Stimulating intellectual curiosity since 1900 Postgraduate Prospectus 2014 admissions ‘I chose Birmingham because of the area of research that was being studied in Susannah’s lab, which offered the chance to be right at the forefront of evolutionary research. Since starting at Birmingham I’ve found that the opportunities open to postgraduates are fantastic.’ Emily Saunders, PhD, School of Biosciences, pictured at Twycross Zoo with her supervisor Dr Susannah Thorpe, is working on gorilla locomotion with reference to understanding the evolution of human bipedalism. LEARN MORE www.birmingham.ac.uk/pgprofiles Welcome 3 Contents Welcome from the Vice-Chancellor 4 PROGRAMME LISTINGS Arts and Law Life and Environmental Sciences ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Our academic disciplines 6 Birmingham Law School 52 School of Biosciences 154 Which programme is right for you? 10 School of English, Drama and School of Geography, Earth Taught programmes 12 American & Canadian Studies 56 and Environmental Sciences 158 Research programmes 14 Fees 18 School of History and Cultures 73 School of Psychology 168 Funding 20 School of Languages, Cultures, School of Sport, Exercise Entry requirements 22 Art History and Music 93 and Rehabilitation Sciences 174 Making your application 24 School of Philosophy, Theology WHY CHOOSE BIRMINGHAM? and Religion 104 Medical and Dental Sciences How we measure up 26 An international institution 28 School of Cancer Sciences 184 The value of postgraduate study 30 Engineering and School of Clinical and Physical Sciences Help and support 32 Experimental Medicine 191 School of Chemical Engineering 117 POSTGRADUATE LIFE School of Dentistry 202 School of Chemistry 122 The Guild of Students 34 School of Health and Get involved 36 School of Civil Engineering 125 Population Sciences 205 Support for our researchers 38 School of Computer Science 131 Our campus 39 School of Immunity and Infection 214 The city of Birmingham 44 School of Electronic, Electrical Accommodation 46 and Computer Engineering 135 Social Sciences School of Mathematics 140 PROGRAMME LISTINGS Birmingham Business School 221 (detailed right) School of Mechanical Engineering 144 School of Education 235 School of Metallurgy and Materials 147 How to find us 277 School of Government and Society 248 School of Physics and Astronomy 150 The small print 284 School of Social Policy 267 Programmes index 288 General index 293 Visit the University 294 4 Welcome Welcome from the Vice-Chancellor AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM WE OFFER AN ELITE EDUCATION AND AN INSPIRATIONAL LEARNING AND RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT. WHETHER YOU JOIN US ON ONE OF OUR TAUGHT POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES OR EMBARK ON DOCTORAL RESEARCH WITH US, WE VALUE YOU AS PART OF OUR ACADEMIC COMMUNITY AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY STRIVING TO DEVELOP THE SERVICES, FACILITIES, AND OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO YOU. Our University Graduate School provides the best possible research We are a truly global university: not only are we home to over and education environment – from dedicated postgraduate study 5,000 international students from over 150 countries, but our rooms providing space for you to work, to events and training representative offices and staff in India, China, Nigeria, Brazil, programmes to support your personal and professional development. the United States, and Brussels in mainland Europe, as well We ensure that our teaching, learning, and research support is first as our membership of the U21 global network, ensures that the class, enabling you to fulfil your potential. We share your ambitions, University is well connected and measures its success against and want to ensure that your time at Birmingham secures your future the highest international standards. success whether your career lies in academia, in business, in public service or in the professions. At Birmingham you will benefit from the experience of over a century of academic success, the UK’s most striking and beautiful campus, At Birmingham our research record speaks for itself. The most an academic reputation for innovative research focused on the recent UK research assessment exercise (RAE) rated 90% of our world’s greatest challenges, and a proven record of ensuring our research activity as ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. students receive a high-quality education. What makes Birmingham During 2012–13 academics at the University further built upon the stand out today is our commitment to and investment in even greater record-breaking levels of research grant capture seen in 2011–12, success in our second century, and the impact that our graduates with awards from the EU alone this