The MRes in Arts and Humanities is a research preparation degree that offers students the opportunity to undertake advanced studies within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Queen’s. The course is structured around the personal research interests of each student and supported by a bespoke research preparation portfolio and a range of optional modules in areas related to the research. The MRes is available in a wide range of disciplines within the School of Arts, English and Languages and also in Archaeology.
* Postgraduate qualifications can enhance earnings by 26% (DENI 2021)
Arts and Humanities highlights
Career Development
The MRes develops analytical and critical research skills, as well as project management capacities, relevant to a variety of professional and intellectual contexts.
Student Experience
The MRes allows great freedom of choice regarding the subject of study and how it is studied. It encourages the student to work independently, as well as having the expertise and guidance of a supervisory team.
World Class Facilities
The Graduate School at Queen’s is ranked 1st in the UK (International Student Barometer). Further world-class facilities include the state-of-the-art Sonic Arts Research Centre, as well as the McClay library (opened July 2009) – with 2,200 reader spaces and housing 1.2 million volumes.
Internationally Renowned Experts
You will be taught by staff with research profiles of international standing (REF 2021 over 99% QUB research environment was world-leading or internationally excellent), with a wide range of interests in arts and humanities subjects.
Student Testimonials
‘[…] I learnt a lot about how to research effectively as well as self-discipline and resilience. As part of the course I was able to deliver my first academic paper at the Borderlines conference in Cork, which was hugely exciting. It was really rewarding to have the time and space to do my own independent research as well as take part in discussions with students on the taught MA course classes. If you are considering doing a PhD in the future, the MRes is a good way to dip your toe in the water and learn some very useful skills’.
Students may enrol on a full-time (1 year) or part-time basis.
The MRes is awarded to students who successfully complete four taught modules (80 CATS points) and a 20,000 word dissertation plus seminar presentation or final portfolio of similar depth and scope (100 CATS points).
Exit qualifications are available: students may exit with a Postgraduate Certificate by successfully completing 60 CATS points from taught modules.
Archaeology
- Research theory and practice (ARP7041)
- Irish archaeology in a global context (ARP7202)
- Current Debates in prehistoric Archaeology (ARP 7511)
- Advanced Excavation (ARP 7520)
- Workplace internship (ARP 7306)
Note: these modules are normally available only to students being supervised in Archaeology and not all of them may be available in a given academic year. Contact: Dr Dirk Brandherm (d.brandherm@qub.ac.uk).
Arts Administration
- Audiences for the Arts (SCA7001)
- Cultural Policy (SCA7002)
- Professional Development and Work Placement (SCA7005)
- Research in Arts and Cultural Industries Management (SCA7006)
Note: other modules in this pathway are not normally open to the M-Res. For further information, contact Dr Kim-Marie Spence (k.spence@qub.ac.uk)
Broadcast Production
Individual modules may be available as listed above (BCP).
Research areas covered for Broadcast include:
- Digital art
- Digital media
- Documentary
- Gender and popular culture
- Gothic / horror, science fiction, fantasy in and across media and literature
- History of media, particularly in the UK
- Immersive media
- Interdisciplinary practice
- Journalism
- Performance
- Podcasting
- Representations and uses of history, memory and nostalgia in media and literature
- Representations of terrorism in film and TV
- Sound art
- Voice
For further information, contact Dr Elena Caoduro (elena.caoduro@qub.ac.uk)
Course Details
The MRes degree is intended for applicants who already have a clear dissertation project (or equivalent, e.g. composition portfolio, performance, creative writing). In liaison with the supervisors, a plan of work in semester 1 and 2 is agreed and serves as preparation for the project as well as assessed work in its own right. The programme provides students with the opportunity to work closely with a supervisory team to produce a substantial piece of independent research and to develop wide-ranging research skills within disciplinary and interdisciplinary frameworks.
The programme normally comprises the following elements:
• A Research Methods module appropriate to your field of study (20 CATS)
• Two research preparation modules (AHS7031 and AHS7032), defined by the supervisors and aiming to equip students with the skills, research tools and background work required for the final dissertation or portfolio (2 x 20 CATS)
• One optional module drawn from a selection available from within the Faculty (20 CATS) including Independent Study in Arts, Humanities and Languages (AHS7000)
• An extended dissertation (20,000 words plus seminar presentation - AHS7040) or a portfolio of similar scope and depth (AHS7041). (100 CATS).
Note: registration in any module that begins other than those with an ‘AHS’ code requires the permission of the named subject contact (see below). This applies to: ARP, BCP, CEL, ENG, LIB, MML, MUS, and SCA modules.
Drama
Research areas for Drama include:
- Beckett Studies
- Gender and Theatre Studies
- Post Conflict Theatre
- Irish Theatre
- Shakespeare in Performance
- Adaptation
- Monodrama
- Dance Theatre
- Drama and Medical Humanities
- British Theatre
- Applied Drama
- Theatre Historiography
- Symbolist Theatre
- Victorian Theatre and Melodrama
For further information, contact Dr Trish McTighe (t.mctighe@qub.ac.uk).
English
For further information, contact Dr Justin Livingstone (j.livingstone@qub.ac.uk)
European Literature in Translation
Individual modules may be available as listed above (MML 7019, 7021, 7024, 7035).
