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

Degree information

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

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

Please note: All optional modules are subject to availability.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Careers

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

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

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

Why study this degree at UCL?

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

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

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

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This new Master's programme pioneers the development of a more diverse and creative approach to the reinterpretation and reuse of historical environments in cities around the world, such as through imaginative architectural designs and urban strategies, and including issues of cultural heritage.

Degree information

This programme is exceptional in linking the core research challenge of innovative design with in-depth processes of urban surveying, recording, mapping and analysis. As such, the programme has a strong international component, viewing cities around the world as fascinating laboratories for investigations of architectural and historic urban environments, with London being the prime example.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of five core modules (90 credits), one optional module (30 credits) and a dissertation/report (60 credits).

Core modules:
-Design Practice for Historic Environments
-Design Research Methods for Historic Environments
-Issues in Historic Urban Environments
-Surveying and Recording of Cities
-Urban Redevelopment for Historic Environments

Optional modules - students choose one of the following:
-Theorising Practices/Practicing Theory: Art, Architecture and Urbanism
-Representations of Cities
-Multiple Modernities Architecture
-Sustainable Strategies

Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000-12,000 words or major design project with a minimum of 5,000 words.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical workshops, fieldwork visits, and individual and group tutorials. Assessment is through project critique reviews, project portfolios, coursework essays, individual and group presentations, dissertation/major project and a viva voce examination with an external examiner.

Fieldwork
An annual programme field trip (optional) takes place, normally in February. Departmental stipends of c. £250 are normally available. Maximum cost to the student is £500.

Careers

Graduates of this programme will contribute to the emerging design ideas and technologies that are already starting to change our understanding of contemporary building production in cities around the world, and which involve either reusing existing historic buildings or the insertion of completely new structures into older situations.

Employability
The MA aims to equip graduates with the advanced knowledge and skills required to operate across the areas of urban research, design, management and implementation, combining subject expertise with design creativity, and linking theory, history and practice.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The Bartlett School of Architecture is widely regarded as one of the leading architectural schools in the UK and internationally, with a strong reputation for generating knowledge and insights in architectural design, building technology and architectural history and theory.

In October 2013, the renowned Survey of London team moved to join the school, thus providing an opportunity to launch this new programme which also draws upon the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research expertise within the Bartlett, UCL's Faculty of the Built Environment, as well as the cross-faculty UCL Urban Laboratory, and within the university generally.

The programme includes modules that investigate numerous international case studies which gives students the opportunity to carry out design research work in cities outside the UK should they wish to. A field trip each year to a non-UK city will provide staff and students with the knowledge of, and links to, those who are working in the field of architectural and urban heritage internationally.

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Accredited training for building conservation professionals

Why choose this course?

The MA in Conservation Studies (Historic Buildings) is recognised by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) and offers a bespoke route for UK practitioners to achieve full professional membership of the IHBC. The programme conforms with the international ICOMOS Guidelines for Education and Training in Conservation.

Having run successfully for more than 40 years, the programme is now supported by a network of specialist conservation and research organisations locally, nationally and internationally. Contributors to the course include national experts from English Heritage, Council for British Archaeology, ICOMOS-UK, Historic Scotland, and the National Trust and from a large number of local conservation and heritage organisations.
-Understand historic and evolving practice in heritage building conservation.
-Gain vital work experience and learn practical, hands-on skills.
-Build working relationships with national and international conservation specialists and research organisations.
-Develop careers-focused knowledge, practical experience and contacts.
-Study in the heritage capital of Britain – be part of conservation in action.
-Access state-of-the-art facilities, including laboratories, archives and libraries.
-Choose to study full-time over one year or part-time over two or three years.

What does the course cover?

The MA in Conservation Studies (Historic Buildings) covers the history, ethics and philosophy of historic environment conservation together with a critical understanding of contemporary issues in building conservation practice. It is complemented by training in the systematic research, recording, analysis and interpretation of historic buildings. The practical ‘skills modules’ focus on specific aspects of professional practice, repair and conservation techniques, legislation and planning, policy, finance and managing conservation projects.

Who is it for?

This course attracts graduates in architecture, archaeology, history of art, architectural history and related subjects. It also appeals to experienced conservation practitioners from multi-disciplinary backgrounds, including architects, surveyors planners, conservators and practising craftsmen in various fields, who wish to advance their professional training.

What can it lead to?

The course provides the knowledge and practical skills required for a range of careers in historic building conservation and related fields. Recent students have gone on to employment with organisations ranging from the National Trust and English Heritage to building preservation trusts, local authority services, heritage consultancies and conservation practices.

