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MA by Research in Renaissance Studies (2024 Entry)

MA by Research in Renaissance Studies at the University of Warwick

Find out more about our MA by Research in Renaissance Studies.

Take the MA by Research in Renaissance Studies under the supervision of a specialist member of the Centre. Warwick's Centre for the Study of the Renaissance provides an interdisciplinary research environment where you will complete a research project, choosing from a wide range of specialist areas such as book history, history of science, classical reception, social and religious history, history of visual culture, history of education, and literature and theatre.


Course overview

As this is a personal research project, the choice of the composition of your supervisory team and the methodology of your research will depend on your chosen topic.

You will complete a dissertation of 40,000 words under the direction of academic staff from the Centre’s allied departments (Classics, English, History, History of Art, and the School of Modern Languages and Cultures). Single or joint supervisions are possible.

You are encouraged to audit the core module of the Taught MA, develop your language skills, and attend the training sessions offered by the Centre, including Latin for Research, Palaeography, and academic writing skills. The starting month is flexible. The MA by Research is an excellent stepping-stone to embarking on a PhD. Nonetheless, most students will find that our taught MA will prepare them more fully to do further research.

Teaching and learning

You will be able to attend skills training, language, and palaeography sessions organized by the CSR and other departments, and audit some taught MA modules in Renaissance Studies.


General entry requirements

Minimum requirements

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a related subject.


English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirementsLink opens in a new window. This course requires the following:

  • Band B
  • IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements pageLink opens in a new window.


Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Our research

Areas for PhD supervision:

  • History of the Book and Reading Practices
  • Religious Art, Polemics, Thought, and Literature
  • The Classical Tradition (including neo-Latin and vernacular cultures; Plato; Aristotle)
  • The History of Ideas (especially science and medicine, ethics and politics)
  • Theatre and Performance (especially in England)
  • Gender; Society and Power
  • Court and Civic Culture
  • Renaissance Learned Culture (including humanist circles, academies, universities)
  • Popular Culture
  • Visual Culture and Debates on the Arts
  • Venetian Economy, Art and Culture
  • Travel, Colonialism and the New World

Full details of our research interests are listed on the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance web pages.

You can also read our general University research proposal guidance.

Find a supervisor

Find your supervisor using the link below and discuss with them the area you'd like to research.

Explore our Centre for the Study of the Renaissance Staff Directory to see our staff and their current research interests.

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your research course fees


Fee Status Guidance

The University carries out an initial fee status assessment based on information provided in the application and according to the guidance published by UKCISA. Students are classified as either Home or Overseas Fee status and this can determine the tuition fee and eligibility of certain scholarships and financial support.

If you receive an offer, your fee status will be stated with the tuition fee information. If you believe your fee status has been incorrectly classified you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire (follow the instructions in your offer) and provide the required documentation for this to be reassessed.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provides guidance to UK universities on fees status criteria, you can find the latest guidance on the impact of Brexit on fees and student support on the UKCISA website.


Additional course costs

Please contact your academic department for information about department specific costs, which should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below, such as:

  • Core text books
  • Printer credits
  • Dissertation binding
  • Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

Department content block about careers

Centre for the Study of the Renaissance

The Centre for the Study of the Renaissance (CSR) is a world-leading research community based at the University of Warwick. It is one of two 'category one' research centres of the University. As an independent and interdisciplinary centre, it has very strong international connections and an active programme of MA and PhD study.

The CSR aims to support – through research, teaching, and outreach – the study of the period stretching from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century, at Warwick and beyond. It is particularly dedicated to exploring Renaissance Studies in a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary way and within a context of international collaboration. It also promotes activities that intersect with the work of medievalists and early modernists.

Find out more about us on our website.Link opens in a new window


Our Postgraduate courses

How to apply

The application process for courses that start in September and October 2024 will open on 2 October 2023.

For research courses that start in September and October 2024 the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2024. This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK.

How to apply for a postgraduate research course  

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See Warwick’s postgraduate admissions policy.

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