Structure and content
Students can choose one of four pathways: MRes in Historical Research; MRes in Historical Research (Medieval Scottish History); MRes in Historical Research (the American Revolutionary Era); or MRes in Historical Research (Revolution and Counter-Revolution). Entry is to the MRes in Historical Research and you will consult with an assigned supervisor to plan your pathway.
- Historiography: Students taking the MRes in Historical Research undertake independent study of the historical literature of a chosen field. Coursework comprises a 10,000-word paper that critically reviews historians’ works and identifies a topic suitable for original research in a dissertation (Module 4 below). There are no classes; one-to-one supervisory sessions are scheduled at mutually convenient times. Students wishing to pursue pathways in Medieval Scottish History, the American Revolutionary Era, or Revolution and Counter-Revolution can study the historiography of these areas in weekly seminars. The seminar in Medieval Scottish History caters for students of varied experience and aims to develop their understanding of historical sources from c.1100-c.1560. The seminars on the American Revolution examine the origins and nature of the Revolution, from c.1760 to 1790, and prepare students in researching British and American archival sources. Those on Revolution and Counter-Revolution involve discussions on the concepts and ideas of these phenomena, including the use of primary sources, and prepare students for their research into their own chosen topic and approach. Coursework involves one 4,000-word essay and a reflective presentation.
- Module 2 (all year) – Research Skills Training: Students plan a personal itinerary, with direction, that entails attendance at events organised by the Stirling Graduate School and Stirling historians through training modules. Sessions include personal development and career planning, making grant applications, undertaking qualitative and quantitative analyses and database management. An intensive, one-week programme covers history-specific skills including historical approaches, documentary editing, palaeography, and using biographical sources. Extra classes in languages can be arranged. Students attend History research seminars and present a short working paper at the History postgraduate symposium in June. Coursework involves the preparation of a research bibliography for the dissertation and due performance at skills workshops.
- Module 3 (January to March) – Sources and Methods: Students discuss with their supervisor how to apply and develop their research skills. This may entail further training, such as in languages or palaeography, or attendance at external courses on relational database construction or social theory. Students also examine a body of sources related to their research topic, and practise the methods that they have been learning. Coursework comprises: a 5,000-word paper explaining the research ‘value’ and significance of the selected sources and setting out the appropriate concepts, theories and methods to be used in analysis and interpretation, a skills test.
- Module 4 (April to September) – Dissertation: Having researched the existing secondary literature and the primary sources, and having received training in appropriate research skills, students now go on to complete a dissertation of up to 20,000 words.
Research Interests
History and Politics has research strengths in African, American, British, European, and Scottish history, with clusters of scholars researching medieval Scotland, the 18th-century transatlantic world, revolution and counter-revolution, urban history and environmental history. Most research is in the modern period, but earlier periods may be studied in environmental and Scottish history (both from the medieval period) and revolution and counter-revolution (from the early modern period). Staff members are experts in the theories, methods and approaches pertinent to political and social history, cultural and economic history, and religious and environmental history. Students taking the American Revolution, Medieval Scottish, or Revolution and Counter-Revolution pathways will be supervised by scholarly leaders in these fields: Dr Colin Nicolson and Dr Ben Marsh (American); Dr Michael Penman and Professor Richard Oram (Scottish); Dr Kevin Adamson and Dr Mike Rapport (Revolution and Counter-Revolution).
Timetable
Contact the School for information on your timetable and reading lists.