Master of Arts in Creative Writing

at Royal Holloway,University of London United Kingdom

This course is a rigorous, intensive, demanding training in theatre directing where you will work with professional actors to develop your directing skills. You will have the chance to direct in our new purpose-build performance space, the Caryl Churchill Theatre, a 150-seat flexible theatre on three levels, designed by award-winning theatre architects Foster-Wilson.

Royal Holloway's Department of Drama, Theatre and Dance is internationally recognised for the quality of its creative arts programmes. The Department has produced several theatre companies with a growing international reputation, including Ad Infinitum, Forest Fringe, non zero one and Analogue.

BA Politics and International Relations looks at political ideas and processes, as well as global issues such as war and security, diplomacy and development.

You will gain a solid foundation in politics, the history of international relations and IR theory, studying subjects such as democracy, decolonisation, democratisation, international organisations, foreign-policy making, human migration and human rights. As you progress through the degree, the flexible nature of the course allows you to specialise in those aspects of domestic politics, political theory and international relations that most interest you.

By combining Politics and International Relations, you will gain an advanced understanding of how individuals, groups and states interact across borders, and how political institutions and ideas differ around the world.  As you progress through your studies, you will engage with important contemporary challenges, including, for example, the recent global economic crisis, changes in the European Union, human migration and the threats posed by terrorists and new communications technologies.

The Department of Politics and International Relations has a strong commitment to high-quality, cutting-edge research, all of which informs our teaching. We are a research community that applies various theories and methods to the study of domestic, transnational, regional and global politics.  We have expertise in African, British, Chinese, European, Middle East, North American and South Asian politics, and our research covers areas such as security, democratisation, youth politics, international diplomacy and political communication, as well as contemporary and radical theories of democracy and power.

• Learn how to approach problems in a rigorous and analytical way.
• Gain a solid foundation in politics, the history of international relations and IR theory.
• Our graduates pursue roles in many sectors including the civil service, public affairs and law.
• Consider contemporary challenges, such as terrorism, climate change and refugees.
• Work placement opportunities at MPs’ offices, NGOs and local government.

Gain a thorough grounding in the basis, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease by studying Biomedical Sciences at Royal Holloway, University of London.

This comprehensive course will prepare you to join the ranks of biomedical researchers at the forefront of human health investigation. You’ll study biochemistry, physiology, cell biology, molecular biology and genetics before choosing from a range of optional modules in years 2 and 3, allowing you to specialise and follow your own particular interests.

As a 2nd and 3rd-year student, you’ll receive specialist teaching from local health professionals, allowing you to learn more about subjects including neuroscience and clinical diagnosis of disease. You’ll have the option to embark on a lab-based individual research project in your 3rd year, joining a renowned research culture that has seen former students contribute to published scientific papers.

You’ll benefit from a recent £16 million investment in state-of-the-art equipment for bioinformatics, mass spectrometry and protein and gene sequencing, as well as our excellent imaging facilities, including confocal laser scanning microscopes for 3D live-cell imaging.

Through your studies you will gain an impressive portfolio of transferable skills, making you an attractive prospect for potential employers. Invaluable lab experience, specialist learning and communication skills will help you to join our alumni in sectors including medical research, biotechnology and clinical trials coordination.

• Explore the function and integration of selected human physiological systems in normal physiology and disease.
• Become familiar with molecular biology techniques.
• Develop an understanding of the theory, technology, and clinical practice of human molecular genetics.
• Carry out an individual laboratory or theoretical investigation under supervision.

We cover all the essentials of application development, from programming to software engineering, databases to web development, computer graphics to robotics, and information security. You will also explore the fundamentals of computing – what computers do, and how efficiently they do it – and learn about a host of advanced technologies, from computer games, digital sound and music, to concurrent and parallel programming, machine learning, bioinformatics, the internet of things, computational finance and more. From the outset you will be experimenting with programming games, robots, Gadgeteer kits, Subversion, JUnit testing, Scrum-based Agile software and more, in our well-equipped laboratories.

We are a highly respected, research-focused department with a friendly approach and award-winning teaching. We offer a short-term summer work placement course and a dedicated personal adviser to guide you through your studies. You will also be welcome to join our thriving Computing Society. We are one of only seven departments in the UK to hold the Athena SWAN bronze award for increasing female participation in computer science.

