Top MSc Degrees in Scotland United Kingdom 2019

This MSc is an intensive language programme coupled with research. It will equip you to function in Arabic at a high level both orally and in writing. A unique feature of the programme is that spoken Arabic will be taught alongside Modern Standard Arabic.

You will acquire a strong understanding of a major spoken Arabic dialect, which is required to understand films, songs and an increasing amount of oral intellectual discourse. You will also develop your Modern Standard Arabic, enabling you to communicate like an educated native speaker of Arabic.

You will refine your abilities to engage critically and analytically with different aspects of the Arabic language and undertake a sustained piece of independent research that demonstrates the research skills, training and knowledge you have acquired.... [-]

This interdisciplinary programme builds on a number of fields of study, including ancient history, Middle Eastern studies and Islamic studies. It is distinctive in its breadth and diversity, drawing on the University’s extensive expertise in Iranian historical and cultural studies from the pre-Islamic Iran to the present day. You will also learn from scholars with complementary interests in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

The programme provides a wide-ranging academic teaching and learning experience, one unique in the field of Persian studies, particularly for those who wish to combine research projects at postgraduate level with specialist methodological, theoretical, literary, and historiographical training.... [-]

Led by award-winning playwright Nicola McCartney, our MSc in Playwriting is unique in the UK for its level of contact with the theatre industry. It will appeal to emerging playwrights, directors, dramaturges, performance artists and critics.

Completed over one year (full-time), or two years (part-time), the programme focuses not only on the craft of writing for performance, but also on how a script plays out in real space and time, and in front of an audience.

You will be taught through a dynamic combination of seminars, workshops, one-to-one supervision and professional masterclasses by some of Europe’s leading playwrights and theatre artists. Previous and regular collaborators include world famous and award-winning practitioners such as Cora Bissett, Sir Michael Boyd, Gregory Burke, Kai Fischer, Tanika Gupta, Philip Howard, Rosie Kellagher, Lucy Kirkwood, Matthew Lenton, Linda McLean, Orla O'Loughlin, Adura Onashile, Robin Soanes and John Tiffany.... [-]

The Medieval Literatures and Cultures MSc at Edinburgh is a flexible programme, allowing for either a specifically literary focus or a broader ranging and interdisciplinary approach to the study of the Middle Ages.

Edinburgh hosts a thriving medieval research culture. This flexible programme gives you the chance to draw on the broad range of academic expertise you’ll find here, and take advantage of the seminar series and other resources offered by our Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

You will gain a grounding in the advanced literary study of the European Middle Ages and the principles of manuscript study. Through option courses and a research project, you will have the opportunity to deepen your particular medieval interests, drawing on our strengths in the languages and literatures of medieval Europe, from medieval French and Latin to, for example, old Norse, old Irish and Middle English.... [-]

The last 20 years have been a period of transition for Japan.

The abrupt end in the early 1990s of Japan’s seemingly unstoppable economic growth plunged the nation into two decades of recession, which has in turn brought to the fore a range of social and political issues accumulated since the Second World War.

The end of Japanese economic superiority also coincided with the end of the Cold War, an event that brought about new regional and global dynamics, and with the new security challenges.

Meanwhile, Japanese culture has experienced a renaissance, with Japan recognised worldwide as a centre of global ‘cool’, and Japanese cultural products continuing to find new markets and influence new demographics worldwide.... [-]

Offering two years of study (double that of most masters programmes) and a funded six-month placement at Fudan University’s prestigious International Cultural Exchange School, this programme draws on a wide range of expertise in Chinese studies.

Catering to students at both the beginner and intermediate language levels, this flexible programme is presented by experts in their respective areas and places you within a vibrant environment in Edinburgh that actively engages with the Chinese community, both academically and socially.

You’ll develop advanced skills in Modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin) and explore aspects of contemporary Chinese society, culture, economy, politics and business.... [-]

This programme is based at the University’s Scottish Centre for Chinese Studies, which has an international reputation for research excellence in modern Chinese literature, media and mass culture.

It provides you with the opportunity to develop your knowledge and understanding of cultural issues of modern China and allows you to develop analytical skills as you apply cultural and literary theories to the context of modern China.

You will be trained in the study of Chinese texts, and learn to assess them in the context of current academic discourse in Chinese studies, leading to an understanding of changing perceptions of key issues in Chinese cultural studies.... [-]

This two-year programme offers a unique opportunity for in-depth study of the Arabic language, region-specific culture, history and politics. It is intended for students who already have some knowledge of the Arabic language (approximately 400 hours of previous study or CEF level B1 or B2).

