With interest growing in India’s creative literature and Indian philosophy, linguistics and literary criticism, the study of Sanskrit is becoming vitally important.
We are the only research department of this kind in Scotland, and one of only four in the UK. The latest Research Assessment Exercise confirmed the international significance of the work being undertaken by our staff and postgraduate students.
You will be part of a community committed to exploring the linguistic and cultural aspects of this fascinating language.
We can offer you supervision in Sanskrit, Prakrit and Pali language and literature, as well as links with the School of Divinity, if your area of interest includes the study of religions such as classical Hinduism, Buddhism or Jainism. Purely linguistic research can also benefit from links with the Translation Studies area.
Our current areas of interest include:
We also serve as the base for the Centre for South Asian Studies, through which various aspects of modern South Asia can be studied under the supervision of staff in several arts and social sciences departments. In addition, you will be encouraged to attend any undergraduate or masters courses you see as being appropriate to your research.
This interdisciplinary programme is designed to allow you to undertake sustained and focused study across the disciplines of politics and religion, with particular attention to the topic of conflict.
In addition to core and optional modules in politics and religion, a 20,000 word dissertation provides you with the opportunity to undertake an extended project which focuses upon one of a number of dimensions relating to the interface of politics and religion, as it pertains to conflict.
You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.
Core
Optional
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.
The last 20 years have been a period of transition for Japan.
The abrupt end in the early 1990s of Japan’s seemingly unstoppable economic growth plunged the nation into two decades of recession, which has in turn brought to the fore a range of social and political issues accumulated since the Second World War.
The end of Japanese economic superiority also coincided with the end of the Cold War, an event that brought about new regional and global dynamics, and with them new security challenges.
Meanwhile, Japanese culture has experienced a renaissance, with Japan recognised worldwide as a centre of global ‘cool’, and Japanese cultural products continuing to find new markets and influence new demographics worldwide.
The overall picture is of a rapidly changing nation in the vanguard of post-industrial societies — fascinating not only for its rich traditional heritage and diversity, but also for what its recent experience can tell us about world trends.
Understanding such complexity requires an interdisciplinary approach, and we offer you the opportunity to explore Japanese history, international relations, politics, religion, and arts, and help you see the connections between them.
Using Japanese source materials in tandem with the extensive English language literature on Japan, we will help you build upon and develop your own interests, focus on the aspects of Japan that fascinate you, and support you as you carry out your own original research project.
By the end of the programme you will have acquired specialist skills and knowledge that mark you out as an expert on Japan, and the confidence to apply those skills in industry, academia or beyond.
The programme is taught through a combination of seminars and tutorials. You will take one compulsory and four option courses, as well as a compulsory research skills and methods course. After two semesters of taught courses you will conduct your own research for your dissertation.
Compulsory courses:
Option courses may include:
Students who follow the programme will:
Those with previous experience in Japanese language learning will have the opportunity to develop the necessary linguistic skills to conduct research in defined areas within Japanese Studies by retrieving, selecting, translating and assimilating information from Japanese sources.
The flexibility of focus this programme offers makes it an ideal foundation for advanced study, potentially leading to an academic career. Teaching or curatorship roles in cultural institutions are alternative career pathways
The transferable skills you gain in communication, project management and presentation will prove a valuable asset to employers in any field.
The Archaeology MA is an intensive induction programme on current archaeological theory and interpretive trends which equips students to undertake research in their chosen field. The flexible programme of study serves as an excellent expansion of undergraduate studies or as a self-designed foundation for further postgraduate and professional work.
The programme provides a wide-ranging introduction to archaeology as a comparative, anthropologically-informed, and socially situated discipline. Students develop critically aware perspectives on archaeological practice and research processes and gain an in-depth understanding of approaches to the collection, analysis and interpretation of archaeological data. The programme is extremely flexible, with a wide choice of options available allowing students to tailor the programme to their own interests.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of two core modules (30 credits), optional modules (60 credits) and a research dissertation (90 credits).
Core modules
All students are required to take the following:
Optional modules
Students choose to follow further optional modules up to the value of 60 credits from an outstanding range of Master's programme options available at the UCL Institute of Archaeology. Some of the most popular choices include:
Dissertation/report
All MA students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of approximately 15,000 words (90 credits).
Teaching and learning
The core modules are seminar based, and the sessions are interactive, with an emphasis on student participation and critical discussion. The optional modules are delivered through seminars, lectures, practicals, laboratory sessions, tutorials, and site and museum visits, as appropriate for specific modules. Assessment is through essays, oral examination and the dissertation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Archaeology MA
Some recent graduates of the programme have gone on to PhD studies while others have pursued an incredibly wide range of professional careers both within and beyond archaeology.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
As the most general of the MA/MSc programmes, the experience and skills acquired depends on the optional modules selected, and how those skills are developed through assessed work, developing expertise in the archaeology of specific regions, periods or themes, or specific field, museum and analytical skills. All students acquire a detailed understanding of specific theoretical debates and the critical skills to evaluate existing arguments and interpretations and to develop their own research, develop a range of research skills, and design and carry through original research. Taught from a comparative anthropological perspective, understanding cultural differences, in the past and present, is fundamental.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
The UCL Institute of Archaeology is the largest and one of the most highly regarded centres for archaeology, archaeological science, cultural heritage and museum studies in Britain, highlighted by its leading position in university assessments and National Student Survey results. It is one of the very few departments in the world undertaking research on a truly global scale. Its degrees offer an unrivalled variety of modules. The institute hosts events on many different aspects of archaeology and is linked to heritage organisations, museums and archaeological societies, providing an outstanding research environment for students.
