Death and Society

Overview

How societies organise, ritualise, theorise and symbolise death varies across time and cultures. Interest in death and dying is growing, particularly in the media and the caring professions. The social scientific study of death, dying and bereavement took off in the UK in the 1990s, building on earlier scholarly work in the USA and in France. The addition of sociological to anthropological and historical studies now means that the UK is producing some of the very best research.

The MSc in Death & Society at the University of Bath provides the best possible way to get into this new and exciting field. The emphasis throughout is critical dialogue between practice and scholarship, and bringing together practitioners and scholars from different backgrounds to learn in a creatively diverse group. Our multidisciplinary approach stimulates thinking beyond professional and disciplinary boundaries.

Programme Structure

The University operates a credit system by which candidates have to accrue a sufficient number of credits before they can be awarded a specific qualification. MSc requires 90 credits. Each unit has a specific credit-rating, which is achieved by passing the relevant assesments. Unit options selection should be made to ensure sufficient credits are achieved.

Units

• The Social Context of Death and Dying
• Research Issues
• Ritual & Belief
• Ethical Issues in Research, Policy and Practice
• Dying & Mourning in Social Science & the Arts
• Dissertation Planning
• Dissertation

Teaching by leading scholars, including Tony Walter, Allan Kellehear, Malcolm Johnson and Clare Gittings.

Teaching occurs in three settings:

• Lectures and seminars provide opportunity for you to examine critically the fundamental concepts and debates in the social scientific study of death.
• The dissertation enables you to follow up a particular topic in depth and to develop research skills. For this, you will work with a supervisor in individual or small-group tutorials.
• Field trips in certain units will also enable you to concretise concepts and methodologies. Students can initiate field trips, for example, to relevant exhibitions.

Dedication

2 years,part -time.

Entry Requirements

A good first degree, or a professional qualification together with experience in a relevant field. The minimum non-graduate qualifications acceptable for admission to this course are:

1. A relevant postgraduate diploma or Higher National Diploma passed at the appropriate level.
2. A relevant professional qualification together with papers passed at an appropriate standard if required by the appropriate Head of Group.
3. Extended and responsible experience in a relevant field together with authorship of papers of an acceptable academic standard.

English requirements

• IELTS 7.0 (with not less than 6.5 in each of the four components).
• TOEFL 600 (paper-based test) or 250 (computer-based test) with a score of not less than 4 in TWE or 100 (internet-based test) with not less than 24 in each of the components.