QMUL Geography Postgraduate Prospectus 2016

School of Geography Postgraduate Study 2016

geog.qmul.ac.uk

Above: Students walking on the Hornkees (glacier) during summer 2014 research on the Quaternary evolution of the upper Zemmgrund (valley), Austria. (c) Cianna Wyshnytzky, PhD student.

Cover: PhD student Suzy Solley in Nepal. Her research interests explore gender, development, poverty, well-being, social exclusion and feminist geographies. (c) Suzy Solley, PhD student.

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CONTENTS

Welcome to QMUL

5

What we offer

6

Our home in east London

8

Why do postgraduates choose QMUL Geography?

12

Careers and alumni

16

Research in the School of Geography

18

Our taught programmes

22

Related programmes

36

Our PhD programme

38

Staff research interests

42

How to apply, entry requirements and further information

46

International students

48

Meet us

53

How to find us

54

Campus and London

56

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The Queens’ Building, Mile End, has a proud association with not one, but four queens: Queen Victoria; Queen Mary (wife of King George V); Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother; and our Patron, Queen Elizabeth II.

QMUL highlights • World-class research – QMUL ranked 9th in the UK among multi-faculty universities (REF 2014) • Teaching by international leaders in their field • In the top one per cent of the world’s universities • Member of the Russell Group of leading UK universities • Attractive residential campus in the heart of London • Commitment to financial support – £9m in research studentships last year • Distinguished history dating back to 1123 (the foundation of St Bartholomew’s Hospital) • The People’s Palace, founded in 1887, brought culture, entertainment and education to enrich the lives of local people; we aim to continue this tradition.

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WELCOME TO QMUL

Do you want to do cutting-edge research? Explore your academic interests in depth? Develop new knowledge and skills? Advance your career, or embark on a completely new path? A postgraduate degree from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) can help you achieve your ambitions.

We are one of the UK’s leading universities – in the most recent national assessment of research quality, we were placed ninth in the UK among multi-faculty universities (REF 2014). This means that the teaching on our postgraduate programmes is directly inspired by the world-leading research of our academics.

Our programmes prepare you for professional life or further study, and we offer a commitment to generous financial support in the form of studentships and scholarships. We also offer something no other university can: a friendly, self-contained residential campus at our home in the east of London.

This commitment to the local area and public good underpins our work today, especially in our collaborations with hospitals, cultural organisations, government, charities, businesses and industry.

If you join QMUL, you will be welcomed into a diverse and supportive family of staff and students from all over the world, with a wide variety of life experiences. This makes QMUL a place of academic and personal selfdiscovery, and postgraduate study with us a stimulating, often life-changing, experience.

Meet Us

The best way to get a feel for QMUL life is to join us for one of our Postgraduate Open Evenings. You can explore our campus, meet our tutors and students, and get a taste of what studying here will be like. If you are unable to visit us in person, we run virtual open events, where you can speak online to current staff and students. We also have representatives in 35 countries and staff who regularly travel overseas. For more information, see page 53 or qmul.ac.uk/visitus

We have a rich history in London with our roots in Europe’s first public hospital, St Barts; England’s first medical school, The London; one of the first colleges to provide higher education to women, Westfield College; and the Victorian philanthropic project, the People’s Palace at Mile End.

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WHAT WE OFFER WORLD-CLASS UNIVERSITY •1 % – we’re in the top percentile of universities in the world (Times Higher Education and QS World University Ranking) • We are a member of the Russell Group – the UK’s 24 leading universities

INNOVATIVE RESEARCH • QMUL was rated 5th in the UK (at 83%) for “worldleading or internationally excellent” research outputs (4*/3*) in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014) • The School of Geography is ranked in the top five in the UK for the quality of its research publications • £100m – total QMUL research income per year

CAREER SUCCESS • £34,515 – average salary of QMUL postgraduates on completing their course • 400+ employers and training organisations visited the campus last year • 325+ students placed into 45 local charities under our award-winning QProjects scheme (Guardian employability initiative of the year 2014)

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EXCEPTIONAL FACILITIES • £142m on new facilities in the past five years • 7,700 square metres of new learning and teaching space with our new £39m Graduate Centre, opening in 2016

INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK • Students and staff from more than 150 countries • “ One of the world’s 20 most international universities” (Times Higher Education, 2015)

GENEROUS SUPPORT • £9m worth of QMUL studentships, scholarships and bursaries distributed in 2014–15

GREAT LOCATION HIGH-QUALITY TEACHING • 6 Nobel Prize-winning alumni •5 5 academy and society fellows among QMUL academic staff • Personal Adviser support system for every student

• Short walk from Brick Lane and Shoreditch, and close to London’s financial centres: the City and Canary Wharf • Set beside the Regent’s Canal in Mile End, our main campus is within walking distance of the Olympic Park • Mile End station is one of the best connected in the city, as it is on the Central, District, and Hammersmith and City lines

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OUR HOME IN EAST LONDON We are based in east London, an area steeped in history yet always looking to the future. The hub of London’s creative communities and characterised by its diversity, east London’s dynamism and wealth of cultural resources inform our postgraduate teaching and the research projects of our staff and students. Here’s our guide to a few of the area’s highlights.

Mile End and surrounding area

Home to QMUL’s main library and a range of study spaces, our Mile End campus is also the base for several innovative arts organisations, including the arts charity, People’s Palace Projects and youth arts organisation, Phakama. At the heart of the campus is one of its unique features, the recently re-landscaped Novo Cemetery, a Spanish and Portuguese Jewish burial ground that dates back to 1733. Dr Caron Lipman, one of our Geography PhD graduates, has written a fascinating history of this site.

The historic Regent’s Canal runs alongside our campus and heading south on its banks is the Ragged School Museum – one of philanthropist Dr Barnardo’s few surviving educational institutions of the nineteenth century. Now a museum offering a glimpse into the social history of the Victorian East End, it has ongoing collaborations with the School. Our campus also overlooks Mile End Park, an unusual 90-acre park that features a ‘green bridge’ spanning Mile End Road, a terraced garden, ecology and arts spaces and excellent sports facilities.

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Stratford

A short walk from QMUL or one stop away on the Tube is Stratford, home to the new Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Westfield Stratford City. The park offers a range of state-of-the-art sporting facilities, cafés, restaurants, and lots of green space. The cultural, social, economic and environmental politics of the Olympics have driven recent work in the School, and we remain interested in examining and potentially helping to shape the legacies of the Games. Also nearby is Hackney Wick, said to house the highest concentration of creative practitioners and artist studios in Europe, and the focus of research in the School on temporary urban uses.

Brick Lane, Spitalfields, and Whitechapel

Brick Lane and its surrounding area embodies the diverse cultural heritage of the UK, offering a stimulating background within which to study global cities, migration, urban culture and politics. Just off Brick Lane, the Whitechapel Gallery is recognised for showcasing contemporary developments in art, and during the past century it has brought to the public’s attention artists such as Mark Rothko, Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock, Lucian Freud, David Hockney, Sophie Calle, and Gilbert and George. One of the more unusual cultural attractions in London is also found in the area – Dennis Severs’ House, a restored eighteenth-century townhouse that brings to life the fashions, furniture, and customs of that time.

Old Street, Shoreditch, and surrounding area

A highlight in this area is the Geffrye Museum of the Home, which offers an unparalleled insight into the changing fashions of English domestic interiors and gardens from 1600 to the present day. The Centre for Studies of Home is a partnership between QMUL and the Geffrye, based in the School of Geography, which has generated more than £1m research income to fund postgraduate and postdoctoral research. This area is also the heart of the technology cluster known as Tech City, as well as the centre of the East End’s art scene.

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OUR HOME IN EAST LONDON Docklands and Canary Wharf

As well as being a centre of global finance, the Docklands is also a living case study of London’s socio-economic and cultural history. The Museum of London Docklands tells the story of the changing face of the area: from Roman settlement, through eighteenth- and nineteenth-century industrialisation, to substantial and politically contentious redevelopment and repurposing in the 1980s, and up to the ambitious building schemes of the twenty-first century.

On the other side of the river at Greenwich is the National Maritime Museum, with which we also have research collaborations.

Bethnal Green and Victoria Park

Bethnal Green is home to the V&A Museum of Childhood, another cultural institution with which we have close links, and which contains the largest collection of childhood objects in the UK, offering a unique insight into the cultural history of childhood since the 1600s. Close to Bethnal Green and a five-minute walk along the Regent’s Canal from the Mile End campus is the beautiful and historic Victoria Park. Often known as the People’s Park, in the summer it hosts concerts and music festivals.

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Beyond the east: South Bank of the Thames

The Southbank Centre near Waterloo is London’s pre-eminent centre of culture.

