MRes Cultural Studies
Attendance
Full-time, Part-time
Full-time – one year
Part-time – typically three years
Depending on your route and start date, September or February, classes run in the evenings and/or in blocks of study during the day. Please contact us for more details.
At a glance
About this course
This course is hosted by the Faculty of Development and Society Graduate School in collaboration with the Culture, Communication and Computing Research Institute. The Graduate School website provides a communication hub for students and staff engaged in research, information about our research work, and useful contact information.
During this course we introduce you to research methods and strategies within cultural studies and sociology, and the supporting theories and philosophies. You can also develop areas of specialist interests within cultural policy and management, or communication and media studies.
It is ideal if you have a degree in a social sciences related subject and plan to do research in
• cultural policy and management or
• cultural, communication and media studies
In some modules, you meet and discuss research issues with students from other MRes courses.
Our staff are currently involved in research areas including
• cultural politics and policy
• media studies
• representations of environment and sustainability
• visual ethnography
• discourses of heritage
• gender and feminist theory
• sport and media
• ethnicity and representation
• sociology of culture
• communication theory and policy
• sexualities and media
You study a range of research methodologies throughout the course including • biographical research • case study • cultural policy analysis • ethnography • experimental design • media analysis • survey design and analysis • discourse analysis. Throughout the course, you design, conduct and critique research.
The MRes includes a research-based dissertation, which may become a pilot study towards a PhD.
For an informal discussion about this course, please contact Dr Jenny Blain by e-mail at j.blain@shu.ac.uk
Short courses/Postgraduate Diploma/Postgraduate Certificate
You can take individual modules as short courses or combine them towards a PgDip/PgCert Research Methods in Cultural Studies.
Associated careers
This course gives you the skills needed to carry out independent research. You learn to consider the research problems and associated ethical issues and select a suitable approach. The skills and knowledge you gain are in great demand by many organisations.
You receive training in research to enable you to progress to PhD study.
Course content
You need
• 60 credits for the postgraduate certificate
• 120 credits for the postgraduate diploma
• 180 credits for the MRes
You choose up to 120 credits from the following modules
• qualitative methodologies and interviewing skills
• qualitative research designs
• discourse and linguistic theory and analysis
• survey design
• introduction to survey analysis
• multivariate statistical analysis
• approaches to media and communication
• cultural policy
• current issues in cultural policy and management
• digital media and society
• language and discourse analysis
• news making
• researching communication
• researching the media
• research methods and skills for the cultural sector
You may choose to substitute 30 credits from another course within our MRes programme.
For the MRes you need to finish the postgraduate diploma and then present a 60 credit dissertation based on a research investigation.
Assessment
Includes • essays • research projects • presentations • other assignments
Entry requirements
Normally an honours degree or equivalent in a suitable subject.
If you have suitable qualifications or experience you may be exempt from some modules.
If your first language is not English, you need to have achieved IELTS 6.5 overall score and 6.5 in writing skills with a minimum of 5.5 in all other skills or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.5 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
Fees
Home and EU students
2013/14 academic year
Typically £5,355 for the course
International students
2013/14 academic year
Typically £10,980 for the course
2014/15 academic year
Typically £11,250 for the course
How to apply
Complete the application form available at www.shu.ac.uk/study/form