Note from the Programme Director
Welcome to the University of Manchester, and to our MSc programme in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, including the Medical Humanities pathway.
Having chosen to take this course, you will know the key role of science, technology and medicine (STM) in modern life, from global politics to the food on our tables. This programme uses history to explore how STM knowledge and practices emerged, why they hold their current status, and how they shape and are shaped by other human activities.
The HSTM pathway explores not only the past, but the present and future implications of the relationship between STM and wider society: you will also take classes alongside students on our Science Communication programme, learning about dialogues between STM experts and other audiences, from ‘general publics’ to elite policymakers. The Medical Humanities pathway considers medicine and healthcare from a wide range of perspectives, with historical methods placed alongside approaches from literary studies, the social sciences, and the visual arts.
Through the taught classes, discussion seminars and assessments on this programme, you will develop your analytical and presentational skills, and by writing a research dissertation or building a creative portfolio you will make an original contribution to knowledge. Those skills will also help you in many fields of work where an understanding of the dynamics of STM and contemporary societies is required: past graduates have gone on to careers in medical practice, publishing, museums, public policymaking, teaching and industry.
The course should challenge you. It will make you think in new ways about STM and society, and should make you confront strongly held views. It will give you new intellectual tools for thinking about important contemporary issues in an atmosphere of open and critical debate. And it will demand considerable self-motivation and energy as you engage with other students and your teachers. But we hope you will also find it a richly rewarding and enjoyable experience.
You will find the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine a friendly and supportive environment, and we encourage you to take a full part in the intellectual and social life of the department. More details of CHSTM are given on the following pages. Please drop in to talk with me about any questions or concern you might have over the course of the year. I look forward to seeing you soon!
James Sumner
Centre, School and Faculty structures
Your programme is developed and largely run by members of the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHSTM). CHSTM was founded in 1986, and is the largest research group of its kind in the UK. Based in the Simon Building on Brunswick Street, CHSTM is home to around 15 lecturers and research associates, a large PhD community, the MSc programme, an undergraduate programme in Biology with Science and Society, and undergraduate option teaching across the University.
CHSTM’s research and teaching ranges broadly across the sciences, technology, engineering, medicine and healthcare, with a focus on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and on the relevance of recent history to present-day policy and understanding. This approach is integrated with our work in science communication studies, looking at how science is described and understood by, and for, non-expert audiences.
Following a major University restructuring in summer 2016, all CHSTM staff are now members of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS), one of three Schools within the new Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH). Our subject coverage (including the histories of the physical sciences and other non-medical topics) is unchanged, but as a student on our MSc programme you will also be registered into the School of Medical Sciences.
As part of the restructuring transition, however, administrative support during the 2016-17 academic year will be provided by staff from the parallel School of Biological Sciences (SBS), according to the guidelines developed in the former Faculty of Life Sciences which had responsibility for these programmes.
Main contact details
Programme Director, MSc History of Science, Technology and Medicine
Dr James Sumner
2.34 Simon Building, 0161 275 5845
james.sumner@manchester.ac.uk
The Programme Director has overall responsibility for academic guidance on the programme in general and the HSTM study pathway in particular, and will advise on course content, skills provision, etc.
MSc Medical Humanities pathway co-ordinators
Dr Carsten Timmerman
2.36 Simon Building, 0161 275 7950
carsten.timmermann@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Sarah Collins
G.012 Stopford Building, 0161 275 1347
sarah.collins@manchester.ac.uk
Students should refer to the co-ordinators for anything specific to the Medical Humanities pathway. They can also advise on medical humanities activity in the University more generally.
Student Support Office, School of Biological Sciences
studentsupportoffice.sbs@manchester.ac.uk
G.483 Stopford Building, 0161 275 1487
The Student Support Office provides day-to-day information on supervision meetings, graduation, and various other matters, and manages the mitigating circumstances request process for coursework extensions.
Deputy Senior Advisor for Postgraduate Taught Students, School of Biological Sciences
Dr Emmanuel Pinteaux
2.025B AV Hill Building, 0161 275 1825
emmanuel.pinteaux@manchester.ac.uk
The Deputy Senior Advisor has overall responsibility for student welfare and discipline, and assesses all requests for extensions and other mitigating circumstances support. You can contact him directly if you have major support needs that can’t be resolved within CHSTM, or if you wish to raise a problem with CHSTM teaching provision or staff.
Programme Director, MSc Science Communication
Dr David Kirby
2.26 Simon Building, 0161 275 5837
david.kirby@manchester.ac.uk
The parallel MSc in Science Communication has various classes and volunteer opportunities that may be of interest to students on the HSTM MSc. The Programme Director will be happy to discuss (time permitting).
Director of CHSTM
Dr Ian Burney
2.24 Simon Building, 0161 275 5871
ian.burney@manchester.ac.uk
The Director oversees the academic work of the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine in general, and may be the best person to talk to if you want to discuss the connections between teaching and research at CHSTM.
Who’s who at CHSTM
The composition of the staff and student body changes frequently. Up-to-date listings are available on our website: for the staff list, see
http://www.chstm.manchester.ac.uk/people/staff
Here you will find contact details and research profiles for all the teaching staff, and for several researchers who do not teach (but may be available to advise on dissertations and other projects). You’re welcome to contact any member of staff whose research area you’re interested in.
The list of research students is at
http://www.chstm.manchester.ac.uk/people/students/
As an MSc student, you’ll be assigned a PhD student mentor on arrival. It’s worth getting to know the other PhD students and finding out more about their work, particularly if you think you might be interested in going on to PhD study yourself.
