Masters Degrees (Latin)

This MSc examines the theoretical and empirical issues raised by globalisation and its effects on Latin American economic development. The programme highlights the importance of Latin American countries as dynamic emerging markets and explains the ways in which Latin American economic development is bound up with social and political processes.

Degree information

Students will gain a broad understanding of different theories of globalisation, key academic debates on economic growth and development, and current policy challenges to sustained and equitable economic growth in Latin America. Our programme prepares students for independent research, rigorous analysis of primary and secondary sources, and advanced level writing; and to foster students’ intellectual development and independent learning abilities.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of two core modules (30 credits), four optional modules (60 credits), and the research dissertation (90 credits).

Please note: All optional modules are subject to availability.

Core modules
-Researching the Americas: Latin America and the Caribbean
-Globalisation and Latin American Development: Latin America in the 21st Century

Optional modules - students choose four optional modules from a selection that includes the following:
-Politics, Society and Development in the Modern Caribbean
-Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean
-The Politics of Human Rights in Latin America: Transitional Justice
-Democratization in Latin America
-Latin American Political Economy
-Latin American Economies: Beyond Neoliberalism
-The International Politics of Latin America
-Money and Politics in Latin America
-Histories of Exclusion: Race and Ethnicity in Latin America
-From Silver to Cocaine: The History of Commodities in Latin America
-The Caribbean from the Haitian Revolution to the Cuban Revolution
-State and Society in Latin America: Ethnographic Perspectives
-The Latin American City: Social Problems and Social Change in Urban Space

Students may choose elective modules up to a maximum of 30 credits from other UCL departments or University of London colleges, subject to the Programme Director's approval.

Dissertation/report
All students write a dissertation of 15,000 words (90 credits) on a research topic of their choice related to globalisation and economic development in Latin America.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, independent reading and research, seminar discussions and research skills training. Assessment is through essays, term papers, presentations, analytical exercises and the dissertation.

Fieldwork
Many of our Master’s students undertake fieldwork in order to carry out research for their dissertation projects.
There may be travel costs associated with fieldwork. The institute has limited funds available to students to help towards the costs of fieldwork. These funds are awarded on a competitive basis on the criteria of academic performance to date, the quality of the research proposal and the importance of fieldwork for completing the research.

Careers

Some graduates from the MSc have gone on to PhD studies, while others have put their research skills to good use working in the policy sector. In terms of commercial opportunities, the alternative energy sector has provided employment for our graduates in recent years. Journalism is also a popular career path and the MSc has been used as a stepping stone into positions with global news agencies, broadcasting corporations and media groups. Many students find employment with NGOs and charitable organisations - working to improve the prospects of marginalised social groups in the region.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Partnership Officer, Imperial College London
-Economist Editor, The Economist
-Research and Policy Analyst, UK Collaborative on Development Sciences (UKCDS)
-Analysis Intern, AKE

Employability
Globalisation and Latin American Development MSc graduates will have excellent opportunities to expand their professional networks and establish personal contacts that enhance their future employability. Through institute staff members' extensive professional and personal contacts in the region, and through meeting those interested professionals who participate in the institute's extremely active events programme, students will meet potential colleagues in government and the foreign service, development agencies and the international NGO community, business and finance, and print and electronic media. Numerous programme graduates have found employment in industry, state agencies and the third sector via these routes.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL Institute of the Americas has the largest programme of teaching, research and events on the Americas in the UK, covering Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada and the United States.

In addition to tuition by world-leading scholars, students benefit from access to a wide range of events, seminars, and conferences on the Americas delivered by scholars, policy makers, diplomats, activists and other experts on the region.

The institute provides a unique environment in which to study the Americas and excellent networking opportunities are available through our strong links with academic, cultural, diplomatic, policy and business institutions with interests in the region.

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This MA offers students the opportunity to develop an understanding of the diverse societies of both the South American continent and the Caribbean from a multidisciplinary and comparative perspective. The programme’s graduates have established careers in research, journalism, teaching and policy formulation and implementation in both government agencies and NGOs.

Degree information

Students will gain a broad empirical knowledge of the diverse societies of Latin America and the Caribbean from the perspective of at least two disciplines, together with an awareness of the general patterns of differences and commonalities in the histories, politics, economies and cultures of the different linguistic territories of the region.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of two core modules (30 credits), four optional modules (60 credits), and the research dissertation (90 credits). Please note: All option modules are subject to availability.

Core modules
-The Caribbean from the Haitian Revolution to the Cuban Revolution
-Researching the Americas: Latin America and the Caribbean

Optional modules - students choose four option modules from a selection that includes the following:
-Democratisation in Latin America
-Histories of Exclusion: Race and Ethnicity in Latin America
-The International Politics of Latin America
-Key Economic Thinkers of Latin America
-Latin American Economies: Beyond Neoliberalism
-Latin American Political Economy
-The Making of Modern Latin America: History, Politics and Society
-Money and Politics in Latin America
-The Politics of Human Rights in Latin America: Transitional Justice
-Politics, Society and Development in the Modern Caribbean
-Society and Development in Latin America
-Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean
-Latin American Economics: Beyond Neoliberalism
-Environmental Issues, Movements and Policies in the Americas
-International Politics of Latin America
-From Silver to Cocaine
-Social and Economic Development of Contemporary Brazil
-State and Society in Latin America: Ethnographic Perspectives
-The Latin American City: Social Problems and Social Change in Urban Space

Students may choose elective modules up to a maximum of 30 credits from other UCL departments or University of London colleges, subject to the Programme Director's approval.

