Masters Degrees in Cultural Geography, United Kingdom

The MA Cultural Geography (Research) is celebrating its 20th birthday in 2015-2016. The course was founded in 1995 as one of the first masters programmes in the world to offer students focused engagement with the then emerging sub-discipline of Cultural Geography.

Twenty years later and Cultural Geography is one of the most dynamic sub-disciplines in contemporary geography. Our course reflects this dynamism. We combine core concepts with research methods training and interdisciplinary scholarship and practice. We develop this alongside innovative placements and research engagements with some of world’s top cultural institution, located on our doorstep in London.

Thematically cultural geography focuses on the interconnections between place,landscape, environment, mobilities and identity, and thus has profound relevance for the contemporary world. Our graduates go onto work in a range of sectors, including the arts and cultural sector, publishing, planning and urban policy, private and public sector research work as well as many carrying on to further doctoral study.

As profiles of our recent students (https://landscapesurgery.wordpress.com/2014/11/13/maculturalgeography/) show, the course attracts a diverse range of students from a range of backgrounds, not just those with geography degrees.

To see more about the activities around the MA Cultural Geography at Royal Holloway, please look at our research group blog Landscape Surgery - https://landscapesurgery.wordpress.com/ .

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/geography/coursefinder/maculturalgeography.aspx

Why choose this course?

- This well established course aims to provide research training and practice at Master’s level in Human Geography, with a particular emphasis on Cultural Geography; to prepare you for independent research at doctoral level in Human Geography; and to develop specialised knowledge and understanding of research, particularly involving cultural analysis, interpretation and practice.

- The course has a strong track record in gaining Research Council Funding for students. This includes ESRC 1+3 funding as well as funding from AHRC TECHNE. Please see the funding opportunities page for further details.

- The MA in Cultural Geography (Research) combines the vibrant research of the outstanding Social and Cultural Geography group with cutting edge teaching. The quality of our course was recognised by our external examiner as offering a gold-standard for the sector. Our teaching was nationally recognised by the student nominated award for “Best Teaching Team” (Arts and Humanities) at the National Prospects Post-Graduate Awards (2013).

- The programme includes cutting-edge conceptual teaching in themes such as theories of place and space, postcolonial geographies, geographies of knowledge, mapping and exploration, landscape, memory and heritage, geographies of consumption, material geographies, geographies of embodiment, practice and performance, critical urbanisms and creative geographies.

- At RHUL we are known for our commitment to collaborative research, offering you the chance to develop your seminar and tutorial-based learning alongside world leading cultural institutions. These include the Science Museum, V&A Museum, Museum of London, British Library, Natural History Museum, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Institute for International Visual Arts, and the Royal Geographical Society.

- You will be well prepared to continue to a PhD, building on the research you have completed on this course.

Department research and industry highlights

Social and Cultural Geography at Royal Holloway emphasises the cultural politics of place, space and landscape. The Group's research stresses theoretically informed and informative work, values equally contemporary and historical scholarship, and engages with diverse geographical locations within and beyond the UK.

SCG is home to a large and intellectually vibrant postgraduate community. There are around 40-50 postgraduates in the Group at any time. Many of the past graduates of the MA and SCG PhDs are now established academics in their own right.

SCG is well-known for its collaboration with a range of cultural institutions beyond the academy; recent partners include the the Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, National Maritime Museum, British Library, British Museum, Museum of London and the Royal Geographical Society. The Group also has a tradition of including creative practitioners within its activities, as artists in residence, as research fellows and through participation in major research projects.

Many leading journals are edited by group staff, including Cultural Geographies, the Journal of Historical Geography, Geoforum, History Workshop Journal and GeoHumanities. Please see the Landscape Surgery blog for further information on Social and Cultural Geography activities at RHUL.

Course content and structure

The programme consists of four elements, all assessed by coursework.

- Element 1: Contemporary Cultural Geographies
This is a programme of seminars on current ideas, theory and practice in Cultural and Human Geography. It includes the following themes: theories of place; colonial and postcolonial geographies; biographies of material culture; embodiment, practice and place; geographies of consumption; culture, nature and landscape; space, politics and democracy; cultures of politics.

- Element 2: Methods and Techniques in Cultural Geography
This consists of a programme of workshops devoted to research methodologies and techniques in Cultural Geography. It includes research strategies and project design; reflexivity and ethics; ethnographic research; social survey; qualitative data analysis and computing; visual methodologies; interpreting texts; interpreting things; interpreting movement; negotiating the archives; the arts of cultural geography.

- Element 3: Research Training
You will be introduced to the culture of research in Human Geography and provided with a broad training for independent research within contemporary cultural geography. This element supplements the more specialised research training in research techniques in Element 2, and culminates in a 5,000 word research proposal for the Dissertation.