This programme takes a combined and communicative approach to the language, teaching all the skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking in parallel, combining both spoken ‘dialect’ and more formal Modern Standard Arabic, bringing learners to an advanced level in all skills.

You will have access to some of the UK’s leading experts in the field of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies and will experience a three-month immersion in language and culture in an Arabic-speaking country.... [-]

You will gain an advanced, interdisciplinary understanding of the history, modern politics and culture of the Islamic Middle East, and explore the paradigms behind the various disciplines within this field.

Recognised in the UK and internationally as a leading institution for research and undergraduate and postgraduate study, our department is well resourced. We are home to the Alwaleed Centre, part of an international network of centres devoted to the promotion of better mutual understanding between the World of Islam and the West. We boast an impressive library of current and archival material.

The programme will combine seminar work, oral presentations and essays. You will complete one compulsory course, two research courses and three option courses over two semesters, followed by an independently researched dissertation.... [-]

This unique, interdisciplinary programme provides students with a professional grounding in the fields of Celtic and Scottish Studies. It caters for a wide range of interests, with pathways in Traditional Arts and Culture, Medieval and Early Modern Celtic and Gaelic Development and Policy.

You will have the opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding in professional research methods and inquiry, language skills, literary and textual analysis or fieldwork and archiving, and a range of core topics in Celtic and Scottish studies.

You will undertake full research training in Celtic and Scottish studies. You will learn to analyse and synthesise this knowledge in an interdisciplinary context, question assumptions about the primacy of one specific discipline over others and receive an introduction to subjects which you may not have experienced at the undergraduate level. You will also have the opportunity to take courses offered by the School of History, Classics & Archaeology.... [-]

The Korean peninsula lies at the centre of landmark geopolitical developments in the early 21st century. North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme and tensions between the two Koreas serve as stark reminders of the fragility of regional and global orders. South Korea has become a major global economic player and an important actor in development assistance. Additionally, Korean culture (including pop culture) has surged to global popularity over the past decade and exported across the globe. Understanding Korean culture, history, current political and economic developments, and international relations is therefore crucial to make sense of key processes in global security, economics and politics in Asia and beyond.... [-]

This academically challenging and career-developing programme focuses on research and development using biological and chemical principles and systems to create new products, services and industries.

You will employ elements of the developing field of synthetic biology to bring about significant changes and major innovations that address the challenges of rapidly changing human demographics, resource shortages, energy economy transition and the concomitant growth in demand for more and healthier food, sustainable fuel cycles, and a cleaner environment.

You will learn through a variety of activities, including:

Bioinformatics is about the application of computer-based approaches to understanding biological processes. Our programme will introduce you to the current methods used to interpret the vast amounts of data generated by modern high-throughput technologies.

The aim of this MSc is to equip you with a strong background in biology, plus the computing skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the vast wealth of modern biological data. On completing this programme you will be able to take up PhD studies or bioinformatics posts in academia or in industry.

The programme covers programming skills, statistical analysis and database science as well as bioinformatics. Option courses allow you to specialise in several aspects of bioinformatics.... [-]

This programme offers you an academically-challenging and career-developing study of biological systems at the molecular and cellular level.

Biochemistry is fundamental to most areas of life-science; it has a major impact on modern medical research and is essential in the pharmaceutical, nutrition, forensic, bioengineering, agricultural and environmental industries.

The programme is designed to produce highly skilled and motivated biochemists that are suitable for employment in the life-sciences or for further academic research.

You will be taught to apply chemical and physical principles to biological molecules in complex living systems in order to expand your understanding of the molecular basis of the processes which take place within these organisms.... [-]

The revolution in genetic mapping technology and the advent of whole genome sequences has turned quantitative genetics into one of the fastest growing areas of biology.

Quantitative Genetics & Genome Analysis is part of a suite of programmes offering specialist routes in Animal Breeding & Genetics, Evolutionary Genetics, or Human Complex Trait Genetics.

Based in the internationally renowned Institute of Evolutionary Biology, this MSc draws from the wealth of expertise available there, as well as the teaching, research expertise and facilities of Scotland’s Rural College, the University’s Centre for Molecular Medicine, the Medical Research Council’s Human Genetics Unit and the Roslin Institute (birthplace of Dolly the sheep).... [-]