Originally built as part of the Festival of Britain in 1951, it is home to ever-changing exhibitions of contemporary art in the Hayward Gallery; classic and avant-garde film-making at the National Film Theatre; and a range of music and spoken word at the Royal Festival Hall. The area is also home to street performers, cafés, restaurants, and bookstalls. Walking along the South Bank of the Thames from here, you will also find Tate Modern, the national gallery of modern art, and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

Beyond the east: central London

London is teeming with resources for geographical researchers. These include invaluable general resources, such as the British Library, the British Museum, the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), and Senate House Library. It also includes a range of specialist resources: whether you’re working on experiences of migration, geographies of home, imperial cities, contemporary art practice, or histories of science and medicine, there’s a specialist library or archive in London for you.

London is also a living time capsule, preserving its historical geographies and culture in the spaces and buildings of the present. Walking through London you will be surrounded by the material evidence of its past – Georgian townhouses, Victorian pubs, imperial monuments, post-war tower blocks, and twenty-first century streets and skyscrapers.

But this is also a city of imagination, and as you walk, you will be journeying through the London of writers, film-makers and visual artists from past and present. geog.qmul.ac.uk 11

WHY DO POSTGRADUATES CHOOSE QMUL GEOGRAPHY? Geography has been taught at Queen Mary University of London since 1894, making us one of the longest established Schools of Geography in the UK. We are one of the world’s leading centres for geographical scholarship, ranked fifth in the UK for our world-leading and internationally excellent research publications (REF 2014).

Excellence in teaching

Our research excellence feeds directly into our Graduate School and masters teaching and ensures that you will be guided by internationally recognised experts whose writings and public engagements have significantly shaped intellectual debates and understanding of contemporary issues. These range from the challenges of climate change and river management to the spaces of home, city and identity; from struggles for social justice and migrant rights to the relationships between health, security and geography.

Ideal location

The School, set in the heart of one of London’s most vibrant and diverse areas, is ideally placed for studying the capital’s people, places, cultures and environment, as well as being a global hub for geographical expertise.

We take research beyond the university and work with a wide range of partners, organisations and communities to improve

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the wellbeing of people and the environment.

We are also known for being a friendly, collegial and welcoming school, whose staff are not only passionate about their subjects but also committed to sharing their knowledge to ensure you graduate with all the tools you need to progress in your career.

Thriving research community

Our research students come from all around the world and with diverse backgrounds.

They are integral to the School’s research culture and contribute significantly to our record of research excellence. Our Graduate School has grown significantly during the past two decades. We are home to 380 undergraduates, 100 graduate students, and 40 research staff. In recognition of the excellent training and supervision in our Graduate School, we are regularly awarded UK research council PhD studentships (AHRC, ESRC and NERC) as well as doctoral funding from other national and international bodies.

We also play host to a range of distinguished international visitors and have extensive connections and collaborations with external organisations.

The School was awarded Best Academic Centre by Citizens UK, an alliance of civil society organisations, and has strong ties with museums, institutions, policymakers, international organisations and environmental agencies, among many others.

The excellent laboratory facilities at QMUL Geography are used by undergraduate and postgraduate students. PhD candidates also have dedicated workspace.

School highlights • 80 per cent of our research outputs (books and articles) are rated as worldleading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*), placing us 5th in the UK for this measure • 100 per cent of respondents in work or study six months after finishing; 93 per cent at a graduate level (DLHE 2012–13) • We have a culturally diverse and inclusive postgraduate community • We have close links with the Department of Health, Environment Agency, the Geffrye Museum, Citizens UK, Latin American Women’s Rights Service and Trust for London among others. geog.qmul.ac.uk 13

WHY DO POSTGRADUATES CHOOSE QMUL GEOGRAPHY? Unparalleled facilities

Our postgraduate students enjoy a range of excellent facilities. Research students have individual desk and computing space in dedicated offices. They also have access to facilities for specialist statistical and Geographical Information System (GIS) analyses, desktop publishing and the processing of video and electronic images. We offer a wide range of field equipment, state-of-the-art laboratory facilities for the analysis of environmental samples, the River Lab, a micromorphology and micropalaeontology suite, and a luminescence dating laboratory, with technical staff on hand to help.

In addition, you will have access to the unparalleled range of facilities, learning resources and libraries within QMUL and across the University of London’s other member institutions. Our new Graduate Centre, due to open in 2016, will provide teaching and learning space for all postgraduate students, including a 200-seat lecture theatre, study spaces, seminar rooms, and a café. You can also use the firstrate resources of other libraries with London collections (eg the British Library).

Dynamic culture

Our School is an energetic, inclusive research community in which our postgraduates and staff work closely together, not only through small group teaching and individual supervision but also through an array of research events and activities including: • Weekly research seminars and regular reading groups • Human and physical geography discussion groups, with regular meetings convened around the work of distinguished academic visitors 14 geog.qmul.ac.uk

• Conference days for the informal presentation and discussion of new ideas and preliminary research findings • Student-led workshops and events, often supported by funding from the School or wider QMUL • Cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional activities organised in collaboration with research centres connected with the School, including the Centre for Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments, the Centre for Global Security and Development, the Centre for the Study of Migration, the Centre for Studies of Home and the City Centre • Our flexible masters programmes and PhD training will enable you to develop specialist and transferable skills that are highly valued by employers through independent research and teamwork to project design and project management, cultural and visual analysis, statistics and data handling.

Scholarships

We offer a range of funding opportunities to help you fund your masters studies (for current details see: qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/ funding/funding_masters/49978.html) As a guide, in 2015 we were able to offer the following: • Queen Mary Alumni Loyalty Awards (£1,000) • Simon and Deirdre Gaskell Scholarships (£6,000) • Worshipful Company of Water Conservators bursary £2,500 for Environmental Science: Integrated Management of Freshwater Environments.

“Studying at QMUL gave me the fantastic opportunity to conduct extensive fieldwork on the ice and sedimentary characteristics of glaciers in the remote arctic environment of Svalbard�

Dr Harold Lovell, PhD in Physical Geography, (funded by NERC), now lecturing at the University of Portsmouth

Harold Lovell logging debris-rich ice exposed at the base of a high-arctic surging glacier on Svalbard, the northern-most part of Norway. geog.qmul.ac.uk 15

CAREERS AND ALUMNI

Wide-ranging career options

The range of skills developed through our programmes, coupled with opportunities for extracurricular activities and work experience, has enabled our students to move into careers within government, including in the Department for Education, the Department for International Development, and also into positions in many international nongovernmental organisations:

Further study

Our masters graduates often continue on to PhD research, either at QMUL or in other institutions. Many of our PhD graduates go on to research assistantships, fellowships or lectureships at universities in London, the UK and beyond. They have recently included: • Cambridge University • HafenCity University, Germany

• Audience Researcher, the Science Museum

• King’s College London

• Chief Investment Officer, Allianz Insurance

• McMaster University, Canada

• Community Organiser with the Industrial Areas Foundation, Chicago, USA, and with the German Institute for Community Organising

• National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)

• Curator, The Museum of African Arts • Environmental Consultant, Dr Knoell Consult Ltd • Geomorphologist, Royal Haskoning DHV • Geologist with the British Geological Survey and Dutch Geological Survey • Head of Research, Kids Company • Head of Strategic Research, International Transport Workers’ Federation • Human Settlements Officer, UN-Habitat in Nairobi, Kenya • National Macrophyte Specialist, Natural England

• Oxford University • Queen Mary University of London • University College London • University of Toronto, Canada.

Networks and collaborations

Our postgraduates take advantage of the many collaborations and links the School has with governmental and non-governmental organisations, industry at local, regional, national and international level, as well as museums and archives. These include: • Charities (Womankind, The Rivers Trust) • Community organisations (Citizens UK, Latin American Womens’ Rights Service)

• Project Manager, Migrant Rights Network

• Conservation boards (Natural England, Chilterns Conservation Board)

• Research Fellow, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

• Environmental consultancies (PiLon Ltd, Atkins Global, Mott MacDonald)

• Technical Specialist Development Control, Environment Agency

• Governmental agencies (Defra, Environment Agency, Countryside Council for Wales)

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• International organisations (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development; the World Bank) • International trade unions (International Transport Workers’ Federation) • Six museums (Geffrye Museum of the Home, Museum of London, National Maritime Museum, Natural History Museum, Ragged School Museum, V&A Museum of Childhood) • National Health Service • Research centres (British Geological Survey, the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Future Cities Catapult) • Utilities (Wessex Water).

In addition, all of our Community Organising MA students have an opportunity to undertake a placement with Citizens UK. 100% of our respondents were in work or study six months after graduation; 93% at a graduate level (DLHE 2012–13).