- Element 4: Dissertation
You will produce a substantial (15-18,000 word) research dissertation, under supervision.

On completion of the course graduates will have:
- advanced knowledge and expertise in the field of Cultural Geography and its current research questions
- advanced knowledge in the ideas, approaches and substantive themes of contemporary Cultural Geographies
- advanced knowledge of the research methods and techniques of Cultural Geography
- knowledge of the culture of research.

Assessment

Assessment is by coursework only. Formative feedback and detailed ongoing discussion of work before final submission is a central part of the teaching ethos of the course. Students also have significant autonomy in the selection of topics for coursework and dissertation allowing them to develop particular interests and specialisms.

Contemporary Cultural Geographies (Element 1)
Assessed by two course essays of up to 5,000 words (25% of final mark).

Methods and Techniques in Cultural Geography (Element 2)
Assessed by two workshop reports of up to 5,000 words (25% of final mark).

Research Training (Element 3)
Assessed by a 5,000-word dissertation proposal and satisfactory completion of modules taken in the element (Pass required).

Dissertation (Element 4)
Assessed by submission of a completed dissertation of 15-18,000 words. (50% of final mark).

Employability & career opportunities

Throughout the MA we spend time exploring possible career trajectories with our students.

This includes working on PhD applications – over 50% of our students go onto do PhDs and many go into academic position thereafter.

We also run a series of placement days with key cultural institutions in and around London including, British Library, Royal Geographical Society and Kew that help students develop skills, experience and contacts.

In recent years our graduates have entered a range of sectors, including the creative industries (advertising and marketing), the museum and research sectors (British Library, National Archive, and research assistantships in various academic projects).

We offer a series of course and activities to support career development:

1) Transferable Skills sessions

During the course staff on the MA not only teach key ideas and research methods, but also help students hone a series of transferable skills. As well as writing and presentation skills, activities on Element three enable the development of team-working and delegation skills. We also hold a series of dedicated skills sessions during the course including social media skills and networking skills run both by staff and by specialists from the careers office.

2) Career Development sessions and workshops

Both staff on the MA and the specialist staff at RHUL career centre offer tailored career development sessions. These might involve talking about developing an academic career, exploring careers in the cultural sector, as well as generic skills such as preparing your CV and developing a Linkedin profile.

3) Cultural Engagements and Placements

Staff on the MA course make the most of their research links with arts and cultural organisations to help students develop placement based work during their course.

Element three activities are designed to help students build up their CVs but also their contacts, and we are happy to help arrange shorter placements during element 1 and 2 pieces or longer-term placements for dissertation work. Past placements have seen students working with a range of key cultural institutions in and around London including the Royal Geographical Society, Kew Gardens, Furtherfield Digital Media and The British Museum.

How to apply

Applications for entry to all our full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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This Master’s degree in geography will give you a thorough understanding of contemporary approaches to critical social and cultural geography, engaging with questions of inequality, identity and belonging, power and dissent, culture and conflict, critical cartographies, the spatiality of social inequalities, and the representation and power of cultural landscapes. You will develop your knowledge in the fields of social and cultural geography and understand their relationship to the wider field of human geography.

The compulsory modules explore cultural encounters, cultural change and conflict, and identity and power in the contemporary world, using case studies from the UK and internationally. You will acquire the conceptual ideas, theoretical approaches and analytical research skills needed to study geography at a postgraduate level.

You can then choose 2 option modules from a wide variety of topics including anthropology, Geographic Information Systems, postcolonial studies and urbanisation. You will also learn research methods that will enable you to specialise and undertake the researching and writing of a dissertation on the subject that interests you most and to conduct independent research in both academic and non-academic contexts.

Why study this course at Birkbeck?

This distinctive Master's degree combines theoretical and critical approaches to social and cultural geography with real-world case studies.
The programme allows you to follow your own interests, with a wide choice of option modules, while developing your research skills and undertaking a dissertation in an area that interests you.
The structure and teaching of the programme is informed by the critical, socially-engaged research of academics in the Department of Geography, Environment and Development Studies.
The department is at the forefront of research into social and spatial inequalities, urbanisation and environmental change with active research in these fields.
The department is one of the hosts of the Living Maps project and our students have the opportunity to access activities and research centres across the College, including the Birkbeck Institute for Social Research and the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities.
Our location in Bloomsbury puts us at the heart of academic London. You can take advantage of the rich research collections nearby, including Senate House Library, which is right next door to Birkbeck and the British Library, which is 5 minutes' walk away.

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.