For further information, contact Professor Sue-Ann Harding (s.harding@qub.ac.uk)
French
Research areas covered in French include:
- French linguistics and sociolinguistics
- 19th-century studies
- Modernist poetry
- Proust
- 20th and 21st-century French literature
- Autobiography and autofiction
- Caribbean literature
- Postcolonial literature and theory
- Crime fiction
- Francophone-Chinese writing, art and film
- Transnational and migration studies
- Travel Writing
- Medical Humanities
- Illness narratives
- French Media Cultures
- French and Francophone Cinema
- Popular Fiction and TV Series
- Literary Theory
Contact: Dr Dominique Jeannerod (d.jeannerod@qub.ac.uk)
Irish
Research areas covered in Celtic Studies include:
- Linguistics
- Lexicography
- Language and society
- Irish and Scottish literature and identity
- Medieval Irish literature and language
- Historiography
- Folkloristics and mythology
Module:
- Independent Study in Celtic (CEL7010).
Note: this module is open only to students being supervised in Celtic.
Contact: Dr Síobhra Aiken (s.aiken@qub.ac.uk)
Liberal Arts
- LIB7001 Incorrigibly Plural
- LIB7003 America's Aftermaths
- LIB7004 Discourses of Crime and Deviance
- LIB7005 Migrating Identities
Contact: Professor Philip McGowan (p.mcgowan@qub.ac.uk)
Linguistics
Pending availability and meeting prerequisites, students in the M-Res may take modules in Linguistics (listed above). For further information please contact Professor Joan Rahilly (j.rahilly@qub.ac.uk).
Music
Research areas covered in Music include:
- Cabaret
- Collections development
- Composition (instrumental, orchestral, electronic, computer-based)
- Editing
- Eighteenth Century studies (J.S. Bach, G.F. Handel, W.A. Mozart)
- Folksong
- Graphic scoring
- Historical dance and music theatre
- Improvisation
- Irish Traditional Music
- Machine-learning research
- Manuscript studies
- Music in Ireland
- Musical theatre
- New performance environments
- Politics and popular song
- The Voice
For further information, contact Dr Sarah McCleave (s.mccleave@qub.ac.uk)
Portuguese
Research specialisms include:
- Brazilian cultural studies
- Digital culture in Brazil/Latin America
- Contemporary Brazilian film and documentary
- Postcolonial literatures and film
- Portuguese-speaking Africa
- Gender Studies
Contact
Sonic Arts
Research specialisms include:
- Sound Art
- Improvisation
- Contemporary Music Performance
- Composition (instrumental, orchestral, electronic)
- Socially Engaged Sonic Arts
- Sound Studies
- Acoustics and Psychoacoustics
- Recording and Production
- Sound Design
- Physical Modelling
- Instrument Design
- Performance Technologies
For further information, contact Professor Pedro Rebelo (p.rebelo@qub.ac.uk)
Spanish
Research specialisms include:
- Early Modern Spanish literature
- Spanish Renaissance and Baroque literature and culture
- 18th-century Spanish literature and culture
- Spanish Enlightenment
- 19th-century Spanish literature and culture
- Surrealism
- Memoirs and Autobiography
- Spanish science fiction
- Modern Latin American Studies
- Mexican Studies
- Colonial Latin America
- Argentine literature and art
- Poetics
- Reader response and reception studies
- Gender studies
- Eco-criticism
Combination of morning, afternoon and evening teaching with 3-4 contact hours per week. Tutorials with supervisor TBA on an individual basis.
Learning and Teaching
Learning opportunities associated with this course are outlined below:-
Learning opportunities associated with this course are outlined below:
You will receive one-to-one supervision for the Research Preparation Portfolio modules, for any Independent Study modules, and for the final dissertation or portfolio. For other optional modules, you will be taught as a member of a small class. You may have a second supervisor as well as a first supervisor. You are encouraged to attend research seminars in your field of study and to be involved in the activities of the Graduate School.
Assessment
Assessments associated with the course are outlined below:
Students will complete a programme of research training defined by the supervisors which will be written up in the research preparation portfolio. This will include work in terms of literature review, detailed information on research methodologies and the wider enhancement of skills and knowledge through engagement with the research environment of the School and Faculty.
Two additional modules will be undertaken (20 CATS each), selected from the portfolio of options available within the Faculty.
The most substantial element of the programme is submission of an extended dissertation or equivalent portfolio of practice-based work (20,000 words plus 5000 words seminar; or portfolio of equivalent scale and scope).
The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.
Building on the skills developed in Research Preparation Portfolio 1, this module aims to equip students with advanced discipline-based skills and methods essential for the research project being undertaken. These might include further language training, technical skills and exercises, analytical methods and research methodologies necessary for the research. The module focusses on research planning for the specific project and will include preparatory work on bibliography, engagement with source materials, and preparation of detailed research timelines.
Learning Outcomes
After completing the module, a student will have a broad understanding of the research skills related to the discipline of study and will have developed skills and techniques in language and method which will be essential in supporting the development of the Dissertation or Portfolio element of the programme.
Skills
Through this module the student will gain advanced skills in language, technical, analytical methods and research methodologies.
This module provides a focus for creative practice in composition, performance, creative writing or sound art and builds on skills developed the Research Preparation Portfolio modules. The student is expected to produce a portfolio of works within a particular area of practice which must contain at least one element of substantial scale and ambition (to be agreed with the supervisors). The portfolio may include a range of different media, techniques and practices, and must include a written component which sets out the context and reflects on the processes and methods associated with the work itself. All elements of the portfolio are expected to be presented to a near-professional standard.
In addition to the scheduled contact hours, other activities will include attendance at seminars, email contact, reading drafts etc.
Learning Outcomes
Students should be able to:
appreciate and understand creative work in the areas of composition, sound art and performance
expand on their understanding of creativity through practice to develop strategies for working independently
develop creative work within specific time and resource constraints
design a portfolio and present it to a near-professional standard.