It is truly international in outlook and membership, with students and staff from over 40 countries, and involvement in field research projects around the world.
UCL is located in central London, within walking distance of the British Museum and the British Library. UCL's own museums and collections constitute a resource of international importance for research.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Institute of Archaeology
73% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
Edinburgh has one of the largest concentrations of South Asianists in the UK, constituting a wide range of expertise.
Examples of our recent research include the study of:
Other cross-disciplinary areas where students are particularly welcome include:
The MSc by Research in South Asian Studies offers core research skills and conceptual grounding for a research career or further study.
The PhD and MPhil programmes combine work on an individual thesis project with systematic training in research skills.
The Centre for South Asian Studies hosts a weekly research seminar as well as regular workshops and conferences.
The University’s Main Library has many manuscripts in oriental languages originating from the countries of the Middle East and South Asia.
You will also have access to rich library and archive resources across the University including divinity and Celtic and Scottish studies, as well as the National Library of Scotland (holding the papers of several Viceroys of India) and the Scottish National Record Office.
Find out more about scholarships and funding opportunities:
First taught at Edinburgh in 1976, Japanese has developed to encompass a thriving postgraduate research programme. Covering a wide spectrum of interests, it also allows for joint supervision, should your research goals be interdisciplinary.
Postgraduate researchers can choose from array of topics covering Japanese history, politics and the performing and literary arts. These include:
Throughout your studies, you will have the opportunity to liaise closely with the Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh, the Japan Society and the Japan Foundation, each of which can offer a variety of events and resources.
As well as the comprehensive collections of the University, we can offer a specialised collection of journals and reference works. Additional research resources are available at the nearby Edinburgh Central Library and National Library of Scotland. You will also be involved in a programme of regular seminars and workshops, as well as tuition in subject-appropriate skills where necessary.
This cross-disciplinary programme allows you to pursue and develop your interests in philosophy and religious studies, and to focus on the interface between the two. It builds on core modules, which introduce you to central disciplinary skills and knowledge, with choice from a wide range of optional modules across both disciplines. You will take five taught modules, each assessed by a 5,000 word essay. The programme culminates in the writing of a 20,000-word dissertation, on a topic that brings the two disciplines together.
The advanced research skills, developed through the programme, are relevant to a range of professions. Equally, if you intend to go on to a PhD, this programme provides an opportunity to deepen your knowledge of the two disciplines.
You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.
Core
Optional
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.
Coursework and dissertation.
This unique multidisciplinary programme is designed to allow you to undertake sustained and focused study across the disciplines of Politics, Philosophy and Religion. It particularly encourages you to explore the interface between these related areas, and allows for the selection of optional modules across the whole Department.
In addition to core and optional modules, a 20,000 word dissertation gives you the opportunity to undertake an extended project which focuses upon one or a number of dimensions relating to the interface of politics, philosophy and religion.
The programme prepares you for a range of careers from working in non-governmental organisations, business, government, to think tanks. It also provides a firm foundation for those looking to pursue academic careers.
You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.
Core
Optional
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.
This programme aims to provide you with a secure knowledge of the major theories, concepts and issues relating to Religion in a variety of intellectual traditions and historical and contemporary contexts. You will gain a systematic understanding of a range of debates and discussions raised by past and present religious belief and practice. In addition, the PgCert will equip you with the necessary skills appropriate to evaluating, analysing and interpreting both academic and practitioner approaches to Religion.
In addition to the core module of Studying Religion you will choose two optional modules from the range available in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion.
You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.
Core
Optional
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.
The programme, delivered entirely online, aims to provide you with a secure knowledge of the major theories, concepts, issues and practices relating to Religious Studies. You will gain a systematic understanding of a number of ways in which the scholarship of religion frames and analyses religious belief and practice in the modern world. In addition the PgCert will also allow you to gain a firm grasp of the necessary skills appropriate to evaluating, analysing and interpreting the concrete contexts of contemporary religious belief and practice.
The programme comprises three modules, two compulsory and one taken from the suite of religion modules specifically designed for distance learning delivery.
You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.
Core
Optional
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.
This is a broad MA programme for anyone interested in the academic discipline of Religious Studies. It is designed to introduce you to key theoretical and methodological issues in the study of religion from a range of disciplinary perspectives.
The programme explores key topics such as the social and cultural transformations of contemporary religion and spirituality; religion and conflict; religion and popular culture; modern religious thought and history; new religious movements; and religion and gender. In addition, the programme provides you with an opportunity to explore the history, texts and contemporary contexts of specific religious traditions.
The advanced research skills, developed through the programme, are relevant to a range of professions. Equally, it also provides a firm foundation for those looking to pursue academic careers.
You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.
Core
Optional
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.
This programme is designed to encourage you to consider the practical processes, ideological dynamics and theoretical dimensions involved in the interface of diplomacy/foreign policy and religion. You will develop analytical skills in the field of religious studies and international relations and be encouraged to engage in cross-disciplinary research, notably with the MA dissertation.
The programme is especially relevant if you are thinking about or currently working in diplomacy, international NGOs, and international policy and politics. Core modules are supported by selected Politics modules. You will take five taught modules each assessed by a 5,000 word essay.
Distinguished practitioners with experience in the field contribute to elements of the programme. We may organise student trips, for example to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.
You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.
Core
Optional
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.