Facilities
MSc office
MSc students have the use of an office on the fourth floor of the Simon Building (Room 4.53), containing working space and networked computers. The keycode for the office door is available from the Programme Director.
Computing and printing facilities
There is a large PC cluster on the sixth floor of the Simon Building (Room 6.004) which contains 140 PC terminals and is open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm.
Terminals and printing facilities are also available in the School of Biological Sciences’ main student facilities – see “Computing facilities in the Stopford Building” in the general section of the handbook for full details – and in other locations including the University of Manchester Library Main Building.
For real-time information on cluster PC availability around the University, see http://www.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/clusteravailability/avail.php?html
Various specialist printing services are available from the University Print Shop in the Kilburn Building.
CHSTM Library
The CHSTM Library is housed alongside the PhD students’ office in Room 2.54. It has a large subject-specific collection, and is reserved for the use of CHSTM staff, postgraduates and selected undergraduates.
To make sure that everyone has access to the books they need, the CHSTM Library is reference-only. Staff and PhD students may sign out books to use in their offices temporarily, but MSc students must not remove books from the Library at any time. Always remember to re-shelve books after use.
Photocopying
Unfortunately, we can’t provide copying facilities for students within CHSTM. A bank of photocopiers is available at the University of Manchester Library Main Building.
Kitchen
The kitchen (Room 2.59) is open to students at all times during the day, and contains a kettle and microwave. Please bring your own mug and supply of teabags, coffee, etc. If you use milk, don’t steal other people’s! There is a CHSTM milk-buying rota which you can join.
Nobody is paid to clean this area for us, so make sure you wash up and put away all mugs, dishes etc, and wipe down the surfaces after you use the kitchen.
Pigeonholes
The student pigeonholes (MSc and PhD) are on the right-hand wall in the room before the kitchen. Mail is sorted alphabetically by surname. Make sure you check the pigeonhole for your name regularly. Apart from mail sent from outside the University, returned coursework may be left here for collection.
Useful information on the local area
We can only provide a brief summary of local facilities here. If you’re new to the University or city, you might want to start with these guides:
http://www.explore.manchester.ac.uk/
http://www.ichstm2013.com/explore/ (from a major conference in 2013: mostly written by CHSTM colleagues! NB, the food and drink recommendations are a little out of date now)
http://wikitravel.org/en/Manchester
http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/europe/england/northwest/manchester/
Travelling to CHSTM
The University website has some useful information about public transport:
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/travel/
We don’t recommend regularly bringing a car to the University campus, because of the usual difficulties of parking in a built-up area. The nearest managed parking facility is the NCP Aquatic Centre Car Park on Booth Street East.
Useful services
Grocery/general: University Place shop, in the University Place building fronting onto Oxford Road; Sainsbury’s, Oxford Road near the Grafton Street junction; Morrison’s, Grafton Street. Pharmacy/chemist: Faith, 59 Booth Street West. Post Office: inside the Nisa Local convenience store, Unit 11 Wilmslow Park on Hathersage Road.
Food
Vasaio, ground floor, Simon Building. University catering. Nearest option for hot sandwiches, pasta, salads, coffee.
Small World Café (“The International Café”), 327 Oxford Road. Run by the University’s International Society, close by and popular with staff and students. Three hot main meal choices a day, plus salads, soup, baked potatoes, sandwiches, paninis, pies, etc, etc, etc.
Herbivores Vegetarian Café, Contact Theatre, Devas Street (set back behind Oxford Road near the Students’ Union). Long-established University institution serving light lunches, tea and cake.
Christie’s, Owens Building. Upmarket; set in what was the Library of the original Oxford Road campus, still book-lined and impressively neo-Gothic. Main meals need pre-booking, otherwise sandwich menu or salad selection.
Café Muse, Manchester Museum. Table service. Can get very busy.
Umami, 147/153 Oxford Road. Noodle bar. Further away, but fast service makes it a good possibility for lunch.
Drink
CHSTM staff and students have tended in recent years to congregate, at various times and for various reasons, at the following:
Kro Bar, 325 Oxford Road. Danish food menu.
Ducie Arms, Devas Street, round the back of the University of Manchester Library. Obscure location makes this an excellent “stealth pub” for academics and librarians.
Contact Theatre Lounge, Oxford Road. Slightly arty. Bottled beers.
Sand Bar, 120 Grosvenor Street. Nice rambling bare-brick pub. Good beer selection.
Libraries
The chief local resource is the University of Manchester Library, whose main site is a short walk away on the other side of Oxford Road. The UML is the UK’s largest non-legal-deposit library, with more than 4 million printed books and manuscripts. It’s also home to the University Archives, and to the National Archive for the History of Computing, directed by CHSTM.
Apart from the main site, there are ten satellite libraries on various parts of the University campus. You will probably need to use several of these at some point, so it’s worth finding out where they’re located. There’s a map on the University Library website:
http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/locationsandopeninghours/
The John Rylands Library, Deansgate is the associated Special Collections/Rare Books and Manuscripts facility: it’s in the city centre, some distance from the main site. Deansgate holds many unique archive collections which past students have used for dissertation research. Full details are available at
http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/specialcollections/
Other local libraries worth knowing about:
Manchester Central Library (“Central Ref”). Main City Council facility, and also home to the main archive services to the city. Important local history collections. http://www.manchester.gov.uk/centrallibrary
Chetham’s Library. Oldest surviving public library in the English-speaking world, founded 1653. Important early book and manuscript holdings: http://www.chethams.org.uk/
Portico Library. Historic private subscription library (John Dalton was an early member) with a large nineteenth-century collection: http://www.theportico.org.uk/
Museums
As a student on this course you should, of course, familiarise yourself with all the local museums with an HSTM dimension – not only to learn more about the history, but to see how those museums present it to public audiences. This is particularly important if you are interested in the Science Communication side of the course.
