Masters

CMRC offers two Masters programmes: a MA in Medieval and Renaissance Culture and a MRes in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Both programmes reflect the research interests and aspirations of the academic staff associated with the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Culture, and are distinctive because of the wide range of topics which they cover in the shared core course, 'Renaissances and Reformations'. This unit offers a broad and an in-depth knowledge of the culture and history of the period, and will help you to focus your interests and ideas for future research. It also provides the skills training in general research techniques and presentation. Regular fieldtrips are made to museums, archives and sites of historical interest.

MRes in Medieval and Renaissance Studies
The Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Culture offers an MRes. Like the CMRC MA, it provides the skills training you will need to equip you for research in this period, as well as the opportunity to work with scholars from a range of disciplines. But with fewer taught units, it is particularly suitable for those students who already have a clear idea of their dissertation topic and want to devote their time to producing a more
substantial piece of research.

For further information on the MRes: see course details, or contact the convenor,
Dr Peter Clarke.

Both programmes also offer modules in Latin and palaeography to enable you to develop the specific skills required for undertaking research in this period. If you are taking the MA you will also take two taught options units and write a 15,000-20,000 word dissertation. The MRes has a much longer dissertation (25,000-40,000 words) since it is designed for students who already have a clear idea of their dissertation research topic. Other than the compulsory core unit, the precise combination of taught units you will undertake will be determined so as to provide you with the best possible support for your chosen dissertation topic.

Throughout both programmes, we aim to:

• develop your knowledge and understanding of the intellectual history, literature, politics, music, material culture, buildings and landscape of the Medieval and Renaissance periods
• enable you to undertake primary archival research through training in Medieval and Renaissance Latin and palaeography
• enable you to become skilled readers of different types of evidence: visual, literary, documentary, built, cultural, material
• help you to develop transferable skills in research, presentation and writing
• encourage you to be critically self-aware in oral and written presentations
• develop your ability to work both independently and as part of a team

Both programmes can be undertaken in one year full time, or two years part time.

"The MA in Medieval and Renaissance Culture has deepened my understanding of my field of interest in a way no single-discipline programme could have done. It opened my eyes to the fact that what I perceived to be unrelated areas of study such as music, textiles and tombstones were in fact highly relevant to my own interests, Renaissance drama and mysticism. The course has equipped me with the skills for carrying out independent research, something which I now feel confident to do."
- Kristina Turner, MA in Medieval and Renaissance Culture

For further information on the MA and MRes please contact Dr Peter Clarke (P.D.Clarke@soton.ac.uk).