Masters Degrees (British)

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- http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-black-british-writing/

Introducing the MA Black British Writing - “It’s a story that hasn’t really been told”
This MA is:
- World first. Nowhere else in the world can you study this field in such a richly, referenced way - in the actual country where the writing is produced.
- Cross-disciplinary in teaching, studies, research. Writing as perceived in its broadest form on and off the page and screen.
- Collaborative. It will be taught by Professor Joan Anim-Addo and Dr Deirdre Osborne, who share its vision and will co-teach the modules.
- Inclusive. We welcome applications from a broad spectrum of people – those seeking academic careers, professionals who are returning to learning, artists who wish to develop their analytic and critical thinking skills.
- Connected to local, national and international research streams. Both tutors have well-established research profiles with publications, and track records in convening public events in the field.

Why is this an important degree?

"“A Master’s degree programme that enables the serious study of the creative and artistic history and achievement of black British novelists, poets, short story writers, essayists, and playwrights.”
Professor R. Victoria Arana, Howard University, Washington DC

At the end of 2011 it was reported that of over 14,000 university professors in the UK, only 50 were black and overwhelmingly, outside the humanities disciplines. This was followed by confirmations that there are still no black managers in British premiership soccer (despite black footballers’ eminence in the sport), no sustained presence of black cricketers in the national team (despite the long-standing presence of the West Indies team in international competitions), and in turn, by findings that no sustained promotion trajectory exists for black police officers into the higher ranks of the police service, (while black males continue to be disproportionately stopped and searched by white police). In the light of such a broader social context, this MA is timely and necessary.

“It will produce path-breaking research and creative production based on this programme’s design, setting and leadership.”
Professor Lauri Ramey, California State University

Many established scholars of contemporary literature working in Britain, Europe, Africa, and Asia occasionally teach a module or two incorporating Black British writers, do research on Black British texts, and publish articles and books on these interests, However, this Goldsmiths MA in Black British Writing means the University of London will break new ground in preparing and empowering scholar-specialists in this growing and exciting field of study.

“I fully endorse this course because I believe in its intellectual and cultural necessity.”
Kwame Kwei-Armah, playwright and Artistic Director, Centerstage, Baltimore

If the humanities are to serve the indigenous multi-cultures of Britain, the building of a critical infrastructure that retrieves, assesses and articulates a fuller compass of inclusion is vital for intellectual and public awareness. In studying this MA, you will become part of this process.

“A landmark for Black culture.”
Hannah Pool, journalist

The MA provides opportunities to experience events featuring many of the writers and practitioners studied. It also gives you contact with contemporary Black British writing, drama and performance from within Britain. You will have access to the Black Plays Archive at the Royal National Theatre as part of fieldwork tasks and further research.

“From my hundreds of visits to schools, colleges and libraries in the last ten years or so, I know there is a hunger out there for black British writing. This course will add to the fabric of British literature.”
Alex Wheatle MBE, novelist

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Deirdre Osborne

Overview

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:

two compulsory core modules
a dissertation
two option modules
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.

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.

Skills

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:

discerning vital literary and dramatic roots
recognising how the dynamics of creative and cultural movements interrelate
exchanging information effectively within a variety of intellectual, creative arts, and local communities

Careers

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.

Funding

Please visit http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/fees-funding/ for details.

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Our MA in Contemporary British History offers you the chance to study twentieth-century British history at an advanced level in an outstanding research environment, located in central London. You can choose from a wide range of options taught by well-known experts in the field. Our course is wide-ranging and includes British economic, social, cultural, political, military, imperial, and diplomatic history, as well as the history of British science, technology and medicine.