Manchester Museum, Oxford Road. Part of the University. Natural history (botany, zoology, geology); anthropology and ethnology; biosciences; local artefacts. Famous collections from excavations in Egypt. http://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/
Museum of Science and Industry, Liverpool Road, Castlefield. Close research links with CHSTM. Mainly engineering, physical sciences and communications; strong on transport history, working engines, textiles and the industrial city. Museum site has an interesting history as the former terminus of the world’s first passenger railway. http://msimanchester.org.uk/
People’s History Museum, Left Bank (off Quay Street), Spinningfields. Mainly history of the organised labour movement. Important social dimension for understanding industrial change. http://www.phm.org.uk/
Imperial War Museum North, Salford Quays. One gallery dedicated to “science, technology and war”. http://north.iwm.org.uk/
For a more detailed listing of local museums with map, see http://www.ichstm2013.com/explore/museums/index.html.
Research seminars
A research seminar is a session at which a researcher gives a lecture-style presentation on his or her current work and takes questions from the audience. Attending research seminars is an important part of your experience on this programme and attendance at the main CHSTM seminar is required. Work based on your response to seminars will form part of your assessment for the Research and Writing Skills course unit. Part-time students, who may be unable to attend seminars, should discuss alternative arrangements with the Programme Director.
Unlike your course lectures and taught seminars, which will (usually) concentrate on the older and more established research that shapes the field, research seminars feature brand-new (often unfinished) research, and will give you more of an insight into the life of a working researcher.
CHSTM runs two main seminar series during the teaching semester:
CHSTM Seminar (fortnightly; Tuesdays, 4 till 5:30pm, Room 2.57). Our main formal series featuring invited speakers from institutions across Britain and the world, ranging from well-known senior figures to promising younger members of the profession. This is also CHSTM’s main regular social gathering. We usually adjourn for drinks somewhere after the seminar: you are encouraged to come along and meet other students, staff and the speaker.
Lunchtime Seminar (weekly; Tuesdays, 1 till 2pm, Room 2.57). Organised by PhD students, this is a less formal series featuring shorter work-in-progress reports from CHSTM staff and students, and occasionally grad students from other institutions. You are particularly encouraged to attend these sessions since they will give you not only an overview of the research going on in CHSTM, but also a sense of how to formulate a research question and then answer it. Bring a sandwich, or stay afterwards for lunch with PhD students and the speaker.
CHSTM also runs several more specialised monthly or annual seminars and speaker events. For full details, see our website:
http://www.chstm.manchester.ac.uk/newsandevents/seminars/
It’s also worth keeping an eye out for other seminars around the University. Depending on your interests, you may find some of the following useful:
History: https://uomhistory.wordpress.com/ (see “Seminars and Lectures” at top)
Institute of Innovation Studies: http://www.research.mbs.ac.uk/innovation/Seminars
Centre for Social Ethics and Policy: http://www.law.manchester.ac.uk/csep/connect/
American Studies: http://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/subjects/american-studies/events-and-seminars/
English Literature and Creative Writing: http://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/subjects/english/events-and-seminars/
Art History and Visual Studies: http://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/subjects/arthistoryvisualstudies/events/
The wider world of HSTM and science communication
If you’re serious about working in a relevant field – for example, as an academic historian, a museum curator, or a science journalist – you need to find out as much as you can, as early as possible, about the community you will be dealing with. Teaching staff can advise on your individual needs, but here are some starting-points you should know about.
E-mail lists
Still the most common means for circulating information about jobs, studentships, conferences and public events in some fields.
mersenne is the main mailing list for the history and philosophy of science, technology and medicine in the UK. Traffic is light, mainly consisting of job and conference announcements. If you’re committed to HSTM, you should join. https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=mersenne
H-Sci-Med-Tech is a US-based HSTM list with international scope. Much busier, but you can cut down the number of emails using the ‘digest’ feature. http://www.h-net.org/~smt/
Histmed is a British-focused list for the history of medicine. http://listserv.warwick.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/histmed
LitMed is a US-based literature and medicine list sponsored by the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities. Its subscribers are mostly academics, and an increasing number of British scholars and practitioners contribute to and use it. http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/litmed
sts-grad is a list for graduate students in Science and Technology Studies (including sociologically based and policy studies, but also some HSTM). http://groups.google.com/group/stsgrad/about
psi-com is a busy, British-focused list about science communication and public engagement with science. It’s mainly used by practitioners (people who do the actual communication, rather than necessarily studying it). https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=psci-com
The SIGCIS list is an active list run by the Society for the History of Technology’s Special Interest Group on Computers, Information and Society (non-members of the Society are welcome to join the list). http://www.sigcis.org/node/19
Increasingly useful to find out what’s going on in your field at the moment. #histSTM (for the integrated HSTM field), #histsci, #scicomm and #scipolicy all popular; #histmed also gets some use. Follow CHSTM on Twitter @ManCHSTM.
The CHSTM Facebook group rarely carries academic announcements, but is used by some staff, students and alumni to keep in touch. Contact Rob Kirk for access.
