The Heritage Museums and Galleries MLitt is a researched based programme with some taught elements. The taught research methods part of the programme provides structured learning. This is ideal if you're unfamiliar with academic research or have been away from academia for a long time.

The flexible nature of the assignments make this programme particularly suitable for sector professionals. It will suit those interested in advancing their career and knowledge through research. The assignments offer the opportunity for you to explore a variety of smaller topics or carry out in-depth research on a single topic.

The programme is in Media, Culture, Heritage, within the School of Arts and Cultures. We also have links with the International Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies (ICCHS). This is a leading academic centre for research and teaching in museum, gallery, and heritage studies.

ICCHS has a thriving, high-profile interdisciplinary research community of:

• postgraduate research students
• experienced academic researchers who are key figures in their fields

Our research students pursue a variety of topics related to museum, gallery and heritage studies. Our academic supervisors have significant experience in interdisciplinary research and professional practice. Our key research themes are:

Cultural politics and policy

• factors that determine how cultural policy is constructed: institutionally, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally
• how management strategies affect heritage resources
• the impact of large-scale constitutional change upon cultural policy
• intended and unintended consequences of implementing international
• conventions, charters and instruments
• contribution of research to cultural policy construction
• the intersection of political movements and agendas with heritage
• definitions and attributed values of heritage

Identity, community and place

• construction and representation of identities, places and communities through heritage
• how heritage is used by and for communities
• relationships between local, regional, national and international notions of place and identities, communities and heritages 
• principles of community museology and ecomuseology practice in different contexts
• relationships between heritage tourism and identities, communities and places
• identities produced through the consumption of heritage
• relationship between identity construction and wellbeing

Media and representation

• how media works in heritage organisations and how organisations work as media
• factors shaping the production, morphology and consumption of media and media representations in heritage organisations
• representations made possible through institutional technologies specific to heritage organisations and how we analyse them to understand culture, society and knowledge
• study and design of digital heritage applications and digital cultural engagement

We have an emphasis on empirical research and its grounding on professional practice in the UK and abroad. As a result, our research alumni have been successful in securing worldwide careers in:

• academia
• other governmental organisations
• the cultural and creative industry sectors

Delivery

We deliver this programme at our Newcastle city centre campus. It combines two taught modules on research methods with two self-directed research-based modules. Research training classes usually take place once or twice a week in the first semester.

The main focuses of the programme are:

• small pieces of independent research 
• a research-based dissertation carried out with the support of an academic supervisor

You are also expected to take part in the research activities in Media, Culture, Heritage and the School of Arts and Cultures.

We will support you to complete fieldwork in:

• Newcastle
• other UK locations
• abroad

You will also have access to Blackboard, the University's virtual learning environment.

Recent MLitt research topics in ICCHS include:

• World Heritage Sites and tourism 
• the Frontiers of the Roman Empire as a World Heritage Site

Our current research student profiles in ICCHS show the wide range of topics we can supervise.

Module changes

Module changes

Modules change annually to take account of:

• changing staff expertise
• developments in the discipline
• the requirements of external bodies and partners
• student feedback.

Most module information for 2019 entry will be available from mid-May 2019.

Research training

Our Faculty Training Programme provides a community made up of postgraduate social sciences and humanities students and staff. It is a unique blend of cross-disciplinary and generic researcher development training, recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) as providing a solid basis for doctoral study.

Although your focus will be on your specialist study, our aim is for you to develop a broad range of research and project management skills that will support you in your career ahead. We have nurtured a multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary and supportive environment where staff and students from across the world can come together and share their research experiences. You can also choose to register for a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Training, which accredits the core foundation modules on the training programme.

You will study in our Doctoral Training Suite with purpose-built facilities for lectures, workshops, seminars and computer access to specialist software required for doctoral research in the social sciences and humanities. Each year we have two student-led research postgraduate conferences and we have a variety of prizes and awards to celebrate the successes of our students.

Northern Bridge Doctoral Training Partnership

Based at Newcastle University, Northern Bridge brings together the expertise and exceptional resources of Newcastle University, Durham University, Queen’s University Belfast and their partners for the training and development of outstanding arts and humanities postgraduate researchers.

Northern Bridge is funded by the AHRC to provide doctoral studentships and has been commended for the strength of its research base, shared vision, and its successful track record of partnership working.

Postgraduate Research Student Support

Our award winning Research Student Support Team is dedicated to providing you with information, support and advice throughout your research degree studies. The team can help and advise you on a variety of issues from registration to producing your transcripts.

Find out more about our tuition fees, including how to pay them and available discounts.

EU students starting at Newcastle in 2019 will pay the UK (Home) tuition fee for the full duration of their course.

Funding opportunities

Pre-sessional English Language courses are accepted as an alternative entry to this course.

Before you apply we recommend that you contact a member of staff whose research interests are related to your chosen topic. You can then discuss the supervision of your research degree.

You will need to submit a research proposal with your application. The Faculty of Humanities and Social Science Graduate School guidelines for producing a research proposal (PDF: 41.5KB) will help you.

Start dates

The course starts in September. There is no application closing date for this course, but specific deadlines for funding may apply. You're likely to be invited for an interview.

We suggest international students apply at least two months before the course starts. This is so that you have enough time to make the necessary arrangements.

Deposit

If you live outside the UK/EU you must:

• pay a deposit of £1,500
• or submit an official letter of sponsorship

The deposit is payable after you receive an offer to study at Newcastle University. The deposit is non-refundable, but is deducted from your tuition fees when you register.

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