Key benefits

•One of the best history departments in the world, ranked 5th in the UK (REF 2014) and 17th in the world (QS 2016) for History
•Wide-ranging and multi-faceted approach to contemporary British history, working across and between disciplines, with leading practitioners
•Our unique location in the heart of the British administrative centre with unrivalled access to library and archival resources and easy access to resources in Europe, as well as a wide range of experts (within and beyond the university) in contemporary history and politics
•Opportunity to attend regular research seminars in contemporary British history within the Department and at the Institute of Historical Research, and engage with other public-facing initiatives such as History & Policy, Historians in Residence, and the Strand Group
•Our specialist historiography and methodology course for MA students, including oral history and archival training, and access to an extensive range of expert dissertation supervision in an unrivalled range of topics


-Visit the website: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-courses/contemporary-british-history-ma.aspx

Course detail

- Description -
Our programme provides training in and experience of historical analysis of issues of importance for the understanding of contemporary Britain. It focuses upon the study of British history across the twentieth century, but assumes that British history must be understood in relation to other countries and regions, and in many dimensions.

Alongside the development of techniques, skills and knowledge relevant to your interests and research needs, the programme aims to equip you for both independent research and analysis in primary and secondary material, and writing at an advanced level, thus fostering your intellectual development and independent learning ability required for your continuing professional and personal development.

It is principally taught by staff within Department of History and includes teaching staff who between them offer expertise in political history, social and cultural history, gender history, religious history, the history of warfare, economic history, imperial history and the history of science, technology and medicine. Students can also apply to take relevant modules from other King’s MA programmes, for example from English, Political Economy, and War Studies, drawing on more specialised approaches to understanding British politics and society in the twentieth century.


- Course purpose -
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.

- Course format and assessment -

Teaching

If you are a full-time student, you will have six hours of teaching each week through seminars, where you will contribute to the discussion and deliver presentations, and we will expect you to undertake c.34 hours of self-study.

If you are a part-time student, you will have two to four hours of teaching each week through seminars, where you will contribute to the discussion and deliver presentations, and we will expect you to undertake 12 to 24 hours of self-study.

For your dissertation, you will have six hours of one-to-one supervision, and we will expect you to undertake between 500 and 600 hours of self-study.

Assessment

We will assess you mostly through coursework, although some optional modules may differ. For your dissertation you will write a 15,000-word essay on a research a topic of your choice, working one-to-one with an academic supervisor.

Career prospects

Research in our department or elsewhere; civil service; teaching, journalism and politics.

How to apply: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/taught-courses.aspx

About Postgraduate Study at King’s College London:

To study for a postgraduate degree at King’s College London is to study at the city’s most central university and at one of the top 21 universities worldwide (2016 QS World University Rankings). Graduates will benefit from close connections with the UK’s professional, political, legal, commercial, scientific and cultural life, while the excellent reputation of our MA and MRes programmes ensures our postgraduate alumni are highly sought after by some of the world’s most prestigious employers. We provide graduates with skills that are highly valued in business, government, academia and the professions.

Scholarships & Funding:

All current PGT offer-holders and new PGT applicants are welcome to apply for the scholarships. For more information and to learn how to apply visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/funding/sources

Free language tuition with the Modern Language Centre:

If you are studying for any postgraduate taught degree at King’s you can take a module from a choice of over 25 languages without any additional cost. Visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/mlc

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In the first term, students on the course will be offered an intensive training programme consisting of classes, seminars, workshops, individual and group assignments. Each student will take a compulsory core readings course in Modern British history. This course will include weekly classes on major themes, historiography, and methods, based on key readings, so that students come to a foundational understanding of central themes in Modern British history.

Students will also choose two Options, one in Michaelmas Term and one in Lent Term, from a range of Options in British history and historiography.

From the first term students begin research for a 15-20,000-word dissertation, working closely with a supervisor.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/hihimpmbh

Course detail

By the end of the programme, students will have acquired:

1. a firm grasp of the historiographical debates in Modern British History;
2. research skills relevant to the specific area in which they will have written a dissertation;
3. the ability to situate their own research findings within the context of previous and current interpretative scholarly debates in the field.

Format

1. Compulsory core option, Michaelmas Term, taken from the core course ‘Readings in Modern British History and Historiography’. The core course focuses on key debates in British political, social, cultural or economic history. The following fields will be covered: the industrial revolution; the language of the social order; faith and secularisation; democracy; liberalism; the impact of empire; gender history. Students will attend weekly classes on these major themes, based on key readings, in order to come to a foundational understanding of key themes in British history. The final essay, of a maximum of 4,000 words, will be assessed and worth 10% of the final MPhil mark.