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Overview

The Geography MRes is a pre-doctoral training programme version of the Geography MA/MSc. Alongside the opportunity to specialise in a chosen area of human geography (see below), you will develop social science research skills and methods appropriate for further study in this field. Depending on the options you choose, you can study key issues such as globalisation and development; cities, space and power; and collaborative cultural geographies.

This MRes is a pre-doctoral training programme taught in conjunction with the London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS DTP) and is an approved pathway for ESRC 1+3 PhD studentship funding and ideal for those seeking to work in a research-related role. The new MRes programmes from 2017 will be the same structure as the MA/MSc equivalent, but will include two compulsory modules: ‘Introduction to Social Science Research 1: Epistemology, Research design, and Qualitative methods’ and ‘Introduction to Social Science Research 2: Quantitative Methods and Data’. Please check the website at time of application for the latest module structure.

What topics can I study?

- Projects available from our human geography specialists change every year and a full lists of research topics is available at http://www.geog.qmul.ac.uk/docs/pgadmissions/194250.pdf.

This programme will:

- give you advanced training in human geography
- allow you to learn research methods leading to PhD study
- give you a wide range of optional modules and specialisms, allowing you to tailor the course to suit your interests.

Why study at QMUL Geography?

- Professional and friendly environment: We are recognised as an international centre for excellence in teaching and research. Our work is at the forefront of human geography, shaping debates and providing significant new insight and understanding. We are also known for our friendly, collegial and welcoming ethos and are home to many of contemporary human geography's best known scholars.
- Research excellence: Almost 80 per cent of our research outputs (books and articles) are rated as world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) placing us 5th in the UK for this measure. Our research scores increased across all areas in the latest UK score of research excellence (REF 2014) and we're ranked joint 11th for geography in the UK overall. We're also proud to feature in the top 100 departments in the world to study geography (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016).
- Employability: 94% of respondents from our postgraduates were in work or further study six month after graduation; 91% at graduate level (DLHE 2015).
- Capital location: We're a School that cares about the world beyond the university, working with a range of community groups, artists, cultural and heritage institutions and policy makers, particularly here in east London. Our passion is to demonstrate through research and teaching the intellectual and political significance of geographical research and understanding. We encourage our students to become part of this vibrant intellectual culture.
- Research centre: Optional modules include some opportunities to work with external organisations, such as the Geffrye Museum, with whom we have a partnership through our jointly directed Centre for Studies of Home.

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This Master's programme addresses the central themes and methodologies of cultural geography, focusing especially on the relationships between place, identity, landscape, nature and culture. The Department has a world reputation in Cultural Geography, and was top ranked at 5* in the last RAE.

Full details:
http://www.gg.rhul.ac.uk/ma/

Applicants are eligible for ESRC and AHRC funding - in 2005/6 four students were awarded ESRC 1+3 studentships, and the Department is likely to receive at least 2 places on this basis for 2008/9. Our students come from a range of disciplines as well as Geography, including Architecture, Area Studies, History and Landscape Studies.

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Overview

The Geography MA/MSc programmes provide a strong grounding in current geographical theory, methods and issues by drawing on the expertise of our human geography staff from across the School. Combining core training in theory and practice with the opportunity for you to specialise in your chosen areas, you can choose the length of the dissertation. It is possible to develop your own area of research or to complete a dissertation on a subject advertised by the School (see below). Opportunities to work with institutions and groups beyond the university are provided through our close ties with museums, archives, community organisations and artists. Depending on options you choose, you can study key issues such as globalisation and development; cities, space and power; and collaborative cultural geographies. MRes version of this course is also available.

This programme:

- provides an advanced understanding of geographical theory, methods and substantive issues at the cutting edge of human geography
- allows you to design your own programme with help from our staff and take advantage of the flexibility of the length of dissertation and the number of option modules you study
- equips you with advanced-level research skills including project design, planning and management, as well as analytical and interpretive skills that are ideal for those looking to enhance their qualifications, broaden skills and knowledge specialisms, or to conduct further research.

Specialist topics

- Projects available from our human geography specialists change every year and a full lists of research topics is available at http://www.geog.qmul.ac.uk/docs/pgadmissions/194250.pdf.

Why study at QMUL Geography?

- Professional and friendly environment: We are recognised as an international centre for excellence in teaching and research. Our work is at the forefront of human geography, shaping debates and providing significant new insight and understanding. We are also known for our friendly, collegial and welcoming ethos and are home to many of contemporary human geography's best known scholars.
- Research excellence: Almost 80 per cent of our research outputs (books and articles) are rated as world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) placing us 5th in the UK for this measure. Our research scores increased across all areas in the latest UK score of research excellence (REF 2014) and we're ranked joint 11th for geography in the UK overall. We're also proud to feature in the top 100 departments in the world to study geography (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016).
- Employability: 94% of respondents from our postgraduates were in work or further study six month after graduation; 91% at graduate level (DLHE 2015).
- Capital location: We're a School that cares about the world beyond the university, working with a range of community groups, artists, cultural and heritage institutions and policy makers, particularly here in east London. Our passion is to demonstrate through research and teaching the intellectual and political significance of geographical research and understanding. We encourage our students to become part of this vibrant intellectual culture.