ALUMNI PROFILE: Ana Ferreira Studied: Community Organising MA Currently: Borough Organiser for Southwark.

What did you gain from your time at QMUL? It was great for me to be able to delve into the theories and history of community organising so I can understand better how my role can really help communities. I worked full-time while studying and, although it was challenging, it was so relevant to what I am doing. The experience of studying in the School of Geography and with Professor Jane Wills has been fantastic.

How have your studies at QMUL helped your career?

I’ve left knowing that I can apply what I have learned in my day-to-day work and it will have a real impact on people’s lives.

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RESEARCH IN THE SCHOOL OF GEOGRAPHY Researchers in the School of Geography at QMUL tackle issues from across the breadth of human geography, physical geography, and environmental science, whether that be exploring the geography of cultural practices; using geospatial technology to analyse river dynamics; identifying new forms of political organisation; or questioning the role of scientific research in society.

The expertise of our academic staff is sought by non-governmental organisations, international agencies and industry to develop new practices and to inform the wider policy work that has such an important role in so many of today’s most pressing challenges.

Research themes

Research in the School of Geography is organised around four themes: • Culture, Space and Power • Earth Surface Science • Economy, Development and Social Justice • Health, Biosciences and Security.

Culture, Space and Power We provide a geographical perspective on global cultural practices both past and present, and explore how that knowledge takes form. We conduct research on the spatial politics of cultural practices in a range of historical and geographical settings, and collaborate with museums and arts organisations. Research has recently focused on the following themes and concerns: • Global geographies of knowledge and practice • Home and relatedness • Urban cultural politics Earth Surface Science We integrate research on global-scale environmental change with research on the micro-scale processes that configure the local form, structures and dynamics of the earth’s surface. We work alongside industry practitioners and government bodies to apply this knowledge to the science of climate change and risk management. Recent research has focused on the following themes: • Dynamics and co-evolution of rivers and their ecosystems • Biogeochemical processes and dynamics in aquatic and wetland systems • Using geo-archives to understand patterns and processes of environmental change

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A Late Holocene moraine ridge formed by Schwarzensteinkees, a small valley glacier in the Eastern Alps, Austria. Š Dr Sven Lukas

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RESEARCH IN THE SCHOOL OF GEOGRAPHY Economy, Development and Social Justice Our research incorporates questions about development across the world and examines these issues at local and global scales. We work with community groups and nongovernmental organisations to develop our understanding of the global north, south, east and west. Recent research has focused on: • Geographies of production, investment and uneven development • Changing politics of work and labour relations in the Global North and South • Transnational migration • Neoliberalism, politics and resistance Health, Biosciences and Security We examine the changing understanding of health and its role in society and identity.

We explore statistical approaches to health data, the role of humanitarianism and health in society, bioethics, and the language and communications of health policy. We work with the NHS, the WHO, the World Bank and policy-makers. Recent research has focused on the following themes: • Health, place and population

Informing policy and developing new practice

Particularly significant is our collaborative work with national and international, governmental and non-governmental agencies to inform not only policy, but to also develop the processes and shape the techniques that apply academic knowledge to real-word problems. We have worked with Citizens UK, the Department of Health, Environment Agency, the Geffrye Museum of the Home, Latin American Women’s Rights Service, the Natural History Museum, the United Nations, the US Cancer Institute, and the World Bank.

Support for cross-disciplinary research is additionally provided through six research centres: • The City Centre • The Centre for Global Security and Development • The Centre for Studies of Home (with Geffrye Museum) • The Centre for Micromorphology (with Royal Holloway, University of London)

• Global health and security

• The Centre for Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments

• Geographies of bioscience and bioethics

• The Centre for the Study of Migration.

Did you know…?

Our School’s research was central to the campaign to make QMUL the UK’s first Living Wage university.

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PhD students can explore the research specialisms of individual staff members on page 42 and in more detail on the website at geog.qmul.ac.uk

Research in the School of Geography has been contributing towards the national Living Wage campaign.

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OUR TAUGHT PROGRAMMES

Please note: the availability of modules is subject to change. Please contact the School to confirm the availability of specific modules before you make your application.

Entry requirements

For our standard masters programmes, see page 46. For our Community Organising MA/PgCert programme, see page 24.

Cities and Cultures MA/MRes One year full-time, two years part-time qmul.ac.uk/ma-cities-cultures qmul.ac.uk/mres-cities-cultures

Our Cities and Cultures programmes combine the study of cultural geography with a specific focus on urban cultures, both past and present. It draws upon the latest developments in cultural geography and urban studies to provide an advanced and critical understanding of how cities are socially produced, imagined, represented and contested. Modules examine the relationships between urban space and power through themes that include empire, migration and postcolonialism. They also explore the meanings and politics of spaces in diverse cities by engaging with original texts as well as the built environment, art practices, literature, performance, film, exhibitions and museum curation. Core research training in geographical thought and practice equips you to undertake your own research in this field.

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This programme: • takes your knowledge, understanding and skills to an advanced level through a researchled programme that provides flexibility for you to pursue your own interests • introduces innovative approaches to cities and urban life that make the most of QMUL’s location in London, and that draw upon the School’s strong connections with museums and artists • provides a unique basis for careers in the cultural and urban sectors, as well as for further research through its distinctive emphasis on urban practices and on creative collaborations between geographers, artists and curators.

Programme outline The programme is made up of 180 credits.

Core module (60 credits): • Dissertation of 15,000 words Compulsory module (30 credits): • Geographical Thought and Practice (30 credits)

QMUL’s London location ensures you are well-placed to explore urban spaces and responses to urban life.

Plus THREE 30-credit option modules from: • Art, Performance and the City • Cities, Space and Power • Cultural Geography in Practice • Empire, Race and Immigration One of the above specialist module can be replaced by any other 30-credit QMUL module in consultation with the programme convenor.

Cities and Cultures MRes The MRes is a pre-doctoral training programme taught in conjunction with the London Social Science Doctoral Training Centre run by QMUL and Goldsmiths. This is an approved pathway for ESRC 1+3 PhD funding and ideal for those seeking a research-related role. The structure is as above except that two 30-credit research modules (Introduction to Social Science Research: Qualitative Methods, and Introduction to Social Science Research: Quantitative Methods) are taken in place of two option modules.

“For anyone considering the Cities and Cultures MA course, I recommend it entirely. QMUL has a brilliant reputation, the School of Geography has a really friendly environment and the professors are incredibly helpful and supportive” Eimear Kelly, Cities and Cultures MA (Graduated 2014) geog.qmul.ac.uk 23

OUR TAUGHT PROGRAMMES

Community Organising MA/PgCert One year full-time, two years part-time

• provides flexible study options that make it ideal for those already working in the sector, as well as those looking to expand their knowledge and experience.

Community organising is about bringing people together to achieve change through political action. The first of its kind in the UK, this programme will take you to the heart of community-led action in the East End of London. Joining Citizens UK – the country’s largest and most diverse broadbased alliance and the power behind the Living Wage campaign – you will experience community organising as well as achieve an advanced understanding of the theory, history and practice of the movement in the wider context of contemporary social, political and economic change. The programme is led

by Professor Jane Wills, with Lord Maurice Glasman (London Metropolitan University) and Neil Jameson (Executive Director of Citizens UK).

Programme outline The programme is made up of 180 credits and consists of the following modules:

qmul.ac.uk/ma-comm-org qmul.ac.uk/cert-comm-org

This programme: • provides you with the intellectual and practical training required to work as a community organiser, or in a related field • offers you five months’ experience as a community organiser with Citizens UK, or an ongoing placement with your current employer • introduces you to a range of voices – including academic, activist, local authority and charity – to bring you the reality of issues being faced in communities and the campaigns undertaken around them

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Core module: • Dissertation of 15,000 words (60 credits) Compulsory modules: • Community Organising in Practice (60 credits, including seminars alongside a placement with Citizens UK) • The Theory and History of Community Organising (30 credits) • Geographical Thought and Practice (30 credits).

PgCert option The Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) option (one year part-time) is based entirely on the core module Community Organising in Practice (including a five-month placement working part-time as a community organiser with Citizens UK).

Entry requirements In addition to the standard entry requirements on page 46, you are expected to have the skills and/or aptitude to work as a community organiser on a placement with Citizens UK. Candidates will be interviewed and may be asked to provide examples of written work.