2. One option in Michaelmas Term and one option in Lent Term. Weekly classes on broad but more specialized topics, such as ‘the long eighteenth century’, ‘class and social mobility in the long twentieth century’, ‘history and public policy’. Each of these modules will require an essay (maximum word length of 4,000) which will count for 10% of the final mark for the MPhil (so all three modules, including the core course essay, will count for 30% of the final degree mark). In addition, each Option will incorporate a presentation (unassessed) for each student.

3. Dissertation. Those who satisfactorily complete this programme of study will continue on to a research project, closely supervised by one of Cambridge’s outstanding group of historians of Modern Britain. The dissertation, of between 15,000 and 20,000 words, will be submitted by the middle of June. This dissertation is worth 70% of the final mark in the degree.

4. Research seminar. The students are asked to regularly attend at least one seminar offered by the Modern British history subject group (among which the Modern British history, Modern Cultural History, Irish history, British social and economic history) and to engage in the discussion.

5. Graduate training. Alongside regular presentations and debates with the Options, a graduate workshop or ‘training day’ will take place late in Lent Term at which students will present their work to other students and to the Faculty involved in the Modern British history MPhil. This workshop provides an excellent opportunity to exchange with other students as well as senior historians about their present work, their achievements and difficulties, and to learn a variety of presentation skills.

Continuing

In order to be considered for continuation to the PhD, and always subject to satisfactory supervision arrangements being in place, students are expected to obtain an overall mark of 70 for the MPhil and a mark of at least 70 for their dissertation.

Please see the Faculty website for more information:

http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/prospective-graduates/apply/apply-mphil-phd
http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/prospective-graduates/apply/apply-ltc-home

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

Please see the History Faculty’s Funding Guide via the History Faculty’s weblink below:
http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/prospective-graduates/faculty-funding/funding-options

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

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The British Studies MLitt is the only interdisciplinary Masters course in British Studies in the UK. It brings together four key disciplines from across the humanities – History, Literature, Philosophy and Archaeology. It allows students to develop their interest in any aspect of British identities, across disciplines and centuries, and offers an excellent foundation for independent research.

You will explore the shifting meanings of Britishness, from the Roman era to the present day, with experts who are highly research active. You will examine a variety of representations and articulations of Britishness, exploring how British mentalities and identities have been experienced by people from all backgrounds - both in the UK and abroad - and questioning the idea of Britishness.

You will be trained in interdisciplinary approaches to the study of identities and in a range of research skills and methodologies, equipping you to pursue doctoral research in a selection of disciplines. You will gain hands-on skills in digital humanities and your dissertation will give you the opportunity to work closely with a range of local museums and archives. You can also gain ‘practical’ academic experience in conference organisation, public speaking, networking and virtual research environments.

Special Features

• Loans for tuition fees are available from the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for eligible Scotland domiciled and EU students, and loans for living costs for eligible Scottish students.
• Interdisciplinary postgraduate training in the Humanities
• Opportunities to work with one of our partners in the region’s heritage sector (Inverness Museums and Galleries, Historic Scotland, Highland Archive Centre)
• Opportunities to participate in the Hub for the Study of British Identities, an online virtual research environment (VLE)
• Opportunities for digital humanities training
• Available in the Highlands and Islands or online from anywhere in the world
• Ideal for students who have undertaken a joint-honours or liberal arts undergraduate degree, but designed in a way to support students who are new to interdisciplinary research or the individual disciplines that form part of this course
• Opportunity to undertake a substantial interdisciplinary research project
• Opportunities to study additional modules from across the Humanities

Modules

PgCert

Three core modules (60 credits) from the following: British identities; Imagining the nation; Philosophy and British identity: Adam Smith and the virtues of modernity; Britain begins: archaeological background to British studies.

PgDip

You will choose the remaining core module from those listed in the PgCert plus two option modules which may include: The British Empire; Britishness and sport; Global Scots; Primary sources in History (MLitt History); Varieties of History (MLitt History); An elective from History or other subject area.

MLitt

To achieve the award of MLitt British Studies you must complete an interdisciplinary research dissertation.