Professional societies
Most academic disciplines have one or more organisations (“learned societies”) which publish journals, organise conferences, and otherwise promote the field. Some specialist trades, such as science writing, have professional bodies to give advice and support. A few suggestions:
The British Society for the History of Science is the largest body for HSTM in the UK, and welcomes involvement by enthusiastic grad students. The annual Postgraduate Conference provides an excellent way to involve yourself in the community. http://www.bshs.org.uk/
The Society for the Social History of Medicine is the main history of medicine society in the UK, and likewise organises postgrad-specific as well as general conferences. http://www.sshm.org/
The Association of British Science Writers has various resources on its website which may be useful to anyone thinking of a career in science journalism. http://www.absw.org.uk/
The PCST Network is not an official society but it does offer information useful to anyone studying or practicing science communication. http://www.upf.edu/pcstacademy/PCST_Network/network.html
The Association for Medical Humanities sponsors an annual conference bringing together academics and practitioners from the UK and Ireland. http://amh.ac.uk/
Other institutions
It’s also worth taking a look at what goes on in other HSTM/STS departments and centres in the UK. The BSHS has a list: http://www.bshs.org.uk/category/institutions/
Programme aims
The aims of the MSc and Postgraduate Diploma in HSTM, including the Medical Humanities pathway, are:
- to provide an introduction to the main issues and themes of the history and historiography of science, technology and medicine within a wider social, cultural and political context, including communication between specialists and non-specialists (HSTM pathways); or to the study of medicine and healthcare using analytical approaches drawn from across the humanities and social sciences (Medical Humanities pathways)
- to provide an opportunity to study particular topics of historical and contemporary significance in depth
- to develop analytical skills in understanding the changing form and function of science, technology and medicine in society
- to develop transferable writing and presentational skills of the highest standard, and
- to provide a comprehensive introduction to research methods in the history of science, technology and medicine, science communication, and medical humanities, including libraries, archives, databases and oral history
The MSc also aims
- to produce students capable of completing a major piece of individual research and writing in the form of a dissertation.
Programme structure, teaching, and resources
The MSc programme runs for 12 months, full-time, or 24 months, part-time. It normally includes 45 weeks of full-time tuition, starting with registration in the third week of September. Lectures and seminars are generally given during the scheduled University teaching weeks in September to December and February to May.
The programme also includes a research component in which students produce a dissertation under supervision. Full-time students normally begin work on the dissertation in January, for submission in early September. Part-time students normally begin work on the dissertation around the end of the first year, for submission in early September at the end of the second year.
The Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) course is equivalent to the taught component of the MSc degree: there is no dissertation. The PG Diploma programme normally comprises 30 weeks of full-time tuition, starting with registration in the third week of September, and runs for 9 months in the case of a full-time student.
In exceptional circumstances, students wishing to study for the MSc full-time may be asked to register for the PG Diploma course in the first instance. Students originally registered for the PG Diploma may, if their performance is satisfactory, transfer at the appropriate point to the MSc programme.
Please note that some optional course units may be scheduled outside of normal semester time. Tuition is not normally given over the Christmas, New Year or Easter holiday periods.
We strongly recommend that you discuss in advance with your research supervisor any holidays you plan to take during the summer, or at other times while you are involved in dissertation research. Staff are themselves often away from the University outside of teaching time, so please check their availability in advance if you need to arrange meetings.
Contact teaching will consist of lectures, seminars (group discussions usually based on pre-circulated readings) and other activities including site visits. Each course unit will provide access to readings and other relevant materials through the Blackboard learning management system, which is also used for essay and dissertation submission. We recommend that you learn how the Blackboard system works as soon as you can.
Academic Advisement
MSc in History of Science, Technology and Medicine
Pathway – History of Science, Technology and Medicine 2015-16
| Course List 1 – Core Compulsory Taught Units HSTM60511 Major Themes in HSTM (30 credits) semester 1 HSTM60571 Research and Communication Skills (15 credits) HSTM60651 Theory and Practice in HSTM and Medical Humanities (15 credits)Graduate Training Programme BIOL60311 Communication Skills (0 credits) BIOL73130 PGT Advisor Meeting (MSc) 1, (0 credits) BIOL73230 PGT Advisor Meeting (MSc) 2, (0 credits) BIOL85440 PGT ALP (0 credits) BIOL12000 Health & Safety online course (0 credits) HSTM60632 PGT Supervisor Meeting (HSTM), (0 credits) |
> | Academic Requirement 1 Mandatory 60 credits |
> | REQUIREMENT GROUP Total 180 creditsOr 120 credits for PG Diploma |
| Course List 2 – Optional must take 2 of the following HSTM60162 Medicine, Science and Modernity (30 credits) semester 2 HSTM60272 Making Modern Technology (30 credits) semester 2 HSTM60262 Shaping the Sciences (30 credits) semester 2Subject to approval, students may alternatively take one unit from the above list plus a total of 30 credits from the MSc Science Communication option list and/or an appropriate programme elsewhere in the University. |
> | Academic Requirement 2 Mandatory 60 credits |
Successful completion of 120 credits across Semesters 1 to 2 is required in order for students to be eligible to submit a dissertation. A student who does not meet this requirement may exit with a PG diploma.