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This programme will provide advanced training in geographical thought and analysis. Students will choose either of two 'pathways' - "Social/Cultural Geography" and "Population Studies". These are based in the areas of research expertise of the Human Geography staff within the Department of Geography & Planning.

One third of the course (60 credits) will provide specific training based upon the pathway chosen.

A further 60 credits will deliver generic research skills training required in order for ESRC Research Training Accreditation. This is delivered in combination with Planning staff in the Department, but also in combination with students studying in Sociology.

Finally, students will also undertake a 60 credit dissertation. This piece of independent research will allow students to develop the skills developed during the taught components of the research and to focus on a topic of interest to them.

Students will undertake 60 credits of taught work relevant to their chosen pathway. In Social/Cultural Geography, this would involve key areas/concepts of interest to contemporary human geography and related to staff expertise. An indicative list would involve issues such as identity, political activism and resistance, experiences of migration and diaspora, alternative economic practices, and health and the lifecourse. In Population Geography, a similar list could include demographic theory, household-level analysis of population trends, analysing social segregation, and critically interpreting migration statistics.

60 Credits of research training will be structured across 4 15-credit modules shared between the Department of Geography & Planning and Social Sciences in the University more broadly. These modules would provide training in the design, collection and analysis of research data, together with training in the philosophical and theoretical basis of research.

60 Credits of the degree will take the form of a supervised dissertation, conducted independently by the student (with support from a relevant member of staff) on a topic of their choice.

Why Geography?

We’ve exceptional academic staff with expertise in a range of areas:

Geographies of Population and the Lifecourse
Globalisation, Development and Place
Advanced Environmental Analytical Techniques
The study of Environmental and Climate Change.

Career prospects

Our degrees provide pathways into rewarding careers and our graduates have found employment in a wide range of industries and organisations, both in the UK and abroad. Graduates of the Environment and Climate Change MSc have gone on to continue their studies towards a PhD, or are employed in a wide range of positions, including environmental, energy and engineering consultancies, multinational companies (energy), local government, environmental bodies, research positions and teaching.

PhD graduates are now working in academic life as lecturers in Geography, Environmental Science, Economic History, Development Studies and Statistics at universities in the UK and overseas. Others are employed in applied fields, working in Europe, Africa and across the world, for example as professional statisticians (one is now Director of Statistics in Zambia, another working in the Health Service in the UK), development professionals (including a member of staff on the WHO malaria programme in East Africa), and scientists at climate and environmental research centres around the world.

Students will be well placed to undertake a career in social science research at the end of their studies, both in an academic and a non-academic environment.

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Our Human Geography Research MA is a recognised pathway within the the ESRC Northern Ireland/North East (NINE) Doctoral Training Partnership. It provides advanced-level training in research skills, methods and theories so you can pursue a career in research.

Our course equips you with the knowledge and research skills needed to develop as a human geography researcher. Throughout the course you will develop:
-The ability to define research problems and design appropriate methods for their investigation
-Individual research interests through choosing your own projects
-Your research profile
-Research skills in data collection and analysis
-An understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different data types and research methods
-Bibliographic and computing research skills, including the use of specialist software
-A professional approach to ethical issues surrounding research in human geography
-Research skills in qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques
-Communication skills for the effective dissemination of research to both specialist and non-specialist audiences

Our key areas of research in human geography include:
-Social and cultural geography
-Economic geographies
-International development
-Geopolitics

Newcastle University is one of the leading places for geographical research in the UK. In 2014, we received recognition for the quality of our publications and research outputs. 80% of our geography research output is world-leading or internationally excellent. This ranks us fourth in the UK for output quality. The impact of our research was also recognised, with Newcastle ranked equal third in the UK.

Following the assessment of case studies ranging from a wide topic area, 70% were rated as world-leading, including:
-The role of universities in regional growth
-New ways of benchmarking economic areas
-Standards for the assessment of water quality
-The impact of people trafficking

Delivery

Members of our vibrant research community deliver teaching and assessment. Tutors are from geography and the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS).

Facilities

We provide high quality facilities for our postgraduate students. Facilities include a dedicated postgraduate suite for geography students.