Skills
Intellectual Skills
Creative thinking and problem solving
Critical thinking - capacity to abstract, analyse and make critical judgement
Planning, conducting and reporting on creative project
Critical reflection and evaluation
Decision making in a creative arts context
Practical Skills
Composition, sound art or performance related techniques
Using library, electronic and online resources
Using reporting archiving and documentation techniques
Peer review - able to comment on the performance or work of a peer, identifying strengths and making constructive suggestions for improvement where appropriate
Transferable Skills
Information Retrieval - ability to independently search, synthesise and organise material from various sources and to critically evaluate its significance.
Presentation - capacity to make presentations, using appropriate media and technologies
Literacy - the capacity to present creative work in a written format
Computer Literacy - ability to use computer technology as appropriate
Time Management - ability to schedule tasks in order of importance
Improving own Learning - ability to improve one's own learning through planning, monitoring, critical reflection, evaluate and adapt strategies of one's learning.
This module aims to equip students with a wide range of discipline-based skills and methods essential for postgraduate research. These might include language skills, technical skills and exercises, analytical methods and research methodologies. The module develops an understanding of the relationship between planning research (formulating research questions, considering methodologies), doing research (using a range of innovative and traditional investigative techniques) and reflecting upon research (data handling and organisation, the ethics of research and reflective practice for writing).
Learning Outcomes
After completing the module, a student will have a broad understanding of the research skills related to the discipline of study and will have developed skills and techniques in language and method, which will be essential in supporting more specific research preparation in Research Preparation Portfolio II.
Skills
Through this module the student will gain skills in language, technical, analytical methods and research methodologies.
A dissertation of 20,000 words and a seminar presentation 4000-5000 words plus a 500 word bridging statement clarifying connection between seminar and the dissertation. The object of this module is to shed light on the chosen subject, either through the presentation of previously unknown facts or material, or through an original interpretation of existing knowledge, and to show a grasp of appropriate methodology. The student will develop an ability to work unaided and to show initiative. Other skills acquired include an application of research and/or analytical skills, the ability to construct a reasoned argument, and to exercise critical and reflective faculties.
In addition to the scheduled contact hours, other activities will include attendance at seminars, email contact, reading drafts etc.
Learning Outcomes
The object of this module is to shed light on the chosen subject, either through the presentation of previously unknown facts or material, or through an original interpretation of existing knowledge, and to show a grasp of appropriate methodology.
Skills
The student will develop an ability to work unaided and to show initiative, while developing research and/or analytical skills. The ability to construct a reasoned argument and to exercise critical faculties will also feature.
Research Methods in International Cultural Studies
Overview
This second Semester, 10 Week Optional Module presents and discusses contemporary cultural theories and critical approaches to cultural texts. This module builds on the compulsory Module MML 7000 introduction to research methods in the Arts and Humanities and allows to engage with a variety of other methods, which could not be covered in MML 7000. MML 7001 ‘s focus is on international cultural Studies but will cover a range of practical, methodological and theoretical issues, which are the basis for any research project that students might undertake as part of their MRes in the Arts and Humanities. It will advance their knowledge of a wide range of literary and/or linguistic methodologies and theories, as appropriate to their chosen field. This module encourages students to engage with established and innovative research methods and to apply them productively to their research.
Learning Outcomes
After completing the module, a student should have acquired:
• knowledge and understanding of the principles of scholarship and research methods
• the capacity for critical reflection and judgment in the light of evidence and argument
• the ability to engage with and interpret, at a sophisticated level, layers of meaning within texts and/or linguistic data
• the ability to undertake and conduct sustained enquiry
• the ability to contextualise within a variety of perspectives
• the ability to synthesise and present complex ideas within the framework of a structured and reasoned argument in a well-articulated, and stylistically mature fashion
• the ability to work autonomously, manifested in self-direction, self-discipline, and time-management
• the ability to apply a critical, methodological or analytical apparatus at a high level of expertise
• the ability to develop independent and sophisticated insights into their chosen discipline and demonstrate these through the undertaking of independent research projects.
Skills
• Planning and undertaking independent research
• Library and bibliographic research skills
• Retrieval, sifting, and selecting current and relevant primary and secondary information from standard and electronic sources
• Advanced written communication and presentational skills
• Appropriate IT skills for professional use
• Ability to engage in independent learning and research
This module will equip students with a level of field competence in archaeology beyond the basic recognition and recording of archaeological features, with a particular emphasis on field project management and team supervision.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
• formulate a site-specific fieldwork strategy, demonstrating an understanding of the processes involved in planning and conducting an archaeological field project
• critically reflect on the methodology chosen to put such a strategy into practice
• generate a report that interprets and summarises excavation data and reflects on own management and supervision performance
Skills
• Project planning
• Project management
• Team supervision
• Report writing
• Professional integrity
• Oral and written communication skills
• Time management
Independent Study in Arts, Languages and Humanities
Overview
The module is based on weekly meetings with the supervisory team. It is structured around the personal research interests of the student. It offers the opportunity to pursue an interest in a topic which will further contextualise or advance the project chosen for their dissertation. The topic will be chosen by the student and approved by the supervisor, and a plan of work will be agreed which will involve weekly meetings to discuss progress and give feedback.
The module offers flexibility in preparing for the student’s research project, particularly where no taught modules are available in or beyond the discipline which are germane to the dissertation topic. It is crucial in facilitating progression, therefore, in instances such as this.