| Course List 3 – Mandatory must take 1 from 1 (60 credits in total) HSTM60632 Dissertation in History of Science, Technology and Medicine, Science Communication Studies or Medical Humanities |
Academic Requirement 1 60 credits in total |
MSc History of Science, Technology & Medicine
Pathway – History of Science, Technology and Medicine with Research Methods 2015-16
| Course List 1 – Mandatory Units (60 credits in total) HSTM60511 Major Themes in HSTM, (30 credits) semester 1 HSTM60571 Research and Communication Skills (15 credits) HSTM60651 Theory and Practice in HSTM and Medical Humanities (15 credits) SOST70511 Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods (15 credits) semester 1Graduate Training Programme BIOL73130 PGT Advisor Meeting (MSc) 1, (0 credits) BIOL73230 PGT Advisor Meeting (MSc) 2, (0 credits) BIOL12000 Health & Safety online course (0 credits) HSTM60632 PGT Supervisor Meeting (HSTM), (0 credits) |
> | Academic Requirement 1Mandatory 75 credits
|
> | REQUIREMENT GROUPTotal 180 credits for MSc
Or 120 credits for PG Diploma |
| Course List 2 – Choose 1 of the following HSTM60162 Medicine, Science and Modernity (30 credits) semester 2 HSTM60262 Shaping the Sciences (30 credits) semester 2 HSTM60272 Making Modern Technology (30 credits) semester 2Plus a total of 15 credits of qualitative research methods units from the selection offered by the School of Social Sciences. |
> | Academic Requirement 245 credits in total |
Successful completion of 120 credits across Semesters 1 to 2 is required in order for students to be eligible to submit a dissertation. A student who does not meet this requirement may exit with a PG diploma.
| Course List 3 – Mandatory must take 1 from 1 (60 credits in total) HSTM60632 Dissertation in History of Science, Technology and Medicine, Science Communication Studies or Medical Humanities |
> | Academic Requirement 160 credits in total |
MSc History of Science, Technology & Medicine
Pathway – Medical Humanities with Research Methods 2015-16
| Course List 1 – Mandatory Units (60 credits in total) HSTM60541 Major Themes in Medical Humanities (30 credits) HSTM60571 Research and Communication Skills (15 credits) HSTM60651 Theory and Practice in HSTM and Medical Humanities (15 credits) SOST70511 Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods (15 credits) semester 1 HSTM60162 Medicine, Science and Modernity (30 credits) semester 2 Graduate Training Programme |
> | Academic Requirement 1Mandatory 105 credits | > | REQUIREMENT GROUPTotal 180 credits for MSc
Or 120 credits for PG Diploma |
| Course List 2 – Choose 1 of the following A total of 15 credits of qualitative research methods units from the selection offered by the School of Social Sciences. |
> | Academic Requirement 215 credits in total |
Successful completion of 120 credits across Semesters 1 to 2 is required in order for students to be eligible to submit a dissertation. A student who does not meet this requirement may exit with a PG diploma.
| Course List 3 – Mandatory must take 1 from 1 (60 credits in total) HSTM60632 Dissertation in History of Science, Technology and Medicine, Science Communication Studies or Medical Humanities OR HSTM60642 Creative Portfolio in Medical Humanities |
> | Academic Requirement 160 credits in total |
MSc in History of Science Technology & Medicine
Pathway – Medical Humanities Medicine 2015-16
| Course List 1 – Core Compulsory Taught Units HSTM60541 Major Themes in Medical Humanities (30 credits) semester 1 HSTM60571 Research and Communication Skills (15 credits) HSTM60651 Theory and Practice in HSTM and Medical Humanities (15 credits) HSTM60162 Medicine, Science and Modernity (30 credits) semester 2 Graduate Training Programme |
> | Academic Requirement 1Mandatory 90 credits |
> | REQUIREMENT GROUPTotal 180 credits for MSc Or 120 credits for PG Diploma |
| Course List 2 – OPTIONAL COURSE UNIT: one of the following HSTM60262 Shaping the Sciences (30 credits) HSTM60272 Making Modern Technology (30 credits)OR: a total of 30 credits from the MSc Science Communication option list and/or an affiliated group such as Art History and Visual Studies, Drama, English and American Studies, the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute, or Classics. Choices are subject to approval by the Medical Humanities pathway co-ordinators. |
> | Academic Requirement 2Mandatory 30 credits |
Successful completion of 120 credits across Semesters 1 to 2 is required in order for students to be eligible to submit a dissertation. A student who does not meet this requirement may exit with a PG diploma.
| Course List 3 – Mandatory must take 1 from 1 (60 credits in total) HSTM60632 Dissertation in History of Science, Technology and Medicine, Science Communication Studies or Medical Humanities OR HSTM60642 Creative Portfolio in Medical Humanities |
Academic Requirement 160 credits in total |
MSc History of Science, Technology and Medicine
Pathway – History of Science, Technology and Medicine 2015-16
(Part-time)
| Course List 1 Year 1 HSTM60511 Major Themes in HSTM (30 credits) semester 1Year 2 HSTM60571 Research and Communication Skills (15 credits) HSTM60651 Theory and Practice in HSTM and Medical Humanities (15 credits) Graduate Training Programme Year 2 |
> | Academic Requirement 1Mandatory 60 credits |
> | REQUIREMENT GROUPTotal 180 credits for MSc or 120 credits for PG Diploma |
| Course List 2 – Optional take 1 of the following Year 1 HSTM60162 Medicine, Science and Modernity (30 credits) semester 2 HSTM60262 Shaping the Sciences(30 credits) semester 2 HSTM60272 Making Modern Technology (30 credits) semester 2Subject to approval, students may alternatively take a total of 30 credits from the MSc Science Communication option list and/or an appropriate programme elsewhere in the University.Year 2 Students will normally take another of the units listed for Semester 2.Subject to approval, students may alternatively take a total of 30 credits from the MSc Science Communication option list and/or an appropriate programme elsewhere in the University. |
> | Academic Requirement 2Mandatory 30 credits |
| Course List 3 – Mandatory must take 1 from 1 (60 credits in total) Year 2 HSTM60632 Dissertation in History of Science, Technology and Medicine, Science Communication Studies or Medical Humanities |
> | Academic Requirement 160 credits in total |
MSc History of Science, Technology & Medicine
Pathway – History of Science, Technology and Medicine with Research Methods 2015-16
(Part-Time)
| Course List 1 – Mandatory Units (60 credits in total) Year 1 HSTM60511 Major Themes in HSTM, (30 credits) semester 1Year 2 HSTM60571 Research and Communication Skills (15 credits) HSTM60651 Theory and Practice in HSTM and Medical Humanities (15 credits) SOST70511 Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods (15 credits) semester 1 Graduate Training Programme Year 2 |
> | Academic Requirement 1Mandatory 75 credits
|
> | REQUIREMENT GROUPTotal 180 credits for MScOr
120 credits for PG Diploma |
| Course List 2 – Choose 1 of the following Year 1 HSTM60162 Medicine, Science and Modernity (30 credits) semester 2 HSTM60262 Shaping the Sciences (30 credits) semester 2 HSTM60272 Making Modern Technology (30 credits) semester 2Year 2 A total of 15 credits of qualitative research methods units from the selection offered by the School of Social Sciences. |
> | Academic Requirement 245 credits in total |
Successful completion of 120 credits across Semesters 1 to 4 is required in order for students to be eligible to submit a dissertation. A student who does not meet this requirement may exit with a PG diploma.