Locations

Inverness College UHI, 1 Inverness Campus, Inverness, IV2 5NA
Orkney College UHI, East Road, Kirkwall, KW15 1LX
Shetland College UHI, Gremista, Lerwick, ZE1 0PX
The Centre for History UHI, Burghfield House, Dornoch, IV25 3HN

Funding

From 2017, eligible Scotland domiciled students studying full time can access loans up to 10,000 from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).This comprises a tuition fee loan up to £5,500 and a non-income assessed living cost loan of £4,500. EU students studying full time can apply for a tuition fee loan up to £5500.

Part-time students undertaking any taught postgraduate course over two years up to Masters level who meet the residency eligibility can apply for a for a tuition fee loan up to £2,750 per year.

See Scholarships tab below for full details

Top reasons to study at UHI

Do something different: our reputation is built on our innovative approach to learning and our distinctive research and curriculum which often reflects the unique environment and culture of our region and closely links to vocational skills required by a range of sectors.
Choice of campuses – we have campuses across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Each campus is different from rich cultural life of the islands; the spectacular coasts and mountains; to the bright lights of our city locations.
Small class sizes mean that you have a more personal experience of university and receive all the support you need from our expert staff
The affordable option - if you already live in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland you don't have to leave home and incur huge debts to go to university; we're right here on your doorstep

How to apply

If you want to apply for this postgraduate programme click on the ‘visit website’ button below which will take you to the relevant course page on our website, from there select the Apply tab to complete our online application.
If you still have any questions please get in touch with our information line by email using the links below or call on 0845 272 3600.

International Students

If you would like to study in a country of outstanding natural beauty, friendly communities, and cities buzzing with social life and activities, the Highlands and Islands of Scotland should be your first choice. We have campuses across the region each one with its own special characteristics from the rich cultural life of the islands to the bright city lights of Perth and Inverness. Some courses are available in one location only, for others you will have a choice; we also have courses that can be studied online from your own home country. .http://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/studying-at-uhi/international

English Language Requirements

Our programmes are taught and examined in English. To make the most of your studies, you must be able to communicate fluently and accurately in spoken and written English and provide certified proof of your competence before starting your course. Please note that English language tests need to have been taken no more than two years prior to the start date of the course. The standard English Language criteria to study at the University of the Highlands and Islands are detailed on our English language requirements page http://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/studying-at-uhi/international/how-to-apply-to-uhi/english-language-requirements

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This MA in the History of the British Isles will deepen your appreciation of the distinctive political, social and cultural aspects of the British and Irish historical experience, from the Reformation period to the present day, while also fostering your awareness of values and experiences the British and the Irish share with their European and global neighbours. This Master's degree considers the constituent countries of the British Isles - England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales - and asks how and why the geographical and political entities that are Great Britain, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland came into being.

The pressing current day issue of devolution is encouraging discussions about the formation of nation-states and national identities which feed into debates amongst historians about whether the territorial state is the most useful or constructive means of assessing historical developments and how the creation (and re-creation) of national identities relate to religion, race, gender and class.

The core module will introduce you to the systematic study of historiography and the methodologies used in the analysis and interpretation of historical source material. You can explore the enormous breadth of research interests in the department via the 3 option modules you choose, which span from the ancient period to the contemporary moment. This programme will enable you to engage with the most important and up-to-date themes, debates and historiographies in the study of the British Isles.

Finally, the dissertation gives you the chance to pursue your own interests and undertake your own research and critical thinking under the supervision of a member of staff with relevant expertise. By drawing on the expertise of staff directly engaged in English, Irish and Scottish research areas, the programme provides support and encouragement if you want to go on to pursue independent, professional or PhD research, develop new skills in relation to existing careers, or simply deepen your own understanding of the richness, diversity and complexity of the British historical experience in comparative perspective.

Key teaching staff on this programme

Course director: Professor Jerry White.

Other staff who teach on this MA programme include:

Dr Laura Stewart
Dr Sean Brady
Professor Joanna Bourke
Dr Jan Rueger
Professor Frank Trentmann
Professor Vanessa Harding
Professor David Feldman.

Why study this course at Birkbeck?

