Courses & Learning
Additional Information
Application
There is a standard application form for postgraduate studies at the University of Birmingham, available online or from either the University or Woodbrooke (see below).
In addition, all prospective MA by Research, M.Res, MLitt, and PhD students need to have a clear idea of what it is they are interested in researching. It needs to be a topic which can offer a viable and original thesis and which provides enough motivation for the 2-6 year registration period. Once this has been identified, the next stage is to prepare a 1000 word (only) proposal outlining a draft title, aims, area of research, how it fits with previous research, and a plan of work. The Centre and the University then have a clear vision of what you are interested in and the extent to which we could offer appropriate supervision. If you want to talk this through, please get in touch with Ben Pink Dandelion at Woodbrooke (contact information below).
An upper-second honours degree (or a B+ average in US terms) is required for entrance onto Certificate, Diploma, and Masters courses, and a Masters degree is required for acceptance onto the PhD programme. It is possible for equivalent qualifications and ‘prior learning’ (such as the Woodbrooke ‘Equipping for Ministry’ course) to be taken into account.
Those for whom English is not their first language should have a minimum TOEFL score of 550 or IELTS score of 6.5, or equivalent.
Registration is normally in October although in exceptional circumstances, MPhil(a), MLitt, and PhD students can begin in January. We recommend application at least six months ahead of registration although later application is possible.
Annual Fees
As at October 2011, the fees are:
| Certificate | MA/ MPhil(b)/ MPhil(a)/MLitt/ PhD | |
| EU part-time | £775pa | £1866 |
| EU full-time | £1550 | £3732 |
| Overseas (f/t) | £4165 | £11340 |
The Certificate and Diploma fees are the same for part-time and full-time as these courses are normally completed in less than one year. If the courses are spread out over more than one year, the fees are calculated in terms of the number of credits taken. A twenty credit module currently costs £600 for an EU student.
‘Split location’ research students pay £4700pa full time, £2350 part-time.
The University fees are listed online by clicking here. This site also includes a link to ‘Sources of Finance for Postgraduates’. British Quaker students may apply to the Adults Grant Group, c/o Friends House, Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ.
Research students are eligible to apply for £100 contributions towards research and conference expenses each April and October. Bursaries of 65% are available at Woodbrooke for CPQS students to help with accommodation costs. Bed and breakfast in January 2012 is £28.75 per night, twenty four hours full board, £40.25, and full board residency £281.75 per week. Rates reduce for longer stays. There is no stipulation that any student lives in Woodbrooke although past experience shows that it works well, with 24 hour access to the library stock, being part of a Quaker and research community etc.
Notes
The expected workload is 18 hours per week part-time, 35 hours full-time. All Graduate institute modules are available to ‘audit’ (i.e. take without assessment) by those registered for postgraduate qualifications, subject to the Lecturer’s approval. Any one or more CPQS modules can be audited by those not wishing to pursue qualification. This involves applying in the usual way but registering as an ‘Occasional Student’. Each 20 credit module currently costs, as at October 2011, £600. If you are registered in this way but decide to opt for assessment, it is usually possible to change the mode of registration and take extra courses (paying the necessary fees) to gain qualification.
Find out about the Acdemic Staff or go back to the main Postgraduate page.