| Course List 3 – Mandatory must take 1 from 1 (60 credits in total)Year 2 HSTM60632 Dissertation in History of Science, Technology and Medicine, Science Communication Studies or Medical Humanities |
> | Academic Requirement 160 credits in total |
MSc in History of Science, Technology & Medicine
Pathway – Medical Humanities 2015-16
(Part-Time)
| Course List 1 – Core Compulsory Taught Units Year 1 HSTM60162 Medicine, Science and Modernity (30 credits) semester 2 HSTM60541 Major Themes in Medical Humanities (30 credits) semester 1 Year 2 Graduate Training Programme Year 2 |
> | Academic Requirement 1Mandatory 90 credits |
> | REQUIREMENT GROUPTotal 180 credits For MScOr 120 credits for PG Diploma
|
| Course List 2 – Optional must take 1 of the following Year 2 HSTM60262 Shaping the Sciences (30 credits) semester 4 HSTM60272 Making Modern Technology (30 credits) semester 4OR: a total of 30 credits from the MSc Science Communication option list and/or an affiliated group such as Art History and Visual Studies, Drama, English and American Studies, the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute, or Classics. Choices are subject to approval by the Medical Humanities pathway co-ordinators. |
> | Academic Requirement 2Mandatory 30 credits |
Successful completion of 120 credits across Semesters 1 to 4 is required in order for students to be eligible to submit a dissertation. A student who does not meet this requirement may exit with a PG diploma.
| Course List 3 – Mandatory must take 1 from 1 (60 credits in total) Year 2 HSTM60642 Creative Portfolio in Medical HumanitiesORHSTM60632 Dissertation in History of Science, Technology and Medicine, Science Communication Studies or Medical Humanities |
> | Academic Requirement 3 for MSc60 credits in total |
MSc History of Science, Technology & Medicine
Pathway – Medical Humanities with Research Methods 2015-16
(Part-Time)
| Course List 1 – Mandatory Units Year 1 HSTM60541 Major Themes in Medical Humanities (30 credits) HSTM60162 Medicine, Science and Modernity (30 credits) semester 2Year 2 HSTM60571 Research and Communication Skills (15 credits) HSTM60651 Theory and Practice in HSTM and Medical Humanities (15 credits) SOST70511 Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods (15 credits) semester 1Graduate Training Programme Year 1 BIOL73130 PGT Advisor Meeting (MSc) 1, (0 credits) BIOL73230 PGT Advisor Meeting (MSc) 2, (0 credits) BIOL73050 PGT Advisor Meeting s) (MSc) 3, (0 credits) BIOL12000 Health & Safety online course (0 credits) Year 2 |
> | Academic Requirement 1Mandatory 105 credits
|
> | REQUIREMENT GROUPTotal 180 credits for MSc
Or 120 credits for PG Diploma |
| Course List 2 – Choose 1 of the following Year 2 A total of 15 credits of qualitative research methods units from the selection offered by the School of Social Sciences. |
> | Academic Requirement 215 credits in total |
Successful completion of 120 credits across Semesters 1 to 4 is required in order for students to be eligible to submit a dissertation. A student who does not meet this requirement may exit with a PG diploma.
| Course List 3 – Mandatory must take 1 from 1 (60 credits in total) Year 2 HSTM60632 Dissertation in History of Science, Technology and Medicine, Science Communication Studies or Medical HumanitiesORHSTM60642 Creative Portfolio in Medical Humanities |
> | Academic Requirement 160 credits in total |
Timetable for the submission of coursework
The submission procedure for all coursework is described in the relevant section of this handbook. The penalty for late submission is explained in Section 3 of the main PGT handbook.
FT = full-timers; PT1 = first-year part-timers; PT2 = second-year part-timers
Monday 19 – Friday 23 September: Welcome Week
Monday 26 September: Semester One teaching begins
FT/PT2 Week 5: Essay 1 for Theory and Practice (HSTM60651) must be submitted by 3pm on Thursday 27 October.
Week 6: Reading week (no scheduled lectures)
FT/PT1 Week 7: Essay 1 for Major Themes (HSTM60511 or HSTM60541) must be submitted by 3pm on Thursday 10 November.
FT/PT2 Week 9: Essay for Research and Communication Skills (HSTM60571) must be submitted by 3pm on Thursday 24 November.
