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Medical Humanities at Durham University - UCAS

Course options

2024 - 20252025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Open days

10Feb
Durham University - Postgraduate Online Open Week
Postgraduate

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. Course structure All the MA programmes offered by the Faculty of Arts & Humanities consist of three components:

  • a Major Research Project to the value of at least 60 credits
  • Core Modules to the value of 0-90 credits, depending on the programme
  • Elective Modules, making up the total number of credits to 180; some of these modules will be defined as Recommended Electives for particular programmes.
For students studying the MA in Medical Humanities, the Interdisciplinary Dissertation gives you the opportunity to conduct an independent research project in a specialist area, applying the techniques developed in the core research methods modules, outlined below. You will also be required to take the following two 30-credit 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. Finally, you will choose 60 credits of elective modules from across the Faculty of Arts & Humanities or beyond, so that your total number of credits adds up to exactly 180.

Assessment method

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. 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 which should include the following: An outline of your interest in an interdisciplinary MA in Medical Humanities. What skills and knowledge you would bring to the course. What skills and knowledge you would hope to acquire. An indication of your planned area of research.

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 £6900 Year 1
Northern Ireland £6900 Year 1
Scotland £6900 Year 1
Wales £6900 Year 1
Channel Islands £6900 Year 1
EU £15200 Year 1
International £15200 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 and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase and are expected to rise throughout the programme of study. The fee listed above is for the first year of the course only.

Sponsorship information

For further information see the course listing on the Durham University website.

Medical Humanities at Durham University - UCAS