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Postgraduate taught course information

We have over 100 taught Master’s courses on offer, and many are available in either full-time or part-time modes. If you register for and complete only part of the Master’s programme, you may be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate or a Postgraduate Diploma, depending upon the number of credits gained.

Degrees are awarded as the following:

  • LLM Master of Law
  • MA Master of Arts
  • MBA Master of Business Administration
  • MRes Master of Research
  • MSc Master of Science

We have also introduced a new type of Master’s degree, Master of Research (MRes), which can provide a solid foundation if you intend to go on to a PhD or thorough training in research theory, skills and practice.

Mode and structure

Most Master’s courses are available on a part-time and full-time basis, though some are only available part-time and a few only accept full-time students. A number may also be studied by distance-learning, which means you may undertake most of your study away from the University.

More flexible modes of study are also available in some areas and, with the rapid advances in electronic communications, some have facilities for tutoring and group conferencing through e-learning. You should check with your School on the arrangements for your particular course.

Full-time programmes last approximately one year, beginning at the end of September (although a few courses begin in February). Part-time courses last a minimum of two years and usually involve attendance on one day a week, though arrangements for block-taught courses may differ from this.

Master’s courses are made up of self-contained modules worth a set number of credits. Usually you can expect to take the taught modules during the first two-thirds of your course and move on to the dissertation for the latter part. You may find though that there is some overlap between the two sections.

The title of your dissertation is usually agreed between you and your supervisor and will relate to your chosen course of study, but you can also draw on your work experience if you are in relevant employment.

The taught modules will vary in the way they are presented. You can expect some lectures and seminars and more small-group teaching than is possible at undergraduate level. This allows students from a variety of work backgrounds to exchange professional expertise within an academic context. Students in technology- or science-based disciplines will also have some laboratory-based and practical components.

Study Skills

Your postgraduate course will provide you with the skills you need to undertake a project or dissertation in your chosen field. These may include, for example, research methods, use of relevant software packages, communication and presentation skills. As part of the induction programme, you will be provided with information on the use of information retrieval systems in the University and the use of Brunel’s computing services.

Distance learning students will be given appropriate induction to their course through course materials or a residential period and will usually be in regular e-mail contact with their School.

The Brunel MRes

The MRes degree can be taken either as a stand-alone Master’s taught course or as the foundation year for PhD study. If you pursue the latter option and register for a PhD, you will normally require marks of at least 50% in all taught modules and the dissertation.

This degree comprises six modules on research issues and other topics relevant to your specialist subject, together with a dissertation. Compulsory modules deal with research methods and policy, research skills and professional development, as well as your dissertation. You then select further modules from specialised topics offered by your School.