MA/MSc (By Research)

Studying for an MA or MSc by Research (MbR) can be an excellent opportunity to develop your intellectual skills and your academic interest in a particular field, and to help you stand out from the crowd as a self-motivated, independent thinker.

The MbR is a 12-month research project (24 months part time). It can be suitable for:

  • Recent graduates who wish to follow up their first degree with more in-depth study of a particular field of interest;
  • Candidates looking to go on to study for a PhD, but who want to develop their skills and try out full-time research first;
  • Mid-career candidates who are currently employed, for instance in education, local government, or environmental consultancy, who want a continuing professional development opportunity that allows them to analyse and reflect on a particular aspect of their career from an academic perspective;
  • Those who wish to develop their passion for an aspect of geography with the freedom to develop their own project.

As a research masters student you will have regular meetings with your supervisors; access to research student training courses; and the option to sit in on taught masters modules (not for assessment or credit). You will join a large and dynamic community of research students in one of the UK's top Geography departments.

The MbR is assessed by a thesis of up to 30,000 words, and by an oral examination. One key learning outcome of the MbR is that your research should be of a publishable standard, and once you have passed your exam we will offer advice about preparing your work for publication.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these prestigious degrees are higher than for taught masters programmes. You will need at least a UK 2.i honours degree or equivalent. English language requirements are also higher than for taught masters or PhD degrees. You will need to hold one of the following:

  • TOEFL score (internet-based test) of at least 94 overall, with at least 21 in listening, 23 in reading and speaking, and 24 in writing;
  • IELTS (Academic) score of at least 6.5, with at least 6.0 in all components;
  • PTE (Academic) score of 64, with at least 60 in all components.

Note that, for part-time students who combine their studies with paid employment, their employment should normally be related to the research project they are undertaking.

Tuition fees for 2011/12 are £3732 for UK/EU students, £13,700 for International students.