Arts and humanities courses at Birkbeck are ranked third best in London and 11th in the UK in the Times Higher Education 2015-16 World University Subject Rankings.
This exciting, collaborative Master's degree offers you the chance to use the British Isles as a focus for the study of broad historical themes.
You can follow, further develop and enhance your own interests, with a wide choice of option modules, while improving your research skills and undertaking a dissertation in an area that interests you.
Our Department of History, Classics and Archaeology is one of the leading research and teaching departments for history in the UK. It is ranked 6th in the UK for the percentage of our research deemed world-leading or internationally excellent.
Our academic staff are international authorities in their fields, delivering stimulating, research-led teaching.
Our department is home to thriving student societies and a number of affiliated research centres that actively run seminars, conferences and other events where some of the world's best scholars present their latest research. These include the Pears Institute for the Study of Antisemitism, the Raphael Samuel History Centre and the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities.
We are located 5 minutes' walk from the British Museum and the British Library, while the Museum of London is easily reachable. The Institute of Historical Research is located in Bloomsbury, near the main Birkbeck campus, and has an internationally renowned library collection and seminars that you can attend.
Birkbeck Library has an extensive history collection, including the major specialist journals, and access to online materials.

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Britain was the world’s earliest modern democracy, its first industrial nation and, until the era of the superpowers, the greatest modern empire. Even today, Britain retains global reach, known for its cultural innovation, its economic power, its particular brand of politics, and its sustained international ambitions.

On this MA, you will study British history from the nineteenth century to the present, and develop an advanced understanding of historical approaches and research methods. You will also have the opportunity to take part in the high profile activities of the Mile End Group (MEG). Working with the School of History, MEG has unrivalled links to government, think tanks, the media and industry.


This programme will:

- Expose you to the major themes in 19th, 20th and 21st century British history and will challenge you to think about how historians research and explain them
- Concentrate on politics, contemporary politics, international affairs, war and its memory, gender and emotions
- Allow you to design a bespoke programme that reflects your interests
- Give you exceptional research skills

Why study Modern and Contemporary British History at Queen Mary?

Our high-quality teaching is inspired and informed by our research, and carried out in a friendly atmosphere. Our academic staff have outstanding research reputations and include six Fellows of the British Academy, the former President of the Royal Historical Society and two recipients of the French distinction of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques.
We have been renowned for excellence in the modern and contemporary history of Britain for over 25 years. Now, with 15 British historians, the School of History have research and teaching expertise from the nineteenth century to the twenty-first and their research specialities range from the history of government and politics, foreign affairs and war to gender, emotions, medicine and psychology.

The Mile End Group seminar series attracts major speakers from national politics, the civil service, industry and the media. Recent speakers include Sir John Major, Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, Jeremy Paxman, Lord Melvyn Bragg, Lord Douglas Hurd and John Bercow MP. They are an unrivalled forum in which students work and study and gain access to influential figures.
Members of the School co-convene seminars at the Institute of Historical Research and host regular international symposia.

-We have an excellent reputation for research and teaching in modern and contemporary British history
-Three fully funded Mile End Group bursaries are offered annually
-Our London location is close to research libraries, the Institute of Historical Research, and the National Archives

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A pathway degree combines specialisation with flexibility. It is suited both to those of you who are beginning a journey towards a PhD in a particular field, and to those of you who wish to further develop undergraduate or personal interests. The pathways have emerged from clusters of excellence and expertise in the Department and relate directly to our Research Schools of Architectural History and Theory, British Art, Medieval Art and Medievalisms, Modern and Contemporary and Sculpture Studies. We therefore have concentrations of staff working in these areas, and related lectures, colloquia and site visits taking place.

The British Art pathway

If you select the British Art pathway you could choose options from different periods spanning from the Anglo Saxon to the contemporary. In order to complete the degree, at least two of your four option modules and your dissertation must be completed in British Art. Beyond this, the programme structure provides the flexibility for you to either specialise entirely in British Art, or to select up to two of your option modules from art history modules outside the field, or from modules offered by other humanities departments and interdisciplinary centres. Training will be offered in both general and pathway-specific research skills, which will prepare you for the development of a sustained independent research project for your dissertation, on which you will work closely with an academic supervisor who is expert in the field.