“The course helped me with my role as a Community Organiser at Citizens UK because it helped me with the tools, the theory and the understanding of what community organising really is. It has taught me the principles that I now live by in my work with local communities in Tower Hamlets�

Yasmin Aktar, Citizens UK and Community Organising MA

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OUR TAUGHT PROGRAMMES

Environmental Science: Integrated Management of Freshwater Environments MSc/PgCert/PgDip One year full-time, two or three years part-time qmul.ac.uk/msc-env-sci-imfe

This programme is delivered in close collaboration with our advisory board of representatives from the water industry, and provides fundamental and applied training in the science and management of freshwater environments. Combining hydrology, geomorphology, biogeochemistry and ecology, the degree is designed to produce outstanding scientists capable of developing interdisciplinary solutions to priority water resource and catchment issues. It involves fieldwork at our research sites including the near-natural Tagliamento River, Italy, and heavily impacted rivers within London and the south-east of England.

This programme: • facilitates networking within the water and environmental sectors • develops core understanding of freshwater environmental systems and the key policy and legal frameworks that underpin their management • provides hands-on training in flood estimation and inundation modelling using industrystandard software • develops skills and knowledge in the monitoring and management of pollutants, nutrient levels and greenhouse gas emissions in aquatic systems

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• provides training in river assessment methods • develops skills and knowledge in the theory and practice of river restoration • develops transferable skills in field and lab methods, project management, statistical analysis, GIS and the use of remotely sensed data, report writing, problem solving and presenting Programme outline The programme is made up of 180 credits.

Core module: • Individual Research Project (60 credits), usually in collaboration with a partner organisation Compulsory modules (15 credits unless stated): • Catchment Science in Practice (30 credits) • Flood Risk Management and Modelling • Data Analysis • River Assessment and Restoration • Biogeosciences and Ecosystem Services • Field Methods for Freshwater Environmental Science Plus ONE option module worth 15 credits from the following: • Physical Modelling of Fluvial Processes • Desk Study.

PgCert/PgDip Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma options are available. With fewer modules, they are ideal professional training for those looking to enhance their careers from within the sector.

See our website for full details.

Dr Alex Henshaw leads a group of MSc students on a field trip along the near-natural river landscape of the Tagliamento River in Italy.

“Our Environmental Science: Integrated Management of Freshwater Environments MSc provides scientific training in river assessment and restoration, flood risk management and modelling, aquatic ecology and biogeosciences, as well as strong links to industrial and environmental agency partners�

Dr Alex Henshaw, Lecturer in Physical Geography geog.qmul.ac.uk 27

OUR TAUGHT PROGRAMMES

Environmental Science by Research MSc One year full-time, two years part-time qmul.ac.uk/msc-env-sci-res

This programme allows students to tap into the unique specialisms within our physical geography and environmental science research team and create a tailored project and degree to match their own interests. The support available can be on a one-to-one basis and culminates in a substantial MSc thesis - ideal for those looking to continue on to PhD or to work independently as a consultant, for example.

Themes for projects change every year and are updated on our website, but recent topics have included: • environmental impact of historical landfill • lateral moraine formation • analysis of glacitectonic structures • assessment of rare species • analysis of braided channel networks The programme: • places you with one or more internationally acknowledged experts in Physical Geography or Environmental Science, with superb research and analytical facilities, ensuring a top-quality research environment • offers you the opportunity to work with partner organisations, providing insights into their structure and operation

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• combines a smaller taught element to provide key research methodology, approaches and debates relevant to your field of study, along with a substantial element of independent work to focus on a specific area of research • provides you with a range of transferable skills suitable for further research and employment, including analytical field and laboratory skills, data modelling, statistical analysis, project management and critical evaluation of information.

Programme outline The programme is made up of 180 credits.

Core module: • Independent Research Project (120 credits) Compulsory modules (15 credits): • Environmental Science Research and Practice • Data Analysis • Elective taught component: EITHER Project-specific Research Training OR Field Methods for Freshwater Environmental Science Plus ONE option module from the following (15 credits): • Flood Risk Management and Modelling • Biogeosciences and Ecosystem Services • Desk Study • River Assessment and Restoration

The ‘Little Ice Age’ maximum moraine, dated to around 1850, of Schwarzensteinkees, a valley glacier in the Eastern Alps, Austria. In this particular section, the moraine consists of boulders, some house-sized, that have fallen off the ice front during its maximum.

Image © Dr Sven Lukas

“Doing an MSc is great if you know you would like to stay in environmental science but have not yet pinned down exactly what you want to do. It gives you a year to explore different options and decide what areas really interest you, and at the same time, you are learning new skills to add to the CV” Michelle Morris, Environmental Science

by Research MSc graduate; now a PhD student geog.qmul.ac.uk 29

OUR TAUGHT PROGRAMMES

Geography MA/MSc/MRes One year full-time, two years part-time qmul.ac.uk/ma-geog qmul.ac.uk/msc-geog qmul.ac.uk/mres-geog

These programmes provide a strong grounding in current geographical theory, methods and issues by drawing on the expertise of the human geography staff from across the School.

Combining core training in theory and practice with the opportunity for you to specialise in your chosen areas, you can choose the length of the dissertation. It is possible to develop your own area of research or to complete a dissertation on a subject advertised by the School (see geog.qmul.ac.uk/admissions/ essresearch). Opportunities to work with institutions and groups beyond the university are provided through our close ties with museums, archives, community organisations and artists.

Option A – Geography (Research) MA/MSc: Core module: Dissertation of 30,000 words (120 credits) plus ONE option module.

Option B – (Named Specialism) MA/MSc: Core module: Dissertation of 22,500 words (90 credits) plus TWO option modules.

Option C – Geography MA/MSc: Core module: Dissertation of 15,000 words (60 credits) plus THREE option modules.

Option modules include (all 30 credits each, unless stated): • Art, Performance and the City • Cultural Geography in Practice • Cities, Space and Power • Empire, Race and Immigration • Researching Development in Practice: Mumbai Unbound • Migration and Mobilities (15 credits)

This programme: • provides an advanced understanding of geographical theory, methods and substantive issues at the cutting edge of the discipline

• Democracy, Rights and Citizenship (15 credits)

• equips you with advanced-level research skills including project design, planning and management, as well as analytical and interpretive skills.

• Advanced Readings in Geography

Programme outline The programme is made up of 180 credits and each option includes the compulsory module Geographical Thought and Practice (30 credits).

30 geog.qmul.ac.uk

• Global Working Lives (15 credits) • Re-theorising Development Futures • The Theory and History of Community Organising MRes option for ESRC-funding See page 37 for the MRes option.

“I’d recommend the programme for the quality and variety of teaching.

I felt seminars were inclusive yet challenging, with guest speakers from diverse fields leading classes and encouraging debate” Nick Owen, Geography MA (Graduated 2013)

geog.qmul.ac.uk 31

OUR TAUGHT PROGRAMMES

Global Development Futures MA/MRes One year full-time, two years part-time qmul.ac.uk/ma-global-dev-futures qmul.ac.uk/mres-global-dev-futures

In the wake of the ‘global’ economic crisis, this innovative new masters programme offers students the chance to explore alternative future possibilities for international development in theory and practice. Combining cutting-edge thinking on development, economic geography, political economy, labour studies and social change, we explore the multiple connections (and disconnections) between countries of the Global North and Global South.

This programme: • provides students with a detailed understanding of development practices and experiences within different sites and spaces of the Global North and South.

• encourages students to examine these realities in light of the contrasts and continuities between the Global North and South and to critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical approaches to studying development futures.

• provides students with the opportunity to develop their research skills and experiences through an independent research project and fieldwork as part of their dissertation.

This will be supported by research training as well as one-to-one tailored supervision from experienced researchers.

Programme outline This programme is made up of 180 credits.

Core module (90 credits): • Dissertation of 22,500 words 32 geog.qmul.ac.uk

Compulsory modules (30 credits): • Geographical Thought and Practice • Re-theorising Development Futures Option modules (15 credits unless stated): • Researching Development in Practice: Mumbai Unbound (30 credits) • Migration and Mobilities • Global Working Lives • Democracy, Rights and Citizenship Fieldwork The module, ‘Researching Development in Practice: Mumbai Unbound’ includes the opportunity to travel to Mumbai, India, on fieldwork. The dissertation can include fieldwork here in the UK or overseas.

Global Development Futures MRes The MRes is a pre-doctoral training programme taught in conjunction with the London Social Science Doctoral Training Centre run by QMUL and Goldsmiths. This is an approved pathway for ESRC 1+3 PhD funding, ideal for those seeking a research related role. The structure is: • Dissertation of 15,000 words (60 credits) • Geographical Thought and Practice (30 credits) • Re-theorising Development Futures (30 credits) • Introduction to Social Science Research: Qualitative Methods (30 credits) • Introduction to Social Science Research: Quantitative Methods (30 credits)

“Our students will reconsider the diversity of populations, economies, urban centres, and governance practices in the Global South on their own terms – and in so doing, step outside mainstream development theory and the international policies they inform�

Dr Kavita Datta, Programme Convenor

geog.qmul.ac.uk 33

OUR TAUGHT PROGRAMMES

London Studies MA/PgCert One year full-time, two years part-time qmul.ac.uk/ma-london

London has long been an international centre of cultural production and political power.

