Postgraduate Prospectus Postgraduate Prospectus 2016 admissions 2016 admissions Welcome 3 POSTGRADUATE ON-CAMPUS OPEN DAYS Friday 13 November 2015 Friday 4 March 2016 Contents Welcome from the Vice-Chancellor 4 PROGRAMME LISTINGS Arts and Law 53 Life and Environmental ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Sciences 165 Our academic disciplines 6 Cross-College programmes 54 Which programme is right for you? 10 School of Biosciences 166 Birmingham Law School 56 Taught programmes 12 School of Geography, Earth Flexible learning at Birmingham 14 School of English, Drama and and Environmental Sciences 171 Research programmes 16 American & Canadian Studies 60 Doctoral Training Partnerships School of Psychology 183 School of History and Cultures 80 and Centres 19 School of Sport, Exercise Fees 20 School of Languages, Cultures, and Rehabilitation Sciences 189 Funding 22 Art History and Music 102 Entry requirements 24 School of Philosophy, Theology Making your application 26 and Religion 116 Medical and Dental Sciences 197 WHY CHOOSE BIRMINGHAM? Taught programmes 202 How we measure up 28 Engineering and Masters-level research 210 An international institution 30 Physical Sciences 127 The value of postgraduate study 32 Graduate Entry Medical Course 212 Help and support 34 Interdisciplinary programme 128 Academic support 36 School of Chemical Engineering 129 Social Sciences 213 School of Chemistry 134 POSTGRADUATE LIFE Intracollege programme 214 The Guild of Students 38 School of Civil Engineering 137 Birmingham Business School 215 Get involved 40 School of Computer Science 142 Our campus 42 School of Education 229 Visit the University 45 School of Electronic, Electrical School of Government and Society 239 The Edgbaston campus 46 and Systems Engineering 146 The city of Birmingham 48 School of Social Policy 258 POSTGRADUATE School of Mathematics 151 Accommodation 50 School of Mechanical Engineering 155 PROGRAMME LISTINGS VIRTUAL OPEN DAYS School of Metallurgy and Materials 158 (detailed right) School of Physics and Astronomy 162 We run virtual open days throughout the year. These include videos, virtual tours, and live Q&A Programmes index 267 sessions with staff, current students and alumni. General index 273 The small print 274 Virtual Tour 282 TAKE PART www.birmingham.ac.uk/pgopendays 4 Welcome Welcome 5 Welcome from the Vice-Chancellor FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, BIRMINGHAM POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN AT THE HEART OF OUR UNIVERSITY LIFE. WHETHER YOU JOIN US ON ONE OF OUR TAUGHT PROGRAMMES OR EMBARK ON DOCTORAL RESEARCH, YOU WILL BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR VIBRANT ACADEMIC COMMUNITY. The value of postgraduate study is both inherent and transferable, The most recent UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) rated helping you to develop as a person, boost your professional 81.4% of our research activity as ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally prospects or even change direction in your career. Beyond the excellent’, confirming Birmingham’s position amongst the world’s transferable skills that you will take with you into the workplace, top universities for research. Our ambition means that we strive a postgraduate qualification from Birmingham will give you the to do more and better: appointing and developing outstanding chance to engage in critical enquiry, to grow as a scholar, and academic talent across the breadth of our disciplines, investing become internationally recognised as an expert in your field. in substantial new research programmes, and building new national and international research collaborations. We share your ambitions, and are working hard to boost the employability of our students. Indeed, our strengths in We recognise that in an increasingly fast-paced world flexibility this area have been recognised by The Times and The Sunday in terms of how and where you undertake your studies is important. Times, which has chosen Birmingham as University of Canvas, our online learning platform, offers a highly interactive and the Year for Graduate Employment 2016. This award innovative way of studying and engaging with your peers. From recognises the breadth of support and services we provide, PhDs and Business Masters programmes undertaken by distance giving you the edge in the job market whether your career learning to programmes taught in short, intensive blocks to meet lies in academia, in business, in public service, or in the needs of those working while they study, through to a suite of the professions. MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) on a diverse range of topics; our portfolio of programmes offers a modern solution for We are a truly global university: not only are we home to over today’s postgraduate students. 