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AIM

The aims of the programme are:

1. To support students in the development of their intellectual and practical skills through the study and interpretation of cultural heritage artefacts, their historic societal significance and relationship with the landscape and the wider environment in the past and the present.

2. To demonstrate how geo-spatial technologies and techniques (including GIS, scanning and digitisation) play a central role in the recording, analysis, interpretation and management of cultural heritage across a range of scales from excavated items, archaeological sites, and paper records to historic buildings, monuments and their landscapes.

WHY QUEEN'S?

In the new programme the internationally recognised expertise within GAP with regard to the development and application of digitisation and scanning technologies will be more fully used and integrated into the student learning experience.

The integration of these skills with wider academic expertise in Archaeology and the Centre for Archaeological Fieldwork (CAF), and Geography and the Centre for Data Digitisation and Analysis (CDDA) will create a unique 'heritage' focused programme in which students will experience heritage in its widest context and will have the opportunity to acquire and practice a wide range of geo-spatial skills and explore the conceptual issues associated with their application.

PROGRAMME CONTENT

MSc: successfully complete the five taught modules (120 CATS) and undertake independent research for the dissertation (60 CATS).

PgDip: successfully complete the same five taught modules but do not take the dissertation module.

PgCert: successfully complete the two Semester 1 modules.

Semester 1
GIS Technologies: Application and Practice (30 credits)
Introduction to Cultural Heritage and GIS (30 credits)

Semester 2
Heritage Structures (20 credits)
Heritage Landscapes (20 credits)
Professional Practice Placement (20 credits)

Semester 3
Dissertation (60 credits)

LEARNING AND TEACHING

One of the modules included in the Cultural Heritage and GIS programme includes a residential field course (between 5-10 days).

CAREER PROSPECTS

The market for those with a qualification in Cultural Heritage and GIS can be defined as:

professionals who are involved in providing scientific understanding in the support of heritage protection
professionals engaged in dealing with the digital documentation and portrayal of heritage structures and landscapes
professionals seeking a targeted training in the use of digital data handling, especially through the application of GIS
those wishing to develop a career in cultural heritage conservation and/or management;
those already employed in cultural heritage management who require the updating of qualifications, or the improvement of existing ones, in order to reflect new developments in technology and thinking.

Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with business experts helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally.

ASSESSMENT & FEEDBACK

Teaching is achieved through various combinations of lectures, seminars, practical classes and fieldwork and is supported by intensive self-guided independent learning. All assessment is coursework based and will be individually undertaken. The dissertation submission is an independent piece of research undertaken by each student under the supervision of an academic member of staff. Both formative and summative feedback will be given through, as appropriate, oral and written means. The pass mark for all assessments is 50 per cent. Students must obtain an overall 50 per cent pass mark for this taught programme (five modules) before progression from the PG Diploma to Masters.

VISIT US

Visit Queen's to sense the atmosphere of our historic campus, tour our world-class facilities, and experience for yourself the exceptional learning environment we provide. Find out when our next Open Days are, or arrange a guided tour to suit you.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications for admission to the vast majority of postgraduate programmes are submitted online via the Postgraduate Direct Applications Portal. The online system also allows application for funding where appropriate.

If you have queries on course content please contact the school representative below.

Dr Paul Ell
School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology
Tel: 9097 3186
Email: [email protected]
WWW: http://www.qub.ac.uk/gap

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The programme is located at the cutting-edge of inter-disciplinary social science and humanities research engaged with the role of space, place and power in shaping modern knowledge and societies. Research training is provided in a range of qualitative methodologies relevant to research within and beyond the university sector. Modules running in 2016-17 include 'Popular geopolitics', 'Security and Securitization,' and 'Geographies of Markets'. A 12 week placement module is being planned and will provide an opportunity to engage with a public, charitable or other non-governmental organisation.

The programme develops specialised knowledge of the interaction between society and space and an understanding of how research underpins cultural analysis, interpretation and practice that gives graduates the opportunity to:

• Develop specialist knowledge and understanding of human geography and its approaches, philosophies and ontologies, and methods of analysis and interpretation;
• Develop critical, reflexive thinking;
• Develop research skills in human geography to prepare for doctoral research in human geography and cognate disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, or to undertake social and cultural research in the private, public and third sectors;
• Develop skills in qualitative, quantitative, textual and visual analysis
• Undertake a substantial piece of research in the field of Human Geography.

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Research profile

This programme's emphasis on independent research allows you to work closely with scholars who are leaders in their field.

Research may be in any area of social, urban, environmental, development, political, economic, historical or cultural geography that is supported by the Human Geography Research Group. It is co-delivered with the University’s Graduate School of Social Science.

The programme can stand alone as a masters degree, or form the first year of a ‘1+3’ ESRC-backed PhD programme.

