Master of Arts in Social and Economic History (Research Methods)

at Durham University United Kingdom

Geophysics is the application of physical principles to the study of the structure and dynamics of the Earth and increasingly other planets. Geophysics has many practical applications and forms an essential part of the economic exploitation of hydrocarbon and mineral resources. Geophysicists are also involved with assessing and mitigating natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis.

The Geophysics with Geology degree shows progression from the first year through to the third year. In the first year, you share the core modules with the other degree courses, but it also includes additional core modules which specialise in Mathematics and Physics. In the second and third years, you deal with material that is specialist, numerically based and at the cutting-edge of geophysical research.

Graduates from this degree have secured employment across the geoscience sector, within the mineral exploration and extraction industries, in petroleum exploration companies, and with environmental and hydro-geological industries. The advanced quantitative skills developed during this course can provide a strong base for securing employment outside geoscience, for example, in finance, insurance and banking.

Bioarchaeology is a branch of archaeology that focuses on the study of biological materials found in archaeological contexts to provide information about the life and environment of humans in the past. It is a fast-paced and continually evolving field, with new breakthroughs and discoveries emerging almost every month. Studying the subject at Durham University opens the door to the latest developments in archaeological science, including human bioarchaeology and palaeopathology, stable isotope mass spectrometry, ancient DNA, and environmental archaeology.

The Bioarchaeology Research Group at Durham works in cutting-edge laboratories, specialising and teaching in the areas of human health and well-being, diet and lifeways, human and animal identities, dispersals and mobility, the reconstruction of palaeoenvironments, and human-animal-environment relations. Many of the assemblages our students work with for their research derive from staff research projects, or the excavations of our in-house commercial unit, Archaeological Services.

Durham University’s unique MSc Bioarchaeology is aimed at inquisitive graduates from archaeology or science backgrounds, and those with professional experience in commercial archaeology or museums, who are interested in learning how biosciences can be applied to field research or museum collections. It provides high quality training in analytical, research, and communication skills, which prepares students for progression to doctoral research in bioarchaeology.

The Classics degree is language-focused, although how much language is studied and at what level depends upon you. The course is designed to be equally suitable for students who have A-levels (or equivalent) in Greek and/or Latin and for students with no experience in one or both languages. We offer modules in both Latin and Greek, in prose and verse, at every level, from complete beginner to very advanced, and you will be able to take modules which are appropriate to your level of language experience and (at Advanced and Higher levels) your particular interests in the subject.

The MSc Business Analytics course is intended to provide premium Masters-level education and training in relevant areas of contemporary business analytics in a supportive research-led interdisciplinary learning environment.

The broad aims are:

• To develop advanced and systematic understanding of the complexity of data, including the sources of data relevant to business, alongside appropriate analysis techniques
• To enable you to critically review and apply relevant business analytics knowledge to practical situations
• To develop a critical awareness of current issues in business analytics which is informed by leading research and practice in the field
• To develop a conceptual understanding of existing research and scholarship to enable the identification of new or revised approaches to business analytics practice
• To develop creativity in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established, advanced techniques of research and enquiry are used to develop and interpret knowledge in business analytics
• To develop the ability to conduct research into business analytics issues that requires familiarity with a range of business data, research sources and appropriate methodologies and ethical issues
• To develop advanced conceptual abilities and analytical skills in order to evaluate the rigour and validity of published research and assess its relevance to new situations
• To extend the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, using a range of media.

This course combines a sound basis of advanced knowledge and understanding in the broader and more disparate field of International Studies with the opportunity to choose optional specialist areas of study from among those offered in the School, and other schools such as Modern Languages and Cultures. The particular interests reflected in the choice of options may then be developed through the researching and writing of a dissertation.

Throughout the course, you will gain advanced knowledge and understanding of:

• The extent to which the international community has developed and the driving forces shaping its development
• Factors determining humanitarian interventions
• The processes of globalisation in the political, economic, cultural and scientific fields
• The governance role of international organisations
• How the degree of integration of countries into the international political and economic system varies and the determinants of those variations
• Historical and/or contemporary issues and debates in the politics and political economy of specific states and/or areas and/or international institutions and organisations
• Regime analysis and the concept of soft power governance
• An appropriate topic in international politics of your choice

Durham is one of the leading physics and astronomy departments in the UK, enrolling around 170 students each year. The dedication to our teaching and research consistently puts us high up in all the league tables. While studying here you will benefit from the buzz and creative environment of a large research department and join a dynamic and focused intellectual community. Our research ranges from fundamental elementary particle physics and cosmology to more applied topics in which we collaborate closely with industry.

We offer degrees in Physics, Physics and Astronomy, and Theoretical Physics, all of which are accredited by the Institute of Physics. Our course structures have been designed to provide flexibility in your final choice of degree course. The three-year BSc degree is aimed at those mainly interested in a degree in Physics as a preparation for a career not necessarily in the Physics area.

Our four-year MPhys degrees will suit those looking for professional training leading to research in physics or a physics-related career. The first year of the BSc and MPhys degree courses in Physics, Physics and Astronomy, and Theoretical Physics is identical, and it is possible to select modules in your second year such that you need not make a firm choice of course until the end of the second year.

This four-year Joint Honours degree allows you to further your interest in the study of a modern European language and related cultural topics alongside exploring different periods and themes of history.

You will take a compulsory language module. This is a single module for all languages studied post-A level and a double module for beginners’ languages. These compulsory modules focus on the four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. In addition, you choose either one or two from a wide range of modules dealing with various aspects of the literature, film, art, history and politics of the culture you are studying. These cultural modules aim to develop your independent research and analytical skills as well as introducing you to the culture in question.

The MSc in New and Renewable Energy is designed to equip our graduates with the skills required to meet the growing challenge to achieve energy and environmental sustainability through the application of new and renewable energy technologies. The course aims to enable students to develop the capacity to solve problems across the traditional Engineering boundaries and to have an appreciation of complete energy systems from source to the end-user, to have knowledge of the relevant technologies and to understand the interactions between them. The course also provides students with the opportunity to develop skills in research, development, design and project management through individual and team-based project work.

This course will provide graduates with advanced knowledge and understanding of Mechanical Engineering in three ways. Firstly, high-quality taught modules will introduce advanced Mechanical Engineering topics such as turbomachinery design, non-linear stress analysis, fluid mechanics, contact and friction. Secondly, a substantial group design element will equip students with the ability to carry out advanced design in multinational teams using appropriate design standards and sophisticated engineering analysis tools. Finally, a major research and development project allows the student to demonstrate the ability to work independently on a complex topic and demonstrate initiative in the solution of engineering challenges.

Durham University has many researchers tackling problems relevant to industry and society. These are organised into three research challenges: sustainable infrastructure, future energy systems and next generation materials and microsystems. These are broad interdisciplinary challenges and will form the topics of many of the substantial projects that student will undertake. Durham students are uniquely placed to take advantage of a broad range of expertise in a general engineering department.

In the first year of Physical Geography, we introduce the range of our research specialisms and research methods, including residential fieldwork overseas (e.g. Portugal). Elective modules in the second and third years progressively lead to material at the cutting edge of research and include optional overseas fieldwork.

The majority of modules in the second and third year focus on physical geography and environmental topics. In the second and third year, you may take integrated modules (with a mixture of human and physical geography) and one module from the Geography BA (Hons) list (subject to timetable compatibility).