5,000 international students from over 150 countries, but we have representative offices and collaborative partnerships with At Birmingham you will benefit from the experience of over a a specialist registrar in Ophthalmology. The best part of my job is leading universities around the world. All of this ensures that our century of academic success, the UK’s most striking and beautiful the satisfaction I receive from performing operations that make a University is well connected and measures its success against campus, an academic reputation for innovative research focused I AM real difference to a person’s quality of life. The skills that I learnt from the MSc the highest international standards. on the world’s greatest challenges, and a proven record of definitely helped me secure this competitive post. You are at the cutting edge ensuring our students receive a high-quality education. What of medical practice and research, and I can say with certainty that I would We are proud of Birmingham’s unparalleled reputation for ambition makes us stand out today is our commitment to and investment not be the clinician I am today if it were not for the Masters degree course and attainment. We have a long tradition in innovation and our in even greater success in our second century, and the impact at Birmingham. success in developing our postgraduate community is testament that our graduates and research will make around the world. to this. Our Graduate School provides the best possible research and education environment – from dedicated postgraduate HARRY ROBERTS, Functional and Clinical Anatomy MSc alumnus. space in which you can work, to events and training programmes Harry is pictured at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. to support your development. We ensure that our teaching, learning, and research support is first class, enabling you to fulfil your potential. Professor Sir David Eastwood GET IN TOUCH WITH OUR MENTORS: www.pg.bham.ac.uk/mentors Vice-Chancellor 6 Essential information Essential information 7 Our academic disciplines BIRMINGHAM HAS BEEN CHALLENGING AND DEVELOPING GREAT MINDS FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY. WE ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO CHOOSE A FIELD OF STUDY ABOUT WHICH THEY ARE PASSIONATE, TO PUSH FORWARD THE BOUNDARIES Life and Environmental Medical and Dental Social Sciences OF KNOWLEDGE AND MAKE AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE’S LIVES. Sciences Sciences Programmes in: Our academic disciplines are organised Programmes in: Programmes in: Business, including Accounting and into five colleges, each of which is divided Arts and Law Engineering and Finance, Economics, Management Biosciences Applied Health Research into a number of schools and departments. Physical Sciences and Marketing Details of the subject areas offered by Earth Sciences Cancer and Genomic Sciences Programmes in: Conflict, Cooperation and Security each college are given opposite. Programmes in: Environmental Health and Cardiovascular Sciences African Studies and Anthropology Development Management Risk Management Chemical Engineering Clinical Sciences Pages 54–266 of this prospectus contain Art History, Curating and Visual Studies Education Geography and Environmental detailed information about all of our Chemistry Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Sciences, including Urban and Immunology and Immunotherapy German Studies postgraduate courses. The fees, entry Greek Studies Civil Engineering Regional Studies Inflammation and Ageing requirements and study options available Health Services Management Classics, Ancient History Computer Science Psychology Metabolism and Systems Research for each course are given in a table at and Archaeology International Development the start of each discipline’s programme Electronic, Electrical and Sport, Exercise and Microbiology and Infection Drama and Theatre Arts International Political Economy listings, which is divided by programme Systems Engineering Rehabilitation Sciences International Relations level (taught Masters, research Masters English Language and Mathematics and Doctoral Research). Each course Applied Linguistics Local Government Studies Mechanical Engineering entry also gives contact details and a English Literature, Film and Political Science and Metallurgy and Materials web address to help you find out more. Creative Writing International Studies Physics and Astronomy History and Cultural Heritage Russian, European and Pages 38–52 give an introduction to Law Eurasian Studies the University, offering a flavour of what Social Policy and it is like to be a postgraduate student at Modern Languages Social Research Birmingham. Quotes from current and past Music postgraduates offer first-hand accounts Social Work Philosophy of what they think about the University. Guidance on how to make your application Shakespeare Studies can be found on pages 26–27. Theology and Religion GO TO GO TO GO TO GO TO GO TO PAGE 53 PAGE 127