Research Masters (MSc/MA) in Geography

Our Masters (MSc or MA) by Research (sometimes referred to as an "MRes" degree) provides an opportunity to develop your research expertise and advanced skills. The MRes is (when taken full-time) a one-year Masters (MSc or MA) degree that is undertaken as a research project. MSc and MA by Research degrees are examined by thesis (maximum length of 50,000 words). 

It emphasises independent but supervised research; our MRes students work closely with at least two supervisors, who provide support through each stage of designing and completing an original piece of research. Many of our students go on to publish their work in leading journals.

The MRes offers a research-intensive alternative to taught masters courses, and provides the opportunity for you to work within a vibrant, world-leading research environment, often on aspects of active research projects. Our MRes can be taken to achieve either an MSc (for Physical Geography) or MA (for Human Geography).

They provide a further qualification for a career where independent research skills will set you apart, and provide an excellent platform and research experience for subsequent PhD research. MRes degrees also give candidates the opportunity to develop materials and manuscripts for submission and potential publication in peer-reviewed journals.

How to apply

The process to apply to the Durham Geography Research Masters Programme involves five main stages:

1. Ensure you meet the entry requirements for the Geography MA/MSc by Research 

• • minimum 2:1 Bachelors degree or equivalent in a science or social science subject
  • students with a science, engineering, social science or arts background are particularly suitable
  • ensure you have achieved certification of a recognised English language qualification, if required

2. Find the right supervisor

• • see Available Research Projects for a list of projects which are looking to recruit and supervise research students
  • visit the Finding a Supervisor page for more options for finding the right supervision
  • discuss your research ideas with potential supervisors to see how they fit with their expertise

3. Develop a MA/MSc by Research proposal

• • if considering an Available Research Project, discuss the project with the named supervisor(s) to refine the scope and focus, as appropriate
  • you can approach potential supervisors with some initial ideas and they can support you in developing and refining them
  • given the relatively short project duration, consider any limitations on available time, data collection and availability, and fieldwork/research expenses.

4. Consider sources of funding

• • you may want to consider sources of funding to support your studies, fees and living costs
  • some common sources of MA/MSc by Research funding can be found on our MRes Scholarships page
  • some research projects may already have partial funding, but you will need to check and confirm this with project supervisors
  • UK students can apply for a Masters Loan through the Student Loan Company (SLC)

5. Apply for the MA/MSc by Research in Geography course

• • applications are completed through the Durham University Applicant Portal
  • the application process is completed in sections which can be saved and returned to (no need to fill it all out in one go)
  • you will need to supply:
    • transcripts/details of your existing qualifications
    • your research proposal
    • details of two referees or two references
    • a personal statement that includes details of (for example):
      • your motivation to undertake a research degree and how this might fit with future career plans
      • why you are solid candidate for the project
      • the skills, experience and qualities you bring to the project and Department
    • certification of a recognised English language qualification (if required)
  • don't worry too much if you don't have all of your documents to hand when applying; these can be uploaded to the portal at a later date

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