MRes Historical Research

Overview

The Master of Research in Historical Research is a one-year research-oriented course that allows you to specialise in particular historical topics and areas.

The MRes is designed to:

• enable you to become a well-trained historian
• demonstrate your ability to undertake research to doctoral level at Stirling or other universities in Britain and overseas

Both of these aims are achieved through the completion of independent study modules, field seminars and skills training conducted under supervision. You’ll be allocated an individual supervisor to direct your independent study and plan the curriculum to reflect your interests and needs.

Our course prepares you for further research by:

• Undertaking project design, indentifying research questions, and presenting research findings
• enabling qualitative and quantitative data analysis
• practical experience in applying research methods to interrogate primary sources
• skills development in applying bibliographical software and database management
• developing written and verbal critical analysis

Teaching

Delivery of the MRes is mainly through one-to-one sessions with the member of staff who will supervise your dissertation and provide direct feedback on the modules Historiography, and Sources and Methods.

Research skills training is planned in discussion with your supervisor and requires completion of two independent study modules taken over two semesters. Coursework in the first semester comprises a reflective portfolio on skills’ activities and in the second semester analysis of a discrete body of historical sources (including text corpora and datasets) complementing work undertaken in the Sources and Methods module. Alternatively, you can take applied social research modules in quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Students can also exit with PGCert awards.