This interdisciplinary programme takes the city as its focus, using London as a central example, resource and inspiration. It is taught collaboratively in the Schools of Geography, and English and Drama. The programme brings together historical and contemporary perspectives on metropolitan culture through approaches that span the humanities and social sciences, and through engaging with urban history and theory, literature, art practice, performance, exhibitions, the built environment and more.

Programme outline The programme is made up of 180 credits.

Core module (60 credits): • Dissertation of 15,000 words Compulsory module (30 credits): • Cities, Space and Power • Resources for Research (Not assessed) Option modules (30 credits each): • Art, Performance and the City • Empire, Race and Immigration • Cultural Geography in Practice • The Theory and History of Community Organising • Geographical Thought and Practice

This programme: • provides a sound conceptual base as well as suitable practical training to conduct independent research on London, introducing resources in the city and ways of using them intelligently and creatively

• Metro Intellectuals: British Women Writers in London and Paris

• makes the most of QMUL’s location in the East End, being close to key cultural resources and institutions as well as in an area whose historical changes and current transformations provide a focus for study and debate

• Sociability, Literature and the City

• involves working with a range of Londonbased archives, libraries, museums and other repositories with collections relating to the cultural life of the city, while exploring the practices of museums, institutions, artists and others working beyond the academy.

PgCert For students looking to take fewer modules, a postgraduate certificate option is available. It includes Cities, Space and Power, Resources for Research and any other optional module.

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• Contemporary Theatre and Performance • Postcolonialism, Language and Identity • Writing the East End • The Propaganda War in London, 1793–96 • London Spaces from FitzStephen to Stow • Victorian Print Culture.

“I really liked the opportunity to study east London from an east London location. I’ve enjoyed modules taught in Geography and English, particularly Art, Performance and the City and Writing the East End. I really enjoyed looking at how east London has been imagined and engaged through art and literature and the twentieth and twenty-first century historical focus in these modules” Lucie Glasheen, London Studies MA (Graduated 2014)

geog.qmul.ac.uk 35

RELATED PROGRAMMES

Pre-Masters Graduate Diploma in Humanities and Social Sciences One year or seven months full-time http://language-centre.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/ premasters-hss

This Diploma offers a route to masters degrees for international and EU students who are changing disciplines, need to ‘top up’ their academic qualifications or who need to improve their level of English. It is fully integrated with the university and academic modules are taught by QMUL lecturers.

Aquatic Ecology by Research MSc One year full-time, two years part-time qmul.ac.uk/msc-aebr

The Aquatic Ecology by Research programme provides you with comprehensive practical training by application in the laboratory or field, rather than by formal tuition in the lecture theatre. The format is designed to equip you with the skills and experience to undertake further academic or applied research. QMUL is home to a leading research group in aquatic ecology, within which you will receive expert supervision and have access to cutting-edge facilities, such as the Centre for the Aquatic and Terrestrial Environment, and the Freshwater Biological Association’s River Laboratory on the River Frome in Dorset via our River Communities Group. Part-fees bursaries are also available to support promising scientists.

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Freshwater and Marine Ecology MSc/PgCert MSc: One year full-time, two years part-time PgCert: Four months full-time qmul.ac.uk/msc-fame

Threats to the ecosystem, goods and services that aquatic resources provide (eg clean drinking water, sustainable fisheries) frequently appear in the media and on the agendas of governments. To maintain these goods and services requires a fundamental understanding of the biodiversity and ecosystem processes responsible, for without knowledge there can be no application or effective management.

With aquatic ecosystems under threat from multiple stressors, we have designed a programme to equip you with the necessary interdisciplinary practical skills and theoretical understanding for employment in this area or further research.

Environmental Law LLM One year full-time, two years part-time qmul.ac.uk/llm-environmental-law

The LLM in Environmental Law is an interdisciplinary programme, encompassing legal, political and human rights issues of environmental protection, climate change policies, and natural resources law, with an overarching emphasis on the impact of gas and oil. We draw on expertise from colleagues in other Schools at QMUL working in the fields of geography, human rights and physics.

Energy and Natural Resources Law LLM One year full-time, two years part-time qmul.ac.uk/llm-energy-law

Energy is the largest and one of the most dynamic industry sectors. It raises many challenges both politically and technically, from traditional exploration and production of fossil fuels to more recent mining extraction methods (hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’), renewables and environmental protection.

QMUL is only one of a few universities in the world to offer an LLM in Energy and Natural Resources Law and this programme builds upon well-established areas at Queen Mary, such as Commercial Law, Dispute Resolution, Environmental Law and Regulation.

Migration, Culture and Global Health MSc/PgDip One year full-time, two years part-time

Geography MRes

qmul.ac.uk/mres-geog The MRes is a pre-doctoral training programme taught in conjunction with the London Social Science Doctoral Training Centre run by QMUL and Goldsmiths. This is an approved pathway for ESRC 1+3 PhD funding and ideal for those seeking to work in a research-related role.

The structure is the same as for the MA/ MSc Geography except that one option module is taken alongside the following two 30-credit research modules: • Introduction to Social Science Research: Qualitative Methods • Introduction to Social Science Research: Quantitative Methods.

qmul.ac.uk/msc-mcghp

This programme considers the vitally important area of public health issues related to migrant communities across the globe, a subject as yet rarely addressed in dedicated teaching. It addresses the nature of migrant and diaspora communities and the ways that health within these communities is related to social, political, economic, and cultural factors.

geog.qmul.ac.uk 37

OUR PHD PROGRAMME

The School’s research strengths, breadth of expertise and welcoming ethos mean that we attract the very best PhD candidates. We welcome applications from those wishing to study full- or part-time in any area of the subject in which we have appropriate expertise. Our research students work under the close supervision of members of academic staff and they are encouraged to participate fully in our training programmes and research culture.

Networks and collaborations

The School is part of the ESRC-funded London Social Science Doctoral Training Centre (run jointly by QMUL and Goldsmiths).

It is also part of the NERC Doctoral Training Partnership, a collaboration between QMUL and other leading universities and institutions in the capital that include the Natural History Museum, Institute of Zoology, and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The School regularly receives PhD funding from the AHRC and other national and international bodies.

We have one of the largest concentrations of doctoral students working in collaboration with non-academic organisations in the country.

Among these organisations are Arcadis UK, Bank of England, British Geological Survey, British Museum, Geffrye Museum, Living Wage Foundation, Kids Company, International Transport Workers’ Federation, National Maritime Museum, Ragged School Museum, Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), Runnymede Trust, Sandwell, Barking and Dagenham Primary Care Trusts, and

38 geog.qmul.ac.uk

the V&A Museum of Childhood. For a short video showcasing some of our collaborations with museums, please see the ‘Research engagement and impact’ section at: youtube.com/user/QMULGeography

Applying for a PhD

You are strongly encouraged to contact the Director of Graduate Studies or a member of staff with interests in your area to discuss your proposed research before making a formal application. If you are applying for an open position, you should send a CV and an outline of your proposed research project. For further information about our PhD programme and for guidance on how to put together a research proposal and how to apply, please see: geog.qmul.ac.uk/admissions/ phdadmissions Further information on the current research interests of our academic staff are available overleaf and also at: geog.qmul.ac.uk/ admissions/phdadmissions/staffinterests

Doctoral College

As a PhD student at QMUL, you will draw on the dedicated support of our Doctoral College, which oversees the recruitment and admission, training, and examination of our PhD students. The Doctoral College provides a strong community of support for all our PhD students, offers a wide range of subject-specific and professional training to enhance your research skills, and will help you make the most of QMUL’s thriving research environment. Find out more, at: doctoralcollege.qmul.ac.uk

“The focus of my PhD is the migration of children to East London from abroad from 1930 to the present. The oldest person I have interviewed is 99 and the youngest is five. Oral histories, drawings and photographs will be archived at the V&A Museum of Childhood. I am also researching how migration is represented in museums both here and abroad”

Eithne Nightingale at the V&A Museum of Childhood where she is completing a collaborative PhD, funded by the AHRC, on children and migration to London’s East End.

Eithne Nightingale, PhD student

geog.qmul.ac.uk 39

OUR PHD PROGRAMME

Entry requirements

You will normally have a first degree with first or upper second class honours (or an international equivalent), and/or a masters degree (at Merit or above), in geography or a related discipline. You will need two references, at least one of which must be academic. You are expected to have good English language ability and to meet the standard of the IELTS – or equivalent – at a level of 7.0 (6.5 for physical geography programmes). Open applications are assessed primarily on the record of academic and/or professional achievement, the quality of the research proposal, the compatibility with the School’s research interests and strengths, and the availability of appropriate supervisors.