year exceeding £28 million. and research will make around the world. Three of our colleges saw the highest award levels in their history, and we are proud to say that our College of Arts and Law now ranks second in the UK for AHRC awards. But our ambition means that we cannot afford to rest on our laurels: we continue to appoint outstanding new academic talent in a wide range of disciplines, Professor David Eastwood we are investing in substantial new research programmes, we are Vice-Chancellor building new national and international research collaborations, and we are further developing our ability to offer flexible modes of study to suit your needs. Welcome 5 6 Essential information 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 OF KNOWLEDGE AND MAKE AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE’S LIVES. Our academic disciplines are organised into five colleges, each of which is divided Arts and Law Engineering and into a number of schools and departments. Physical Sciences Details of the subject areas offered by each college are given opposite. Programmes in: Programmes in: African Studies and Anthropology Chemical Engineering Pages 49–276 of this prospectus contain detailed information about all of our American and Canadian Studies Chemistry postgraduate courses. The study options Art History, Film and Visual Studies Civil Engineering available for each course and any specific Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Computer Science entry requirements are given in a table at Greek Studies the start of each discipline’s programme Electronic, Electrical and listings. There are also contact details and Classics, Ancient History and Computer Engineering Archaeology web addresses to help you find out more. Mathematics Guidance on how to make your application Drama and Theatre Arts Mechanical Engineering can be found on pages 24–25. English, including Shakespeare Metallurgy and Materials Studies Pages 10–48 give an introduction to Physics and Astronomy History and Cultural Heritage the types of programme available, details of fees and applying and a flavour of Law what it is like to be a postgraduate student Modern Languages here. Quotes from current and past Music postgraduates offer first-hand accounts of what they think about the University. Philosophy Theology and Religion Pages 277–295 give details of opportunities GO TO GO TO PAGE 49 PAGE 115 to visit the University and how to find us. Essential information 7 Life and Environmental Medical and Dental Social Sciences Sciences Sciences Programmes in: Programmes in: Programmes in: Biosciences Cancer Sciences Business, including Accounting and Finance, Economics, Management Earth Sciences Clinical and Experimental Medicine and Marketing Environmental Health and Dentistry Education Risk Management Health and Population Sciences German Studies Geography and Environmental Sciences Immunity and Infection Health Services Management Psychology International Development Sport, Exercise and Local Government Studies Rehabilitation Sciences Political Science and International Studies Russian and East European Studies Social Policy and Applied Social Studies Sociology GO TO GO TO GO TO PAGE 153 PAGE 181 PAGE 219 8 Essential information Contact us We want you to make the right decision. Each programme entry Main University Switchboard contains a contact email address. Use this if you have queries Tel: +44 (0)121 414 3344 about the nature of the course or its entry requirements. By telephoning this number, you can be transferred to any school or department within the University. If you are a prospective PhD student (doctoral researcher) or an international student then we have specialist advisors who can Admissions help you with your application and provide general information Email: [email protected] about the University. You can also contact our Admissions Tel: +44 (0)121 415 8900 and Recruitment teams for further information and guidance. Whatever your query, we are here to help you at every step Postgraduate Recruitment of the way. Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)121 414 7913 International Recruitment Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)121 414 3694 Doctoral ReSEARCHer Enquiry Service Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)121 414 5005 ‘Before applying for my PhD, I contacted the Doctoral Researcher Enquiry Service for help and advice. The doctoral researcher who answered my queries provided me with plenty of useful information that really helped me to make up my mind about starting the PhD at Birmingham.’ Rebeca Cubas, PhD, Department of English Essential information 9 ‘Members of the ICCS are engaged in trying to understand how we might develop cooperation and trust between adversaries. A specific interest concerns overcoming the mistrust