Church History

Syllabus

Students take four elective courses and write a supervised dissertation of approximately 20,000 words on a topic related to the degree. They also take postgraduate research training courses.

Of the four elective courses, at least two must be taken in the following areas:

• Basic Latin for Postgraduates
• Reformation in Scotland
• Early Modern Catholicism
• Catholicism and Politics in the 19th and 20th Century
• Witchcraft, Traditional Practices and the Rise of a Protestant Culture in Early Modern Scotland
• Canon Law and Lawyers in the Middle Ages

The remaining one or two electives may be taken from a range of taught Masters level courses in the School of Divinity, History and Philosophy. Courses may include the following:

• Intermediate Latin
• Latin Palaeography
• Vernacular Palaeography
• The Use of the Bible in Theology
• Contemporary Catholic Thought

Each student is appointed to a supervisor who will assist in planning the period of study in a way that is appropriate to the qualifications and interests of the student. Students are also encouraged to attend the training course for research students organised by the College of Arts and Social Sciences.

Assessment

The taught courses will be assessed by coursework, by written examination, or by a combination of these, as prescribed for each course. The dissertation course will be assessed by submission of the dissertation. An oral examination may be held at the discretion of the Examiners. The degree of MTh shall not be awarded to candidates who fail to complete the dissertation at an appropriate standard, irrespective of their performance in other courses.

Duration

12 months, full-time.