Degree Structure

Taken full-time, the one-year MA in History of Art (British Art) consists of:
-Autumn and Spring Terms: A core module focusing on Research Skills and Methods in History of Art, including pathway-specific sessions.
-Autumn Term: Two taught modules of your choice; an option is always offered on historiographical and theoretical approaches to art history.
-Spring Term: Two further modules of your choice.
-Summer Term and vacation: A dissertation of 15,000-20,000 words.

Taken part-time over two years, you would do one option in each of the Autumn and Spring terms, and work on your dissertation during the Summer terms and summer vacation.

Each option is taught by weekly two-hour seminars and assessement is in the form of a 4,000 word essay. Field-trips to view art and architecture are included in the programme, as appropriate.

The Research Skills and Methods in History of Art module, which is taught on a fortnightly basis across the Autumn and Spring Term, culminates in the production of a dissertation synopsis, on which the module is assessed.

The programme culminates in the production of a 15,000-20,000 dissertation, produced under the supervision of a member of staff. The work accounts for 50% of the final degree mark.

Background

We welcome students who have previously studied history of art, but also those from other backgrounds.

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Our British History MA is the only one of its kind in the UK. It provides you with the opportunity to study the political, social, economic and cultural history of the British Isles. We offer intensive teaching in the methodologies and concepts used by historians.

The course covers a wide range of British history from early medieval to modern periods and includes historical methodology and concepts, ideas and influences, reform and reaction.

There is flexibility in the choice of taught modules to allow you to be able to study the periods of history and subjects that most interest you. For the part-time route the selection of modules to take and their timing will be decided in consultation with the Degree Programme Director. We offer an optional independent study project as well as the compulsory dissertation.

Delivery

You will take compulsory modules in British History and choose the remaining credits from MA modules within the School of History Classics and Archaeology, or another School that is of interest and relevance.

Alternatively you may wish to incorporate one or more independent study modules into your course, allowing you maximum flexibility to pursue your own interests. It is also possible to study an additional language as part of your skills enhancement, at a range of levels from beginners to advanced.

The taught modules are delivered through a combination of:
-Lectures
-Seminars
-Individual tutorials
-Self-directed learning

You then complete a dissertation on any period of British history.

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MFA Acting (The British Tradition)

This course is rooted in practice, designed with international graduates in mind. Studying here will help you to develop a conceptual understanding of the practice of the British tradition, providing you with a progression route to an acting career or to further study at MPhil or PhD level.

It is delivered through various modes of study, such as research through practice, practice-based learning, workshops, performances, lectures and seminars as well as private study. This provides you with the experience of working in a range of styles and genres.

You will study modules taking you through the British tradition of theatre from the Middle Ages to the modern day exploring a range of acting techniques.

Modules include:

• Acting, Movement, and Voice Skills
• Shakespeare/Jacobean
• Contextual Studies
• Well-made play
• Contemporary Playwrights
• Professional development

There will also be a final research project which may be either practice or dissertation based.
This professionally oriented course has a high number of contact hours and requires students to be highly motivated and committed.

Employability

Graduates of the course will return to careers in the performance industry or in education with additional skills and a clearer understanding of British actor training and style, which will increase employment opportunities and give graduates a competitive edge in a highly competitive field.

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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.

You will study four core modules :
New Directions in Modern British History
Sites and Sources in Modern British Studies
Historical Methods: Research Skills
Research Methods & Skills: Dissertation Preparation.

All core modules are assessed by 4,000-word essay.

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 - assessed by 4,000-word essay - or from other programmes offered in the School of History and Cultures, with the approval of the Programme Director.

You will complete the MA with a 15,000-word dissertation on a topic of your choice.

