Humanities

If you have a passion for the arts and are looking for an intellectual challenge, this certificate course provides you with an excellent opportunity to upgrade your qualifications. You will deepen your understanding of art history, classical studies, music or philosophy, while developing advanced research and analytical skills that will give you the edge in today’s competitive jobs market and prepare you for further academic study.

If you plan to study humanities beyond this certificate, we recommend that you read the relevant qualification descriptions from the following options before choosing your module:



MA in Art History (F33), MA in Creative Writing (F71) or MA in Philosophy (F30)



To gain this qualification, you'll study one of the following:

Optional modules

• MA Art History part 1 (A843) 60 Credits

• MA Creative Writing part 1 (A802) 60 Credits

• MA Philosophy part 1 (A853) 60 Credits



Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules A840, A841, A850, A860, A863, A870, A873, AA810, AA820, AA830 or 60 credits of specified modules from the MA in Humanities programme including at least one of the discontinued 30-credit modules A810, A820 or A830.



For module details please see "Course Web Page".

You must hold an honours degree to study for this qualification. Although your degree need not be in humanities, you must have the basic skills expected of a graduate in that area. All of the modules will bring you up to date with the latest ideas and approaches in humanities but does not offer remedial undergraduate training if your qualifications and/or experience are inadequate.



Before you begin the certificate you must be able to:

• write clear, concise, accurate prose

• read large quantities of text quickly, accurately and critically

• classify evidence precisely and assess its value and reliability

• argue logically, consistently and sceptically

• marshal various sorts of evidence to support a logical argument.

60 credits

1 year part-time study



How long it takes

Most students study the Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities part-time, completing 60 credits over one year. Typically, this means 12–14 study hours each week.

See Course Web Page link for next start date.

Career relevance

Studying the Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities will provide you with an opportunity to build on skills acquired at undergraduate level. It will further develop your capability to read and analyse large amounts of written material and improve on your ability to convert knowledge acquired during your studies into lucid written responses. These transferable skills are in demand in many areas of the public and private sector, such as advertising, marketing and public relations; educational, charity and development; or government and public administration.



Completing the certificate will give you a worthwhile qualification in its own right, and you can also count the credits towards one of our MAs providing you take account of the unique study rule.