Master of Arts in Womens Studies

at University of York United Kingdom

Investigate the art, literature, history, culture and thought of the post-1945 era. Explore topics from social media to the making of the contemporary world, cultural heritage management to globalisation, from art and the environment to justice.

On this flexible course you'll study with leading experts in their field from the Departments of Archaeology, English, History, History of Art, Sociology and the Centre for Women’s Studies. We'll introduce you to the various means by which different disciplines conceptualise and analyse the period. You can construct a programme that suits your interests and develops your transferable skills in interdisciplinary research.

You’ll engage with the wider research culture of the Centre for Modern Studies, and there will be a diverse schedule of seminars, conferences and reading groups for you to attend. You’ll also be part of the Humanities Research Centre, a vibrant interdisciplinary hub which will enable you to form close social and intellectual bonds over the course of your study.

Through a combination of academic studies, practical training and research projects, you will learn the specialised skills required for the historical research, visual analysis and archaeological recording and interpretation of buildings. You'll gain a foundational knowledge of the history of architecture in the UK, from c.1000 to the present day. The course will allow you to explore current intellectual and professional research priorities in the archaeology of buildings and introduce you to conservation legislation, policy and practice. You'll leave with excellent research and communication skills relating to the research, analysis and interpretation of historic buildings.

The course brings together experts in buildings survey and recording, archive research, legislation and policy, conservation, theoretical interpretation and computer modelling to deliver a dynamic course, which will equip you with the specialist skills and knowledge required for a career in researching, managing, interpreting and conserving historic buildings. Specifically, you will gain valuable experience in archive research, photogrammetry and other 3D recording methods, CAD drawing, and computer modelling of historic buildings.

At York, we focus on combining the art and science of care. This course will equip you to be a safe, clinically competent, reflective practitioner and leader within contemporary midwifery, maternity, and healthcare.

Alongside developing your understanding of the dynamic applied anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period, you’ll gain the interpersonal skills you need to work with women, families and colleagues and provide compassionate care in a variety of social and cultural contexts.

Through a range of academic and practical modules you will gain skills and knowledge to enable you to provide holistic, family-centred care. We keep our cohorts small, meaning you’ll have all the support you need to progress through your course.

By the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to become a leader in contemporary midwifery.

Nanotechnology is revolutionising electronic engineering.

Nanotechnology encompasses the design and study of devices on a scale of less than 100nm - barely a few hundred atoms across. From ultra-high-speed processors to super accurate sensors, nano-scale devices are transforming science and technology across a broad spectrum of fields, including microelectronics, data storage, medicine and the environment.

Drawing on the expertise of nanotechnology research groups at York, this course emphasises those areas of nanotechnology directly relevant to contemporary electronics. It forms part of a broad and strong core programme in electronics and provides ‘hands-on’ opportunities to build and characterise nanoscale devices.

You'll graduate with the knowledge required to operate with confidence - as a designer, researcher or manager - in the rapidly-expanding world of nanotechnology.

Funerary archaeology combines analysis of human remains with their archaeological context to take a truly interdisciplinary approach to studying both life and death in the past.

Our course will enable you to use the latest techniques and equipment to build key, practical knowledge and explore the varied archaeological and methodological approaches to funerary archaeology. You'll have the chance to develop your skills in a range of different methods and techniques, but all centred on learning how to investigate death and burial in the past.

The flexible nature of the course enables you to pursue your own particular period or methodological interests by selecting modules that appeal to your research interests. You'll work alongside internationally renowned specialists and gain 'hands on' experience of the analysis of human remains. You'll get the chance to learn through field trips to local museums and relevant sites, such as the prehistoric monuments in the Yorkshire Wolds.

Astrophysicists look to the skies to discover more about the nature of our Universe.

From the nuclear reactions that power our sun to the mysteries of dark matter, you'll study the great challenges of cosmology in topics aligned with our active research.

To explore the cosmos you'll need grounding in many disciplines of physics, from optics to electromagnetism, quantum physics to classical mechanics. You'll gain foundational understanding of fundamental physics, scientific principles and methods. You'll learn key skills for analysing real-life problems, write scientific reports to industry standards, communicate complex concepts, and solve mind-bending astronomical puzzles.

Our Genetics course examines how the massive innovation in DNA sequencing technologies has revolutionised our knowledge and understanding of living systems, and makes it a particularly exciting time to be studying this subject.

This course is ideal if you want an interdisciplinary approach to Genetics. You will have a wide range of options to tailor the course to your developing interests.

Genetics encompasses the molecular studies of genes and genetic engineering, through human genetics and disease, to population genetics. Our increasing knowledge of the human and other genomes will continue to have a great impact on biotechnology, medicine and conservation.

Adding a year in industry or a year abroad are both an option with this course too, so you can benefit from the advantages that a year away can bring. The Department of Biology will provide you with the opportunity to learn in new, spacious and modern teaching laboratories which provide excellent facilities for practicals and small group project work, alongside our state-of-the-art computing facilities.

Our integrated Masters in Biotechnology and Microbiology examines how microorganisms can be used to produce improved therapeutic drugs, and why an understanding of microbial evolution is important for controlling pathogens.

This course is ideal if you want an interdisciplinary approach to Biotechnology and Microbiology. You will have a wide range of options to tailor the course to your developing interests.

Microorganisms are an important but often overlooked form of life. They are causative agents of many diseases, but can also be harnessed to produce a wide range of useful products including antibiotics and other medicines. Microbes are vital for providing multiple ecosystem services and are crucial for agricultural systems, whether via the microbes in the soil, those associated with plants, or in the context of providing the basis for our understanding of genetic modification. They can be used to produce biofuels, provide the means to decontaminate polluted environments and act as important models for understanding biological processes. At York, you will learn about the practical application of biological knowledge to economically important areas, such as health, food and the environment.

The integrated Masters course introduces a four-year programme that specifically focuses on the skills needed for a career as a research scientist. During this time you work with researchers within one of the UK’s top bioscience departments to learn specialised techniques; you will gain experience in a research lab doing pioneering work at the forefront of their field. You also undertake specialist research training and take Masters-level modules.

A BA in Social Policy will enable you to understand the causes of social problems and how societies attempt to solve them, both nationally and internationally. You'll receive a thorough grounding in core social sciences, including sociology, social psychology, politics and economics and use what you learn to explore why making successful policies is so complex, why patterns of inequality persist and what more can be done to address social problems.

Social policy is concerned with promoting the welfare of citizens. Traditionally the subject focused on the ‘big five’ areas of: poverty, health, housing, education and unemployment, but has expanded in recent years to broader social issues and international contexts. Often social policy questions the ways in which services do or do not meet the needs of specific groups, such as children, people with disabilities, women, older people, or members of minority ethnic groups.

On our BA Social Policy course you will receive a broad and balanced introduction to a range of social sciences and training in social research methods. This degree is suited to you if you are interested in the welfare state, the impact of globalisation, social inequalities, the complexities of making successful policies, and what more can be done to solve social problems at home and abroad.

Critically evaluate scientific methods and see physics laid bare. Study topics from plasma to paradox and discover fundamental truths about the nature of the Universe.

You'll study the foundations of physics, enhanced by the grand theories of metaphysics, ethics and logic. You'll learn to analyse real-life problems and communicate complex ideas and arguments - key skills for your onward career.

You'll work with world-renowned physicists and philosophers, probing the nature of existence and pushing the boundaries of research.