FT/PT1 Week 11: Essay 2 for Major Themes (HSTM60511 or HSTM60541) must be submitted by 3pm on Thursday 8 December.
FT/PT2 Week 12: Oral presentations for Research and Communication Skills (HSTM60571), Wednesday 14 December.
Monday 19 December 2016 – Friday 13 January 2017: Christmas vacation
FT/PT2 Essay 2 for Theory and Practice (HSTM60651) must be submitted by 3pm on MONDAY 16 January.
FT/PT1 Essay 3 for Major Themes (HSTM60511 or HSTM60541) must be submitted by 3pm on Thursday 26 January.
Semester Two
There are four main coursework submission deadlines in Semester Two. Full-time students, who write four essays in total (two essays for each of two option units), must submit one essay to each of these deadlines. These may be delivered in any order, but you will need to confirm your sequence in advance with the Student Support Office.
Part-time students, who write two essays for one option unit, can choose any two of the four deadlines to submit to. These must likewise be confirmed in advance to the Programme Director.
Students taking option units outside CHSTM should follow the submission directions for those units, which may be different from those used on HSTM units.
FT/PT2: You should register your dissertation title and supervisor with the Programme Director by Monday 23 January.
Monday 30 January: Semester Two teaching begins.
FT/PT2 Week 2: Your proposed dissertation or creative portfolio research outline must be submitted by 3pm on Thursday 9 February.
FT/PT2 Week 3: Oral presentations on your research projects are provisionally scheduled for the afternoon of Thursday 16 February (to be confirmed).
Week 5: First option essay deadline: 3pm on Thursday 2 March.
Monday 3 – Friday 21 April: Easter vacation
Week 9: Second option essay deadline: 3pm on Thursday 30 March.
Week 10: Third option essay deadline: 3pm on Thursday 27 April.
Week 14: Fourth option essay deadline: 3pm on Thursday 25 May.
Summer: Use the summer to complete your dissertation or creative portfolio. Make sure you leave time for rewrites, polishing the text, and technical production.
The dissertation or creative portfolio
If you are registered for an MSc, and successfully complete and satisfy the Board of Examiners regarding the taught part of the programme including the completion of a dissertation proposal and oral presentation, you will be allowed to continue with the research project leading to submission of an MSc dissertation or (Medical Humanities pathway only) creative portfolio. The purpose of the dissertation/portfolio is to allow you to bring the perspectives of the course to bear on a specific topic of particular interest to you.
The dissertation/portfolio should be of up to 17 500 words, inclusive of footnotes, references, quotations and other apparatus, based on original research and applying the principles learned during the course.
The dissertation/portfolio will normally be based on your own original research. It may be based on the same subject matter as one of your assessment essays, though it may not substantially duplicate the essay.
Given the limited amount of time available for research and the preparation, you will need to explore potential topics with potential supervisors well in advance. A list of possible topics will be circulated in November.
If you are a full-time student, you should consult with members of staff between November and January and decide on your topic. From February onward you will need to consult with your dissertation supervisor from time to time as your research gets underway, and once coursework is completed in June you should meet frequently with him/her.
Part-time students are encouraged to think about their dissertations/portfolios in the first year of their programme, and to consult with the Programme Director and other members of staff about possible projects. Depending on individual circumstances, it may also be necessary to commence research in the summer of the first year.
The dissertation/portfolio will be closely supervised by a member of staff within CHSTM, be assessed by two internal examiners, and moderated by the external examiner. Medical Humanities dissertations and portfolios will normally be supervised by Dr Collins, with additional guidance from other CHSTM and university staff as appropriate.
A complete first draft of your text should be ready by early August, so that you have sufficient time in which to get it into final shape for submission by the due date in September. The final version should conform to the University Guidance Notes for the Presentation of Taught Master’s Dissertations (details to follow).
Dissertations exceeding the 17,500-word limit will be penalised (please see section 4.3).
Writing and assessment of essays
Detailed guidance on essay-writing will be given out at the start of the course.
If you have questions about the preparation of an essay, you should consult with your unit coordinator or personal tutor at the earliest opportunity. The MSc Programme Director will monitor all essay topics (core and optional component) to ensure that guidelines are observed.
Essay titles
Most courses will ask you to choose from a range of titles or subject areas. Should you wish to frame a different question, you may only do so in consultation with the course co-ordinators. Such essays must be based on the content of the relevant unit, and must address a specific question that you have agreed in advance. In agreeing a topic, you should discuss with the co-ordinators any previous relevant work which you may already have done on the subject, bearing in mind the rules on plagiarism (including self-plagiarism).
Submitting your work
Coursework submission is online, via the Blackboard learning management system. You should always aim to submit well in advance of the deadline, as technical problems are not normally accepted as mitigating circumstances for a late submission.
Word length
The word count specified for each essay includes any footnotes or endnotes, titles, captions, quotations, and other apparatus. It does not include the bibliography. The upper limit is an absolute maximum and must not be exceeded (there is no “10% rule” or similar).
Assessors will monitor the word count of submitted essays. If your submission is over the permitted length, penalties will be imposed as follows:
- up to and including 5% over the word limit, 10 percentage points will be deducted
- each additional 5% (or part thereof) over the word limit, another 10 percentage points will be deducted
- if the penalty is equal to or greater than the assessed grading, the work will score zero.
For essays significantly below the indicated length, there is no specific numerical penalty scheme – but bear in mind that the indicated length is a guide to the breadth and depth of coverage required, so shorter essays are likely to score lower according to the mark scheme.
