Masters Degrees in 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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About the course

Aberystwyth University’s Masters in Practising Human Geography is specifically designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills and competencies required of an advanced, professionally trained researcher specialising in Human Geography. Based at Aberystwyth University’s internationally-renowned Department of Geography and Earth Sciences (DGES), this course will equip you with both subject-specific expertise and a broad base of professional skills which are transferrable into a wide range of employment contexts.

To help you become a thorough and professional researcher, you will receive a comprehensive grounding in the practical research methodologies of the discipline. You will also be trained in the philosophical, epistemological and theoretical approaches to Human Geography. Together, the uniquely practical and theoretical approaches to the subject will make you a balanced, adaptable and highly-competitive candidate for employment and further doctoral-level research.

Throughout the course you will demonstrate initiative and self-motivated learning, supported by the crucial self-awareness to be both flexible in working practice but always academically rigorous. Your skills in communication, teamwork and project-management will be strengthened, and you will become fully confident in framing coherent and insightful questions and expressing them in oral and written form in a range of group and individual settings.

These qualities, supported by comprehensive subject knowledge, will enable you to gain employment with government agencies, public bodies, research institutes and private consultancies.

The DGES invites applications from postgraduate students in a range of related disciplines including geologists, geographers and environmental earth scientists.

This degree will suit you:

- If you wish to obtain the expertise required for advanced research in Human Geography;
- If you are interested in pursuing a career in Human Geography;
- If you wish to obtain an excellent postgraduate qualification from an internationally-recognised, research-led institute;
- If you wish to build upon your a second class degree or higher in a related discipline.

Course content and structure

The course is a year-long, full-time programme divided into two parts over three semesters. In part one, you will establish a breadth of necessary skills in a number of core modules whilst directing your own study by choosing specialist modules. In part two, you will apply your learning in the individual dissertation worth an additional 60 credits. Contact time is approximately 10 -14 HOURS per week and our small, friendly classes provide a productive environment where you can engage with your subject matter fully supported by staff and your peers.

Core modules:

Advanced Research in Human Geography
Geographical Research Methodologies
Key Concepts and Debates in Human Geography
MA Dissertation
Principles of Research Design
Quantitative Data Collection and Analysis

Optional modules:

Postgraduate Work Experience
Rural Economy, Society and Policy
Risk Management and Resilience in a Changing Environment

Assessment

Assessment: Part 1 of the course is delivered and assessed through lectures, tutorials and essay projects. In Part 2, the successful acceptance of your dissertation (up to 20,000 words) leads to the award of an MA. 

Employability

Every aspect of the MA in Practising Human Geography is designed to enhance your employability. Alongside the development of your subject-specific knowledge and experience, an especially noteworthy strength of this course is the emphasis on personal development. As an emerging specialist in Human Geography, your strengthened research and critical faculties will make you a strong candidate for any post where ideas and topics need research, analysis, discussion, expansion and classification.

In addition to gaining such specialised knowledge in the theoretical concepts of Human Geography, the course aims to develop your more general skills such as written and oral communication, data handling and statistics, team work, information technology and problem solving. These skills are highly prized by employers and can be applied across innumerable graduate and master’s level jobs. Because you will have secured and proved your competency in these areas, you will be very well equipped for entering the general employment market but also in pursuing positions in subject-related professions.

A host of employers look for accuracy, thoroughness, an eye for detail and the ability to find and prove connections across broad subject matter, and you certainly will have proven yourself, simply by graduating from this prestigious MA course.

Professional Exposure and Networking

You will have the opportunity to attend two major research groups (the Cultural and Historical Geography Group and the New Political Geographies Group) which are based in the Institute of Geography and Earth Science. These groups are comprised of experts in their fields who regularly contribute to international debates. By attending meetings and seminars, you will experience Practising Human Geography at the cutting edge; you will be aware of the most up-to-date debates, theories and methodologies in the context of a lively and robust working department. This will give you an enviable edge and fluency in your professional and doctoral applications.