Learning Outcomes
The Module seeks to enable students to pursue their own research interest in a structured way, and according to the highest academic standards. Amongst its outcomes are
• Increased academic autonomy and ability to work autonomously
• The ability to develop independent and sophisticated insights into a chosen area of investigation and to demonstrate these through the undertaking of an independent research project
• Application of the specific critical, methodological or analytical apparatus required by the research at a high level of expertise
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the research undertaken
• Discussion of arguments in a structured way and critical reflection and judgment in the light of evidence and argument
Skills
Critical and analytical thinking;
research;
improving own learning and performance;
time management;
Planning and undertaking independent research
This module examines the uses and significance of genre in broadcasting. It covers theories of genre, the relationships between genre in different media (including literature and cinema), and the uses of genre by broadcasters, producers and audiences. Through the module, students will develop their own case studies focusing on a genre of their choice. They will engage with questions around how genres are formed and used, why people categorise things in genres, how genres interact with policy and taste formations and how generic descriptions and canons change over time.
Learning Outcomes
On completing this module students should have acquired and be able to demonstrate:
- a solid understanding of theories of genre in relation to broadcasting;
- an ability to engage with critical debates around broadcasting and genre;
- appropriate research and analysis skills relating to broadcasting and genre;
- development of their scholarly writing and communication skills.
Skills
This module will refine and develop students’ skills in analysing texts within various cultural, historical and industrial contexts, as well as in their written communication skills. Students will develop skills in identifying topics for further research and in planning and completing an independent research project.
How may music be studied? The purpose of this module is for students to explore some of the disciplines through which music may be understood or created and demonstrate a thoughtful awareness of some of the methods and concerns of these disciplines. Teaching delivery will include 6-8 group seminars, attendance of Music events, plus regular meetings with a member of the supervisory team. Assessment is by a reviews portfolio (4000 words; one book review and reviewing two events) and 10-minute seminar presentation.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, students will be able to :
- Demonstrate an ability to situate themselves within Music as a creative or scholarly discipline;
- Engage critically with theoretical paradigms in their field;
- Produce written or creative work appropriate to MA level;
- Critically understand the context within which their scholarly discipline operates;
- Understand and apply relevant research methods needed for the successful completion of their portfolio or dissertation.
Skills
* Detailed knowledge of the interpretive tools through which scholarship or creativity in Music is formed;
* A detailed sense of Music as a scholarly or creative practice;
* An ability to study and understand complex issues and problems in the student's particular subject area;
* Effective oral communication skills;
* Advanced written skills
* Ability to be self-directed and exercise initiative;
* Ability to think critically, creatively and holistically
This module will analyse discourses of crime and deviance across fictional and non-fictional discourse arena including traditional media, social media, television and film, and literary fiction. A broad critical language studies (CLS) approach will be taken, additionally informed by insights from literary linguistics, forensic linguistics, cultural criminology and legal studies. The module will be organised into core themes (crime in the media/crime in the courtroom/crime in fiction) and will focus on key topics which include trial by media, adaptation, novelization and ‘true crime’. Themes of gender, class, and age will be addressed in these areas. The module will be available to students on the 4th year of the MLibArts programme and students undertaking the MRes in Arts and Humanities, which does not currently offer a taught module from English Language and Linguistics.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, students will have refined their broad critical understanding of the construction of crime across contexts. Students will engage in a range of historical and social debates, analysing the recurrence of key themes and ideas in areas of critical language studies. Students will relate these key themes to ongoing developments in culturally complex language settings, and through traditional as well as emerging digital mediums.
Skills
During this module, students will have the opportunity to practise the following skills: * Critical analysis of key debates on criminality in several contexts. * Engagement with interdisciplinary debates regarding perceptions of crime and deviance in various contexts, including the media, the justice system, films, and television. * Application of learning to key social and political debates. * Writing critically and reflectively.
Language Revival, Reconciliation and Politics in Northern Ireland
Overview
This multidisciplinary module explores the role of language politics in Northern Ireland both during the Troubles and until the present day. The seminars will be delivered by a multidisciplinary team of experts and will address engagement with the Irish language in both traditionally nationalist and traditionally loyalist communities. Course themes will be explored through analysis of a variety of texts, including documentaries, podcasts, literary writings, autobiographies and language policy documents. The course will also be complimented by two field trips, for example to Turas in the Methodist Mission in East Belfast and Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich on the Falls Road in West Belfast. Provisional week-by-week outline as follows: Week 1: The Irish language in Ulster (historical context & introduction to course themes) (S Aiken) Week 2: The ‘language revolution’ during the Troubles: From prison to ‘urban Gaeltacht’ (S Aiken) Week 3: Irish-medium education: Past, present and future (TBC - Education) Week 4: Irish-language literature of the Troubles (Dr. S Aiken & A. Nic Dhaibhéid) Week 5: Language and reconciliation: Placenames as Shared Heritage (Prof. Mícheál Ó Mainnín) Week 6: Language and reconciliation: Recovering Protestant histories of language engagement & TURAS (Dr. Marcas Mac Coinnigh) Week 7: Language and reconciliation: Féile an Phobail and language as cultural capital (Dr. Michael Pierse) Week 8: Language, politiics and reconciliation: Ulster Scots (TBC - HAPP) Week 9: Towards a Language Act? Political and legal perspectives on language in Northern Ireland (TBC- HAPP) Week 10: Interdisciplinary seminar and course recap
Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this module should be able to: * Understand the politics, cultural dimensions and history of the Irish language in contemporary Northern Ireland * Understand the value of multidisciplinary approaches to Irish Studies * Write reflectively (following field trip) on community language projects in Belfast and the role of such organisations in post-conflict reconciliation * – Critically analyse and evaluate the nature of language politics in the context of the Northern Irish Troubles and in the present
Skills
This module will equip students with the capacity to: – analyse and critique forms of narrative and cultural expression conveyed in various texts, including documentaries, podcasts, and literary writings – articulate points of view through informal discussion – plan their own study and learn independently – manage their time effectively – develop comprehension of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary issues, particularly as related to the question of language politics – analyse and criticise arguments in depth – demonstrate skills in reflecting upon and clarifying personal values – formulate and test hypotheses and interpretations
Research Methods 2: Skills in Linguistic Research and Data Analysis
Overview
This second research preparation module builds on the core semester 1 module on Research Design by providing students with the knowledge and skills to select and apply data analysis methods. Following the stages of the research process from the organisation of data (into, for example, a corpus or database) to annotation and analysis, it exposes students to a range of linguistic data drawn from various subfields of linguistics and encourages them to reflect on appropriate analytical techniques. Drawing on tutors’ diverse range of expertise, the module will cover quantitative approaches including statistical testing, as well as qualitative approaches such as thematic and discourse analysis, and train students in the use of relevant software. Students will be encouraged to consider the application of these approaches to their own upcoming dissertation research and it is intended that the final few weeks of the module will be flexible in terms of content, allowing students to deepen their knowledge in areas identified as of high priority according to the cohort.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
• Use a range of data analysis methods and software to investigate linguistic data of different kinds.