Dissertation/report
All students write a dissertation of 15,000 words (90 credits) on a topic relating to the Caribbean, or Latin America and the Caribbean.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of seminars, lectures, presentations, independent reading and research. Assessment is through varied assignments including essays, an oral presentation and the dissertation.

Fieldwork
Many of our Master's students undertake fieldwork in order to carry out research for their dissertation projects.
There may be travel costs associated with fieldwork. The institute has limited funds available to students to help towards the costs of fieldwork. These funds are awarded on a competitive basis on the criteria of academic performance to date, the quality of the research proposal and the importance of fieldwork for completing the research.

Careers

Graduates of this programme will be well placed to use their skills and knowledge to find employment in government, business, journalism, finance and international NGOs, teaching, or for further research in this field.

Employability
Students will have excellent opportunities to expand professional networks enhancing their future employability. Through Institute staff members' extensive contacts in the region, and through meeting those interested professionals who participate in the institute's extremely active events programme, students will meet potential colleagues in government and the diplomatic service, development agencies and the international NGO community, business and finance, and print and electronic media. On the basis of such contacts, recent graduates have found employment in government (Foreign & Commonwealth Office), NGOs (Amnesty International, Caritas) and political risk-analysis firms, while others have undertaken PhD research.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The Institute of the Americas occupies a unique position at the core of academic study of the region in the UK, promoting, co-ordinating and providing a focus for research and postgraduate teaching on the Americas, including Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States.

The institute actively maintains and builds ties with cultural, diplomatic and business organisations with interests in the Americas, and provides resources to the wider academic community, serving and strengthening national networks of North Americanist, Latin Americanist and Caribbeanist scholars.

Students benefit from tuition by world-leading scholars in an academic environment at the cutting-edge of research in the humanities and social sciences.

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The MRes in Latin American Studies is a specialised degree that provides a unique opportunity for students interested in Latin American history, anthropology, geography, and culture to broaden and deepen their knowledge of Latin America and to develop an independent research project on a topic of their choice.

Students gain an in-depth overview of key research problems and debates in the field of Latin American studies as well as an introduction to a range of research methods particularly useful for undertaking scholarly work on Latin America. Students are taught by leading scholars in the field of Latin American studies.

Students who successfully complete the programme receive a University of London Master of Research degree.

Degree Highlights

In their first term, students take Research Themes and Debates in Latin America, a 30-credit module that provides a historical introduction to key research problems and debates in the field of Latin American studies. Students learn how to recognise, problematise, and analyse themes and tropes within Latin American studies and identify where gaps in knowledge exist or where new approaches could enrich the field. In developing these skills, students become independent scholars. In their second term, students complete Research Methods in Latin American Studies, a 30-credit module that introduces the range of methods that can be applied in humanities and social science research in Latin American studies. Students are introduced to the practical issues that may be encountered in the field while conducting research in Latin America. Over the summer term, students complete a dissertation of 30,000 words based on their own independent research.

Resources

The Institute offers students a range of resources in Latin American studies that are unparalleled in the field. The ILAS Library collections, which have been integrated with the Senate House Latin American and Caribbean Studies collection, include more than
90,000 volumes. The holdings cover most aspects of Latin America and the Caribbean: the geographical spread covers all territories of Central and South America and the islands of the Caribbean, as well as the islands of the South Atlantic and Antarctic territories administered by Chile and Argentina. Most of the material is focused on the humanities and cognate social sciences. Through the ILAS collections, students also have access to primary materials that will be useful for their dissertations—for example, the material of the Political Archives, which includes pamphlets, posters, and reports from every country in the region. The ILAS Special Collections also contain many rare materials that are difficult to find elsewhere in the UK; some items are difficult to access even within Latin America itself, and are frequently in better condition than those in Latin American libraries and archives.

Why Study with Us?

The Institute of Latin American Studies is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for research. It has an extensive range of networks and contacts in the field of Latin American Studies as well as substantial library and digital resources. The Institute hosts hundreds of events every year and students will have the opportunity to work with leading visiting scholars and be part of a close-knit research community within ILAS.

Teaching is provided by core academic staff and features guest lectures from experts in the field for specific topics.

The ILAS Library collections are unparalleled and provide access to primary and secondary material related to most aspects of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Students also have access to Senate House Library, with its millions of books and journals, digital resources, special collections, beautiful study spaces and laptop loans.

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The Latin American Politics MSc provides students with an opportunity to develop their general and specialist knowledge of major issues in the politics of Latin America. The programme’s graduates have established careers in research, journalism, teaching, and policy formulation and implementation in both government agencies and NGOs.