You will also be strongly advised to take every opportunity you can to widen your professional exposure. The department’s regular guest seminars and the residential ‘theory school’ in conjunction with Cardiff and Swansea Universities, are such opportunities. These provide excellent opportunities for you to network and socialise with your teachers and peers in a professional context.

Project Management in the Dissertation

The dissertation project will require you to work independently and to pursue your own individual topic. You will be required to cultivate a professional work ethic to deliver the combination of research, analysis, communication and presentation demanded by this project. This rigorous part of the MA will require you to employ project management skills which are entirely transferrable to almost any work context that Master’s graduates apply for.

Studying for this Master’s degree will allow you to sharpen up all your core scientific disciplines, your professional work ethos and your presentation and communication skills. Once secured by obtaining your Masters Degree, you will have gained confidence in the level of your academic expertise and practical field skills, which in turn will enhance your employability in both highly specialised related professions and also on broader, unrelated professional paths.

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This MA will increase a student's understanding of the literature and concepts of geography education, while advancing their professional skills and developing their knowledge for successful subject leadership.

Degree information

This programme offers students the opportunity to develop a personal response to the challenges of geography education, looking at the contribution geography will make to educating young people in the future. It will also encourage students to seek publication for excellent pieces of coursework and research and will advance professional skills and knowledge of successful geography subject leadership.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of two core modules (60 credits), and either two optional modules (60 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits), or three optional modules (90 credits) and a report (30 credits).

Core modules
-Leading the Geography Curriculum
-What is Education?

Optional modules
-Issues of Concern in Education or an approved elective module from across the UCL IOE offering.
-Leading the Geography Curriculum
-Students submitting a report (please see below) choose an additional elective module.

Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a 19,000-word dissertation or a 10,000-word report.

Teaching and learning
This programme is delivered via online learning, with optional face-to-face sessions or equivalent online sessions. It is assessed by coursework assignments of up to 5,000 words (essays, articles, curriculum artefacts such as schemes of work or virtual learning environment projects, and reports) and a 20,000-word dissertation or a 10,000-word report.

Careers

Graduates of this programme are currently working across a broad range of areas. Some are working as teachers, heads of humanities, heads of geography and senior managers in primary and secondary schools, while others have jobs as policy-makers and education consultants. Graduates can also be found working as geography teacher training tutors and PhD students.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Secondary School Teacher (Head of Geography), Edmonton County School
-Secondary School Teacher (Head of Geography), Lawrence Sheriff School
-Secondary School Teacher (Head of Geography), Lincroft School
-Secondary School Teacher (Head of Geography), St Paul's Girls' School
-Secondary School Teacher (Head of Geography), Wilmington Grammar School for Girls

Why study this degree at UCL?

The Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment Department at UCL Institute of Education (IOE) is a world-leading centre for geography, business, mathematics, history, religious education, citizenship and science education.

The department provides an impressive range of cutting-edge MA and CPD courses, variously presented in face-to-face, distance learning or mixed mode formats. In addition we offer a first-class PhD programme and staff are actively involved in an extensive range of innovative, nationally and internationally acclaimed, research and development projects.

The department's student population is very diverse: students on initial teacher education programmes, practising teachers and a rich and diverse range of international students.

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Programme can be tailored to your interests. The MA focuses on human geography, including: environment and development; environmental policies and politics; geopolitics; urbanisation; globalisation. The MSc focuses on physical geography, particularly modules available on the Environmental Monitoring, Modelling & Management programme.

Key benefits

- A wide range of geographical topics are covered.

- Teaching is led by the research interests of staff and is cutting-edge.

- The programme can be tailored to the interests of individual students.

Visit the website: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-courses/geography-ma-msc.aspx

Course detail

- Description -

This programme provides a broad grounding in geography. In addition to a compulsory dissertation, students can choose from a wide range of thematic items. The distinction between the MA and the MSc arises from the modules taken. The MA is awarded for degrees that focus on human geography, including fields such as environment and development, environmental policies and politics, geopolitics, urbanisation and globalisation. The MSc focuses on physical geography modules, particularly those available on the Environmental, Monitoring, Modelling and Management programme.