Students who successfully complete this programme will:

• acquire transferable skills relevant to advanced researchers
• develop skills in data acquisition and analysis
• understand wider methodological and epistemological debates relevant to their research

This programme is affiliated with the University's Global Environment & Society Academy.

• Global Environment & Society Academy

Programme structure

We offer a balance between general and specialist research training. The programme combines lectures, practical work, workshops, essays, seminars and one-to-one supervision of independent research leading to delivery of a dissertation.

Compulsory courses:

• Research Design in Human Geography
• Methodological Debates in Human Geography
• Core Quantitative Data Analysis 1 and 2
• Research Skills in the Social Sciences: Data Collection
• Dissertation in Human Geography

Option courses:

In consultation with the Programme Director, you will choose from a range of option courses. We particularly recommend:

• Conducting Research Interviews
• Contemporary Social Theory
• The Documents of Life
• Explanation and Understanding in Social and Political Research
• Intermediate Inferential Statistics: Testing and Modelling
• Listening to Children: Research and Consultation
• Political Ecology
• Qualitative Methods and Ethnographic Fieldwork
• Survey Methods and Data
• Values and the Environment

Independent research

The emphasis on independent research allows you to work closely with scholars at the cutting edge in order to advance your own research passions. A highlight of the programme is the postgraduate conference where you present your research to colleagues.

The University of Edinburgh has an unbroken record of teaching and research in the earth sciences going back to 1770, when Robert Ramsay became the first Professor of Natural History.

James Hutton and Arthur Holmes were prominent among those who set an academic tradition in Edinburgh that continues today with the University achieving top ratings in earth sciences teaching and research.

Our interactive and interdisciplinary research environment allows us to tackle difficult research questions, from causes of past glaciations to interactions of earth, climate and society. The ambition and quality of our research was reflected in the latest Research Assessment Exercise: 66 per cent of our research was rated within the top two categories – world-leading and internationally excellent.

Our location at the King’s Buildings campus – home to most of the University’s science and engineering research – benefits our work too. Our King’s Buildings neighbours include external institutes such as the British Geological Survey; our proximity to them strengthens these research links.

Training and support

As a research student, you will be affiliated to one of our research institutes, benefiting from an excellent peer-supported network.

As groupings of researchers with related interests, the institutes provide a forum for development of ideas, collaboration, and dissemination of results, and an environment for training, development and mentoring of research students and early career researchers.

Backed by industry

The School receives strong backing from industry, particularly in areas such as hydrocarbons and carbon capture and storage. We receive support from the EU and from major UK research councils, including the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council.

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Overview

Our Cities and Cultures MA programme combines the study of cultural geography with a specific focus on urban cultures, both past and present. It draws upon the latest developments in cultural geography and urban studies to provide advanced and critical understandings of how cities are socially produced, imagined, represented and contested. Modules examine the relationships between urban space and power through themes that include empire, migration and postcolonialism. They also explore the meanings and politics of spaces in diverse cities by engaging with original texts as well as the built environment, art practices, literature, performance, film, exhibitions and museum curation. Core research training in geographical thought and practice equips you to undertake your own research in this field. MRes version of this course is also available.

This programme:

- takes your knowledge, understanding and skills to an advanced level through a research-led programme that provides flexibility for you to pursue your own interests
- introduces innovative approaches to cities and urban life that make the most of Queen Mary's location in London, and that draw upon the School's strong connections with museums and artists
- provides a unique basis for careers in the cultural and urban sectors, as well as for further research through its distinctive emphasis on urban practices and on creative collaborations between geographers, artists and curators.

Why study at QMUL Geography?

- Professional and friendly environment: We are recognised as an international centre for excellence in teaching and research. Our work is at the forefront of human geography, shaping debates and providing significant new insight and understanding. We are also known for our friendly, collegial and welcoming ethos and are home to many of contemporary human geography's best known scholars.
- Research excellence: Almost 80 per cent of our research outputs (books and articles) are rated as world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) placing us 5th in the UK for this measure. Our research scores increased across all areas in the latest UK score of research excellence (REF 2014) and we're ranked joint 11th for geography in the UK overall. We're also proud to feature in the top 100 departments in the world to study geography (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016).
- Employability: 94% of respondents from our postgraduates were in work or further study six month after graduation; 91% at graduate level (DLHE 2015).
- Capital location: We're a School that cares about the world beyond the university, working with a range of community groups, artists, cultural and heritage institutions and policy makers, particularly here in east London. Our passion is to demonstrate through research and teaching the intellectual and political significance of geographical research and understanding. We encourage our students to become part of this vibrant intellectual culture.