Degree information

Students will develop a detailed understanding of the political histories of major Latin American countries, key public policy issues, the challenges of democratisation and democratic consolidation, and the domestic and international influences on political developments in the region. They will gain the key research and analysis skills necessary for professional development in the field of Latin American politics.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of two core modules (15 credits each), four optional modules (60 credits in total), and the research dissertation (90 credits). Please note: All option modules are subject to availability

Core modules
-Researching the Americas: Latin America and the Caribbean
-Democratisation in Latin America

Optional modules - students choose four option modules from a selection that includes the following:
-Histories of Exclusion: Race and Ethnicity in Latin America
-The International Politics of Latin America
-Latin American Economies: Beyond Neoliberalism
-Social and Economic Development of Contemporary Brazil
-State and Society in Latin America: Ethnographic Perspectives
-Money and Politics in Latin America
-The Politics of Human Rights in Latin America: Transitional Justice
-The Caribbean from the Haitian Revolution to the Cuban Revolution
-The Latin American City: Social Problems and Social Change in Urban Space
-Students may choose a maximum of 30 credits from other departments or from other University of London colleges, subject to the Programme Director's approval.

Dissertation/report
All students write a dissertation of 15,000 words on a research topic of their choice (linked to the subject area of one of their taught modules), provided that as it contains a substantial politics focus.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of seminars, lectures, presentations, research skills training, and independent reading and research. Assessment is through essays, group and individual presentations, analytical exercises and the dissertation.

Fieldwork
Many of our Master’s students undertake fieldwork in order to carry out research for their dissertation projects. There may be travel costs associated with fieldwork. The institute has limited funds available to students to help towards the costs of fieldwork. These funds are awarded on a competitive basis on the criteria of academic performance to date, the quality of the research proposal and the importance of fieldwork for completing the research.

Careers

Graduates of this programme will be well placed to use their skills and knowledge to find employment in government, business, journalism, finance, international NGOs, teaching, or for further research in this field.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Risk Consultancy Intern, Control Risks
-Conference Producer, Euromoney Institutional Investor
-Project Manager, World Energy Council (WEC)

Employability
Students on this degree will have excellent opportunities to expand their professional networks and establish personal contacts that enhance their future employability. Through institute staff members' extensive professional and personal contacts in the region, and through meeting those interested professionals who participate in the institute's extremely active events programme, students will meet potential colleagues in government and the foreign service, development agencies and the international NGO community, business and finance, and print and electronic media. On the basis of such contacts, recent programme graduates have found employment in government (the Foreign and Commonwealth Office), NGOs (Amnesty International, Caritas) and political risk-analysis firms, while others have undertaken PhD research.

Why study this degree at UCL?

In the UK the Institute of the Americas occupies a unique position in the academic study of the region in promoting, co-ordinating and providing a focus for research and postgraduate teaching on the Americas, including Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States.

The institute actively maintains and builds ties with cultural, diplomatic and business organisations with interests in the Americas, and it provides resources to the wider academic community, serving and strengthening national networks of North Americanist, Latin Americanist and Caribbeanist scholars.

Students benefit from tuition by world-leading scholars in an academic environment at the cutting-edge of research in the social sciences and the humanities.

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This MA provides a comprehensive overview of social sciences and humanities in Latin America. The programme’s graduates have established careers in research, journalism, teaching, and policy formulation and implementation in both government agencies and NGOs.

Degree information

Depending on their chosen areas of specialisation, students will develop analytical and critical perspectives in multidisciplinary aspects of Latin American anthropology, cultural studies, literature, economics, geography and environmental issues, as well as history, politics and international relations. They will gain key research skills, together with in-depth knowledge of current debates in the field of Latin American Studies.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of one core module (15 credits), five optional modules (75 credits), and the research dissertation (90 credits). Please note: All optional modules are subject to availability.

Core module
-Researching the Americas: Latin America and the Caribbean

Optional modules - students choose five option modules from a selection that includes the following:
-Confronting the Colossus: US Anti-imperialism, 1945-present
-Democratization in Latin America
-Histories of Exclusion: Race and Ethnicity in Latin America
-Social and Economic Development of Contemporary Brazil
-The International Politics of Latin America
-Latin American Economies: Beyond Neoliberalism
-State and Society in Latin America: Ethnographic Perspectives
-The Caribbean from the Haitian Revolution to the Cuban Revolution
-Money and Politics in Latin America
-The Politics of Human Rights in Latin America: Transitional Justice
-Politics, Society and Development in the Modern Caribbean
-The Latin American City: Social Problems and Social Change in Urban Space
-Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean
-Students may choose a maximum of 30 credits from other departments or from other University of London colleges, subject to the Programme Director's approval.

Dissertation/report
All students write a dissertation of 15,000 words on a research topic of their choice linked to the subject area of one of their taught modules.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of seminars, lectures, presentations, research skills training, and independent reading and research. Assessment is through essays, group and individual presentations, analytical exercises, and the dissertation.

Fieldwork
Many of our Master’s students undertake fieldwork in order to carry out research for their dissertation projects. There may be travel costs associated with fieldwork. The Institute has limited funds available to students to help towards the costs of fieldwork. These funds are awarded on a competitive basis on the criteria of academic performance to date, the quality of the research proposal and the importance of fieldwork for completing the research.