• Understand the advantages and drawbacks of different methods of data analysis.
• Select appropriate methods for analysing data according to the student’s own research interests.
Skills
The module equips students to:
Create and develop language corpora and databases; apply and evaluate statistical analysis; develop and apply methods for storing and presenting language data.
This module introduces students to the theories, applications and methods of analysis used in corpus linguistics. It enables students to collect their own corpora and use corpus software to undertake analyses based on their own interests. The module gives a comprehensive overview of core practical and theoretical aspects of corpus linguistics and allows students to engage in critical examination of a range of areas of study. Indicative content includes: corpus creation (ethical data selection and acquisition, issues in representativeness and size); corpus analysis tools and techniques (frequency lists, concordances, collocation, data annotation); interpretation and analysis of results (morphology, semantics, pragmatics, discourse, genre, language variation and change); applications: (lexicography, pedagogy, translation, stylistics, discourse analysis).
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
• Demonstrate understanding of and critically evaluate the key concepts and terminology of corpus linguistics
• Use corpus tools to conduct corpus-based research at an advanced level
• Show a detailed and critical awareness of the major areas of linguistics in which corpora are used, such as lexicography, pedagogy, translation, stylistics and discourse analysis
• Respond to key debates in the field of corpus linguistics
Skills
The module equips students to:
Select appropriate methods for designing and compiling language corpora; interrogate corpora as a means for addressing key questions in language variation.
This module provides a thorough grounding in the concepts and practices on which current work in phonetics and phonology is built, and it provides students with a critical perspective on dominant trends in the discipline. It shows students how theoretical and applied strands in accounts of speech variation can complement one another in order to produce a comprehensive profile of the particular variety of speech under investigation. The module begins by introducing core concepts in phonetics and phonology, and moves on to apply phonetic and phonological analytic methods to speech samples chosen by students, beginning with a transcription task. Once students have completed a transcription and identified key features therein, the module invites them to select a range of journal articles and existing research sources which deal with the feature(s) in question, and provide a written critical review of the articles they have chosen. The module is assessed by means of (i) performance in the transcription task, (ii) performance in the mini-conference in which students provide an overview of the key phonological elements of their transcribed sample, and (iii) the critical review task.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to understand the distinctiveness and the complementary nature of phonetics and phonology. They will have acquired advanced knowledge of both areas, and they will understand how each discipline has developed, by means of engagement with existing practice, scholarship and research. By selecting data for and transcribing a speech sample, they will acquire skills in phonetic transcription and in accounting for speech variation using an appropriate range of phonological models. Students will also gain an advanced understanding of the role of techniques and research methods used in the analysis of data. By participation in the transcription task, students will develop their ability to negotiate and collaborate in the delivery of a common goal; and, by selecting contextual readings which address key variables in the transcription, individual students will acquire and exercise skills in mapping their experience in the subject onto broader disciplinary frameworks.
Skills
The module equips students to:
Recognise differences and complementarities in phonetic and phonological approaches to data; transcribe speech data; describe and explain formal and functional aspects of speech with regard to segmental and prosodic features; select relevant analytic tools, including digital methods for investigating acoustic phenomena.
This module introduces students to various ways of approaching Discourse Analysis, a broad sub-discipline of Linguistics which understands language as socially and culturally situated and therefore studies it in contexts of use. It explores key principles in Discourse Analysis which equip the analyst to appreciate context and society in discourse production and reception. It integrates approaches from other sub-disciplines of linguistics which can be employed in Discourse Analysis, such as Pragmatics, Conversation Analysis and Sociolinguistics. Students are equipped with different methods of collecting and analysing discourse in spoken, written and digital contexts. The module teaches students to understand and interpret the findings of Discourse Analysis in light of contextual, cultural and societal factors.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to articulate a range of approaches to the theory and practice of Discourse Analysis. Students will be able to adopt a suitable approach to a given discourse context and research question, and have an understanding of research design and methods in Discourse Analysis.
Skills
The module equips students to:
Define discourse and discourse analysis; evaluate and apply the role of each in understanding to social and linguistic variables.
Research Methods 1: Research Design in Linguistics
Overview
This research preparation module focuses on core research design issues in linguistics (particularly the formulation of research questions and the collection of data). Students are trained to identify gaps in linguistic knowledge, to formulate sound discipline-specific research questions, and to explore the diverse linguistic approaches which might fruitfully be applied to these questions. They will be introduced to practical issues in data collection, considering, for example, the medium, size and representativeness of data samples, and the ethical considerations involved in collecting data from different sources. The module will lead into the more analytically focused research methods module in Semester 2 and will lay the groundwork for the dissertation module in Semester 3.
