The course begins with a pre-sessional induction and introduction to the course, either just before or near the beginning of the new term, which allows students to get to know the department and the university. In term one, full time students will be based at Warwick and take two optional modules from a pre-defined list offered by the CSR and other departments; (part time students will take one module option).

In term two, all students will take the Centre’s core, team-taught module, 'Renaissance Culture and Society' (RS904), as well as one other option module. RS904 (Renaissance Culture & Society) aims to provide an interdisciplinary framework for studying the Renaissance across Europe. It introduces students to key debates and methodological issues. The module also assists in acquiring the skills necessary to undertake research and extended writing on the Renaissance. An outline is available here. The second module will be selected from among those offered by participating departments: for examples, click here.

A series of skills sessions on Palaeography and research resources ('From Manuscript to Print'), currently offers training in reading Renaissance documents in English, Italian and Latin and helps students to acquire the skills necessary to undertake research and extended writing on the Renaissance. The Centre also offers a weekly seminar in Renaissance Latin in terms 1, 2 and sometimes 3. See our full language provision for any given year, HERE.

Over the summer, students will research and write their dissertations, under the guidance of an appropriate supervisor. Warwick has a long-standing presence in Venice and as such we can offer our students the opportunity to spend time there during term 3/summer, especially useful if your dissertation topic is (even remotely) connected with Venice. This represents an unusual opportunity to experience directly one of the Mediterranean’s great cultural crossroads and take (not for credit) modules, taught in English, in our partner institution, Ca' Foscari. Other destinations may become available in the near future, including Tours, in France. More detail about the Warwick in Venice campus HERE. Please note that students can choose to spend all of their study time at our Warwick campus, and not go to Venice at all, should this be preferable.

Assessment

There are no final examinations on the MA programme. Our aim is to develop your research and writing skills to the point where you are able to present cogent, complex and original arguments based on your research of images, buildings, artefacts, documents and other primary sources.

To this end, each individual module is assessed through essays. You will write four essays in total, the first two linked to the two modules you study in Venice in autumn, and the next two linked to the two modules you take in the spring term.

The four module essays (each of 5,000 words), and the extensive feedback you will receive for them, will equip you to research and write your dissertation, which you will prepare over the late spring and summer to submit in September. During this time you will be requested to submit draft research proposals and one chapter (literature review) at the beginning of term 3. You will receive close one-to-one tuition from members of staff to guide you through your programme of research and writing. The dissertation is 15,000 words long.

The final mark for the degree is calculated according to the following weighting: the dissertation is equal to one third of the mark; the four module essays together make up two-thirds of the mark.