Careers

Graduates of this programme will be well placed to use their skills and knowledge to find employment in government, business, journalism, finance, international NGOs, teaching, or for further research in this field.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Global Events Director, FC Business Intelligence
-Administrative Assistant, NHS (National Health Service)
-Production Manager, Red Bee Media
-International Observer, Declined to say

Employability
Students on this degree will have excellent opportunities to expand their professional networks and establish personal contacts that enhance their future employability. Through institute staff members' extensive professional and personal contacts in the region, and through meeting those interested professionals who participate in the institute's extremely active events programme, students will meet potential colleagues in government and the foreign service, development agencies and the international NGO community, business and finance, and print and electronic media. On the basis of such contacts, recent programme graduates have found employment in government (Foreign and Commonwealth Office), NGOs (Amnesty International, Caritas) and political risk-analysis firms, while others have undertaken PhD research.

Why study this degree at UCL?

In the UK the Institute of the Americas occupies a core position in the academic study of the region in promoting, coordinating and providing a focus for research and postgraduate teaching on the Americas, including Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States.

The institute actively maintains and builds ties with cultural, diplomatic and business organisations with interests in the Americas, and provides resources to the wider academic community, serving and strengthening national networks of North Americanist, Latin Americanist and Caribbeanist scholars.

Students benefit from tuition by world-leading scholars in an academic environment at the cutting-edge of research in the humanities and social sciences.

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The Latin American Studies MLitt comprises taught and research-based elements, allowing you to focus in depth on one aspect of Latin American studies. Topics available include: linguistics, culture, history and politics of Latin America, the Spanish novel and Latin American film.

Our research staff work in a diverse range of fields from sociocultural, historical and political studies, to film and literature, linguistics and sociolinguistics. We offer expert supervision in the following areas of Latin American studies:
-Anthropology, anthropological linguistics, and sociolinguistics of Latin America, including Quechua language (Prof Howard)
-Semantics, philosophy of language, history and spread of Spanish in Latin America, Latin American dialects and Creole (Prof Mackenzie)
-Political, social and intellectual history of Latin America in the 19th and 20th centuries, especially Brazil and Southern Cone (Prof Hentschke)
-History of education in Latin America in 19th and 20th century Latin America (Prof Hentschke, Dr Oliart, Prof Howard)
-Discourses of race and identity in Latin America (Prof Howard, Dr Oliart, Dr Morgan)
-Latin American film, literature, and theatre (Dr Page)
-Spanish and Latin American cultural history and popular culture (Dr Catala Carracso, Dr Morgan, Dr Oliart, Dr Fernández)
-Catalan nationalism (Dr Catala-Carrasco)
-Spanish novel (Dr Catala Carrasco)

You will normally work on a research project which comprises two to four research assignments and a longer dissertation. Your supervisor will be an expert in your chosen field, and will receive support if necessary from an experienced research supervisor. The course is well suited as preparation for PhD research.

The School has strong links with interdisciplinary research centres and groups, including:
-Centre for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
-Centre for Research in Linguistics and Language Sciences
-Research Centre in Film and Digital Media
-Gender Research Group
-Medieval and Early Modern Studies
-Postcolonial Research Group

You will also have the opportunity to attend festivals and conferences with a direct bearing on your course:
-Talking to the World Conference
-VAMOS festival

As a student in the School of Modern Languages, you will benefit from the Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) Faculty research training programme. You will choose these research modules in consultation with your supervisors.

Up to £250 per year is available to support your attendance at conferences or for archival research. You can also request an inter-library loan allowance.

Delivery

This course is delivered by the School of Modern Languages, with the possibility of joint supervision with other schools. You will mainly be based in Newcastle's city-centre campus. Attendance is flexible and agreed between you and your supervisors depending on the requirements of the research project.

Full-time students are expected to undertake 40 hours of work per week with an annual holiday entitlement of 35 days (including statutory and bank holidays). Part-time study requires a commitment of at least 20 hours per week.

The MLitt incorporates a formal research training component where you will develop your research skills and methodologies (20 credits).

You also complete a portfolio of essays chosen in consultation with your supervisors according to your interests and experience (80 credits). You then undertake a dissertation of 16,000–24,000 words consisting of a sustained piece of original research (80 credits).

Study consists mainly of tutorials and independent learning supported by research training. Supervisors will advise you on how to develop your research proposals.

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Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Latin American Studies at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).

Research in Latin American Studies at Swansea is interdisciplinary with strong links to American Studies through the Centre for the Comparative Study of the Americas (CECSAM). Our focus is twentieth-century Latin American fiction and testimonial writing with particular expertise in Argentinian Studies.

Key Features of MA by Research in Latin American Studies

An MA by Research in Latin American Studies gives you the chance to pursue a project based around your own passions and interests, leading to a qualification which can open the door to an academic career or boost employment prospects outside academia (typically in the private sector, the Civil Service, or education).

Latin American Studies research programme will give you the freedom to explore a topic of your own choosing and develop a methodology under the close supervision of two experienced academics but without attending regular classes as required in taught programmes.

As a student enrolled on the MA by Research in Latin American Studies, you will be supervised closely by two experienced academics in your field. Typically, you will meet them fortnightly in the first term and at regular intervals thereafter. Meetings are logged and goals agreed each time.