The module begins with an audit of students’ exposure to linguistic sub-fields, and of their skills and interests. Weekly readings of published studies allow students to compare different theoretical and sub-disciplinary approaches to a similar topic. Class discussion centres on an evaluation of the merits of different approaches for the studies’ stated aims and on the data-collection processes suggested by those approaches.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
• Formulate and defend well-informed and discipline-specific research questions
• Design an appropriate dataset to respond to a linguistic research question
• Address the ethical and practical implications of their research design choices
Skills
The module equips students to:
Read case studies and abstracts for theoretical and quantitative or qualitative analytical approaches to similar language questions: identify research gaps, formulate discipline-specific research questions (drawing for example on studies in sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, phonetics and phonology, corpus linguistics, syntax, depending on the needs and interests of the group); read case studies for methodological approach: select data, evaluate fit; evaluate ethical and practical issues in linguistic research design.
Research in Arts and Cultural Industries Management
Overview
This module will explore the array of epistemic and methodological considerations and decisions in doing research in the arts and cultural industries.
Arts & cultural industries management & cultural policy research is inherently interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary. Research in these field must therefore consider multiple epistemological approaches including but not confined to arts and humanities: political science, sociology, management studies, cultural studies. Additionally, the field often draws on both academic and practice-based research influenced from within and outside academia.
Content will include:
1. Key concepts (ontology, epistemology, structures of research and discourses, literature review)
2. Research planning: proposal development and literature review
3. Project management and research ethics.
4. Research methodologies: quantitative and qualitative methods, modes of analysis
5. Data collection and analysis
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, students are expected to be able to:
1. Engage with, and critique key theories underpinning arts & cultural industries management and cultural policy research
2. Identify and critique a diverse range of research methods and approaches
3. Situate arts & cultural industries management and cultural policy research with the wider epistemological position as a discipline in arts, humanities and social sciences
4. Formulate a research plan or research proposal with understanding of the theoretical, practical and ethical implications.
Skills
Students will develop an understanding of the different approaches, decisions and tools of research relevant to the study of arts and cultural industries management.
Key transferable skills will be:
• Personal effectiveness
• Project management & proposal development skills
• Analysis and research skills
• Capacity to interrogate and select approach methods and analysis according to an individual research project
• Critical reading and writing
• Written and spoken communication skills
“World is crazier and more of it than we think,
Incorrigibly plural” (Louis MacNeice, from ‘Snow’).
With a nod to local contexts (Louis MacNeice in particular) and building on the diverse range of experiences of the student cohort, especially after their study abroad or placement, this module emphasises pluralism as a guiding principle of academic debate and social engagement. Co-requisite with the Liberal Arts dissertation module (LIB7002) this module concludes with a mini-conference or showcase event at which the students each present an aspect of their Liberal Arts experience or their dissertation topic.
Among the issues the students will examine will include the importance of diversity, disciplinary flexibility, vocational training; the interplay of research and teaching at the tertiary level, the role of the University, and the necessity of arts and humanities subjects in forming, knowing and reforming our world.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module student will:
(i) have an in-depth awareness of issues of plurality and diversity within the arts and humanities;
(ii) be able to contextualise their studies to date within a pedagogical framework defined by and dedicated to plurality;
(iii) understand how their learning to date, and their semester/year abroad, combine in diverse and multiple ways;
(iv) provide peer support and constructive feedback through group work and the concluding mini-conference;
(v) recognise and demonstrate the relations between cognate disciplines in the arts and humanities and their contribution to diversity in society.
Skills
(i) enhanced group and teamwork skills based on open and supportive communication and the ability to provide constructive peer feedback;
(ii) oral and presentational skills;
(iii) flexibility of thinking across disciplines and the ability to move between theoretical and practical applications of the module content;
(iv) ability to self-reflect on the learning process;
(v) demonstrable understanding of the relation between a student’s degree pathway and the concerns of the module and the Liberal Arts programme more broadly;
(vi) advanced ability to construct and present an appropriate and relevant case study.
This module introduces students to key debates in both theories and practice of how the ‘public’ engage with arts and cultural experiences. Blending theoretical and strategically oriented sessions with practice-based teaching, it explores how the mode and value of engagement with the public has and continues to change rapidly.
1. Overview of audiences discourse; contemporary issues in theories of engagement, development & participation
2. Cultural rights and cultural citizenship (local & international perspectives)
3. Audiences as part of strategic management
4. Planning & tools for effective engagement (digital engagement, branding, etc)
5. Data in relation to audiences & the public
6. Evaluation, analysis & understanding the customer/consumer
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, students are expected to be able to:
1. Define and articulate principal issues of contemporary arts and cultural engagement with understanding of key theories and terms
2. Apply critical and reflexive thinking to contemporary concerns of public access, inclusion, participation, cultural rights alongside sustainability
3. Identify and assess the tools and techniques of engaging the public in arts and cultural industries activity, including but not confined to marketing, communications, branding, data analysis and digital engagement
4. Recognise and understand the relationship between strategic arts and cultural management and audience/public engagement in decision-making analysis, planning and evaluation
5. Plan and articulate practice-based responses to the development and engagement of audiences, customers and/or public.
Skills
This course will further enhance students' understanding of the field of arts management, how it relates to their engagement with the 'public' and the relationship between public policy and public engagement. The course is designed to act as a complement to other courses in management, planning and policy and students will be actively encouraged to make connections and synthesise the common learning present through the MA programme. Key transferable skills will be:
• Personal effectiveness
• Analysis and research skills
• Critical and reflective thinking
• Strategic marketing & communication skills
• Planning & evaluation skills
A feature of this course is the use of real case study organisations. This enables students to translate theory in to practice and apply theoretical learning to practical learning in the class environment. Assessments are designed to enable students to test their learning through a combination of theoretical and task oriented exercises.