PhD studentships The School also offers studentships to our PhD students. These usually cover full fees and a maintenance allowance for three years, although funding for four-year programmes involving MRes training plus a PhD are also available from the ESRC and NERC. Regular funding sources include: • Queen Mary Postgraduate Research Studentships: open to all PhD students in human and physical geography, including international students.

• ESRC 1 + 3 (MRes and PhD) and +3 (PhD) Studentships for research in the social sciences through the London Social Science Doctoral Training Centre, an ESRCfunded collaboration between QMUL and Goldsmiths, University of London.

40 geog.qmul.ac.uk

• NERC Studentships: open to PhD students in physical geography and environmental science through the London NERC Doctoral Training Partnership, a collaboration between QMUL and other leading universities and institutions in the capital.

• AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Awards for specific, defined research projects in the arts and humanities.

• China Scholarship Council/Queen Mary Joint PhD Studentships: open to PhD students eligible for funding from the China Scholarship Council. See: qmul.ac.uk/ postgraduate/funding/scholarships In addition, the School has a strong record of securing project-specific funding as well as European joint-doctoral programme funding in environmental science. Advertisements for current opportunities are posted on our website: geog.qmul.ac.uk/admissions/ phdadmissions/funded

“I was drawn to QMUL because of the opportunity to work on a research project bridging two disciplines (geography and international relations and political science). When it comes to research in migration, this kind of approach is important, and QMUL is innovative in this respect. As a New Zealander, I was also attracted by the idea of attending a university in vibrant east London. So far I have loved being a PhD student at QMUL!�

Megan Ryburn, PhD Student

Megan Ryburn, pictured on fieldwork in Chile.

geog.qmul.ac.uk 41

STAFF RESEARCH INTERESTS

Lisa Belyea BSc (Carleton) MSc (Waterloo) PhD (London) Reader in Biogeosciences Spatiotemporal dynamics of ecosystems; carbon cycling; ecohydrology; peatlands Alison Blunt BA (Cambridge) MA PhD (University of British Columbia) Professor of Geography and Head of School Home; migration, diaspora and the city; museums; feminist and postcolonial geographies James Brasington BSc (Bristol) PhD (Cambridge) Professor of Physical Geography Numerical modelling and remote sensing of rivers Tim Brown BA PhD (Portsmouth) Senior Lecturer in Geography Critical approaches to urban public health; global health and security Simon Carr BSc PhD (London) Senior Lecturer in Geography Glaciers and climate change; sedimentology; micromorphology and 3D x-ray tomography Peter Congdon PhD (London) Research Professor of Quantitative Geography and Health Statistics Quantitative analysis of spatial data; geographic inequalities in health; spatial demography; spatial epidemiology Kavita Datta BA (Botswana) PhD (Cambridge) Reader in Human Geography Transnational migration; migrant remittance and philanthropic giving; geographies of finance; gender and development 42 geog.qmul.ac.uk

Angela Gurnell BSc PhD DSc (Exeter) Professor of Physical Geography Ecohydrology and biogeomorphology Gemma Harvey BSc (Liverpool) PhD (Nottingham) Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography River science Alex Henshaw BSc PhD (Nottingham) Lecturer in Physical Geography Fluvial geomorphology Kate Heppell MSc DIC DPhil (Oxford) Reader in Physical Geography Hydrological and biogeochemical interactions David Horne BSc MSc (London) PhD (Bristol) FLS Professor of Micropalaentology Quaternary climate and environmental change Al James BA PhD (Cambridge) Reader in Economic Geography Regional learning and innovation; gendered work-life; labour; hybrid economic-development geographies; India Simon Lewis BSc PhD (London) Reader in Quaternary Science Quaternary stratigraphy; sedimentology and geoarchaeology Emily Lines MSci (London) MRes (York) PhD (Cambridge) Lecturer in Environmental Science Forest ecology; remote sensing; modelling; terrestrial carbon cycle Sven Lukas MSc (Bochum) PhD (St Andrews) Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography Glaciers: sedimentary processes, landforms and palaeoclimate

5 Pointz in Queens, New York City: The School of Geography has four research themes, including Culture, Space and Power whose team explores geographical perspectives on global cultural practices both past and present.

Image (c) Dr David Pinder

geog.qmul.ac.uk 43

STAFF RESEARCH INTERESTS

Jon May BA (Cambridge) PhD (London) Professor of Geography, Deputy Dean for Research (Humanities and Social Sciences) and Director of the Doctoral College Homelessness; food-banking; welfare reform; urban marginality Cathy McIlwaine BA MA (Liverpool) PhD (London) Professor of Geography Development; gender; urban violence; international migration; Latin America Konstantinos Melachroinos DTP (University of Thessaly, Greece) PhD (London) Lecturer in Geography Regional economic development and policy Catherine Nash BA PhD (Nottingham) Professor of Human Geography Feminist cultural geography; geographies of identity and relatedness Miles Ogborn BA PhD (Cambridge) Professor of Geography Global historical geographies; historical geographies of modernity Alastair Owens BA PhD (London) Reader in Geography and Deputy Dean for Taught Programmes (Humanities and Social Sciences) Historical geographies of wealth-holding, investment and property transmission; family, home and material culture Simon Reid-Henry BA PhD (Cambridge) Reader in Geography Geopolitics; ‘vital’ geographies; geographical biography 44 geog.qmul.ac.uk

Adrian Smith BA MA PhD (Sussex) Professor of Human Geography and Dean for Research (Humanities and Social Sciences) Economic geography; globalisation and the global economy; Europe and North Africa Kate Spencer BSc MSc DIC PhD (Greenwich) Reader in Environmental Geochemistry Estuarine sediment geochemistry and fine sediment management.

Stephen Taylor MA MPhil PhD (Cambridge) Lecturer in Human Geography Critical geographies of global health, biomedicine and HIV/AIDS Geraldene Wharton BSc (Sheffield) PhD (Southampton) Professor of Physical Geography Fluvial geomorphology and hydroecology Philippa Williams BA MPhil PhD (Cambridge) Lecturer in Human Geography Citizenship, development and identity in India; India’s new economy; geographies of peace; material politics of transnational identities Jane Wills MA (Cambridge) PhD (OU) Professor of Human Geography The geo-political economy of labour and the living wage; urban politics including community organising and localism Kathryn Yusoff BA (Northumbria) MA (Bath Spa) PhD (London) Senior Lecturer in Human Geography Anthropocene; climate change and social theory; political aesthetics; feminist philosophy

The near-natural Tagliamento River in Italy is a field research site for river scientists in the School of Geography.

geog.qmul.ac.uk 45

HOW TO APPLY, ENTRY REQUIREMENTS AND FURTHER INFORMATION How to apply

Tuition fees

Documents such as references and transcripts can be uploaded directly onto the online application system.

Funding

All applications should be made online at qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/howtoapply

Entry requirements

Our standard entry requirement to our masters programmes is an upper second class honours degree or higher in a relevant subject from a UK university (or an equivalent international qualification), together with two supportive references, at least one of which must be academic.

Relevant work experience may also be taken into account. You are further expected to demonstrate good English language ability and to meet the standard of the IELTS – or equivalent – at a level of 7.0 (or 6.5 for physical geography programmes). For more information on our English language requirements, visit: qmul. ac.uk/international/international-students/ englishlanguagerequirements It is not a requirement to have previously studied geography and we encourage applications from those coming from appropriate related disciplines in the social sciences, humanities or natural and environmental sciences. Please see page 40 for details of our PhD entry requirements.

46 geog.qmul.ac.uk

You can find a full list of both UK/EU and overseas tuition fees here: qmul.ac.uk/tuitionfees There are a number of sources of funding available for masters and PhD students.

These include a significant package of QMUL bursaries, scholarships and studentships in a range of subject areas, which were worth £9m in 2014–15. There is also a wide range of external sources of funding available, including the government’s new postgraduate student loan scheme planned for 2016 entry (see below). QMUL graduates can also benefit from our Alumni Loyalty Awards. For all funding information, see: qmul.ac.uk/ postgraduate/funding

New ways to fund your masters degree (Home/EU): The government is planning a new loan scheme for postgraduate students for September 2016 entry. It is expected that loans of up to £10,000 will be available for Home/EU students under 30 years old wishing to do a postgraduate taught masters in any subject. We will provide guidance at qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding once the details have been confirmed. For a summary of the proposals, see: www. findamasters.com/funding/guides/new-ukpostgraduate-loans-scheme.aspx

Accommodation

We are in the enviable position of being the only university in central London to offer a completely self-contained campus experience with close to 2,000 beds at our Mile End campus, including those in our purposebuilt Student Village. We are also able to offer dedicated halls at our Charterhouse Square and Whitechapel campuses. We have a thorough grasp of alternative local housing options, and can provide you with comprehensive guidance and information to help you find a suitable place to live, whether on or off campus.