All research students in Latin American Studies are required to attend skills and training courses at College and Institutional level. They give presentations to other research students and staff at departmental seminars and the annual departmental postgraduate symposium in June and the College of Arts and Humanities conference in October. Advanced research students may have opportunities to teach undergraduate tutorials and seminars. You have a budget (currently £200 per year) to attend conferences outside Swansea.

MA by Research in Latin American Studies degree typically lasts from one year (full-time study) to two years (part-time study).

The MA by Research in Latin American Studies is ideal for those who want:

- an MA qualification in niche areas where taught programmes are not offered;

- the experience of a research degree without committing to a PhD, while retaining the option of upgrading to MPhil or PhD.

Research proposals are invited on any topic in Latin American Studies for which staff can provide supervision. It is advisable to email a member of academic staff in the appropriate area before applying.

Research Interests

Areas of special interest within Latin American Studies include:

• Twentieth century prose and poetry

• Women’s writing and feminist theory

• Contemporary Spanish American film

• Spanish American nation building

• Afro-Latin American Studies

• Twentieth century Argentine literature and culture

• Welsh Patagonia

• Twentieth century Colombian literature and culture

• Twentieth century Cuban literature and culture

• Wilderness and Eco Literature

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The Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma in Latin provide a self-contained period of structured but challenging study for anyone who wishes to pursue their interest in Latin language and literature.

Course Overview

These programmes offer students the opportunity to focus exclusively on the acquisition and/or development of Latin and can be started at beginners, intermediate or advanced level depending on their linguistic ability.

The PGDip is a postgraduate degree comprised of 120 credits (six taught modules) of postgraduate study. The PGCert is a postgraduate degree comprised of 60 credits (three taught modules) of postgraduate study.

Modules

Our language system covers two main levels: Intensive and Advanced.

There are two Intensive modules for Latin. Intensive I always runs in the first semester (September to January) and starts from complete beginners level, hence is the natural starting point for anyone who has no or very little knowledge of the language. Intensive II is the continuation of Intensive I and always runs in the second semester (February to May). Upon successful completion of both Intensive modules, a student is ready to go on to Advanced level and work directly with unadapted Latin texts. The Intensive modules are designed to provide you with high level knowledge of grammar and syntax, and a good vocabulary. Each Intensive module is worth 30 credits, and you need to commit at least 23 hours per week (throughout the semester, so over 15 weeks, including examinations) to your language learning.

Advanced-level modules are in three separate levels: Advanced, Further Advanced and Higher Advanced. As you progress through the advanced-level modules, you will read a greater quantity of ancient texts, and be asked to complete more challenging work in terms of the literary and linguistic investigation of the text. Every year there are two texts/authors chosen for Latin: one text is prose, the other is verse. The texts and authors change every year, and students have the opportunity to read both canonical and non-canonical authors. Over the last few years, we have read Petronius, Columella, Ovid, Claudian and Statius.

Key Features

The PG Diploma and Certificate in Latin are mainly of interest to those who want to learn Latin to advanced level and beyond. One can start on either of the two programmes from complete beginners’ level, intermediate or advanced, based on their existing qualifications and knowledge. For those who have been studying Latin privately, we offer a test to place them in the correct level of language learning. PhD candidates, or those planning to embark on a PhD, can use these degrees to increase their competency in Latin. For those interested in teaching Latin at any level, the degrees can provide an internationally recognised qualification. The degrees in Latin are available only as part-time options.

Specifically for language learners who study at a distance, the School provides the support of dedicated distance language tutors for all its language modules. The distance language tutors provide assistance and support to language learners, as well as interim feedback on assessment. The distance learning tutors work alongside the module lecturers in providing material for language study to distance learners. All language modules include an examination; examination arrangements are communicated to distance learners by the TSD Registry, and distance learners can ask for the support of the School in making arrangements for examinations.

Assessment

Our language degrees in Latin involve a wide range of assessment methods. In addition to traditional essays and exams, you will be assessed through commentaries and in-class tests. This variety of assessment helps develop skills in presenting material in clear, professional and a lucid manner, whether orally or in writing.

Career Opportunities

The programme provides a strong foundation for postgraduate work, by laying particular stress on the languages. The course also provides a professional qualification for teachers or others seeking Continuing Professional Development.

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Our MRes programme provide a personalised and focused introduction to postgraduate research allowing you to develop as an independent researcher with the support of an expert in Latin American Studies. It provides a rigorous overview of the current state of scholarship in your selected field, guides you, through a programme of directed, individualised reading, to the selection of a feasible research project, and allows you to complete a substantial piece of research.

As an MRes student you will benefit from your membership of the university research community, both students and academic staff. You will also have access to facilities available to doctoral students e.g. free Interlibrary loans, a print allowance and a research allowance.

Key Facts

REF 2014
We're ranked in top 50% for 4* and 3* research with 90% of environment at 4* and 3* (world leading and internationally excellent).

French
Since 2001, the Department has housed three major AHRC-funded projects in French; it also continues to be one of the leading centres in French studies for innovation in the application of IT and new technology to text-based research and the creation of international research networks. A major new monograph series, Liverpool University Press’s ‘Contemporary French and Francophone Cultures’, is co-edited within Modern Languages and Cultures.