Part-time students: As part of your two-year schedule, plan to take the compulsory taught module in your first year, and the dissertation in your second year.

- Course purpose -

The primary aim of the MA/MSc programme is to provide an advanced foundation in geography, bringing students up to date with the latest developments in their chosen fields of study. The distinction between the MA and the MSc arises from the modules taken, with the MA awarded for degrees that focus more on human geography, and the MSc awarded for degrees that focus more on physical geography. Students enrolled for the MA Geography programme are expected to take most of their options in human geography and those enrolled for the MSc Geography programme are expected to take most of their options in physical geography.

- Course format and assessment -

Specialist taught modules assessed by report, essay, presentation, lab work and occasionally by examination. The three-month dissertation is compulsory and can be taken overseas or in the UK.

Career prospects

National and international consultancies and NGOs; governments; charities; research organisations; business, journalism and teaching.

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

About Postgraduate Study at King’s College London:

To study for a postgraduate degree at King’s College London is to study at the city’s most central university and at one of the top 20 universities worldwide (2015/16 QS World Rankings). Graduates will benefit from close connections with the UK’s professional, political, legal, commercial, scientific and cultural life, while the excellent reputation of our MA and MRes programmes ensures our postgraduate alumni are highly sought after by some of the world’s most prestigious employers. We provide graduates with skills that are highly valued in business, government, academia and the professions.

Scholarships & Funding:

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

Free language tuition with the Modern Language Centre:

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

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The MSc Research in Human Geography is a research training Masters degree that provides the skills necessary to undertake a PhD in Human Geography, or for those who want to acquire rigorous research skills more generally.

The recognition of the programme by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) means that applicants are eligible to apply for 1+3 funding for Masters and PhD or, on successful completion, can apply to ESRC for +3 funding for a PhD.

The programme combines interdisciplinary expertise from Geography, Political Science and International Studies, and is truly multidisciplinary. Students will interact with other MSc students from across the social sciences and thereby gain a unique breadth of academic research, teaching and key transferable skills.

In addition to exposing individuals to cutting-edge debates in human geography, environmental science and related fields, the programme provides research training in theoretical, philosophical and methodological issues relevant to human geography and social science research. These include debates concerning social theory and epistemology, qualitative and quantitative techniques and their application to human geography, and research design, ethics and presentation.

In essence, the MSc provides rigorous research skills with a broad human geography focus, but can also be combined with a number of optional modules concerned with environmental management and decision-making and urban resilience.

The Aims of the Programme are as follows:

- To develop a deeper understanding of advanced level theoretical, philosophical and methodological debates in contemporary human geographies and related social sciences;
- To provide advanced training in social science research methodologies and their application in social research in general and human geography in particular;
- To develop a student's ability to communicate ideas and research effectively; and
- To develop specialist research-grounded expertise (for example, environmental management and/or urban resilience)

About the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences has a renowned history for international excellence in research and teaching.
Our postgraduate programmes are shaped by research that addresses global grand challenges across the fields of geography, planning, earth sciences, environmental science, occupational health and safety, and environmental and public health. With policy- and practice-focused teaching, all our programmes have high employability outcomes.
We offer excellent facilities for postgraduate study including extensive map and archive facilities, earth imaging laboratory, stable-isotope laboratory (SILLA), environmental library, fully digital drawing office, and state-of-the-art laboratories for environmental chemistry, sedimentology, ecology, groundwater and palaeobiology. Our diverse range of programmes will provide you with a thorough understanding of the discipline, high-quality training and skills development, and access to our expert staff and extensive facilities.
Our graduates go on to forge careers in areas that matter – from environmental consultancies and the hydrocarbon industries, to urban planning, policy roles in NGOs and government regulatory services – and make a real contribution to global challenges. Many graduates also go on to study for PhDs.