Placement

The work placement module gives you a chance to gain practical experience of working in the professional heritage-conservation sector. The placement will draw on and develop the knowledge and experience gained on your taught courses, while enabling you to develop new skills in conservation and heritage management, to enhance your employability and confidence in practice.

Aims
-To provide students with experience of conservation within a professional environment.
-To consolidate students’ knowledge and understanding of conservation procedures and issues from one or more of the taught modules.

Learning outcomes
Upon completing the placement you should:
-Have gained knowledge and skills in evaluating historic buildings and environments, and be able to advise on their conservation requirements.
-Have an understanding of the practical applications of conservation principles and ethics.
-Be able to critically reflect on the issues raised in the core conservation modules through your work experience.

Careers

The MA in Conservation Studies (Historic Buildings) focuses on enhancing students’ employability and professional development with a combination of practical skills training and theoretical teaching. By the end of the course you will have:
-Enhanced your skills and knowledge so that your chances of employment as a conservation professional are improved.
-Developed both intellectually and personally as a result of having dealt directly with conservation professionals and completed a sustained independent research project.
-Developed the ability to work both within a group through seminar and placement experiences, and independently through research for a dissertation.

The accredited training provided by this course has led postgraduates into varied careers in historic building conservation across the UK, for organisations including:
-English Heritage
-Historic Scotland
-The National Trust
-Building Preservation Trusts
-Local authority conservation services in England and Scotland
-National Parks
-The Council for British Archaeology
-Architectural practices and heritage consultancies
-Traditional building conservation craft businesses

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Study the field that brings past people to life

Why choose this course?

Past societies responded to and treated their dead in a huge diversity of ways, providing archaeologists with crucial insights into their workings. Funerary archaeology combines analysis of human remains with their archaeological context to take a truly interdisciplinary approach to studying both life and death in the past. The course at York offers the chance to develop skills in a range of different methods and techniques, but all centred on learning how to investigate death and burial in the past. The flexible nature of the course enables you to pursue your own particular period or methodological interests.
-Explore the varied archaeological and methodological approaches to funerary archaeology
-Work alongside internationally renowned specialists in a range of different periods and methodologies, by choosing either the MA or MSc route
-Gain ‘hands on’ experience of the analysis of human remains
-Learn through fieldtrips to local museums and relevant sites, e.g. the prehistoric monuments in the Yorkshire Wolds
-Choose modules to support your own research interests
-Use the latest techniques and equipment to build key practical skills
-Receive advice on developing your career and research interests from knowledgeable staff

What does the course cover?
The course focuses a range of topics from identity, landscape, social structure, commemoration and memory, ritual and belief, and the body. It covers attitudes and repsonses to death from the first evidence for the special treatment of human remains by homids up to the place of funeray rites in modern day societies, but with a particular focus on the interpretively challenging evidence from Prehistory. The analysis of human remains and their archaeological context are both taught in a flexible modular system, that allows you to tailor the course to your particular methodological or period interests.

The MA and MSc pathways offer a chance to specialise in different areas of Funerary Archaeology research. There is also an opportunity to learn valuable practical skills, which are essential for a wide range of archaeological and associated careers.

Who is it for?
This degree is for anyone interested in studying Funerary Archaeology from a range of perspectives, which are at the frontiers of both archaeological method and theoretical approach. It is primarily for students with previous experience in archaeology, anthropology, history, art history, biology or related fields, but students from a wide variety of academic backgrounds are encouraged.

What can it lead to?
The course provides a solid foundation for a wide range of careers and further studies. Postgraduate students at York have gone on to research degrees, academic or teaching careers, museum positions and archaeology posts at local councils, regional authorities, field units, and heritage bodies such as English Heritage.

Careers

By the end of the MA or MSc Funerary Archaeology course you will be able to:
-A thorough understanding of the history of research and the theoretical approaches to Funerary Archaeology
-A broad foundation in the key aspects of studying death and burial in the past
-Identify and record human bone assemblages
-Age, sex and assess pathologies from human bones
-Explore selected methods and periods in detail, through the option modules
-Critically evaluate published research and datasets
-Orally present knowledge and concepts
-Plan, design and undertake a piece of independent research

These skills and techniques are deployed widely in the field of archaeological research and exploration, but they are also valuable for a wide range of careers and further studies.

Many of York's Masters postgraduates go on to further research, academic or teaching careers, museum positions and archaeology posts at local councils, regional authorities, field units and heritage bodies. Some of the organisations our students now work for include:
-Archaeological field units
-Environmental archaeology
-Professional archaeologists – field and laboratory based
-Laboratory technicians
-Demonstrators
-University/research technicians
-Academia
-On-site osteoarchaeologists
-Medical humanities

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