German
Research in German studies at Liverpool continues to develop its breadth and vitality, through new appointments, and through a strategy directed towards promoting cooperation among staff in different subject areas. Colleagues are actively involved in interdisciplinary research centres, namely the Research Centre in Eighteenth-Century Studies, the Centre for the Study of International Slavery, and CAVA (The Centre for Architecture and the Visual Arts). These research centres provide a dynamic context for the development of staff and postgraduate research, and underpin and vitalise interdisciplinary research within the section and department as a whole.

Hispanic Studies
We continue to extend research activity over a broad range of areas in Iberian and Latin American Studies. The School is now at the forefront of high profile research in literary, historical, linguistic and cultural studies. Our research emphasises our understanding of ‘Hispanic studies’ in the broadest sense, as relating to the multiple geographical and linguistic contexts that make up the Hispanic and Lusophone worlds.

Latin American Studies and Italian Studies
The section has recently made new appointments including a new post extending our expertise to North America and the Caribbean. We have consolidated research clusters in American, Brazilian, Hispanic and Caribbean Studies, enhancing the research environment by providing institutional support to colleagues with related and overlapping interests. A University-wide research centre Research Institute of Latin American Studies (RILAS) fosters a robust research environment based in the Department.
Research in Italian studies is a recent addition to the School’s portfolio. The focus is on the contemporary and staff are involved in interdisciplinary research projects which feature, amongst others, the Linguistic Landscape, Italian political cinema and European cinema.

Why Department of Modern Languages and Cultures?

Introduction to Modern Languages and Cultures

We are a smaller department than many, but manage at the same time to maintain a variety of very distinctive areas of strength in research. As a result we are uniquely placed to offer taught programmes which are tailored to the individual in a friendly, supportive atmosphere and, for research students, close contact with your supervisors from the outset.

There is a high degree of interdisciplinary activity, with students and staff from all disciplines interacting through institutional research centres, cross-School reading groups, research groups and seminars.

We offer an MA in Latin American Studies and an MA in Modern Languages (French / German / Hispanic Studies/Italian) and supervision on a wide range of topics for both MPhil and PhD study.

Applications are welcome for both full-time and part-time study. Postgraduate students form an integral part of our research culture, and are encouraged to become involved in conference, workshops and seminar series, in addition, we have postgraduate reading groups and a regular programme of postgraduate workshops involving leading scholars visiting the institution. We have an active and vibrant research community, with staff engaging in research covering eight language areas consisting of French, German, Italian, Spanish, Galician, Catalan, Portuguese and Corsican. Research interests range from medieval manuscripts to contemporary cyber literature, and cover a wide geographical remit, with staff working on American, Latin American, and Caribbean, African and Indian contexts as well as European ones.

We are home to three scholarly journals: Bulletin of Hispanic Studies, Bulletin of Latin American Research, and Migrations and Identities as well as a number of prominent book series.

Research Overview

Our research activities are broadly organised around four research groups in addition to the Research Institute of Latin American Studies. The groups are engaged in interdisciplinary work, taking in literary, visual and historical sources, and collaborating across the language areas.

Latin American Studies

Latin American Studies is one of Modern languages and Cultures' major research specialisms. The six permanent members of staff have research interests in the following domains of Latin American Studies: anthropology, cultural studies, history, literature, politics, and sociology and extend to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Central America, the Caribbean and southern USA. The Sydney Jones Library is an acknowledged centre of excellence for collections in Latin American Studies. Additional facilities for all postgraduates include access to regular seminars and short conferences, language tuition, and use of the University’s networked computer facilities.

Career prospects

Former postgraduates in French, German and Hispanic Studies are currently employed in senior positions at the universities of: Aberdeen, Sussex, Leeds, Sheffield, Kings College London, Loughborough, Salford and Liverpool, as well as in a variety of careers.

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This degree offers the possibility of following advanced study in the histories of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American cultures in the light of contemporary theoretical developments in the fields of literature, cultural studies, cultural geography, film and the history of art and media. You may specialise in either Spain and Portugal or Latin America, as well as in different historical periods and media, or combine interests.

Birkbeck is a world-renowned centre of Iberian and Latin American Studies. Our work is distinguished by its innovative character, its engagement with other disciplines and its challenge to received ideas. We are committed to a continual rethinking of the fields we research and the subjects we teach, creatively and critically.

We are also known for our unique student population, including a high number of Spanish and Latin American undergraduates and postgraduates. This brings a particular richness and variety of experience and knowledge to our courses and seminars.

Our international staff specialise in diverse aspects of cultural history and critique, with a strong emphasis not only on the literary and linguistic but also the audiovisual expression of Latin America and the Iberian peninsula past and present.

Why study this course at Birkbeck?

