Postgraduate Taught

The MRes in Humanities offers students the opportunity to produce a substantial piece of independent research and writing, and to undertake wide-ranging, systematic training in research skills and project management. Students will write a dissertation in a specific field or prepare a portfolio of compositions, recital or a media project with a named supervisor.

Supervision is available in all disciplines where the Research Institute has expertise:

• American Studies
• English
• History
• Local History
• Media, Communications and Culture
• Medical Humanities
• Music and Music Technology
• Philosophy
• Russian
• Victorian Studies

You will be able to develop your research topic within the context of current debates and methodologies in relevant disciplines, and within the humanities generally.

There are opportunities for interdisciplinary study, for example in Medical Humanities, Victorian Studies and Studies in Early Modern England. The course thus will develop practical, critical and analytical research skills that can be deployed in a variety of professional and intellectual contexts. The programme is tailored to your research and career plans, and we recommend that you contact us before making a formal application. 

To enable students to research and write an extended dissertation, whilst developing practical, critical and analytical research skills that can be deployed in a variety of professional and intellectual contexts. Students will develop an understanding of the place of a specific research topic within current debates and methodologies in relevant disciplines, and within the humanities generally. The course will promote the ‘project management skills’ of defining and planning a project, meeting deadlines, and recording and reflecting on outcomes.

Applicants should normally have a good honours degree (2.1 or above) in a relevant humanities subject or, for students undertaking Medical Humanities, a good honours degree in a relevant humanities or social science discipline. However, students from different backgrounds who believe they have the capacity to undertake postgraduate work in the humanities should contact us to discuss their situation.

Students follow a personally designed or tailor-made programme, comprising three components totalling at least 180 credits.

• A 20,000-25,000 word dissertation (or equivalent composition or artistic production) is at the heart of the course (90 credits).
• Research Training Programme covering research skills and reflective practice in the humanities (30 credits).
• Individual Research Orientation: an agreed programme tailored to the needs of the student, for example, language training and literature review (30 credits).
• Research methods in the disciplinary or interdisciplinary field relevant to the thesis topic (30 credits).

Current modules include:

• Approaches to Historical Research
• Philosophical Method Criticism, Analysis
• Theory in Literary Studies
• Approaches to Music Research
• The Image of Russia in Russian Literature
• Cultural Theory
• Research Methods and Political Analysis
• Narrative and Interpretation
• Cultures and Context
• Themes in Local History Some modules may be taken from the Social Sciences Research

Training Programme if relevant to students’ dissertation topic.

Assessment is by coursework, culminating in the 20,000-25,000 word dissertation (or the equivalent composition or artistic production). Research Training is assessed by a portfolio consisting of an annotated bibliography, a project outline and a reflective diary. Each of the other modules will be examined through a 4,000-5,000 word essay or approved equivalent.

The pass mark is 50%. A merit will be awarded where students obtain 60% or over for the dissertation (or equivalent project or performance) and an average of 60% on their other coursework. A distinction will be awarded where students obtain 70% or over for the dissertation, (or equivalent project or performance) and an average of 70% in their other coursework.