Art History Masters (MA (by Research)) – (M.A.)

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The Masters (by research) programme will appeal to students who possess a sound understanding of the subject and have developed a clear idea of a research topic. All research topics are paired with relevant expertise resident in the department and prospective students are required to identify a possible supervisor in advance. The ultimate aim of the course is to produce an original 30,000 word dissertation and academic work of this nature requires a definite skill-set. Therefore the design of the course includes two key elements to help students develop key analytical and research skills, and to help introduce them to the wider postgraduate community in the Department of Art History. As an masters (by research) student, you will spend semester one studying ‘Critical Approaches to Art History and Visual Culture’ and a second module which covers research skills, writing an annotated bibliography and planning the dissertation; both will help you prepare properly whilst allowing you to explore your research topic.

The course offers an invaluable opportunity to work on material that might well form part of a future PhD thesis. In this sense, a masters (by research), as a substantial piece of original academic work, might well prove to be a decisive advantage when seeking future funding for doctoral study.