MLitt Orkney and Shetland Studies
COURSE INFORMATION:
Place of Study: Shetland College UHI, Lerwick and selected Learning Centres.
Mode of Study: Full time or Part time
Length of course:
Full-time: 4 months (PG Cert) , 8 months (PG Dip), 1 year MLitt
Part time: 1 year (Cert HE), 2 years (PG Dip), 3 years MLitt
Start Date:
Full time: August 2011
Part time: February 2012
Entry Requirements: Honours Degree at 2:2 in relevant subject area such as Scottish/English Literature/Language or History. Other disciplines, such as Human Geography and Social Sciences will also be considered.
COURSE SUMMARY:
Orkney and Shetland Studies is an interdisciplinary programme which explores Humanities and Social Science traditions. It covers various aspects of the culture of the Northern Isles – from literature and language through folklore and history to archaeology. The Orkney and Shetland Islands, along with parts of Caithness on the Scottish Mainland, are identified primarily in terms of their Nordic cultural and linguistic origins.
The qualification has exit points at PgCert (4 modules/60 credits), PgDip (8 modules/120 credits) and MLitt (180 credits)
COURSE CONTENT:
Each full-time year of study consists of eight taught 15 credit modules, each of which will take the student around 150 hours to complete during class time and private study. Students must study core modules but will be offered a range of additional optional modules to study from other UHI courses. Completion of the MLitt also requires the completion of a 60-credit research project, the equivalent of 4 taught modules.
Taught modules include: Archaeological Heritage of Orkney and Shetland; The Scottish Tradition in Drama; The Gaelic Legacy; Orkney and Shetland Myths and Origins; Literary Iconographies; Writers and Place; Early Scottish Literature; Historical and Cultural Perspectives of the North Atlantic Rim; Language and Paleography; Traditional Customs and Beliefs of Orkney and Shetland; Orkney and Shetland Literature; and Medieval History of Orkney and Shetland.
GOOD REASONS TO STUDY THIS COURSE:
- Access to highly qualified specialist staff from around the Highlands and Islands.
- Students become familiar with advance communication techniques which are themselves valuable transferable skills.
- Because the course has a large amount of self directed study there is the flexibility to fit the course around existing work and family commitments.
- The course allows you to move between full and part-time study according to your circumstances.
- The course allows you to aim high - for an MLitt, but with the option of certificated interim exit points.
HOW WILL I STUDY?
This is a UHI networked course which means it is taught by video conferencing (VC), supported by material on a virtual learning environment (VLE). The VC element can be accessed from Shetland College UHI main campus in Lerwick and selected learning centres. The VLE is accessible anywhere through the internet. The network delivery on this course is by experts from each field, based in UHI partner colleges including Shetland College UHI.
Full-time students will normally study 4 modules per semester. Each module will be supported by a 90-minute video conference class and online course materials on the Blackboard virtual learning environment. Class and self-directed study together should take about 10 hours per week, per module.
STUDENT QUOTE:
"Having completed my degree with the UHI I changed career and began working for the Shetland Museum and Archives. I needed to increase my knowledge of the museum’s collection and the MLitt in Orkney and Shetland Studies fits the bill completely. It covers all aspects of the Islands archaeology, history, literature and language giving me a solid background to our culture and heritage. And, I can do it part-time so it fits in great with work commitments - a win-win situation!" Jenny Murray.
STAFF QUOTE:
"The course is ideally suited to mature students with work or family commitments that they need to work around. Students have huge flexibility to arrange their own hours of study, but at the same time have contact with tutors and fellow students through videoconferencing that provides the support and encouragement that is lacking from other distance learning programmes." Simon Clarke, Head of section.
PROGRESSION:
Academic: Successful students would be qualified to progress to MPhil or PhD research
Employment/Career: Current students include individuals working in the Museums sector