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Overview

The Cities and Cultures MRes is a pre-doctoral training programme version of the Cities and Cultures MA. Alongside the focus on the cultural geographies of cities, it develops social science research skills and methods appropriate for further study in this field. Core modules in interdisciplinary research methods are taught through the London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS DTP), making it an approved pathway for ESRC funding. This allows eligible students to apply for ESRC 1+3 funding to cover the MRes with a PhD. It also allows successful MRes graduates to apply subsequently for ESRC +3 PhD funding. The MRes also caters more generally for those working in, or seeking to work in, a research-related post in the public, private or charitable sectors.

This programme will:

- provide a research pathway if you wish to pursue a PhD after your masters degree, in particular allowing you to undertake an ESRC-funded PhD
- give you advanced-level training in social science research methodologies
- deepen knowledge of the distinctive contribution of cultural geographical perspectives to understanding cities and urban life
- examine collaborative cultural geographies, focusing especially on creative collaborations between geographers, artists and curators.

Programme Structure

Modules can include: Geographical Thought and Practice; Introduction to Social Science Methods: Qualitative Research; Introduction to Social Science Research: Quantitative Research; Art, Performance and the City; Cities, Space and Power; Cultural Geography in Practice; Empire, Race and Immigration. (check QMUL for latest)

Why study at QMUL Geography?

- Professional and friendly environment: We are recognised as an international centre for excellence in teaching and research. Our work is at the forefront of human geography, shaping debates and providing significant new insight and understanding. We are also known for our friendly, collegial and welcoming ethos and are home to many of contemporary human geography's best known scholars.
- Research excellence: Almost 80 per cent of our research outputs (books and articles) are rated as world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) placing us 5th in the UK for this measure. Our research scores increased across all areas in the latest UK score of research excellence (REF 2014) and we're ranked joint 11th for geography in the UK overall. We're also proud to feature in the top 100 departments in the world to study geography (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016).
- Employability: 94% of respondents from our postgraduates were in work or further study six month after graduation; 91% at graduate level (DLHE 2015).
- Capital location: We're a School that cares about the world beyond the university, working with a range of community groups, artists, cultural and heritage institutions and policy makers, particularly here in east London. Our passion is to demonstrate through research and teaching the intellectual and political significance of geographical research and understanding. We encourage our students to become part of this vibrant intellectual culture.

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Overview

London has long been an international centre of cultural production and political power. This interdisciplinary programme takes the city as its focus, using London as a central example, resource and inspiration. It is taught collaboratively, drawing on expertise from the Culture, Space and Power research theme in the School of Geography, and from the School of English and Drama. The programme brings together historical and contemporary perspectives on metropolitan culture through approaches that span the humanities and social sciences, and through engaging with urban history and theory, literature, art practice, performance, exhibitions, the built environment and more.

This programme:

- provides a sound conceptual base as well as suitable practical training to conduct independent research on London, introducing resources in the city and ways of using them intelligently and creatively
- makes the most of Queen Mary’s location in the East End, being close to key cultural resources and institutions as well as in an area whose historical changes and current transformations provide a focus for study and debate
- involves working with a range of London-based archives, libraries, museums and other repositories with collections relating to the cultural life of the city, while exploring the practices of museums, institutions, artists and others working beyond the academy.

Why study at QMUL Geography?

- Professional and friendly environment: We are recognised as an international centre for excellence in teaching and research. Our work is at the forefront of human geography, shaping debates and providing significant new insight and understanding. We are also known for our friendly, collegial and welcoming ethos and are home to many of contemporary human geography's best known scholars.
- Research excellence: Almost 80 per cent of our research outputs (books and articles) are rated as world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) placing us 5th in the UK for this measure. Our research scores increased across all areas in the latest UK score of research excellence (REF 2014) and we're ranked joint 11th for geography in the UK overall. We're also proud to feature in the top 100 departments in the world to study geography (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016)
- Employability: 94% of respondents from our postgraduates were in work or further study six month after graduation; 91% at graduate level (DLHE 2015)
- Capital location: We're a School that cares about the world beyond the university, working with a range of community groups, artists, cultural and heritage institutions and policy makers, particularly here in east London. Our passion is to demonstrate through research and teaching the intellectual and political significance of geographical research and understanding. We encourage our students to become part of this vibrant intellectual culture.

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Essential preparation for successful heritage careers

Why choose this course?

The cultural heritage sector offers a wide range of exciting opportunities in museums, local authorities and heritage agencies, organisations and consultancies. This course offers essential training for professional roles throughout the sector.
-Understand all aspects of heritage management theory and practice.
-Gain practical work experience in the heritage sector.
-Develop knowledge and skills essential for today’s heritage-sector careers.
-Study in the heritage capital of Britain – see heritage-management in action.
-Access state-of-the-art facilities, including laboratories, archives and libraries.
-Use the latest techniques and equipment to build key practical skills.
-Receive heritage careers advice from staff with significant experience of recruiting within the sector.

