Program Overview
It offers expertise in various fields, including literary studies, art history, translation studies, and cultural studies. The program boasts a research-active faculty and provides research opportunities in collaboration with international networks. Graduates develop strong communication skills, cultural awareness, and transferable skills that prepare them for careers in language teaching, translation, publishing, and other industries.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
Researchers in Italian studies at Birmingham have the opportunity to explore how the study of languages, discourses, and cultures challenges how we understand and experience the world. Research interests range from Medieval to Contemporary Italy and include expertise in literary studies, history of art, translation studies, sexuality and gender studies, and cultural studies. Italian Studies is part of the Department of Modern Languages, which boasts a vibrant and diverse postgraduate community and provides a range of support for its research students.
Careers:
The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team who offer tailored advice and a programme of College-specific careers events. You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:
- Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
- Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
- Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV What’s more, you will be able to access our full range of careers support for up to 2 years after graduation. Our Modern Languages postgraduates develop excellent communication skills, cultural awareness and foreign language skills - all highly sought after by employers at home or abroad. Postgraduates in Modern Languages also have a range of transferable skills including the ability to gather and interpret information, organisational skills and the ability to work well with others. Many of our graduates enter roles for which their programme prepared them, such as language teaching or translation. Others use their transferable skills in a wide range of occupations including publishing, executive research and project management. The department has an excellent employability record, and the majority of graduates go on to successful careers.
Other:
Our research-active staff in Italian Studies conduct and publish work that is nationally and internationally renowned. We also have particular strengths in the following research areas where leading academics, who have extensive experience in supervising students, produce cutting-edge research. Our research streams, and areas of supervision within these, can be found below.
- Forging Links
- Colonial and Postcolonial Studies
- Exile and Migration
- Memory Studies
- (Trans)forming Knowledge
- Digital Humanities in Modern Languages
- Linguistics
- Medieval Studies
- Music
- Nineteenth Century Studies
- Intersecting Identities
- Sexuality and Gender Studies We also have expertise in Translation Studies and audio-visual research.
UK: £4,786 full-time; £2,393 part-time International: £21,840 full-time; £10,920 part-time (distance learning only) The same fees apply to both campus-based and distance learning study. The distance learning programme also includes one fully-funded visit to campus in the first year of study. The above fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.
- For UK postgraduate research students the University fee level is set at Research Council rates and as such is subject to change. The final fee will be announced by Research Councils UK in spring 2024.
University of Birmingham Summary
Overview:
The University of Birmingham is a leading global university with a strong focus on research and innovation. It is committed to developing solutions for a thriving planet and improving the health of people around the world.
Services Offered:
Student Life and Campus Experience:
The University of Birmingham offers a welcoming environment for students, with opportunities to settle in, make new friends, discover the city of Birmingham, and prepare for their studies. The university also has a vision for its campus development in the next 20 years, aiming to enhance and refine the global campuses.
Key Reasons to Study There:
Global Impact:
The university's research is focused on addressing major global issues, such as climate change and global health.Multidisciplinary Collaboration:
The university encourages collaboration across disciplines to drive innovation and find solutions to complex problems.Pioneering Breakthroughs:
The university is known for its pioneering research and breakthroughs in various fields.Academic Programs:
Other:
The university has five research challenge themes that guide its focus and draw on its vast expertise and resources. These themes showcase the university's pioneering breakthroughs, multidisciplinary collaboration, and significant global impact.
Entry Requirements:
- For MRes and MA by Research programmes:
- A good (normally a 2:1 or above) Honours degree, or an equivalent qualification if you were educated outside the UK, usually in a relevant area.
- For PhD programmes:
- A Masters qualification at Merit level or above (or its international equivalent), usually in a relevant area.
International Students:
- General Requirements:
- A Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 14/20 from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
- Specific Requirements by Country:
Language Proficiency Requirements:
- Standard Requirements:
- IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band.
- Equivalent Scores:
- TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 21 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
- Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 59 in all four skills
- Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component
- English for Academic Purposes Presessional Course: If you successfully complete the course, you will be able to fulfil the language requirement without retaking a language qualification.