For dissertations the word limit INCLUDES the bibliography alongside all note, titles, captions, quotations and other apparatus. Dissertations can, with the supervisor’s approval, be submitted alongside appendices of primary source material (interviews, survey results, etc) if this is necessary to allow the assessors to judge the work: such appendices do not count towards the word limit. Appendices must include primary source material only, and cannot be used to elaborate or extend the argument.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a very serious offence, comparable to cheating in exams. It consists of passing off others’ work as though it were your own (e.g. lifting passages – either word-for-word or closely paraphrased – from books, articles, the internet, etc.). Even ‘recycling’ parts of your own work, which have been submitted for assessment at this University or elsewhere, constitutes plagiarism.
It is not difficult for staff to recognise instances of plagiarism, and software for detecting material lifted from the internet is available. Blackboard can detect plagiarism, and shows us the plagiarised material.
The penalties for plagiarism range from being required to resubmit the piece of work in question (with a maximum possible mark of 40%) for minor instances, to expulsion from the University in serious ones. It is your responsibility, therefore, to familiarise yourself with the University’s policy on plagiarism before you prepare and submit any coursework so that you do not inadvertently commit this offence.
Deadlines and extensions
Please note carefully that submission deadlines are not negotiable. All essays must be submitted by the stated deadline. Work submitted after the deadline without an agreed extension will be penalised according to Faculty of Life Sciences regulations: see section 3 of the main PGT handbook.
Extensions to deadlines may be granted on grounds of illness (with appropriate medical documentation) or serious crises such as family emergencies (which will be considered in strict confidence: you may, if you wish, approach your personal tutor or another member of staff). All extensions must be approved at Faculty level by the Deputy Senior Advisor.
If you need to request an extension, you should do so as early as possible. Retrospective extensions after the submission deadline are not usually granted (exceptions may be made in the case of unforeseeable emergencies which disrupt your ability to communicate with us).
Computer crashes, data loss and similar technical problems are not acceptable grounds for extension. Always make sure your work is backed up regularly to avoid the risk of problems.
Please note carefully that submission deadlines are not negotiable. All essays must be submitted by the stated deadline. Work submitted after the deadline without an agreed extension will be penalised according to School of Biological Sciences regulations as described in the main PGT handbook.
Extensions to deadlines may be granted on grounds of illness (with appropriate medical documentation) or serious crises such as family emergencies (which will be considered in strict confidence: you may, if you wish, approach your personal tutor or another member of staff). All extension requests must be made on the official form available from the Student Support Office, and must be approved at School level by the Deputy Senior Advisor for Postgraduate Taught students.
If you need to request an extension, you should do so as early as possible. Retrospective extensions after the submission deadline are not usually granted (exceptions may be made in the case of unforeseeable emergencies which disrupt your ability to communicate with us).
Computer crashes, data loss and similar technical problems are not acceptable grounds for extension. Always make sure your work is backed up regularly to avoid the risk of problems.
Mark scheme
90 – 100% Distinction-level performance of the highest possible quality. Exemplary work, highly accurate, innovatively analytical and critical, demonstrating rigorous and insightful judgement, thoroughly original approaches, an innovative and illuminating use of sources, and exemplary execution. Of comparable quality to publishable work. Presentation at or above typical professional standard.
80 – 89% Distinction-level performance of unusually high quality. Excellent work, very accurate, demonstrating highly analytical style and approach with insightful judgement and highly skilled execution, original critical approach and a thoroughly illuminating use of sources. Approaching the standards of publishable work. Excellent presentation.
70 – 79% Distinction-level. Excellent work, accurate, showing clear evidence of comprehensiveness, soundness of judgement, focus, analytical powers, insight, critical depth, skillful execution, and illuminating use of sources. Very good presentation.
60 – 69% Merit-level. Mainly accurate, based on good reading, shows evidence of understanding of the research topic, good structure and relevant conclusions, sound in its judgements and arguments, comprehensive in coverage, effective in its use of sources, well-presented, and exhibiting, especially at the top end, a degree of depth and imagination.
50 – 59% Pass-level. Shows sufficient grasp of the issues and reading of a sufficient range of relevant material. In argument and presentation, demonstrates accuracy, coherence, consistency, some critical and analytical ability, and (where relevant) adequate use of sources, but lacks depth and imagination. Presentation is acceptable for university purposes but not for a wider audience.
40 – 49% Below pass-level. Shows a basic grasp of the issues posed, evidence of reading in relation to them, and coverage of their major aspects. The work may be descriptive in character and will lack the level of analysis and argument required at Master’s level. The presentation of the work will be consistent with conventions. Presentation sufficiently clear for comprehension, but has no other merit.
30 – 39% Significantly below pass-level. Shows an elementary grasp of the issues posed, some evidence of reading in relation to them and some coverage, albeit incomplete, of their major aspects. The work is primarily descriptive but incompletely so or crudely analytical in character, and does not construct a cogent argument. Presentation is barely consistent with conventions.
20 – 29% Very poor work. Does not show even an elementary grasp of the issues, and reading is limited or irrelevant. The work is neither a cogent narrative or descriptive piece nor a structured argument. Presentation may not be consistent with conventions and has no other merit.
0 – 19% Should be reserved for work displaying ignorance of the most basic conventions. Marks below 10 are reserved for totally vacuous submissions (no submission or thoroughly incoherent prose).
Graduation
Students who submit all coursework and (for MSc) the dissertation according to the schedule above, and who pass the course at the required level, will normally be able to graduate in December 2017. Graduation dates will be confirmed around October 2017.
If there is a delay, the next available graduation session is June/July 2018 (date to be confirmed).