This module introduces students to theoretical perspectives in cultural policy with attention to its influence on arts and cultural industries management. It will explore how various historical, political, social, economic and cultural contexts and objectives shape cultural policies. It will explore how these in turn define and influence arts and cultural industries’ management and practices in different nation states, and at regional and international levels. Through this it will reveal the tensions and values at play within the cultural policy field.
1. Policy-making in relationship to arts and cultural industries management, theories, models and approaches
2. Political regimes, cultural policy regulations and cultural rights
3. Cultural values and measurements
4. Cultural policy levels: local, (sub/supra)national
5. Intercultural and international policy and diplomacy
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, students are expected to be able to:
1. Engage with and critique key theories underpinning cultural policy through academic study
2. Articulate the ways policy intersects with, and influences arts and cultural industries management and its political, social, economic and artistic role
3. Engage in clear and informed discussion about the nature of cultural policy and policymaking in a regional, national and international context
4. Identify and discuss contemporary and global issues and tensions within the cultural policy field
Skills
Students will gain greater awareness of the public policy landscape in which the arts and cultural industries operate at regional, national and international levels.
Key transferable skills will be:
• Personal effectiveness
• Analysis and research skills
• Critical reading and writing
• Critical and reflective thinking
• Written and spoken communication skills
This module provide students with an opportunity to gain professional experience in the heritage sector through a part-time workplace internship. Over the course of the semester, students will undertake a 12-week internship of, on average, two working days per week (or a number of shorter, consecutive internships of similar overall duration) at an institution, body or business in the heritage sector, e.g. with a museum or with a commercial-sector archaeological company.
Learning Outcomes
• Demonstrate an ability to adapt to a workplace environment
• Develop an awareness and understanding of the structures, policies, procedures and ethos of a business, institution or organization
• Articulate skills developed to maximise future career prospects
• Learn independently in unfamiliar situations with open-mindedness and a spirit of critical enquiry
• Work in a team and understand professional responsibilities
• Apply acquired skills in a practical workplace environment
Skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Ability to work a part of a team
• Capacity to critically reflect on experiential learning
• Assume responsibility within a workplace environment
• Greater level of confidence and self-awareness
• Development of networking and communication skills
• Professionalism within the workplace
• Time management
This module is intended to facilitate students’ active engagement with the research process and to prepare them for conducting research at postgraduate level. It addresses issues such as the nature of scientific inquiry and its place in modern society, the characteristics of current research methodologies, the selection of methods and project design, obtaining research funding, project management and producing professional research outputs.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will have an understanding of:
• What research is and how it is embedded in modern society
• The different assumptions that underlie modern research methodologies and particularly the differences between phenomenological and logical positivist approaches, their strengths and weaknesses
• The common quantitative and qualitative techniques to use in different research contexts and how they should be built into research planning and operationalisation
• The processes of bidding for research funds, doing research and producing professional research outputs
Skills
• Project design
• Production of a fully costed and academically valid research proposal
• Selection and use of appropriate statistical methods
• Project management
• Production of professional-quality research outputs
Introduction to the principles, practices and research techniques of community interpreting in Northern Ireland
Learning Outcomes
Students will acquire an understanding of the principles and skills of the professional community interpreter. They will become familiar with the processes of public service organisations, and understand the importance of research and terminology gathering within that context.
Skills
Presentation skills, interpreting skills, mediation skills, research skills, familiarity with public sector processes
This module introduces students to the advanced methods and skills required in postgraduate studies of literature. It is taught through a course of lectures and/or workshops which will address key research questions and paradigms in literary studies, including manuscript and print traditions, textual criticism, methodologies and evidence in literary scholarship. Students will apply these methods and debates to particular case studies within literature.
Learning Outcomes
On completing the module, students will be able to demonstrate a clear grasp of key issues in literary studies including the theory and practical implications of literary editing, literary terminology and the history of the book. They will be able to retrieve information about resources, methods and skills necessary to their chosen specialised field of postgraduate studies in English and identify their own needs in terms of the pursuit of advance literary research.
Skills
This module will develop skills in:
Written and oral communication and presentation
Advanced application of theories and methodologies
Students will also develop skills which will be important for further research, including tracing source material through internet retrieval.
The module is assessed by means of one essay-style assignment of 2500 words. The students can choose between an essay or a practice-based assignment (eg: translation commentary which may involve submission of AV material).
Learning Outcomes
Students will acquire an in-depth knowledge and develop a critical understanding of both the theoretical and practical issues involved in translating for various audiovisual media and relating to accessibility.
Skills
Research skills; presentation skills; analytical skills.
This module is designed as an introduction to research methods in the Arts and Humanities. It will cover a range of practical, methodological and theoretical issues which are the basis for any research project that students might undertake at postgraduate level in Modern Languages. It will advance their knowledge of a wide range of literary and/or linguistic methodologies and theories, as appropriate to their chosen field.
Learning Outcomes
After completing the module, a student should have acquired:
- Knowledge and understanding of the principles of scholarship and research methods.
- Capacity for critical reflection and judgement in the light of evidence and argument
- Ability to engage with and interpret, at a sophisticated level, layers of meaning within texts and/or linguistic data
- Ability to undertake and conduct sustained enquiry.
- Ability to contextualise within a variety of perspectives.
- Ability to synthesise and present complex ideas within the framework of a structured and reasoned argument in a well-articulated and stylistically mature fashion.
