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Medical Humanities at Durham University - UCAS

There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Course summary

The MA in Medical Humanities is an exciting and challenging course that applies the knowledge and insight of the humanities and social sciences to study and understand better what is meant by health and illness outside of a medical context and, in particular, to analyse how our thoughts and physical experiences become recognised as symptoms.  The MA is suitable if you have an undergraduate qualification in an area such as Anthropology; English; Geography; Law; Modern Languages and Cultures; Philosophy; Sociology; and related disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. You may also benefit if you have a background in health and social care and are looking to bring humanities and social sciences perspectives to bear in your professional practice. Learning from leading scholars in the subject, you will be joining an interdisciplinary MA led by the University’s Institute for Medical Humanities and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. The course blends face-to-face study with online learning to provide a fascinating and comprehensive introduction to the wide range of approaches to health taken by different academic disciplines. Core modules include Concepts and Frameworks in the Critical Medical Humanities and Reimagining Health Research: Methodologies in the Critical Medical Humanities while optional modules explore key philosophical issues in science and medicine and ethics, medicine and history. There is also a Critical Medical Humanities dissertation to complete. Teaching will be through tutorial and seminars and scaffolded assignments where work is broken down into small units with a defined subject focus. We also offer the option of studying the course online as a distance learner. As a student on this course, you will become a member of the Postgraduate and Early Career Researchers (PGECR) network in Medical Humanities, where you will benefit from regular seminars, conferences and social events. Core modules: Concepts and Frameworks in the Critical Medical Humanities (online) provides advanced training in the interdisciplinary field of critical medical humanities and strengthens your understanding of both its development from the less complex context of initial medical humanities study and its distinct contribution to health research and current challenges. This module will also build your knowledge of concepts, theories and approaches essential to research in the critical medical humanities. Reimagining Health Research: Methodologies in the Critical Medical Humanities (online) equips you with the advanced knowledge and skills to be able to critically appraise key health research methodologies used in the critical medical humanities. The module will enhance your ability to assess ideas and evidence from a variety of sources and then choose, justify, or critique work done across key disciplines. It will also encourage you to be reflective and review your own existing competences as well as nurture your ability to work across disciplines. Critical Medical Humanities Dissertation gives you the opportunity to conduct an independent research project in a specialist area, applying the techniques developed in the research methods modules.

Modules

Examples of optional modules: Literary Masculinity at the Fin-de-siècle (online); Illness as Narrative Practice (online); Divergence, Deviance, and Disability in 19th Century Literature; Critical Theory and Frameworks and Selected Topics in World Literature; Visual Culture: Theory and Practice (double module); Science and The Enlightenment; Philosophical Issues in Science and Medicine; Ethics, Medicine and History; Phenomenology and The Sciences of Mind; Gender Theory and Feminist Philosophy; Understanding Risk; Social Dimensions of Risk and Resilience; Social Policy and Society; Contemporary Issues in Medical Law (online); Sociology of Health and Medicine; Geographies of Life and Living; Anthropology of Global Health (half module); Society Health and Wellbeing (half module); Advanced Studies in Anthropology of Hormones (half module); Advanced Studies in the Anthropology of Health Inequality (half module); Advanced Studies in Anthropology of Tobacco (half module); Medical Law and Ethics (half module); Frontiers in Biolaw (half module); Contemporary Issues in Medical Law (online); Sociology of Health and Medicine.

Assessment method

Learning is a mix of face-to-face teaching combined with online modules, and consists of two core modules and two optional modules. It is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars and scaffolded assignments – the latter format being where large-scale topics are broken down into smaller units and which are held online with subject experts and discussed and collaboratively with peers. You will carry out group and individual presentations. You will also complete a 15,000-word dissertation for which you will receive one-to-one guidance from a dissertation tutor to support you through the planning and writing process. Assessment is challenging and comes in a variety of formats for this course. You will be expected to produce essays, annotated bibliography entries and Student Devised Assessments (SDA) when you will deliver your study findings using creative and context-appropriate methods. You will take part in group presentations and write peer reviews of presentations as well as deliver your own individual presentation. You will compile learning logs and complete a major 15,000-word dissertation.


How to apply

International applicants

If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take a pre-Masters pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

Entry requirements

At least one of the following: A 2:1 undergraduate degree; Active enrolment on an intercalated UG/PG medical degree programme; At least five years work in a professional environment with relevance to health and/or medicine, with at least two years in some form of leadership role; Successful completion of the associated PG Certificate programme; A 500-word personal statement; A brief one-on-one interview with a programme convenor.


English language requirements

Durham University welcomes applications from all students irrespective of background. We encourage the recruitment of academically well-qualified and highly motivated students, who are non-native speakers of English, whose full potential can be realised with a limited amount of English Language training either prior to entry or through pre-sessional and/or in-sessional courses. It is the normal expectation that candidates for admission should be able to demonstrate satisfactory English proficiency before the start of a programme of study, whether via the submission of an appropriate English language qualification or by attendance on an appropriate pre-sessional course. Acceptable evidence and levels required can be viewed by following the link provided.

English language requirements

https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/international/entry-requirements/english-language-requirements/


Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £11700 Year 1
Northern Ireland £11700 Year 1
Scotland £11700 Year 1
Wales £11700 Year 1
Channel Islands £11700 Year 1
EU £24700 Year 1
International £24700 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £24700 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).

Sponsorship information

For further information see the course listing.

Medical Humanities at Durham University - UCAS