About the School of History and Culture

The programmes in the School of History and Cultures offer students enquiry based learning within a rich and diverse environment to stimulate debate and challenge conventional thinking.
The programmes derive from departments which are all excellently rated by the QAA both in teaching and research terms (Medieval History 5, Modern History 5 and African Studies 5*). Our staff publish widely, and we are developing and consolidating a strong, supportive research culture in the School.
We are extremely proud to announce in June 2016, that History at Birmingham was ranked the top research department in the country by the Research Excellence Framework (REF). The national REF exercise assessed research publications and the public impact of research carried out in all universities in the UK between 2008-2014. Our department had an impressive 45% of its research judged to be ‘world-leading’.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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The PG Diploma in Railways Studies is designed to give students an alternative perspective on railway history, and the course will provide a better understanding of how academics have investigated the social, cultural, political, business, economic, and technological aspects of British railway history between 1825 and 2002. Those successfully completing the diploma are expected to come away from it thinking about railway history differently from when they started the course, and the programme overall will act as a bridge from an ‘amateur’ interest in railways to becoming part of the ongoing academic discourse.

The programme starts in late September/early October each academic year – places are limited to ensure a constructive atmosphere for discussions.

This is a part-time, postgraduate-level programme delivered wholly online in a fully-supported learning environment. Students can exit with a Postgraduate Certificate after successful completion of the first year if their circumstances change.

Overview

-To provide students with knowledge of the academic debates regarding different aspects of British railway history between 1825 and 1920s
-To give students knowledge of how the building and development of Britain’s railways in the Victorian period changed the nation socially, economically and politically
-To provide the students with an understanding of how and when railways’ operational and managerial systems were developed, refined and advanced before 1914
-To provide students with knowledge of how labour relations changed within the British railway industry before 1926, and how the railway unions developed
-To provide students with an understanding of the potential causes of the declining profitability of British railway industry after 1870
-To demonstrate the complexity and diversity of events in the past, and the range of problems involved in the interpretation of complex, ambiguous, conflicting and often incomplete material • To equip students with the analytical tools to effectively interrogate the worth of primary and secondary source material pertaining to the history of the British railway industry
-To encourage students to develop their own views on different historical debates in the academic literature and to think creatively about the topics they are studying
-To provide a supportive and stimulating postgraduate environment enabling students to work independently within a clearly defined structure of regular discussion and supervision
-To provide students with knowledge of the academic debates regarding different aspects of British railway history between 1920s and 2002
-To give students with an understanding of the debates in government and in public surrounding what the social and economic role of British railways should be
-To provide students with an understanding of how government changed the structure of the British railway industry after the First World War
-To impress on the students the importance of studying emotive or controversial historical events in an objective manner.

Structure

This part-time two-year programme will comprise six 20-credit modules:
Year One
-The Coming of the Railways to Britain, 1825-1900
-The Declining Profitability of the Railway Industry, 1870-1914
-British Railway Workers, 1825-1926

Year Two
-The Role of the Railways: Railways and Government,1888-1939
-The Railways and Society: The Railways After the Second World War, 1945-1968
-Privatising British Rail, 1987-2002

Students will be required to complete all these modules in the first instance, though additional modules may be added in the future to accommodate future programme growth and offer a broader learning experience.

Assessments will comprise a balance of short and long critical essays, book reviews, short research projects and other similar tasks.

Online Study

Our approach to e-learning is distinctive and may be different from your general perceptions about online study:
-Flexible, fully supported, modular delivery
-Taught exclusively online
-Two stages: Certificate and Diploma. Each stage typically takes 12 months
-Comprises six distinct modules
-Part-time study (approximately 15 hours per week) allows participants to structure their learning around the other life circumstances

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This postgraduate course promotes the necessary interrelationship of these two elements and the application in planning, delivering and reviewing one's own professional interpreting work. Fundamental to progression within the programme is the development of BSL competence with particular emphasis on the appropriate use of sign to understand and respond to complex information in the workplace. You will develop the advanced level of understanding and fluency required to contribute to high level discussions and explore the appropriate registers and discourse styles for presenting and delivering formal, prepared, technical information.


Key elements of the course focus on promoting understanding and competence required for undertaking the role of a BSL/English interpreter. Training and support strategies will be studied, alongside issues of the values, practices and professionalism of interpreters and their relationship with personnel in allied occupational roles. At this stage, you will also receive initial coaching in skills, strategies and models for interpreting practice.
This is a two-year part-time course for those seeking to attain professional status as British Sign Language/English Interpreters. The course is mapped with the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD), allowing graduates to register with NRCPD. This course will enable those currently practising to improve their skills and work towards nationally recognised professional and academic qualifications. The course focuses on interpreting skills development including Level four British Sign Language (BSL) tuition.

