Study with us

Undergraduate and postgraduate modules

A number of our undergraduate and postgraduate courses include aspects of medieval and early modern studies along with other subject-areas. Some modules have taster materials online: follow this link and explore by module level.

Interdisciplinary modules

• AA100: The arts past and present

Art History

• A226: Exploring Art and Visual Culture
• AA315: Renaissance Art Reconsidered
• A843 and A844: MA in Art History

English

• A230: Reading and Studying Literature
• A334: English literature from Shakespeare to Austen
• A815: MA in English part 1
• A816: MA in English part 2

History

• A200: Exploring History: Medieval to Modern 1400-1900
• A326: Empire: 1492-1975

Music

• A224: Inside Music
• A342: Central Questions in the Study of Music
• A873 and A874: MA in Music

Research degrees

We welcome inquiries about MPhil/PhD studies concerning the medieval and early modern periods. Individuals interested in studying for a research degree can receive supervision from one or more members of the Medieval and Early Modern Research Group, depending on the subject-area.

The Open University is a member of CHASE (Consortium for the Humanities and the Arts South-East England). This initiative links the Arts Faculty at the OU to those of other CHASE members (Essex, Kent, Sussex, University of East Anglia, Goldsmiths and The Courtauld Institute). A new CHASE Block Grant Partnership (BGP2) bid has resulted in the award of an AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership grant, resulting in 232 fully funded studentships across the consortium over five years from October 2014.

The application period for all research degrees (funded and unfunded) is from mid-October to the second week in January. We normally ask potential applicants to submit a draft research proposal along the lines indicated in the Research Degrees prospectus. This draft will enable us to assess your topic and approach, provide you with some feedback, and to consider whether we have the specialist staff to form a supervisory team prior to any formal application.

More information about research degrees at the OU