Environmental History MRes/Postgraduate Certificate

www.historyandpolitics.stir.ac.uk

The environment is one of the most pressing concerns facing society in the 21st century. There is therefore a growing demand for experienced practitioners in the field of Environmental History who can provide a trained interdisciplinary input at the heart of this dominant contemporary issue. This MRes provides interdisciplinary training at an advanced level, principally in preparation for, or as an enhancement of, a research-based career, or preparatory to a research degree in the Arts and Humanities or Natural Sciences. Taught collaboratively by the School of Biological & Environmental Sciences and the School of History & Politics.

Programme Objectives

This programme is designed to enable graduate students from a range of disciplinary backgrounds to become well-trained, interdisciplinary environmental historians and to demonstrate your fitness to undertake research to doctoral level. The aim is to introduce you to the principles and methods of interdisciplinary research whilst building upon the disciplinary specialisms of your first degree subject(s).

The programme aims to provide:

• A foundation in the theory, practice and application of environmental history.
• Developed interdisciplinary skills in the principal subject areas contributing to the new discipline.
• Advanced study in the main subject areas of your primary disciplines.
• Training in appropriate quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.

The programme outcomes are: An understanding of the problematic nature of the past; an appreciation of the complexity and diversity of the past; an understanding of the limitations of historical knowledge; a capacity to collect evidence to test or support a historical case; an awareness of the importance of debate in history.

Entrance Requirements

An Honours degree in a relevant subject, normally an upper second class, or the equivalent, from a university or college recognised by the University of Stirling, or an equivalent academic or professional qualification.

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of your proficiency such as a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 (minimum 6 in each skill) or TOEFL 577/233/90 (Paper/Computer/Internet).

Funding

For information on sources of funding, visit: www.stir.ac.uk/postgrad/finance and www.historyandpolitics.stir.ac.uk/history.php
Visit funding and also the Research Centre for Environmental History and Policy at www.cehp.stir.ac.uk/

Modes of Study

Full-time:
MRes: 1 year; Certificate: 3 months

Part-time:
MRes: 2 years; Certificate: 6 months

Programme Start Date

September

Programme Directors

Professor Richard Oram, School of History & Politics
Professor Ian Simpson, School of Biological & Environmental Sciences

School of History & Politics

Structure and Content

The programme for the MRes comprises four training modules and a dissertation. In the Autumn Semester you will study the following modules:

• Principles and Methods of Environmental History: This module provides the core theoretical grounding for the degree and introduces the theoretical aspects of environmental history and the methodologies of the various participating disciplines in the programme. It seeks to deepen history-specific skills and help extend a further range of transferable skills.
• The Rural Environment: This module considers the rural landscape as a cultural record, defined through the integration of documentary, archaeological and environmental sources, and providing a foundation from which to explain environmental, social and economic transitions. Contrasting case studies are used to identify the range of research approaches adopted to achieve understanding of the landscape’s cultural record. They are a basis from which you can develop new understandings of landscape change. The teaching programme is seminar-based and you are required to undertake preparatory, guided reading prior to discussion and debate in seminar sessions.
• The Urban Environment: This module will provide you with a sound understanding of the historical and regulatory themes underlying urban evolution and how this knowledge can be applied to an appreciation of contemporary urban issues. Themes explored include:
  • The Empirical View: How towns evolved from their locality.
  • The Theoretical View: Imposition of a priori ideas.
  • Urban Agencies: What and who shapes, controls and directs cities?
  • The Built Exemplar: Stirling.
  • The City Reinvented or the City Revivified?

• The Maritime Environment: This module will provide a sound understanding of the scientific, historical and regulatory bases of environmental quality (marine environment) and how this knowledge can be applied to specific contemporary management problems and situations at all scales, from local to global. It examines evidence for coastal and inshore exploitation regimes, built and managed environments, evidence for communications networks, and the impact of coastal leisure developments.

Students studying for the Certificate complete the module Principles and Methods of Environmental History and a choice of two of the remaining three taught modules.

In the Spring semester and over the Summer you will complete a dissertation. The dissertation should not exceed 20,000 words on a topic chosen in consultation with academic staff and approved by the Programme Director. Where it is appropriate for their dissertation research, it is possible for students to be embedded into current international research projects (e.g. in Iceland or Sri Lanka) in which the University of Stirling is involved. You will be appointed an academic supervisor on the recommendation of the Programme Director.

Timetable

Contact the School for information on your timetable and reading lists.

Career Opportunities

There is a broad range of potential employment opportunities open to holders of this degree in both the academic and non-university sectors. Significant non-university outlets for postgraduate Master’s and doctoral graduates in this subject exist in, for example, NGOs, national and international government advisory agencies, local government and the heritage, tourism and landscape management industries.

Research Opportunities

The School offers research degree programmes in the following areas:

• Ecological and environmental processes: Soils, ecosystems ecology, cell science, environmental radioactivity, hydroecology and fluvial geomorphology.
• Evolutionary ecology and conservation: Behavioural and evolutionary ecology, population genetics and conservation of endangered species, impacts of invasive species, sustainable development.
• Geoarchaeology and environmental history: The university is internationally recognised for its geoarchaeology and environmental history research programmes that seek to understand the complex relationships between societies and environments in the past. Particular departmental interests include soils, sediments and landscape history, palynology, and landscape visualisation.

For information on current postgraduate projects, visit: www.sbes.stir.ac.uk/information/postgrad/projects.html

For information on the School’s wider research activity, visit: www.sbes.stir.ac.uk/research

Advance notice of forthcoming research opportunities can often be obtained by writing to individual staff of the School in autumn or winter (see: www.sbes.stir.ac.uk/people/index.html).

Research Proposal

If applying for an advertised project (www.sbes.stir.ac.uk/information/postgrad/ projects.html) you are not required to provide a research proposal. If you are an applicant who has secured your own funding you should provide a 1,000-word outline of your proposed project to support your application.

RAE Rating

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View the full outcomes of Stirling’s RAE performance

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