Funding and Scholarships

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

Open Days

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

Virtual Open Days

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

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The Faculty of Education has a longstanding national reputation for providing high-calibre initial teacher training with over 20 Secondary specialisms available. We have a well established partnership with over 800 schools and colleges across the North West region and beyond.

Our geography routes into teaching in secondary schools will develop trainees' understanding of school geography through a wide variety of university sessions and school-based learning. The PGCE views fieldwork as an essential part of school geography. Trainees will undertake a residential experience in September to consider the management of safe fieldwork. University based sessions model and encourage critical engagement of the use of new technologies, GIS, thinking skills and enquiry in school geography.

Subject to confirmation of DfE funding, we usually run free, pre-entry Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses for national priority subjects, including Geography. These will be identified at interview for applicants who need support in some areas and confirmed with a PGCE place offer.

A minimum of 120 days school based practice training is combined with university based training and periods of independent study. Trainees are supported throughout by university and placement mentors.

This course is available via University led and School Direct routes.

We also offer an Assessment-Only route to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) aimed at experienced, but unqualified graduate teachers, wishing to complete a formal qualification.

Features and benefits of the course

-State-of-the-art teaching facilities at our Brooks Building in Manchester
-Experience in a diverse range of schools and colleges
-Choice of University led, School Direct or Assessment Only routes to Qualified Teacher Status
-Subject Knowledge Enhancement course (subject to DfE funding and eligibility)
-Opportunity to apply for enrichment experience overseas
-Course includes 60 Masters Level CATS points, or one third of a Masters degree
-Access to NQT alumni support in your first year of teaching
-Close links with our Educational and Social Research Institute

Placement options

School placements are central to the course. As an intending teacher you will begin by developing professional awareness, understanding and skills common to learning and teaching in a variety of settings. You will begin to understand the inter-relationship between the school and its community.

Placements will be in at least two different schools or colleges and will range from inner city to rural settings, mixed and single gender schools, City Academies, Comprehensives and Selective Schools, 11-16, 11-18, sixth form and further education colleges. The Enrichment Phase also offers placements in settings other than schools.

Trainees also have the opportunity to apply for a four week enrichment experience overseas. These help to develop an international educational perspective and provide the chance to gain some teaching experience in an international school. Enrichment is in addition to PGCE units of study and opportunities may differ year on year, for example, in 2016 trainees were placed at British International Schools in Kazakhstan, Cyprus or Norway or public schools in Orleans, France.

About the Course

We offer a structured course of taught sessions that aim to develop geography teachers who are competent, confident, innovative and able to reflect honestly in terms of professional teaching practice.

The university-based element of the course examines the nature and content of school geography, investigating a range of approaches to teaching and learning. You are introduced to strategies for developing schemes of work and individual lesson plans, together with associated forms of assessment for learning.

Trainees experience a range of placements in all phases of the course, including two contrasting secondary schools, a primary school and some post-16 experience.

Your practical experience and application are given depth and coherence through the consideration of theoretical and educational issues, to enable you to gain knowledge and understanding of the school context, the pupil and the secondary classroom.

You will have opportunities to develop your:
-Knowledge and understanding of the content of the geography curriculum and the progression through the different key stages
-Knowledge and understanding of a wide range of teaching and learning methods
-Knowledge and understanding of the use and application of fieldwork and geographical information systems (GIS)
-Knowledge and understanding of the use of new technologies including iPads in the geography classroom

Developing an awareness of the need to contribute to pupils’ personal, social, moral, spiritual and cultural development
A blended learning approach to your studies will enable you to engage in structured online discussions and to develop your ICT skills.

We aim to develop analytical, successful and enthusiastic beginning teachers who are fully aware of the excitement and challenges which lie ahead and who can work effectively in a variety of educational settings.

You will engage with current educational issues and recent and relevant research in order to further develop your understanding and to generate challenging and lively debate.