Can be taken as a first step to doctoral research, to enhance your career prospects or simply for interest.
Our School of Arts is one of the best centres of Iberian and Latin American studies in the country.
Our work is distinguished by its innovative character, its engagement with other disciplines and its challenge to received ideas.
The department hosts the Centre for Iberian and Latin American Visual Studies (CILAVS), offering a unique environment in which to undertake collaborative, cross-disciplinary and comparative research on visual subjects in the Hispanic and Lusophone world, Latin America and the Caribbean.
The School has achieved notable success in obtaining external funding for research. In addition we have an excellent team of research students (just over 20 at present), several of whom attend MA modules out of interest, ensuring a high level of intellectual discussion and allowing you to benefit from being part of a lively postgraduate community. You are in turn welcome to attend Research Seminars and the Postgraduate Conference, as well as all talks and conferences organised by the Centre for Iberian and Latin American Visual Studies (CILAVS). As about a third of our students come from Spain, Portugal or Latin America, you also have easy access to native speakers of Spanish and Portuguese, socially as well as academically.
Postgraduate research seminars are held throughout the year, offering a stimulating forum for discussion among our research students, MA/MRes students, staff and invited speakers.
We offer a lively student experience, as well as student support and facilities.

Our research

Birkbeck is one of the world’s leading research-intensive institutions. Our cutting-edge scholarship informs public policy, achieves scientific advances, supports the economy, promotes culture and the arts, and makes a positive difference to society.

Birkbeck’s research excellence was confirmed in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, which placed Birkbeck 30th in the UK for research, with 73% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), Modern Languages and Linguistics achieved 100% for a research environment conducive to producing research of the highest quality, while 73% of our research was recognised as world-leading or internationally excellent.

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The master programme in Latin American Studies at Leiden University offers in-depth expertise on the Latin American region.

Explore current developments in Latin America

Taught by scholars from Leiden University's internationally-acclaimed Faculty of Humanities as well as our partner universities in Latin America, the master in Latin American Studies explores the most current social, political, linguistic and cultural developments shaping Latin America today. You may choose from one of three disciplinary tracks:

• Cultural Analysis in Latin America
• Public Policies in Latin America
• Language Variation and Bilingualism

Fieldwork research in Latin America

All courses take a comparative, area studies approach to ensure a critical understanding of the issues studied – many of which are unfolding as you study them. A research trip to Latin America immerses you in one of the region's languages and cultures, while developing your ability to conduct high-quality scientific research and communicate professionally and effectively.

A supportive environment

A substantial part of the programme is taught in Spanish and Portuguese: another reason why this programme attracts ambitious students from all over the world. Small classes ensure a high level of interaction between you, your international peers, and your lecturers – creating an exceptionally stimulating and supportive learning environment.

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The Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma in Greek and Latin provide a self-contained period of structured but challenging study for anyone who wishes to pursue their interest in both the Greek and Latin language.

Course Overview

These programmes offer students the opportunity to focus on the acquisition and/or development of both Greek and Latin and can be started at beginners, intermediate or advanced level depending on their linguistic ability.

The PGDip is a postgraduate degree comprised of 120 credits (six taught modules) of postgraduate study. Students are normally expected to complete the programme over a period no longer than two years, taking 80 credits in the first year of the programme and 40 credits in the second year.

The PGCert is a postgraduate degree comprised of 60 credits (three taught modules) of postgraduate study.

Modules

Our language system covers two main levels: Intensive and Advanced.

There are two Intensive modules for each language. Intensive I always runs in the first semester (September to January) and starts from complete beginners level, hence is the natural starting point for anyone who has no or very little knowledge of the language. Intensive II is the continuation of Intensive I and always runs in the second semester (February to May). Upon successful completion of both Intensive modules, a student is ready to go on to Advanced level and work directly with unadapted ancient texts. The Intensive modules are designed to provide you with high level knowledge of grammar and syntax, and a good vocabulary. Each Intensive module is worth 30 credits, and you need to commit at least 23 hours per week (throughout the semester, so over 15 weeks, including examinations) to your language learning.

Advanced-level modules are in three separate levels: Advanced, Further Advanced and Higher Advanced. As you progress through the advanced-level modules, you will read a greater quantity of ancient texts, and be asked to complete more challenging work in terms of the literary and linguistic investigation of the text. Every year there are two texts/authors chosen for each language: one text is prose, the other is verse. The texts and authors change every year, and students have the opportunity to read both canonical and non-canonical authors. Over the last few years, we have read Petronius, Columella, Ovid, Claudian and Statius in Latin, and the Homeric Hymns, Plato, Diodorus, Sophocles and Euripides in Greek.

Key Features

The PG Diploma and Certificate in Greek and Latin are mainly of interest to those who want to learn or advance their existing knowledge of both Greek and Latin. One can start on either of the two programmes from complete beginners’ level, intermediate or advanced, based on their existing qualifications and knowledge. For those who have been studying Greek or Latin privately, we offer a test to place them in the correct level of language learning. PhD candidates, or those planning to embark on a PhD, can use these degrees to increase their competency in the ancient languages. For those interested in teaching Greek or Latin at any level, the degrees can provide an internationally recognised qualification. The degrees in Greek and Latin are available only as part-time options.

Specifically for language learners who study at a distance, the School provides the support of dedicated distance language tutors for all its language modules. The distance language tutors provide assistance and support to language learners, as well as interim feedback on assessment. The distance learning tutors work alongside the module lecturers in providing material for language study to distance learners. All language modules include an examination; examination arrangements are communicated to distance learners by the TSD Registry, and distance learners can ask for the support of the School in making arrangements for examinations.

