London has long been an international centre of cultural production and political power. This interdisciplinary masters programme takes the city as its focus, using London as a central example, resource and inspiration. The MA in London Studies is collaboratively taught, drawing upon expertise across the Departments of Geography and Politics and the School of English and Drama. The programme brings together historical and contemporary perspectives on metropolitan culture, through approaches that span the humanities and social sciences. It also makes the most of Queen Mary’s position, being close to key cultural resources and institutions in London, while located in the city`s East End where many of the programme`s intellectual concerns find most vivid expression. Dramatic historical changes along with contemporary and future transformations of this part of the city provide ample opportunities for scholarly reflection and debate as well as for engaging with practices and institutions within and beyond the academy.
Course content
All students take the core course, Cities and Modernity, which considers different theoretical ways of understanding metropolitan life by using London as an example, but setting it in the context of other cities across the world.
A core advanced-level training course ensures that you will also receive a thorough grounding in qualitative research methodologies and will be introduced to and encouraged to use the unsurpassed resources for the study of London available in the city: libraries, archives, museums, galleries, as well as sites and events. This training provides an essential preparation for a compulsory 15,000-word dissertation - an independent research project on a topic defined by your own work and interests. You can then choose from the following specialist options:
Cities and Empire
Art, Performance and the City
Sociability: Literature and the City 1660-1780
Metro-intellectuals, 1770-1820: British Women Writers in London and Paris
Urban Culture and the Book: London, Publishing and Readers in the Sixteenth Century
Empire, Race and Immigration
Health, Housing and Education of Immigrants in a Metropolitan Environment.
Assessment
Assessment on each of the courses is through a variety of coursework assignments ranging from extended essays to book reviews and oral presentations. You will also complete a 15,000- word dissertation on a topic of your choice relating to the programme.
Entry requirements
Applicants will normally be expected to have a relevant first degree with first or upper-second class honours in a humanities or social science subject (or equivalent international qualification). We actively encourage applications from students who have developed an interest in any aspect of metropolitan culture at undergraduate level, and/or who have practical experience of working in related areas.
Entry requirements
Students from outside of the UK help form a global community here at Queen Mary. For detailed country specific entry requirements please visit the International section of our website. If your first language is not English, you must provide evidence of your English language proficiency.