Teaching
You will be based at Warwick for most of your course, but with the option to spend either of term 1 or 3 in Venice (Italy) or Tours (France). If you choose to stay at Warwick in term 1, you will be able to choose two modules from a variety of options delivered by Classics, History, History of Art, English and Comparative Literature, and the School of Modern Languages and Cultures. In term 2 you will take our core module, Renaissance Culture and Society, one module of your choosing and start preparing your dissertation topic (which you will write under supervision over the summer). You will also be able to join the online palaeography, Latin and other skills classes delivered by the Renaissance Centre.
Part-time students are recommended to take the Venice/Tours term in their second year. Alternatively, they can complete their whole degree at Warwick.
Class sizes
Class sizes tend to be small (five to twelve students), allowing plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion.
Typical contact hours
MA modules typically run as seminars of two hours each, but you will have more like 6–8 hours a week of teaching if you avail yourself of the language and skills classes offered or paid for by the Centre.
Assessment
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.
Each individual module is assessed through essays. Normally you will write an extended essay (5,000 words) for each of your modules, in addition to a dissertation (currently 15,000 words). The dissertation is prepared over the late spring and summer and submitted in September. You will be requested to submit a literature review before starting on your dissertation.
You will receive close one-to-one tuition from members of staff to guide you through your programme of research and writing. Warwick modules are typically assessed by essay only.
Additional course costs
Travel abroad (Venice) for a term there and possible extra living allowances as the cost of living can be more expensive than in the UK.
Reading lists
If you would like to view reading lists for current or previous cohorts of students, most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library on the Talis Aspire platformLink opens in a new window.
You can search for reading lists by module title, code or convenor. Please see the modules tab of this page or the module catalogueLink opens in a new window.
Please note that some reading lists may have restricted access or be unavailable at certain times of year due to not yet being published. If you cannot access the reading list for a particular module, please check again later or contact the module’s host department.
Your timetable
Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes.