“I chose QMUL to work on an exciting and unique project with a leading researcher.

The studentship, fieldwork funding, and additional support I receive from QMUL is crucial and incredibly appreciated. The ease of traveling throughout Europe from the UK for fieldwork is a benefit�

Cianna Wyshnytzky, PhD student from the United States

For more information: Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 5522 email: residences@qmul.ac.uk residences.qmul.ac.uk

Contact us

For more information about our programmes: Postgraduate Administrator School of Geography, Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 8165 email: Geog-PGadmin@qmul.ac.uk For general admissions enquiries for taught masters programmes: Freephone: 0800 376 1800 From outside the UK: +44 (0)20 7882 5533 email: admissions@qmul.ac.uk For general admissions enquiries for research degree programmes: Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 2207/5860 email: researchadmissions@qmul.ac.uk

Cianna overlooking the upper Zemmgrund (valley), Austria during summer 2014 research about the Quaternary evolution of the Schwarzensteinkees (glacier) foreland.

geog.qmul.ac.uk 47

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

QMUL has a cosmopolitan postgraduate community, with students from more than 150 countries making a valuable and active contribution to academic and social life. Wherever you are from, you will find a very warm welcome within the School of Geography and at QMUL more widely.

Entry requirements

Each application received at QMUL is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, comparing international and UK qualifications. We look at your qualifications, the institution you have attended, and any relevant work experience.

You can find detailed country-specific entry requirements here: qmul.ac.uk/international/ countries

Support for international students We offer a range of support services to help you feel at home:

Airport collection New international students are offered a free airport collection service before the start of term in September 2016. This service will be advertised on our website, along with an online booking form: qmul.ac.uk/prearrival The welcome programme A welcome programme will be provided for all new international students before the start of term in September 2016. This is an opportunity to meet other international students studying a variety of programmes

48 geog.qmul.ac.uk

and gain practical advice about living and studying in London. Following the welcome programme, you can take part in a number of social events throughout the year. In 2015, these included trips to Amsterdam, Bruges, the Scottish Highlands, Wales, and the Wye Valley.

Advice and counselling The Advice and Counselling Service offers professional advice and support to international students. They can advise you on finance and funding, Tier 4 Entry Clearance, Tier 4 extensions, immigration problems, UK work schemes after study, and offer counselling support for personal issues, such as homesickness. For further details, see: welfare.qmul.ac.uk Healthcare There is a Student Health Service on campus.

You (and your spouse and children, if they are in the UK with you as your dependants) are entitled to free medical treatment on the UK National Health Service (NHS) if you are registered on a programme lasting six months or longer (please note: from September 2015 this may change – international students may face a small charge to access NHS services). If your programme lasts for fewer than six months, you should make sure you have adequate medical insurance cover. If you are a European Economic Area (EEA) national, you should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before coming to the UK, which entitles you and your family to full NHS treatment. For more information, visit: studenthealth.qmul.ac.uk

Living costs International students will need to show evidence of having at least £9,180 (based on 2015 guidance) for living costs plus 100 per cent of your tuition fees in order to obtain Entry Clearance under Tier 4 of the UK Visas and Immigration’s points-based system of immigration. Additional amounts need to be shown for dependants. £9,180 is based on nine months of study and is an immigration requirement only. Most students require more money than this for 12 months’ living costs, normally around £12,000. For further information, visit: welfare.qmul.ac.uk/ international/money Scholarships We want to attract the best students to QMUL. In recognition of the important investment that international students are making in their education, we are pleased to offer a range of scholarships to reward outstanding academic achievement. For more information, visit: qmul.ac.uk/international/feesfinance

Representatives in your country

We have offices or representatives in many countries who you can visit to discuss applying to QMUL. Contact details can be found at: qmul.ac.uk/international/countries

QMUL International Office

Members of staff at QMUL regularly make visits overseas to meet students and their families.

To see when we will be visiting your region, or for more information on any aspect of life at QMUL, see: qmul.ac.uk/international/events Contact us Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 6530 email: internationaloffice@qmul.ac.uk qmul.ac.uk/international

English language

All tuition and examinations at the university are in English, so a sound command of the language is essential for success. QMUL provides a number of programmes in English for academic purposes to help you get the most out of your study. You need to be able to cope with reading and note-taking from lectures, books, journals, and other materials; to speak well in seminars, discussion groups, and tutorials; and to present yourself effectively in written assignments and examinations.

English language requirements If your first language is not English, you must provide evidence that your English skills are sufficient by including details of recognised language qualifications with your application.

If you are an international applicant you are strongly advised to contact your local British Council Office, take the academic IELTS (International English Language Testing Service) test and submit the results with your application. QMUL’s minimum requirement

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INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

for postgraduates is an IELTS score of 6.5; however, some courses require a higher score (some Geography programmes are at 7.0). For detailed English language entry requirements for all of our programmes, including individual component scores, see: qmul.ac.uk/international If you have English language scores slightly below the required band, you may be eligible to attend one of our pre-sessional English language summer programmes before the start of your course.

English language summer programmes (pre-sessional programmes) From June to September, we arrange a series of English language programmes for students who wish to improve their proficiency in English before starting university. The programme aims to improve your listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills; teach study skills such as note-taking, academic writing, and seminar participation; develop skills essential to working independently; and to introduce you to life in Britain. We encourage independent work and use of English by setting individual projects. QMUL academic staff and other visiting lecturers will give a series of lectures. We provide some residential accommodation on summer programmes in our halls of residence. Find out more: http://language-centre.sllf.qmul. ac.uk/presessionals

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Pre-Masters Graduate Diploma in Humanities and Social Sciences If you need to improve your English and academic skills and become familiar with the UK system before postgraduate study, you can join our Pre-Masters Graduate Diploma in Humanities and Social Sciences. The minimum entry level is IELTS 5.5. Find out more: http://language-centre.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/ pre-masters In-sessional English language support The Language Centre runs a series of in-sessional English programmes in academic writing, grammar and vocabulary, lecture comprehension and seminar skills, and general English during the main teaching periods of the academic year. These are free of charge. Find out more: http://languagecentre.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/in-sessionals Academic study support To help you with the transition to higher degree study, the Library runs a programme of short courses, tutorials, and drop-in classes in skills such as organisation and time management, research and note-taking, oral communication and presentation, academic writing, personal development planning and revision, and examination skills. For more information, see: library.qmul.ac.uk/ academic_study_tutorials English Language and Study Skills Office Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 2827 email: elss@qmul.ac.uk http://language-centre.sllf.qmul.ac.uk

“I wanted to study in London because of my interest in the Sherlock Holmes mysteries: it’s one thing to read the novels and imagine the landscape, but to actually walk the same streets is an experience all its own” Elinor Hickey (Baltimore, Maryland), London Studies MA

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A Postgraduate Open Evening in the Octagon at our Mile End campus, historically the university’s library and now an event space.

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MEET US

Campus tours

We organise campus tours throughout the year. Restricted to small groups so that everyone has the chance to ask questions, these informal events are a great way to find out about living and studying here. They normally last an hour and you will be shown around by a current student. To book your place, please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/ openday/campustours

Postgraduate open events

We hold a variety of postgraduate open events at the Mile End campus. Each event is different but usually includes the opportunity to meet academics, see subject-specific facilities, tour research and learning facilities, and speak to our support services, including Careers staff.

Around the UK

We visit local and national postgraduate education fairs, conventions and events across the country each year. Come along to an event near you to find out more about postgraduate study and student life with us.

For more information, please visit: qmul. ac.uk/postgraduate/meet-us/around-the-uk

International students

If you are from outside the UK, please see our ‘Meet us overseas’ page for details of where you can meet the International Office over the coming year: qmul.ac.uk/international/ international-students/events

For more details and to book, please visit: qmul.ac.uk/pgopenevening

Virtual events

We also hold virtual events during the year. For dates, virtual tours of the campus, videos and more, visit: qmul.ac.uk/ postgraduate/meet-us/virtualopenday

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HOW TO FIND US

The easiest way to get to QMUL is to use public transport. There are two Underground stations and many bus stops within a few minutes’ walk of the Mile End campus.

Underground

QMUL’s Mile End campus is located between Mile End station (Central, District, Hammersmith and City lines) and Stepney Green station (District, Hammersmith and City lines). Both stations are in London Underground Zone 2.

Our Whitechapel campus is right behind the Royal London Hospital on Whitechapel Road. Whitechapel Underground station (Hammersmith and City, District and Overground lines) is directly across the road from the Hospital.

