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MRes Byzantine Studies

Start date
September
Duration
Full-time: 1 year
Course Type
Postgraduate, Combined research and taught
Fees
Annual tuition fees for 2024 entry:
UK: £6,780 full-time
International: £21,840 full-time
More details.

Carry out your own independent research in Byzantine Studies as part of one of the largest and most vibrant communities of Byzantine scholars in the UK.

You can complete your research project in any aspect of Byzantine Studies, as agreed with your supervisor. The taught component will allow you to develop your knowledge in a range of topics, including ancient texts, language, visual culture and archaeology.

Applications to this programme are not currently being accepted. Please see How to apply for further details.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

What is an MRes?

An MRes is a programme that will help you develop the skills for both doctoral study and a future career. You will complete a major individual research project, supervised by a specialist in the field of study, and a taught component that develops research and analytical skills. If you are interested in applying, we strongly encourage you to contact the admissions tutor or a member of staff with interests in your field to discuss your application in general and your proposed research topic in particular.

At Birmingham, Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Research students also have the opportunity to learn graduate academic languages free of charge, to support your studies.

The best things about my course is the close and meticulous support I am receiving from my supervisors, as well as the sense of connection with the local research community. Life is exciting as a researcher at the University of Birmingham with lots of events, conferences and presentations by renowned scholars

Ioannis

Why study this course?

  • World-leading research: The Centre for Byzantine, Ottoman, and Modern Greek Studies (CBOMGS) is part of the Department of Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology, which is ranked 8th among Classics departments in the UK in the Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021 based on research rated 4*, according to Times Higher Education.
  • Stimulating environment: CBOMGS provides a stimulating environment for cross-disciplinary research and inter-cultural dialogue. The Centre produces several world-class publications and regularly hosts international conferences and symposia.
  • Postgraduate community: The Centre has a large postgraduate community that has its own forum (Gateway to the Eastern Mediterranean or GEM) and schedule of meetings at which postgraduates present their research. Postgraduates also organise an annual international postgraduate colloquium. They participate in the weekly General Seminar of the Centre and in the Spring Symposium of Byzantine Studies.
  • Excellent career progression: The Centre has an excellent track-record of postgraduate career progression. Former alumni include British Academy Postdoctoral Fellows, university lecturers (in the UK, EU and USA) and research staff in government departments.
  • Access to unique research collections: The Barber Institute of Fine Arts holds one of the world’s largest collections of Late Roman and Byzantine coins and seas. The Cadbury Research library also houses a unique collection of manuscripts in Arabic, Greek and Georgian. Both collections are regularly used in teaching.

The postgraduate experience

The College of Arts and Law offers excellent support to its postgraduates, from libraries and research spaces, to careers support and funding opportunities. Learn more about your postgraduate experience.

Modules

MRes programmes offer a unique opportunity to deepen and develop your knowledge of the subject by combining taught elements with research training and an independent research project.

Compulsory modules

You will study one compulsory module:

Research and Scholarship in Classics, Ancient History, and Archaeology

Optional modules

You will then choose two optional modules, which may include ancient language modules at an appropriate level. Students may choose TWO 20-credit options, one from each semester OR students may choose TWO 20-credit options in Semester 2.

Example Optional modules

  • Byzantine Archaeology and Material Culture
  • Gender in Byzantium II
  • The Economies of the Late Roman, Byzantine and Frankish East

Ancient Language options

  • Greek (1, 2, 3)
  • Greek Texts
  • Latin (1, 2, 3)
  • Latin Texts

For more information, see our Classics and Ancient History module descriptions.

Assessment

Taught modules are typically assessed by written assignment. You will also complete a 20,000-word thesis on a topic of your choice, with support from a supervisor.


Please note that the optional module information listed on the website for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.

Fees

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2024 entry:

  • UK: £6,780 full-time
  • International: £21,840 full-time

Fee status

Eligibility for UK or international fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students.

Paying your fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding.

Scholarships and studentships

Scholarships to cover fees and/or maintenance costs may be available. To discover whether you are eligible for any award across the University, and to start your funding application, please visit the University's Postgraduate Funding Database.

International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government.

How To Apply

Applications to this programme are not currently being accepted. For further advice, please contact calpg-comms@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

There are a range of programmes that also offer the opportunity to pursue an MRes in Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology. 

Application deadlines

The deadline for International students (including EU) to apply is 7 May 2024. The deadline for UK students is 30 August 2024.

Six easy steps to apply for a postgraduate research course in the College of Arts and Law

Before you make your application

Please refer to our six step process on applying for PhD, MA by Research and MRes opportunities for Arts subject areas, which includes detailed advice on research proposals and how to write them.

Making your application

Our Standard Requirements

Our requirements for postgraduate research are dependent on the type of programme you are applying for:

  • For MRes and MA by Research programmes, entry to our programmes usually requires 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.
  • Applicants for a PhD will also need to hold a Masters qualification at Merit level or above (or its international equivalent), usually in a relevant area.

Any academic and professional qualifications or relevant professional experience you may have are normally taken into account, and in some cases, form an integral part of the entrance requirements.

If you are applying for distance learning research programmes, you will also be required to demonstrate that you have the time, commitment, facilities and experience to study by distance learning.

If your qualifications are non-standard or different from the entry requirements stated here, please contact the admissions tutor.

International students

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries - use our handy guide below to see what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements: standard language requirements apply for this course - IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band. If you are made an offer of a place to study and you do not meet the language requirement, you have the option to enrol on our 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.

IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band is equivalent to:

  • 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

Learn more about international entry requirements

International Requirements


Research in the Centre for Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies covers the east Mediterranean, the Balkans and the Middle East across a wide range of disciplines, historical periods and divergent cultural traditions.

Please contact a staff member working in your area of interest to discuss your research in the first instance. 

As an MRes Byzantine studies student you will be part of the Centre for Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies (CBOMGS), the only centre in the UK to bring all of these subjects together within a single unit.

You will conduct your thesis research independently, guided by a supervisory team (usually a lead supervisor and co-supervisor) selected for their expertise and experience relevant to your research project, with supervisory meetings taking place on a regular basis.

You will join a large postgraduate community which organises an annual international postgraduate colloquium. You will also participate in the bi-weekly General Seminar of the Centre and in the Spring Symposium of Byzantine Studies. A Medieval Greek Summer School, the only one of its kind, takes place at Birmingham.

You will also become part of, and contribute to, the lively international community of the College of Arts and Law Graduate School, which offers dedicated research resources and a supportive working environment. Our team of academic and operational staff are on hand to offer support and advice to all postgraduate students within the College.

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for your future career, but this can also be enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University and the College of Arts and Law.

The University's Careers Network provides expert guidance and activities especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. 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
  • Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
  • 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.

Postgraduate employability: Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies

Graduates with a postgraduate degree in Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies can boast a wide combination of skills that are highly regarded by employers in a variety of industries. Our graduates have also gone on to pursue academic posts at institutions such as University of Vienna, University of Birmingham and University of Warwick.