Medieval and Renaissance Studies – (M.A.)

Medieval and Renaissance Studies offers a wide-ranging programme, covering topics from late Antiquity until the end of the Renaissance (c.1620). It takes advantage of an almost unrivalled cluster of subject-specialists spread across a range of departments including Anthropology, Archaeology, Classics, English, History, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Politics, and Theology.

Durham University is proud to offer its taught MA in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Durham has one of the most dynamic and successful concentrations of Medieval and Renaissance scholars in the United Kingdom (some 64, at the last count), and the world; it has superb collections of manuscripts and incunabula, and a wonderful Cathedral archive; its magnificent Cathedral and its Castle make it a World Heritage Site. And the University's Colleges create a particularly welcoming environment for cross-disciplinary, cross-cultural exchanges.

The MA is intended to provide students with specialist interdisciplinary knowledge of particular aspects of Medieval and Renaissance studies - defined as any aspect of the period c. 450-1620 in Britain, Europe, or elsewhere - where available resources and supervision can support such studies. Students should acquire an understanding of basic principles of research design and strategy, including a grasp of how, in an interdisciplinary environment, to formulate complex researchable problems; they should also acquire an advanced appreciation of different approaches to research, including approaches to research typical of different disciplines.

They will be expected to acquire competence in understanding research methods and approaches stemming from different disciplines, and a grasp of how to apply them appropriately, and to become familiar with a range of approaches, including interdisciplinary approaches, to the study of the Medieval and Renaissance periods. They should become able critically to evaluate advanced, specialist literature in at least two fields of Medieval and Renaissance studies, and they should acquire the capacity to understand and evaluate complex debates which relate to defined topics or areas of Medieval or Renaissance studies, and to appreciate the boundaries of thought and argument on such debates.

The MA programme aims:

• To promote and sustain Durham University as an international centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, by the provision of a postgraduate taught programme at MA level
• To offer preparation for doctoral research, as an integral part of the work of the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies
• To recruit home and overseas students of high calibre who have an interest in studying Medieval and Renaissance history, society, and culture, and who may be able to proceed to PhD work
• To provide a wide range of appropriate supervision in Medieval and Renaissance Studies, taking advantage of an almost unrivalled cluster of subject-specialists in Durham University across a range of departments and disciplines
• To provide appropriate research training for postgraduate work, both within this MA and as a preparation for doctoral research
• To enable students interested in the history, society, and culture of the period, but with a background in only one discipline, to gain the skills necessary for interdisciplinary research, both within this MA programme and as a preparation for doctoral research
• To offer students the opportunity to develop an advanced level of understanding of concepts and methods appropriate to their field of study within Medieval and Renaissance Studies
• To give graduate students an understanding of research methods and sources sufficient to equip them to undertake extended independent research, which, in the most successful candidates, should mean at PhD level

The programme's learning outcomes reflect the distinctive experience and objectives of study at Master's level. When you graduate, you will have attained:

• Specialist interdisciplinary knowledge of particular aspects of Medieval and Renaissance studies- defined as any aspect of the period c450-1629 in Britain, Europe or elsewhere in the world - where available resources and supervision can support such studies in Durham
• Understanding of basic principles of research design and strategy, including a grasp of how, in an interdisciplinary environment, to formulate complex researchable problems
• Familiarity with a range of approaches, including interdisciplinary approaches, to the study of the Medieval and Renaissance period
• Competence in understanding research methods and approaches stemming from different disciplines, and a grasp of how to apply them appropriately
• An ability critically to evaluate advanced, specialist literature in at least two fields of Medieval and Renaissance studies
• An advanced appreciation of different approaches to research, including approaches to research typical of different disciplines
• The capacity to understand and evaluate complex debates which relate to defined topics or areas of Medieval or Renaissance studies, and to appreciate the boundaries of thought and argument on such debates
• An advanced ability to construct and present a detailed bibliography, to professional standards
• Advanced skills in independent humanities research specific to particular areas of defined and specialist study, sufficient to equip students to undertake extended independent research which may, in the case of the most successful, extend to PhD level
• Advanced skills in writing, notable the ability to identify, initiate and complete a substantial piece of complex and specialised research on some aspect of Medieval and Renaissance studies

As well as these subject-specific skills and knowledge, you will also have attained general transferable skills, including the ability to access and assess evidence, with discrimination and judgement; to write clearly, correctly and appropriately; to argue a case coherently; to present evidence unambiguously and effectively; to achieve independence of thought and autonomy in work on complex subjects and projects; to develop imagination and creative thought.