The course’s modular structure gives you the flexibility to tailor your degree to your interests. We also offer you the opportunity to follow a specialist pathway that matches your career ambitions. At the end of year 1 you will have the option of transferring onto one of these pathways (Artificial Intelligence, Information Security or Distributed & Networked Computing), as well as onto a year-in-industry course, or onto our longer and more advanced integrated masters course. Transferring onto our Software Engineering pathway requires previous programming experience and early permission to take the Software Development course in year 1, rather than Object-oriented Programming.

• A flexible degree structure allows you to keep your options open and follow your study interests and career ambitions.
• You will acquire problem modelling and analysis techniques, as well as knowledge of and practical experience in modern software-development methodologies and techniques.
• You will develop extensive team-work skills, excellent coding skills, good communication skills, and a strong professional ethos.
• You will have access to a very wide range of optional modules, including those highlighted in the specialist pathways.

The creation, transmission and storage of huge volumes of electronic data is one of the defining features of our age. Whilst these technologies bring us untold benefits, they also expose businesses, governments and individuals to repeated threats, such as fraud through data manipulation, deliberate sabotage and blackmail. As a result, businesses, governments and individuals around the world rely on the expertise and innovations of information security specialists, without which global communications systems would grind to a halt.

Want to join this expanding field and learn from the very best? Our flagship Information Security programme was the first of its kind in the world. It is certified by GCHQ, the UK Government Communications Headquarters, and taught by academics and industrial partners in one of the largest and most established Information Security Groups in the world. We are a UK Academic Centre of Excellence for cyber security research, and an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Centre for Doctoral Training in cyber security. We work closely with industry, and much of our curriculum and research is informed and audited by the industry itself. Our teachers are specialists in the field, with backgrounds in computer science, engineering, mathematics, statistics and the social sciences.

Our broad curriculum encompasses cryptography, fraud detection, system security, network security, device security and the study of how security itself should be managed. You will learn about the technical, legal and commercial aspects of the industry and have the chance to complete a supervised dissertation on a topic of your choice. In a typical year you could benefit from lectures and seminars given by as many as 50 different guest speakers. You will also have access to our virtualisation software, for experimenting with network security settings and ideas, as well as to our Penetration Testing Laboratory and industry-sponsored Smart Card Centre.

We offer a friendly, supportive learning environment and you will have a dedicated personal adviser to guide you through your studies. The skills you gain will open up a range of high-level career options and provide a solid foundation if you wish to progress to a PhD. Our graduates are in demand for their cutting-edge grasp of the field as well as their technical expertise and transferrable skills such as data handling, analysis, problem solving and research. The programme can be completed in one year full-time, two years part-time, three to five years through Continuous Professional Development (CPD), or two to four years through distance learning.

• Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills to work at a high level in the information security industry or move into postgraduate research.
• Our strong ties with industry mean we understand the needs of employers and can ensure that you are well prepared to enter the world of work.
• We have a strong track record of helping graduates into successful, high-level careers in a wide range of sectors.
• Our MSc Information Security has been awarded GCHQ- certified status

If you want to expand your understanding of, or research into, classical literature and language then this programme offers you the perfect opportunity to do just that. Our Classics MA also provides postgraduates with the ideal foundation for conducting research at doctoral level.

Organised on an intercollegiate basis, this MA programme is jointly run with King’s College London and University College London to enable you to take full advantage of the teaching expertise of all three participating colleges. This tri-collegiate approach offers up an unparalleled range of modules to study: postgraduate units cover Greek and Latin literature and ancient philosophy, as well as key technical skills such as papyrology, epigraphy, and palaeography.

Our Classics department has an excellent track record in producing publications that advances the understanding of the ancient world. A thriving and internationally recognised centre of excellence in research and teaching, the department is home to two College Research Centres - the Centre for the Reception of Greece and Rome (CRGR) and the Centre for Oratory and Rhetoric (COR). Research in the department covers the whole range of Classical Studies, from Homeric Greece to the very end of the Roman Empire with particular interests in language, literature, history and ancient philosophy, as well as Greek and Roman archaeology. We are particularly well equipped to supervise dissertations on Homer, the epic tradition, Greek drama, the ancient novel, Greek literature under the Roman Empire, ancient rhetoric and oratory, Latin epic and elegy, ancient myth and classical reception.

Study our dedicated digital marketing degree course in the centre of London. If you are a finalist or recent graduate (any subject) wanting to boost your employability this degree course should provide you with the knowledge and skills needed for the digital era.