Assessment

Our language degrees in Greek and Latin involve a wide range of assessment methods. In addition to traditional essays and exams, you will be assessed through commentaries and in-class tests. This variety of assessment helps develop skills in presenting material in clear, professional and a lucid manner, whether orally or in writing.

Career Opportunities

The programme provides a strong foundation for postgraduate work, by laying particular stress on the languages. The course also provides a professional qualification for teachers or others seeking Continuing Professional Development.

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Our Latin American Development MSc combines a thorough grounding in development theory with an in-depth study of Latin America. By exploring the contemporary and historical experiences of this region, you will develop an understanding of the deep roots of social change and the background to current development challenges and policy debates. 

Key benefits

• Provides a multidisciplinary social scientific framework for understanding the development experiences of Latin American countries, including approaches from economics, political science, history, sociology and management studies.
• Draws on the broader expertise within King’s and its Global Institutes.
• Wide range of optional taught modules.
• We accept students from a range of academic backgrounds and mid-career professionals.

Description

Our course highlights the importance of Latin America’s position in the global order, as well as the relationships between countries of the region, in shaping countries’ policy options and development outcomes. Drawing on the broader expertise within King’s Global Institutes, our MSc will also explore how the issues facing Latin America are illuminated by the experiences of emerging economies around the world. The emphasis is on understanding the ways Latin America is trying to overcome long-standing barriers to stability and prosperity. Our focus on integrating theory, data and history will develop your critical and analytical skills as you examine how Latin American countries are promoting growth and economic, social and political development in new and often innovative ways.

Course purpose

Our focus throughout the course on integrating theory, data and history will foster your critical and analytical skills as you examine how Latin American countries are promoting growth and economic, social and political development in new and often innovative ways. 

Course format and assessment

Teaching

We will teach you through a combination of lectures and seminars, and you will typically have 20 hours of this per module, though some modules may involve lab work or e-learning which would require less self-guided learning) We also expect you to undertake 180 hours of independent study for each module. For your 12,000 word dissertation, we will provide five 1-hour dissertation workshops and six contact hours hours of one-to-one or group supervision to complement your 589 hours of self-study and project work. Typically, 1 credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Assessment

The majority of modules are assessed by a 4,000-word essay; other optional modules may differ. The dissertation module is assessed by a 12,000-word essay. The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect.

Career prospects

Our course provides you with high-quality graduate research training for seeking employment in the development sector in the UK and Latin American countries, consultancy organisations, private sector companies with global operations and government offices. It is ideal if you are an international student seeking specialist training and/or government employment.

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The MLitts in Greek, Greek and Latin and Latin are for students who have studied the relevant language(s) to Honours level, and wish to pursue their study of the language(s) further. If you have studied only one of the languages previously, you may take a beginners’ course in the other.

Work in Semesters 1 and 2

All the taught programmes in classical subjects maintain very high academic rigour with maximum flexibility for you. They offer an excellent opportunity to develop research skills, and to prepare for a doctorate, by choosing from a broad range of modules.

All students take a compulsory core module which provides generic skill-based training. The two-hour seminars are held most weeks and cover a range of topics and methodologies essential to research in the relevant field. Assessment Is by written and oral presentations; there is no exam.

Careers

Many of our recent taught postgraduate students have gone on to study for a PhD in the UK or the USA, but others have used our Masters degrees as an intellectual foundation for diverse professional careers, such as teaching in schools, law, or museum curatorship.

Features

* Between 8 and 20 taught postgraduates admitted each year, with a postgraduate community numbering over 30.

* Friendly but academically challenging departmental ethos.

* The School of Classics is housed in the centre of the town, adjacent to the University Library, with views out to St Andrews Bay.

* Vibrant conference and workshop programme.

* Excellent collections in the University Library, as well as a dedicated class library in the School building.

* Beginners’ courses in Greek and Latin available if you need to acquire a classical language as part of your training for subsequent research.

All the MLitt programmes offer:

• An opportunity to develop advanced knowledge of particular aspects of the literature, history, archaeology or reception of the cultures and societies of ancient Greece and Rome.

• An excellent training in a classical discipline.

• Instruction in the skills appropriate to postgraduate study, and an introduction to research opportunities and various methodologies currently used in the field.

• Regular tutorials with a tutor who is an expert in the field and provides overall direction and guidance.

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The two-year interdisciplinary research master in Latin American Studies addresses cutting-edge debates on the social and cultural issues in present-day Latin America and the Caribbean region.

An interdisciplinary approach

Leiden University's Latin American Studies (research) programme is your opportunity to explore the social, cultural, and historical narratives shaping present-day Latin America. Taught by international researchers, this interdisciplinary programme centers around the theme Latin American Modernities: Resistance, Revival and Change.

Focus on one of three specialist areas

Explore the different forms of modernity in Latin America within one of three areas: culture and identity, state-society relations, and literature, arts and media. A comparative, area studies approach to research provides a broader, global context to current issues in Latin America.

Field research in Latin America

This programme attracts talented students and staff from around the world. Small classes ensure you get the most from in-class discussions and direct contact with your international peers and lecturers. An important focus of this programme is developing your ability to conduct high-quality scientific research, including field research in a Latin American country. A substantial part of the programme is taught in Spanish or Portuguese, developing your proficiency in one of these languages.

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