Compulsory research modules (all MRes Humanities)
HIS-40017 Research Skills in the Humanities (15 credits, Semester 1)
You will receive training in the practical and technical skills necessary for postgraduate research in the humanities, so you will be able to plan, then find and use the necessary resources for your research and writing. This includes: relevant University regulations; procedures for managing a research degree; the differences between popular press dissemination of research and academic forms; how to identify issues of research ethic affecting your work; and how to use real-world and digital archives and be creative in looking for primary research sources, such as film archives, digitised magazines and pamphlets, first editions of out of print literature. You will also develop essential personal and professional skills in time, stress and project management.
HIS-40016 Reflective Practice in the Humanities (15 credits, Semester 2)
Reflective practice describes a systematic approach to reflection that involves creating a habit, structure and routine around reflecting on our experiences and engaging in continuous learning. Whether you choose to learn from experience as an individual or with others, there are many benefits to be gained from sharing ideas, experiences and considering how you can change or improve your creative practice. Throughout this module, you will be asked to explore the intellectual connections between your research area and wider fields of study. We look at ‘big ideas’ relevant to contemporary society, such as the concept of ‘post truth’, ‘big data’ and the pulling down of statues, and we work to understand them from the perspective of our disciplines.
Compulsory pathway-specific modules (Film)
FIL-40001 Film Theory (30 credits, Semester 1)
This module aims to provide the knowledge and skills necessary for the advanced critical analysis of theories related to contemporary film theory and practice. You will investigate the possibilities and limitations of film language, its influence on how we understand our own (and others') history, and our various forms of identity (individual, national, sexual, racial). You’ll deepen your understanding of how films function within the cultures of which they are part, as well as the ways in which the formal characteristics of film have developed over time and across diverse cultures. Topics covered will include authorship in film, and theories of the auteur; genre theory in its historical development and its modern configurations; issues of national cinemas, aesthetics and identities; ideologies about gender and race, and how these impact on the ways identity is generated in film.
MDS-40003 Individual Research Orientation (30 credits, Semester 2)
The module aims to further students’ understanding of the research area or topic that has been chosen as the theme of the dissertation. It comprises individual study, directed by a reading programme drawn up by the student and their prospective supervisor, and the student works with their supervisor to plan and develop an essay topic. A literature review is usually completed to enable the student to situate their projected work within current disciplinary debates. It is the student’s responsibility to meet their supervisor regularly and determine what form the IRO assessment will take.
FIL-40003 Dissertation - Film (90 credits, studied throughout the course)
Guided by extensive one-to-one supervision from a world leading expert in your field, you will research, plan and write a substantial piece of original work in the field of Film Studies. The module builds upon generic and subject-specific research skills acquired in accompanying modules to communicate the methods, results and conclusions on the research project. The final dissertation is 20,000 words, excluding footnotes, bibliography and annexes.