There will be a focus on:
-Promoting an inclusive learning and teaching environment
-Working in multi-professional teams
-Creating a climate for learning in the classroom
-Learning and teaching strategies
-Managing students' behaviour
-Planning and evaluating students' learning
-Developing knowledge and understanding of teachers' professional responsibilities

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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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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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The MRes Research in Human Geography is a research training Masters degree that provides the skills necessary to undertake a PhD in Human Geography, or for those who want to acquire rigorous research skills more generally.

The recognition of the programme by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) means that applicants are eligible to apply for 1+3 funding for Masters and PhD or, on successful completion, can apply to ESRC for +3 funding for a PhD.

The programme combines interdisciplinary expertise from Geography, Political Science and International Studies, and is truly multidisciplinary. Students will interact with other students from across the social sciences and thereby gain a unique breadth of academic research, teaching and key transferable skills.

The programme provides research training in theoretical, philosophical and methodological issues relevant to human geography and social science research. These include debates concerning social theory and epistemology, qualitative and quantitative techniques and their application to human geography, and research design, ethics and presentation.

The aims of the programme are:

To develop a deeper understanding of advanced level theoretical, philosophical and methodological debates in contemporary human geographies and related social sciences;
To provide advanced training in social science research methodologies and their application in social research in general and human geography in particular
To develop a student's ability to communicate ideas and research effectively.

About the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences has a renowned history for international excellence in research and teaching.
Our postgraduate programmes are shaped by research that addresses global grand challenges across the fields of geography, planning, earth sciences, environmental science, occupational health and safety, and environmental and public health. With policy- and practice-focused teaching, all our programmes have high employability outcomes.
We offer excellent facilities for postgraduate study including extensive map and archive facilities, earth imaging laboratory, stable-isotope laboratory (SILLA), environmental library, fully digital drawing office, and state-of-the-art laboratories for environmental chemistry, sedimentology, ecology, groundwater and palaeobiology. Our diverse range of programmes will provide you with a thorough understanding of the discipline, high-quality training and skills development, and access to our expert staff and extensive facilities.
Our graduates go on to forge careers in areas that matter – from environmental consultancies and the hydrocarbon industries, to urban planning, policy roles in NGOs and government regulatory services – and make a real contribution to global challenges. Many graduates also go on to study for PhDs.

Funding and Scholarships

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

Open Days

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

Virtual Open Days

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

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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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Do you want to become an outstanding teacher? Our specialist PGCE in Secondary Education with Geography is a direct route to a career of which you can be proud. Geography stimulates an interest in and a sense of wonder about places, this course develops a range of teaching styles appropriate to the delivery of Geography within the National Curriculum and GCSE/A Level specifications.

Geography inspires pupils to become global citizens by exploring their own place in the world, their values and responsibilities to other people, to the environment and to the sustainability of the planet. This course aims to produce dynamic, confident, and innovative teachers who are committed to making Geography accessible for all.

This course has been planned jointly with geography teachers in our partner schools to prepare you to be sensitive to the need to adapt to the rapidly changing nature of geography and of education in schools. Furthermore, our PGCE Geography trainees take up ‘enhancements’ linked to other curriculum subjects, such as other humanities areas, primary phase or Special Education Needs and Diversity.

We work with a dedicated team of Subject Mentors in our Partnership schools – many of whom we have worked with over a number of years. Training in schools is of an extremely high quality, supportive but rigorous.

At the University of St Mark & St John, we pride ourselves on the quality of our ITE programmes and the impact that has on your progress in schools, we regognise that you all start the PGCE Geography with different levels of knowledge and experience and the programme from the start is personalized to meet your needs. Ofsted 2014 commented “The quality of the assessment arrangements and how well the training is matched to individual trainees’ developmental needs, ensuring that trainees make progress against challenging individual expectations’ progress over time’.