York is one of the best places to study Archaeology, Heritage or Conservation. The Department has an excellent reputation and is one of the largest Archaeology teaching centres in the UK. The historic City of York is rich in architectural and archaeological treasures and resources which you will have easy access to during your studies.

What does the course cover?

Through a combination of academic studies, practical training, work placements and research projects, this course provides a thorough grounding in all aspects of heritage management theory and practice. You will address key issues such as:
-Why does the past matter and to whom?
-Who decides what constitutes heritage and what should be done with it?
-How should we present the past to the public?

The course focuses on providing you with highly valued and transferrable practical skills, knowledge and experience.

Who is it for?

This is a general programme of study, exploring the multi-disciplinary nature of the heritage environment. It is therefore suitable not just for students of Archaeology or History, but for anyone who wishes to pursue a career in the heritage sector. Recent students have included those with backgrounds in History, English, History of Art, Politics and Environmental Sciences.

What can it lead to?

The course places strong emphasis on employability. In recent years, and in spite of the economic downturn, it has successfully launched many students into heritage careers with organisations ranging from the National Trust, English Heritage and the Council for British Archaeology to museums, councils, heritage consultancies, and even travel book publishers.

Placement

The work placements provide a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience of working in the professional heritage sector. The two placements will draw on and contribute to the knowledge and experience you have gained on your taught courses, while enabling you to develop new insights, understanding and expertise in heritage management that will be extremely valuable in future employment.

Aims
-To provide students with experience of heritage management in a heritage sector working environment.
-To consolidate students’ knowledge and understanding of heritage-management procedures and issues gained from the taught modules.

Learning outcomes
Upon completing these placements you should have:
-Gained experience and knowledge of the implementation of heritage policy and principles in the workplace/cultural sector, under the guidance of experienced professionals.
-An understanding of the contexts in which heritage policy and principles are applied, and of real-world limitations.
-Developed experience in practical applications, facilitating critical reflection on the theoretical and philosophical issues raised in both core modules.

Careers

The MA in Cultural Heritage Management has a clear focus on employability. At the end of the course you will have:
-Enhanced your skills and knowledge, improving your chances of employment as a heritage practitioner;
-Developed intellectually and personally through direct contact with heritage professionals;
-Gained a critical understanding of the policies and practices underpinning heritage management;
-Developed an understanding of the nature of heritage and its relevance to society; and
-Received guidance on career opportunities across the heritage sector, including where to find jobs and how best to apply for them.

Course postgraduates have gone on to careers in archaeology and heritage-related organisations across the UK and abroad, including:
-English Heritage
-The National Trust
-York Archaeological Trust
-The Council for British Archaeology
-Highland Council
-Yorkshire Museums Trust
-Heritage consultancies
-The Science Museum Group
-The Royal Mint Museum
-Heritage Malta
-New South Wales Government

Others have used the skills gained to pursue careers in other sectors, including:
-Local government and development
-Chartered surveying
-Computing and IT services
-Business and administration
-Marketing and public relations
-Education
-Civil service, law and police authorities
-Accountancy and financial services
-Others have gone on to take PhDs at York, Stanford (USA) and other universities.

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Landscape is a key theme in cultural and historical geography, providing connections in theory and practice with disciplines throughout the humanities and social sciences.

The MA Landscape and Culture has run successfully since 1996, and has attracted students from a wide range of disciplines and practical backgrounds.

The MA is aimed at students with an interest in theoretical and empirical developments in cultural geography, and those wishing to gain an understanding of the cultural landscapes of rural and urban environments throughout the world.

It aims to equip you with the theoretical and methodological skills to carry out successful research in the area of landscape and culture.

You will understand and be able to effectively employ research methods and philosophies from cultural geography and related disciplines in the humanities and social sciences.

You will also develop a range of transferable research and other skills to equip you for a successful career in whichever employment you choose. This includes critical analysis, creative thinking and individual research initiatives, as well as training in documentary and iconographical analysis and interview techniques.

Key facts

This course is recognised by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) as providing training appropriate for PhD research, and an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) recognised training route through the MA provides 1+3 Research Training leading on to social science PhD study.
The School of Geography is one of the strongest both nationally and internationally – this is reflected in its position in the UK’s top five geography departments in The Times Good University Guide.
73% of our research was rated as 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent' in the Research Excellence Framework 2014 and we were rated 'excellent' in the Higher Education Funding Council for England assessment of teaching provision.

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