Based in the City of London, close to the Barbican, QMUL’s Charterhouse Square campus is five minutes’ walk from Barts Hospital. The nearest Underground station is Barbican (Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan and Circle lines). Farringdon is also not far away.

The nearest Underground station to the Postgraduate Law Centre at Lincoln’s Inn Fields is Holborn (Central and Piccadilly lines).

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Buses

All of our campuses are well-served by London bus routes. To plan your journey, visit: tfl.gov.uk

Docklands Light Railway (DLR)

The nearest DLR station to QMUL is Bow Church.

Travelcards and Oyster cards

The most cost-effective and convenient way to pay for public transport in London (buses, trains, tubes, boats, trams, and DLR) is to get an Oyster card. You can also now pay with contactless debit or credit cards too. As a student at QMUL, you are eligible for an 18+ Student Photocard which gives you 30 per cent off the price of adult-rate travelcards and bus and tram passes.

A discounted Zones 1–2 monthly travelcard – which gives you unlimited travel on buses, trains, tubes, and the DLR within Zone 1 (Central London) and Zone 2 (which includes Mile End) – is approximately £86. For more information, please see: tfl.gov.uk/oyster

Cars

Traffic is heavy and parking difficult, making driving in London an unattractive option.

There are no parking places for students on campus, with the exception of students displaying an authorised blue disabled sticker (who have applied for and received a QMUL parking permit). Contact the Disability and Dyslexia Service for advice on: +44 (0)20 7882 2756.

Taxis

Black cabs use a meter to calculate your fare and you can hail one in the street. They are safe to use, but can be expensive. Mini-cabs are normal cars and charge a fixed price.

Trains

London is very well-served by train station­s, all within easy reach of QMUL’s campuses.

The closest is Liverpool Street, just two stops from Mile End on the Underground (Central line). Trains from Liverpool Street run to Stansted Airport, as well as other destinations.

King’s Cross and St Pancras International (for Eurostar services to mainland Europe) are both a short journey from Mile End on the Underground’s Hammersmith and City line.

London Bridge and Fenchurch Street are also close by.

Airports

The closest airport is London City Airport – just five miles away – which offers regular flights to UK and other European cities.

Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Southend and Stansted are within easy reach of QMUL, and all can be reached in anything from one to two hours by train or Underground.

ALUMNI PROFILE: Lucy Diggens Studied: Environmental Science by Research MSc Currently: Laboratory Technician in the Physical Geography Laboratories, QMUL Why did you choose QMUL? I studied my undergraduate course in the School of Geography and this focused my interest and developed my knowledge of glaciers and sub-glacial processes. I really enjoyed being in the Department and knew it had great laboratory facilities to help me specialise further at postgraduate level.

How did your QMUL degree help you with your career?

My MSc gave me the chance to learn how to use scanning equipment such as a tomograph in the Centre for Micromorphology. I worked with this equipment and directly applied these x-ray computer tomography skills as a research assistant analysing sediment samples in order to increase our understanding of the formation of mega-scale glacial lineations. This gave me a good grounding to gain my current post as a Laboratory Technician in the School, responsible for this equipment as well as supporting teaching and research.

Student travel in London

For more information about discounted travel, safety information and how to use the travel planning tools on the TfL website, visit: tfl.gov.uk/campaign/student-guide-to-travelin-london

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MILE END CAMPUS Mile End Campus

For more detailed campus information, see: qmul.ac.uk/about/howtofindus Educational/Research

Residential

Facilities

ArtsOne

37

Albert Stern Cottages

3

Advice and Counselling Service

27

ArtsTwo

35

Albert Stern House

1

Housing Hub

48

Arts Research Centre

39

Beaumont Court

53

Bookshop

22

The Bancroft Building

31

Chapman House

43

Careers Centre

19

Chesney House

45

Clock Tower

20

Creed Court

57

CopyShop

56

France House

55

The Curve

47

Bancroft Road Teaching Rooms

10 6

Computer Science Building Engineering Building

15

Feilden House

46

Fogg Building

13

Hatton House

40

G.O. Jones Building

25

Ifor Evans Place

Geography

26

Lindop House

21

Lodge House

50

Informatics Teaching Laboratories

5

Joseph Priestley Building

41

Library

32

Law

36

Lock-keeper’s Graduate Centre

42

Mathematical Sciences

4

2

Lynden House

59

Maurice Court

58

Maynard House

44

Pooley House

60

Selincourt House

51

Varey House

49

63

Ground Café

33

The Hive

24

Infusion

9

IT Services

19

Mucci’s

29

Occupational Health Service/ Student Health Service

Library/bookshop Fitness centre Bar Coffee place

28

Eatery

19a

Octagon Police Box

38

Portering and Postal Services

17

12

The People’s Palace/Great Hall

16

Qmotion Health and Fitness Centre Sports Hall 7

Queens’ Building

19

Santander Bank

Temporary Building

61

Security/France House Reception 54

Staff car park Bicycle parking Bicycle lockers

62

St Benet’s Chaplaincy

23

Students’ Union Hub

34

Student Enquiry Centre

19

Cash machine

52

Village Shop Currently no through route between Westfield Geography Square and Bancroft Road.

No.14 and No.64 no longer in use. Can be used for other locations.Nursery NS-10/2014 Bancroft Road

Smoking is prohibited on campus.

These premises are alarmed and monitored by CCTV, please call Security on +44 (0)20 7882 5000 for more information.

8

Drapers Bar and Kitchen Canalside

Occupational Health and Safety Directorate

New Graduate Centre construction site 18

Information Visitors who require further information or assistance please go to the Main Reception in the Queens’ Building.

11

Bradwell Street 60

Portelet Road

Massingham St

Leatherdale Street

Moody Street Longnor Road

59 58

55

57

Holton Street

63 62

Bancroft Road

Grantley Street

Carlton Square

55 54

53

Mile End Hospital

52 51

48

Alderney Road

50

28

13

11

6

8

Godward Square

9

3 2

15

4

Nuevo Burial Ground

44

41

43

42

BL Arts Quarter

15

40

33

16 24 23 20

22

34

35

36

37 38

39

East Gate

Mile End Tube Station

Mile End Road Harford St

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32

25

45

The Curve

Library Square

19

West Gate

Stepney Green Tube Station

19a

15

2

46

56

18

10

Bancroft Road

Mile End Place

5

7

17

Westfield Way

18

29

26

61 12

47

31

Regent’s Canal

27 BL Geography Square 18

1

49

46

21

1 Mile End campus

2 Whitechapel campus

3 Charterhouse Square campus

4 Postgraduate Law Centre

LONDON TUBE MAP

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QMUL has made reasonable efforts to ensure that the information provided in this prospectus is both helpful and accurate at the time of going to press. However, this information is subject to change over time.

For this reason, it is important that you check the website for the most up-to-date information (qmul.ac.uk) or contact us using the details contained within the document.

Some circumstances (such as staff changes, resource limitations and other factors over which QMUL has no control, such as industrial action, a change in the law or the level of demand for a particular programme or module) may result in QMUL having to withdraw or change aspects of the programmes, modules and/or student services detailed in this prospectus. This could include, but not necessarily be limited to: programme content, staffing, where and how the programme is taught, and the facilities provided to deliver or support the programme.

Contact Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS qmul.ac.uk We would like to thank the staff and students who took part in these photographs. Student and departmental photography by Jorge Estevao (jdestevao.com) and Jonathan Cole (JonathanColePhotography.com) Ragged School Museum photograph, page 8, by Eithne Nightingale Produced by Marketing and Communications Queen Mary University of London.

This publication has been printed using vegetable oil-based inks on environmentally friendly material from sustainably managed sources (from the Edixion paper range).

The eco-friendly low carbon printing company is ISO 14001 accredited, and operates a ‘cradle to grave environmental management system’, ensuring environmental impact is minimised throughout every aspect of print production. Key focus is placed upon energy saving, reductions of chemicals and emissions, water conservation, and waste minimisation.

In the unlikely event that QMUL does discontinue a programme of study, or changes it significantly before it begins, we will inform relevant individuals (including applicants holding an offer of a place) at the earliest possible opportunity. In the case of other changes, we will ensure that these are reflected on our website (qmul.ac.uk) as soon as possible.

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For further information contact:

School of Geography Queen Mary University of London Mile End Road London E1 4NS Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 8165 email: Geog-PGadmin@qmul.ac.uk geog.qmul.ac.uk

Any section of this publication is available in large print upon request.

If you require this publication in a different accessible format we will endeavour to provide this, where possible. For further information and assistance, please contact: hr-equality@qmul.ac.uk; +44 (0)20 7882 5585. @QMULGeography