Master of Literature in Philosophy

at University of Stirling United Kingdom

What determines an animal’s resistance to disease? Why do many female animals exhibit ‘mate choice’? How can we help animals cope in hostile environments? On this course you’ll you study the enormous variety of animal life on earth and discover the answers to these and many other searching questions.

We explore related aspects of animal biology, including animal behaviour, ecology, evolution, cell biology and physiology, as well as applied aspects of animal conservation and management.

As the speed of change in the media continues to accelerate, the demand for graduates able to embrace new technologies and innovative methods of content delivery is also growing. The University of Stirling’s Digital Media course meets this demand head-on, and is shaped by the same expert teaching and research that has made our media courses among the best in the UK. Our Digital Media course is a fully integrated degree taught in conjunction with Forth Valley College, and you'll spend the first two years studying at the college and the final two studying at the University of Stirling campus.

The course will provide you with practical training in the tools, applications and possibilities of the digital environment – from the creation of journalistic and multimedia content to its effective use across television, film, online channels, radio and beyond. The overarching aim of the course is to make sure you’re work-ready and equipped with a broad range of mass media skills.

Every business, organisation and media outlet relies on digital communications to get their message out there. With the skills to produce creative digital content that helps them stand out in a saturated market, you’ll be opening the door to a world of exciting opportunities.

Humans share this planet with other animals and our interactions are at the core of our everyday lives. We farm and eat animals, we keep them as companions and for work, as models for humans in laboratory research, in animal-assisted interventions for positive behaviour change, and in education, entertainment and ecotourism. Depending upon our perceptions and attitudes towards animals, and in relation to the impact they have on us and the environment, we may actively attempt to conserve them, domesticate them or eradicate them.

In this Masters in Human-Animal Interaction you will learn interdisciplinary approaches and a diverse range of methods used to research our relationships with other species. The Masters covers a broad range of topics and looks at human–animal interactions across a wide range of contexts – from pet owning to animal-assisted interventions, zoos, farms and conservation.

You'll learn about the importance of both human and animal behaviour in shaping human animal interaction, and the associated ethical issues, as well as learning to critically evaluate methods for measuring attitudes, interactions and their outcomes.

You'll carry out a practical placement and research project to get direct experience tailored to your individual career goals. You will also learn from our recognised experts in human–animal interaction, whose specialisms include:

• The study of animal behaviour and animal welfare
• Animal-assisted activities and interventions
• Human and animal coexistence

Our MSc Business and Management course gives you the knowledge and skills you need to be an inspiring, effective and resilient manager. We combine management theory with development of practical skills, and our course is taught by internationally recognised subject experts.

The course focuses on operations and strategic management, and explores the need for managing limited resources effectively, with maximum business impact. This is the ideal Masters if you're looking to take your first steps into management. We cover the major functions of organisations – accounting, marketing, operations, people and talent management. Finance and economics are integrated through our strategic orientation.

We aim to create industry leaders, managers and entrepreneurs, who're confident in the use of business analytics tools and critical thinking abilities. This allows for better and informed decision making in your management career. There’s an emphasis on entrepreneurship, innovation and strategic management. You’ll also develop an appreciation of corporate social responsibility, ethical decision making and managing change.

Are you fascinated by the creative possibilities of technology and software? Do you love solving complex problems as part of a team? If yes, software engineering could be the career for you. You’ll be in high demand for developing the systems that are the foundation and glue of our modern world, and that transform our experiences in communications, business, entertainment, gaming and healthcare.

Our degree will teach you creativity, logical analysis, problem-solving and how teamwork builds complex systems. You’ll study practice and techniques for real-world software design and associated programming technologies, gaining practical experience in software development.

According to the 2020 ScotlandIS Scottish Technology Industry survey, about 100,000 people are working in digital technologies professions. This is a growth of 9% since 2016. The growth has been strongest in web design and development, IT business analysts, architects and systems designers, programmers and software development professionals. Our graduates are highly sought-after. To help you build strong links with industry, we offer three-month summer placements and one-year placements with local SMEs and large corporates. Students also have the opportunity to engage with an international teaching environment through our exchange programmes.

This interdisciplinary Masters degree is jointly taught by leading academics in media and social science research. You’ll gain both a theoretical and practical understanding of social science research methods, and learn how to apply these to the media and cultural industries. Covering social sciences and humanities approaches, our Masters will give you solid, extensive training in advanced media research methods. You’ll be encouraged to explore your own research interests, gain real-world experience of research and develop your own approach to research throughout the course.