Modules

-Becoming a teacher: Pedagogy & Philosophies of Learning
-Inclusion in the Secondary Classroom: Appreciating Diversity
-Understanding the Learner: A Personalised Approach to Learning & Assessment
-Teaching Placement

Career Opportunities

The University of St Mark & St John is widely renowned for producing excellent teachers. We have superb links with our partnership schools throughout the South West, London and overseas. You will find our graduates teaching in schools across the country.
-Over 95% of secondary trained teachers employed in teaching jobs – above the sector and region average.
-High quality training and outcomes – 100% of Secondary PGCE trainees completing in 2014 were graded good or outstanding.
-Long and established history of teacher education – 175 years of experience.
-Partnership – wide and diverse – praised by Ofsted (2014) – ‘effective use of local diversity and wider links which ensures trainees have breadth and variety in their training, so making them highly employable’.

More Information

Please note that Level 2 Key Skills in Application of Numbers and Communication or Certificates in Adult Literacy or Numeracy, are not sufficient to meet the entry requirements to a PGCE programme.

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MRes in Human Geography

• The MRes programme in Human Geography was introduced in 2012 and is accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for subsequent doctoral research.
• Taught modules include both skills training and coursework.
• The programme can be tailored to the interests of individual students.
• Funding is available through a variety of channels including research councils, research contracts and University scholarships.
• Dedicated workspace and computing facilities, access to financial support for fieldwork and attendance at conferences.

Contact hours: Approximately 100 hours of lectures, seminars and workshops. Up to 40 hours one-to-one supervision over the year.
Assessment: Essays, research/lab reports, presentations, research proposal, research dissertation.

Features

* The School of Geography & Geosciences incorporates the Department of Geography & Sustainable Development and the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences and has 40 permanent academic staff, 4 teaching fellows, 28 support staff, 20 research fellows and 49 research postgraduate students.

* The MRes in Human Geography was introduced in 2012 (Economic and Social Research Council approved for 1+3 studentships).

* Geography is now the home of the award-winning Sustainable Development postgraduate programmes.

* Wide range of expertise with particular strengths in health and population geography, Quaternary (ice age) and glacial studies, urban and historical geography, housing and labour markets, biogeography, oceanography, and environmental management and sustainable development.

* Further strengths in Earth Science research related to the coevolution of Earth and Life, development of the continental crust, and interpreting the influence of tectonic and climate change on the development of sedimentary systems from the Precambrian to the present.

* Excellent in-house laboratory, IT and field resources for teaching and research.

* Emphasis on a range of different skills producing highly literate and numerate graduates with excellent employment prospects.

* The School is a partner in the University’s Scottish Oceans Institute (SOI).

Postgraduate community

We currently have postgraduate students from across the globe. They are a vital part of the life of the School and contribute in many ways, not least in the widening and deepening of experiences brought to the learning environment. Groups and individuals within the School collaborate actively with several overseas universities, and there may be opportunities for postgraduates to spend time abroad while studying for a higher degree.

Careers

We see postgraduate study as part of your long-term career. We are here to offer advice and also support you in the development of your career, as is the University’s Careers Centre. There are opportunities for postgraduates to run tutorials, practical demonstrations and other academic work to gain experience of working in an academic context. Others gain practical experience working with companies and governmental organisations.
Recent postgraduates have obtained postdoctoral and lecturing positions in leading universities around the world, while others have jobs in environmental management, market research, health research and the oil industry.

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The School Direct Tuition Fee route is a new path into teaching at both primary and secondary levels. Participating schools, or clusters of schools that join together, are allocated a set number of student-teacher places. Trainees pay a course fee on this route and will join other student teachers on one of the established PGCE courses at UCL Institute of Education (IOE), whilst undertaking their teaching experience in the host school or cluster.

Degree information

This programme consists of university-based sessions, school-based sessions and teaching placements. The university-based sessions will include the study of the geography curriculum, lesson planning, effective teaching, classroom management and approaches to assessment.

The university based element of the course is closely linked to the school based elements of the course and some of the professional studies elements will be delivered in school. There are a small number of lectures but most university-based work is undertaken in a subject specialist group of 20-25 students.

Students undertake two Master’s-level (level 7) modules of 30 credits each, totaling 60 credits. These can be carried forward onto full Master’s programmes at the IOE.

