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Semester 1 (1 on-campus study day and 11 weeks online learning, 2 hours per module, per week): This taught module introduces students to advanced aspects of the interdisciplinary Humanities that they may not have encountered at undergraduate level or on subject-specific courses, such as new materialist, postcritical, and posthumanist approaches as well as intersections with environmental, medical and digital spaces.
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Semester 1 (1 on-campus study day and 11 weeks online learning, 2 hours per module, per week): This taught module focuses on the further development of students’ transferable skills and the place of Humanities Masters’ level graduates in various sectors and industries. The module begins with identifying individual student aspirations and needs in terms of graduate employability, professional qualifications, or further study in HE. The module also explores the ways in which Humanities graduates offer alternative ways of thinking about and responding to rapidly changing technological and social contexts.
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Semester 2: (1 on-campus study day and 11 weeks online learning, 2 hours per module, per week) This taught module will provide students with a range of tools and techniques for Masters’ level research in the Humanities. Students will look to examples of exemplary and creative research methods and implement these techniques in their own idea for a mini-research project.
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Semester 2: (1 on-campus study day and 11 weeks online learning, 2 hours per module, per week): This taught module can be approached as a stand-alone module or as the first part of a larger capstone project leading into AHU705: Applied Humanities – Project II. In this module, students will pursue either a research or work-based learning project. In both cases, students will be required to consider the parameters of the project; ethics; audience, stakeholders and/or partners; communication and delivery; outcomes and impact.
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Semester 3: (1 on-campus study day, 5 weeks online learning, 6 weeks self-directed, 2 hours per module, per week) This project module is tailored to suit students’ own areas of interest, in collaboration with one another or an external partner. The taught half of the module will explore the ways Humanities research engages with social, political and environmental issues in the public sphere and how such research can affect policy, industry and culture in creative and innovative ways. In the self-directed section of the module, students will be asked to use their critical thinking skills to explore transformative solutions to industry and/or social issues at both a local and global level.
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Semester 3: (1 on-campus study day, 5 weeks online learning, 6 weeks self-directed, 2 hours per module, per week) This project module can be approached as a stand-alone module or as the second part of a larger capstone project leading on from AHM704: Applied Humanities – Project I.
Applied Humanities (MA)
Postgraduate, Master's Degree, September 2025
MA Applied Humanities offers ideal preparation for a range of professional careers in business, education, health, law, and media, as well as preparation for further study in HE. This degree offers transdisciplinary training in critical thinking combined with professional skills and core competencies delivered through the creative and problem-solving approach of the humanities.
Students’ existing knowledge and skills in the humanities, as well as individual cultural backgrounds and life experiences, will be valued and utilised in learning. Students work independently and in collaboration to develop their core skills and position themselves as transformative problem solvers and to cultivate a network of connections for the future.
For further information about the MA Applied Humanities course, please email Charlotte Lewandowski.
This MA’s focus on practice, collaboration and project management means it is especially suited to students seeking a competitive edge or to upskill for graduate employment; it is equally suited to students wishing to prepare for a PhD programme in the Humanities.
Assessment is varied and includes individual assignments as well as group projects. Some modules have assignments which can be negotiated with the module leader. You should expect to submit written, oral and digital assignments over the course of the programme.
The programme guides students through parallel pathways: in the first strand, students are provided with an introduction the New Humanities, such as new materialist, postcritical, and posthumanist thinking, as well as intersections with environmental, digital and medical spaces; trained in how to research effectively as a Level 7 Humanities postgraduate researcher; given opportunities to explore the applications of the Humanities to real world problems and debates.
The second strand focuses on the Humanities in professional spaces and, through student-led projects, explores the value of the Humanities to various sectors in theory and practice. Over the course of the programme, students will develop a portfolio of work which showcases their skills as they identify and examine critical issues and offer transformative solutions.
MA Applied Humanities offers ideal preparation for a range of professional careers in business, education, health, law, and media, as well as preparation for further study in HE.
As a predominantly online course it is possible to live outside of Birmingham and travel in for the on-campus sessions (2 classes per semester) and conduct group work assignments virtually. Although most classes take place online, as a student living in Birmingham you are welcome to use all the campus facilities and can choose to come in for tutorials. MA students are eligible to apply for on-campus accommodation.
Entry Requirements
Applicants normally require an undergraduate degree in a related discipline with an overall classification of 2:2 or above, or equivalent. Applicants who do not meet these requirements will also be considered but may be required to attend an interview or to submit a piece of written work as part of the application process.
We welcome applications from a wide sector and all non-standard applications will be carefully considered
September 2025 Direct Application link (Full-Time)
September 2025 Direct Application link (Part-Time)
Course Fees
The standard course fee for both full-time and part-time for 2025/2026 is £8,850 per year.
Alumni 10% discounts are available to students who have completed a full UG or PGCE with Birmingham Newman.
Modules
Semester 1: AHM700 – 2hrs per week online learning for 11 weeks, plus 1 on-campus session. AHM703 – 2hrs per week online learning for 11 weeks, plus 1 on-campus session.
Semester 2: AHM701 – 2hrs per week online learning for 11 weeks, plus 1 on-campus session AHM704 – 2hrs per week online learning for 5 weeks, plus 1 on-campus session and 6 weeks of self-directed project work or placement.
Semester 3: AHM702 – 2hrs per week online learning for 5 weeks, plus 1 on-campus session and 6 weeks of self-directed project work. AHM705 – 2hrs per week online learning for 5 weeks, plus 1 on-campus session and 6 weeks of self-directed project work or placement.
Please be aware that, as with any course, there may be changes to the modules delivered. For information view our Changes to Programmes of Module Changes page.
Additional Information
General Academic Regulations: Terms and Conditions for students attending our courses