The degree is primarily targeted at anyone needing research training before embarking on a higher research degree, such as a PhD. The course also offers an excellent grounding in social science methods, which are transferable to media research for industry, journalism, marketing and advertising research, production research and wider aspects of social research consultancy.

Enhancing your employability is one of our top priorities. That’s why all MRes students are given the opportunity for a research placement as part of our course where you can apply your learning to the real world.

Our Masters in Education is designed for established educationalists, aiming to advance their understanding of education, as well as those looking to convert their career to this field.

The University of Stirling has a strong reputation for the study of Education and we hold expertise in Digital Pedagogies, Leadership and Curriculum. Throughout this course, international scholarly perspectives are incorporated within learning and teaching, including blended learning and the inclusion of multilingual and translanguaging pedagogical practices.

The course will give you the opportunity to specialise in some of the most important fields in education: digital pedagogies, curriculum and leadership. You’ll be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to make identifiable contributions to public and private education spaces, including international government, research and practice.

You will study a compulsory diet of education philosophy, social justice, and policy, alongside research methods in the social sciences. You will also choose a modular pathway in either digital education, curriculum or leadership, or a combination of two modules from these pathways, completing your studies with a dissertation in a related topic of your choice.

The quality learning experiences offered by the MSc in Education are underpinned by international scholarly perspectives and approaches that enable you to facilitate and assimilate knowledge via your own and others’ cultural lenses and language practices.

Our MSc Digital Banking and Finance course is suitable for everyone, whether you already have related qualifications or experience, or want to change the direction of your career. The course is fully accredited by the Chartered Banker Institute, the oldest and largest UK professional body for bankers, making our course one of very few UK courses in banking and finance to offer this level of recognition.

As the world moves away from physical cash, replaced by cryptocurrencies, and physical banking is replaced by online banking and finance, our course focuses upon how technology and digital infrastructure is changing the way banks do business. You will learn how FinTech is changing bank management and finance, and how cryptocurrencies will change the way banking and finance operates.

You will acquire the analytical skills and the critical knowledge in this changing environment which will enable you to further your career in the new digital banking and financial sector. The course offers you practical business led knowledge and you can expect to see leading banking and finance experts from the sector in the classroom offering you the most contemporary industry thinking.

With the rise of new communication channels, predominantly online, and the ability of consumers to impact on brand perception, more businesses than ever are identifying value in effective brand management strategies to protect and enhance their brand reputation. It’s reported that job opportunities in brand management were expected to grow by 14% in 2020 as a result (fastcompany.com).

The MSc Marketing and Brand Management course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). CIM accreditation means that when you successfully complete the course, it's easier to gain a Professional Diploma in Marketing. Two of the Diploma modules will be waived and to gain the CIM Professional Diploma you will only need to undertake two CIM modules rather than the usual four, giving you a competitive edge in your career.

Our Masters in Marketing and Brand Management gives you a thorough and in-depth understanding of marketing and brand management within commercial and non-commercial organisations. You will learn about the practice and theory of sustainable marketing, strategic brand management and digital marketing and advertising. Our course also gives the choice to further explore the role of brands and branding in specialist marketing areas such as supply chain marketing, retailing, or social marketing.

Our research-led teaching combined with a focus on practical applications is a key strength of this course and you will be taught by top researchers. In addition to consistently engaging in academic literature through weekly readings and module assessments, the course gives you opportunities to apply concepts, theories and frameworks to practical aspects. You will collaborate during your studies with a wide variety of organisations including not-for-profit, third sector and small and medium sized enterprises.

Religion spans history, influences cultures and plays a major role in shaping today’s political landscape. It’s a subject that remains in the news constantly – in contexts ranging from discussions about marriage and gender identity to concerns about immigration and terrorist attacks. With all this in mind, it has never been more important to explore the many facets of religion, and understand the term’s meaning in a range of cultural contexts.

Studying Religion at the University of Stirling gives you a chance to do all this. You’ll explore how the meaning of “Religion” differs around the world, and take a positive approach to considering how the term might be re-interpreted. Our teaching team is dedicated to carrying out cutting-edge research into religion, and they feed their findings back into new books and papers – as well as your coursework. Through your studies, you’ll develop a critically analytical mind, as well as the valuable ability to understand other people’s point-of-view and understanding of the world.

We are committed to equipping you with transferrable skills that will make you a valuable asset to a range of employers. Join us and benefit from a fresh, innovative approach to studying one of the world’s most foundational topics.