The Secondary PGCE consists of three core modules: two Master’s-level modules, which are assessed through written assignments, and the Professional Practice module, which is assessed by the observation of practical teaching in placement schools.

Completion of the Professional Practice module and the two level 7 (Master’s level) modules (60 credits) will result in the award of a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE). Completion of the Professional Practice module and one or two level 6 (undergraduate/Bachelor’s level) modules, will lead to the Professional Graduate Certificate of Education (PgCE). There are no optional modules for this programme.

Core modules
-Secondary Geography: Developing Teaching and Learning (30 Master's-level credits)
-Secondary Geography: Learning in a Wider Context (30 Master's-level credits)
-Professional Practice

Placement
You will spend most of your time (120 days) in schools, working with geography mentors who support you through your two school placements. We are fortunate to have a good choice of schools with whom we work, with some outstanding mentors and strong business studies departments.

Teaching and learning
The School Direct (Tuition Fee) PGCE full-time route is delivered via keynote lectures, subject lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials and directed study days at the Institute of Education as well as time spent in placement schools or colleges. Assessment is by practical teaching, assignments, portfolio tasks and, for some subjects, practical projects. Students will also record their progress in a Career Entry and Development Profile statement. This will form part of a portfolio that links into the induction year (the first year of teaching) and a student's continuing professional development.

Careers

Graduates of this programme are currently working across a broad range of areas. Some are working as teachers and heads of department in schools and colleges, while others have jobs as headteachers and assistant heads. Graduates in this area can also be found working as mentors of Geography PGCE students.

Employability
A PGCE from the IOE carries considerable currency in schools, which alongside the quality of training you receive, puts you in a strong position in the employment market. Last year, all those students who sought employment in a school were successful. We expect 100% success rate in gaining a post in a school by the end of the year.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The UCL Institute of Education's partnership with over 200 secondary schools and colleges in Greater London and beyond enables each of our students to become a skilled and confident teacher in their chosen subject specialism.

Tutors on the School Direct (Tuition Fee) PGCE are skilled classroom practitioners with extensive experience in secondary schools and colleges, in school leadership, inspection, educational research and consultancy.

This programme will help students to explore the purpose of teaching geography, developing their own philosophy for why a geographical education is important for young people.

The programme is designed to foster interest and expertise in geography education beyond the PGCE, and many graduates go on to complete their Geography Education MA in the first year of teaching.

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This Masters in Human Geography: Spaces, Politics & Ecologies considers how geography has been used to actively engage with the world beyond the academy, focusing on social justice and social change, environment and development, and cultural and historical geographies.

Why this programme

-The School’s Human Geography Research Group has strong working collaborations with the Glasgow Centre for International Development, the Glasgow Refugee, Asylum & Migration Network (GRAMNET), Glasgow Life/Museums, NVA, The Royal Society.
-If you are considering pursuing doctoral research in human geography and the social sciences or seeking to develop a career in research in public, private and voluntary sectors, this programme is designed for you.
-Focusing upon the themes of spaces, politics and ecologies, the MRes in Human Geography offers a postgraduate training in research methodologies and techniques with reference to specific theories and literatures.
-The University of Glasgow’s School of Geographical and Earth Sciences is proud to announce that it is ranked 32nd in the world (QS World Rankings 2014).
-With a 95% overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2014, the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences continues to meet student expectations combining both teaching excellence and a supportive learning environment.

Programme structure

Modes of delivery of the MRes in Human Geography: Spaces, Politics & Ecologies include lectures, seminars and tutorials and allow students the opportunity to take part in workshops, project and team work.

Core courses
-Conceptualising Human Geography 1: spaces, politics, ecologies
-Conceptualising Human Geography 2: geographical engagements
-Researching Human Geographies: design, methods, ethics.

You will also take two courses in qualitative and quantitative methods in the social sciences and undertake an independent piece of research on a topic chosen by you.

Career prospects

Career opportunities include positions in non-governmental organisations (eg, Oxfam, Barnardos, SEPA, Scottish Natural Heritage), teaching, and PhD study.

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