed topic of research so that a suitable supervisor can be found. We strongly encourage you to do this in advance of making your formal application, if at all possible: the sooner you have a clear idea of your basic research field, the better. The research interests and areas of supervision offered by staff in twentieth century British history are broad and embrace all aspects of modern Britain.
The Twentieth Century British History MRes is taught by members of the Birmingham Centre for Modern and Contemporary History (BCMCH) and the Centre for Modern British Studies, which provides an intellectual forum for academic staff and postgraduates working within the field, and provides a base for research both for its members and in collaboration with other institutions.
BCMCH draws together the expertise of the School of History and Cultures, the Modern Languages Department, American and Canadian Studies and the Centre for Russian and East European Studies (CREES) meaning that you’ll be able to gain insight from a range of academics and peers from across the University. It also supports a research seminar series of invited speakers throughout the academic year as well as an annual lecture series and various informal reading groups.
You will also become part of, and contribute to, the lively international community of the College of Arts and Law Graduate School, which offers dedicated research resources and a supportive working environment. Our team of academic and operational staff are on hand to offer support and advice to all postgraduate students within the College.
Your degree will provide excellent preparation for employment and this will be further enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University.
The University's Careers Network provides advice and information specifically for postgraduates that will help you to develop an effective career and skills development strategy, and to make the most of your time with us at the University. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team to deliver tailored programmes of careers events and local support.
You will have opportunities to: meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs; attend employer presentations and skills workshops; receive individual guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique; and access to comprehensive listings of hundreds of graduate jobs and work experience opportunities.
You will also be able to access our full range of careers support for up to two years after graduation.
Postgraduate employability: History
Birmingham’s History graduates develop a broad range of transferable skills that are highly valued by a range of employers. These skills include: familiarity with research methods; the ability to manage large quantities of information from diverse sources; the ability to organise information in a logical and coherent manner; the expertise to write clearly and concisely and to tight deadlines; critical and analytical ability; the capacity for argument, debate and speculation; and the ability to base conclusions on statistical research.
Some of our History postgraduates go on to use their studies directly, for example in heritage, museums or the armed forces; others use their transferable skills in a range of occupations from finance, to publishing, to fundraising. Employers that graduates have gone on to work for include: Royal Air Force; Ministry of Defence; University of Birmingham; Big Lottery Fund; Royal Air Force Museum; and University of Oxford.
This programme provides an intellectually rigorous introduction to Modern British Studies through two core modules and your choice of optional modules.
You will benefit from the expertise of a large number of British historians at Birmingham, who will both teach on the programme and provide expert supervision for your dissertation.
Times Higher Education ranked the Department of History first in the country for its performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework exercise.
You will study four core modules [see full descriptions below]:
You will also choose optional modules to the value of 40 credits (two single modules or one double module). These can be taken from the Department of History or from other programmes offered in the School of History and Cultures, with the approval of the Programme Director. An indicative list of options within History can be found below.
Assessment
Modules are typically assessed by written assignment. You will also complete a 15,000-word dissertation on a topic of your choice.
Learning and teaching on this course takes place via seminars, tutorials, reading texts on theory and methods and your own research on primary sources.
Support with academic writing
As a postgraduate student in the College of Arts and Law, you have access to the Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) which aims to help your transition from undergraduate to taught Masters level, or back into academia after time away. The service offers guidance on writing assignments and dissertations for your MA/MSc programme with individual support from an academic writing advisor via tutorials, email and the provision of online materials.
International students can access support for English Language development and skills through the Birmingham International Academy (BIA).
Your degree will provide excellent preparation for employment and this will be further enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University.
The University's Careers Network provides advice and information specifically for postgraduates that will help you to develop an effective career and skills development strategy, and to make the most of your time with us at the University. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team to deliver tailored programmes of careers events and local support.
You will have opportunities to: meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs; attend employer presentations and skills workshops; receive individual guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique; and access to comprehensive listings of hundreds of graduate jobs and work experience opportunities.
You will also be able to access our full range of careers support for up to two years after graduation.
Postgraduate employability: History
Birmingham’s History graduates develop a broad range of transferable skills that are highly valued by a range of employers. These skills include: familiarity with research methods; the ability to manage large quantities of information from diverse sources; the ability to organise information in a logical and coherent manner; the expertise to write clearly and concisely and to tight deadlines; critical and analytical ability; the capacity for argument, debate and speculation; and the ability to base conclusions on statistical research.
Some of our History postgraduates go on to use their studies directly, for example in heritage, museums or the armed forces; others use their transferable skills in a range of occupations from finance, to publishing, to fundraising. Employers that graduates have gone on to work for include: Royal Air Force; Ministry of Defence; University of Birmingham; Big Lottery Fund; Royal Air Force Museum; and University of Oxford.
This popular Modern History course is focused on European and British history from the mid 18th century onwards and explores the key topics of the period, from European nation building to modern British politics. The couse is designed primarily for those interested in Continental European and/or British History and draws on a wide range of approaches to give you a comparative perspective.
It offers a huge range of options taught by world-leading experts, including modules taught in the Institute of Contemporary British History.
The degree leads to further research or careers in education, journalism, finance, politics and cultural sectors.
The history of modern Europe and Britain has always been central to our teaching. This popular Modern History MA course will give you the skills that you need to study modern history, and you will explore the key topics of the period, from European nation building to modern British politics. We have designed this MA primarily for those interested in Continental European and/or British History since the mid-18th century, and the course draws on a wide range of approaches to give you a comparative perspective. You will also have the opportunity to study a modern language, which will extend the range of sources that you can engage with.
We will help you to make comparisons between the experiences of different societies and polities, a skill that we believe is fundamental to understanding historical issues, and to think broadly, not just in terms of country, period and discipline.
The course will give you access to an exceptionally wide range of optional modules from across the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, as well as other institutions. You can also attend relevant undergraduate lecture series, such as Europe from 1793–1991 and Politics & Society in Britain, 1780–1945.
Institute of Contemporary British History (ICBH)
The Institute of Contemporary British History (ICBH) joined us in September 2010, and it has close links with the Department of History, enabling you to take ICBH modules and participate in Institute activities.
Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHoSTM)
The Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHoSTM) joined us in August 2013. The Centre is one of the most vibrant groups of historians devoted to the study of science, technology and medicine in the world, covering a wide chronological range, and concerned with global as well as national histories. You can take modules offered by CHoSTM and we will encourage you to attend their fortnightly seminar series.
Provides a distinctive programme suitable both for those intending to proceed to a PhD and for those who wish to study modern history at an advanced level. Encourage a broad vision in study that escapes rigid divisions of country, period or discipline.
Teaching
Full-time study: 4-8 hours of taught classes per week.
Part-time study: 2-6 hours of taught classes per week.
Assessment
The taught compulsory and optional modules are assessed by coursework and/or take-home examination. The compulsory 15,000 word dissertation enables students to research a topic of their choice, working one-to-one with an academic supervisor.
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