The taught sessions occur on six two-day blocks a year (one weekend a month, every other month, commenting in January), with accessible coaching and support structures available in between teaching weekends. Students on this programme will benefit from high quality learning opportunities designed for people who wish to maintain their career while engaging in further development of their professional competence. This course offers you a very strong and experienced teaching team, drawing upon leading edge research and conceptual frameworks; innovative teaching practices and materials, including on-line tutor support; plus good staff/ learner ratios aimed at providing an effective learning environment.

Modules:

Year 1

Principles of Sign Language Interpreting
Interpreting as a Profession
Developing BSL Performance

Year 2

Spoken English as a Source and Target Language
From Translation to Simultaneous Interpretation
Interpreting Practicum

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The PGDip in British Sign Language/ English Interpreting and Translation includes theoretically based knowledge of language, linguistics and culture required in order to understand the various client groups’ language choices and interact appropriately with them, and the practical language manipulation skills that are required of competent interpreters. Successful completion of the PGDip allows students to register with the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind people (NRCPD)

The course will promote the necessary inter-relationship of these two elements and apply them in strategies for planning, delivering and reviewing your own professional interpreting work. The overall aim of this postgraduate course is to produce practitioners with high order interpreting skills who will be able to interpret between Deaf people whose first or preferred language is BSL and the many hearing people with whom they interact.

Those who successfully complete the PGDip are eligible to apply to the top-up MA.

INDUSTRY LINKS

NRCPD BSL/English Interpreter Register

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND ASSESSMENT

Deaf Studies Language laboratory, work based interpreting assignments, classroom based lectures, workshops, seminars eLearn discussions.

Written assignments, BSL Presentations, self-evaluations, PDP, AV interpreting evidence in live and simulated settings.

OPPORTUNITIES

Successful students will be eligible to register and work as Professional British Sign Language interpreters.

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The MA Medieval British Studies programme will allow you to develop a broad knowledge of the medieval period in the British Isles in this interdisciplinary programme.

Taught by medievalists active in the Centre for the Study of Medieval Society and Culture, you will discover fresh perspectives, building skills across medieval history, archaeology, English literature and Welsh.

We offer the flexibility to specialise to suit your interests and opportunities to evaluate a wide range of sources through newly-acquired skills such as palaeography and Medieval English or Latin.

Distinctive features:

• Flexible, geared to your interests.
• Opportunity to work closely with a research mentor on specialist options.
• Draws on a stimulating and supportive learning environment, with a wide range of chronological, geographical and thematic expertise.
• Close links with interdisciplinary research groups, including the Centre for the Study of Medieval Society and Culture, and the Centre for the Crusades.

Structure

You take a mix of core and optional modules totalling 120 credits over two semesters (full-time) or four semesters (part-time).

On successful completion of the taught stage you will progress to your dissertation (60 credits). You research and write a dissertation (20,000 words) on a topic or theme of your choice in consultation with academic staff.

Core modules:

Approaches to Medieval History
Skills and Methods for Postgraduate Study
Dissertation

Teaching

You will be taught through a mix of seminars, lectures, tutorials and language classes (depending on modules chosen).

As part of the programme, you will be encouraged to deliver presentations to your fellow MA students within our supportive community.

On successful completion of the taught elements of the programme you will progress to a dissertation of up to 20,000 words on a topic or theme of your choice (subject to the approval of your supervisor).

Assessment

Taught stage assessment is via essays, other assignments (such as book reviews and presentations), and written examinations (for languages).

Career prospects

Graduates of this degree programme have gone into jobs in the heritage sector, journalism, teaching, media research (media, commercial, academic), publishing and banking and to higher level PhD programmes.

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The MA in Modern British History is a rigorous, exciting and broad-ranging programme, which allows students to explore their own research interests. Students will be taught and supervised by one of the largest concentrations of Modern British historians in the country, who have expertise in political, diplomatic, economic, social, gender and cultural history. The breadth and depth of their research is reflected in the programme, which encourages scholarly debate and independent research.

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