Being one of a few specialist digital marketing Masters degree courses in the UK you will gain a 360 degree perspective of digital marketing from digital branding and advertising to the consumer journey and metrics.

On graduating you will be able to create and analyse digital strategies and make well informed tactical and strategic decisions, having studied in the context of Royal Holloway Marketing’s distinctive critical ideology. You will be confident in using acquired skills to communicate strategies to stakeholders at all levels.

You will enjoy studying in our historic University of London buildings in central London and work with our experienced academic staff to realise your full potential.

• Great career prospects in digital marketing and any other related discipline
• Flexible studies over two days a week, combined with extensive self-study

Psychology is the study of how people think, react and interact. It is concerned with all aspects of behaviour and the thoughts, feelings and motivations that underlie such behaviour. It is an important subject because it relates to the whole range of human experience, from visual perception to complex social interactions.

Join our three-year course and you will be able to customise your learning in your final year, selecting from a number of optional modules including Consciousness & Cognition, Human Neuropsychology and Criminal and Forensic Psychology.

Royal Holloway's Department of Psychology is among the best-equipped psychology departments in the country where post- and undergraduates may benefit from the department's advanced technology. This includes an on-site magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner for studying brain structure and activity, instruments for recording electrical changes in the brain (EEG) and other cutting-edge facilities to augment your learning.

Follow your passion for psychology, clinical psychology and mental health and you’ll graduate with excellent employability prospects in a variety of different fields. Notable alumni include the leading bioscience innovator Professor Jackie Hunter CBE, founder of the Terrence Higgins Trust Dr Rupert Whitaker, and Dr Christian Jarrett – author of The Rough Guide to Psychology.

• Study the most up-to-date and exciting findings in psychology.
• Learn with internationally recognised experts in their fields.
• Develop psychological research skills and practice how to think critically about research.
• Benefit from the department’s advanced research facilities.
• Customise your degree in your final year, selecting from a number of optional modules.

Our Department of Law and Criminology has a reputation for high quality research and teaching. Whilst studying Law at Royal Holloway you will explore the fundamental principles of justice, equity and equality within the framework of English and European law. This degree is for anyone looking to start a career in law, whether as a barrister or a solicitor, it is also for those who are interested in the legal system and the ways in which laws are made and upheld. You will be equipped with a wide range of transferable skills which are highly sought after by employers in a wide variety of fields.

You will consider the different laws which apply to different legal problems within the legal system. This will enable to understand how the law regulates agreements between individuals and the relationship between the individual and the state. In addition to acquiring invaluable legal skills in research and oral presentation, you will have the opportunity to choose from a range of subjects in fields such as family law, medical law, company law and international law along with criminology options in terrorism, sentencing and penal policy and gender and crime.

Our balanced approach to research and teaching guarantees high quality teaching from subject leaders, cutting edge materials and intellectually challenging debates. You will receive individual attention and flexibility to acquire expertise within a specialist field

• Qualifying Law Degree, as defined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board.
• Understand the key features of English and European law.
• Develop an understanding of doctrines and principles underpinning common law.
• Develop skills to evaluate legal developments, analyse legal texts and develop independent thinking.
• Develop key legal research and communication skills.

Our Forensic Psychology Masters degree is jointly delivered by the Department of Law and Criminology and the Department of Psychology.  By choosing this course at Royal Holloway you will be trained in the research-practitioner model for careers either in forensic psychology or applied psychology, and gain transferable skills that provide a valuable basis for careers in a wide range for fields.  

A solid foundation in scientific research methods is developed so that you can design, conduct and analyse empirical psychological research. Teaching will be provided by academics from Psychology, Criminology and Law which will enable you develop skills in integrating concepts and communicating on multidisciplinary levels. You will be trained in qualitative and quantitative methods and in ethical issues relating to research and practice.  

Our balanced approach to research and teaching guarantees high quality teaching from both research and practice-led internal and external professionals, cutting edge materials and intellectually challenging debates. You will receive individual attention to enhance your personal and professional development.

On graduating you will have the foundation level knowledge to work towards becoming a qualified Forensic Psychologist and the understanding of the necessary interrelationship between scientific research and forensic psychological practice.

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society. Successful completion of the course fulfils stage one of the requirements towards Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society and full membership of the Division of Forensic Psychology.