Skills
Practical Skills
- Planning and undertaking independent research
- Library and bibliographic research skills
- Retrieval, sifting, and selecting current and relevant primary and secondary information from standard and electronic sources
Transferable Skills
- Advanced written communication and presentational skills
- Appropriate IT skills for professional use
- Ability to engage in independent learning and research
Independent study of a topic (history, composition, analysis, or performance) in Music and Sonic Arts. Students must agree a topic and a programme of study with their tutor at the outset of the course. Students will be given directed reading and appropriate essays or other coursework. Students will meet regularly with their tutor to report on and discuss their reading, essays or other coursework. This module is designed to address any focused interests not catered for in other modules offered.
Learning Outcomes
By completion of the module students will be able to:
- conduct independent research
- critically interpret and analyse literature relevant to the topic of study
Skills
-identify, analyse and solve problems by prioritising tasks, coping with complexity, setting achievable goals and taking action.
-apply subject knowledge and understanding from the degree pathway
-possess high level transferable key skills such as the ability to work with others in a team, to communicate (both orally and in writing), influence and negotiate.
-have the ability and desire to learn for oneself and improve one's self-awareness and performance, to uphold the values of lifelong learning and demonstrate emotional intelligence
-demonstrate confidence and motivation to start and to finish the job, adaptability/flexibility, creativity, initiative, leadership, decision-making, negotiating and the ability to cope with stress
The module is structured around the personal research interests of the student. It offers the opportunity to pursue an interest in a topic which will further contextualise or advance the project chosen for their dissertation. The topic will be chosen by the student and approved by the supervisor, and a plan of work will be agreed which will involve weekly meetings to discuss progress and give feedback.
Learning Outcomes
The Module seeks to enable students to pursue their own research interest in a structured way, and according to the highest academic standards. Amongst its outcomes are:
• Increased academic autonomy and ability to work autonomously
• The ability to develop independent and sophisticated insights into a chosen area of investigation and to demonstrate these through the undertaking of an independent research project
• Application of the specific critical, methodological or analytical apparatus required by the research at a high level of expertise
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the research undertaken
• Discussion of arguments in a structured way and critical reflection and judgment in the light of evidence and argument
Skills
Critical and analytical thinking; research; improving own learning and performance; time management; planning and undertaking independent research.
Literary translation for specific purposes: translation and performance; translation and subtltling
Learning Outcomes
Students will gain an understanding of the strategies and tactics that may be employed in negotiating texts for performance; they will acquire an understanding of the processes used to subtitle films
Skills
Close-reading skills; analytical skills; technical skills; skills in reading performance
(2 seminars each student to have optional 1-to-1 tutorial with convenor)
1. Personal Professional Development & Reflexivity: Developing a Personal/Professional Development Plan and Keeping a Journal
2. Working in the arts and cultural sector (freelance, institutional and international issues)—types of work & contracts
3. Organisational Cultures; Equality, Diversity & Inclusion; Wellbeing, resilience and dealing with uncertainty
4. Event & Project management
5. Presentation, Pitch & Proposal Skills
6.Intellectual Property, Copyright
7. Identifying Networks; Relationships & Opportunities
8. Personal Finance & Business Development
9. Transnational Exchanges in Arts and Cultural Sector work
10. Embedding Reflective & Reflexive Practice
Module includes 18 day working placement to be completed between November and July
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, students are expected to be able to:
1. Recognise key features and approaches to labour and employment practice in the arts, cultural and creative industries sectors
2. Understand and situate your own practice in relation to different working and professional contexts
3. Develop personal planning and reflexive skills to recognise strengths, skills gaps, ambitions and professional development needs
4. Translate knowledge and learning from the programme into relevant transferable skills and professional development plans
Skills
• Personal & professional development planning
• Self-care & resilience
• Practical skills in event, project management
• Presentation & pitch/proposal skills
• Personal budgeting
• Reflective and reflexive thinking
Advanced translation work in the student's principal foreign language, concentrating on texts and their contextual explanatory backgrounds
Learning Outcomes
Students will identify and hone the skills required in translation of literary texts.
The student will develop an ability to interpret text in terms of its cultural embedding. He or she will become familiar with the tools of pragmatic and hermeneutic analysis.
Normally a 2.1 Honours degree or above in a related subject or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.
Applicants with relevant professional experience and a 2.2 Honours degree or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Exceptionally, applicants who do not hold a 2.2 Honours degree and who possess relevant experience may be permitted the opportunity to demonstrate achievement at an equivalent level. For example, if intending to study within Creative Arts, this could comprise several years of experience or employment as a composer, sound technician or in theatre work. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
All applicants will also be required to submit a 750 word research proposal, which demonstrates an understanding of the research area and methodology and a portfolio of practice-based work, if applicable.
Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 15th August 2025 for courses which commence in late September. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal prior to the deadline stated on course finder. Notifications to this effect will appear on the application portal against the programme application page.
The University's Recognition of Prior Learning Policy provides guidance on the assessment of experiential learning (RPEL). Please visit the link below for more information. http://go.qub.ac.uk/RPLpolicyQUB
International Students
Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.
English Language Requirements
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required.
*Taken within the last 2 years.
International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, Queen's University Belfast International Study Centre offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
The MRes forms an excellent foundation for doctoral (PhD) work. It is also ideal for students who wish to undertake an independent research project for personal and professional development. It encourages analytical and critical research skills and project management capacities relevant to a variety of professional and intellectual contexts. http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/
Prizes and Awards
If studying a modern language on the MRes, students may be considered for the Henry Hutchinson-Stewart or Musgrave Scholarships, as well as the Bulletin of Spanish Studies Postgraduate Bursary.
If studying music or music technology, students may be considered for the Douglas C. Harrison bursary or the May Turtle award.
Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
How do I fund my study?
The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study. Tuition fee loan information.
A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas (excluding Initial Teacher Education/PGCE, where undergraduate student finance is available). Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.
