Master in Arts Humanities Mres

Queen's University Belfast is a historic and research-led university located in the heart of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded as Queen's College Belfast in 1845 and established as an independent university in 1908, Queen's combines a long heritage with modern ambitions. The campus sits within a designated conservation area and serves a diverse community of around 24,915 students, including roughly 3,500 international students, creating a lively and inclusive environment for study and social life.

Academically, Queen's is a Russell Group member with strong disciplinary strengths and a clear focus on employability. The university hosts four flagship Global Research Institutes addressing Global Peace, Security and Justice; Cyber Security; Health Sciences; and Food Safety, offering students opportunities to engage with impactful research. Career-facing initiatives such as Degree Plus and targeted employer workshops enhance internships, placements and graduate prospects, while sustained investment in campus infrastructure has delivered new teaching facilities, a student centre and a cutting-edge clinical simulation centre for health-related programmes.

For international students, Belfast offers an affordable and welcoming city experience with rich cultural life and efficient transport links across the UK and Ireland. University support services help with arrival, visas and accommodation, and a variety of clubs, societies and volunteering options make it easy to build networks and gain practical experience. Queen's is a strong choice for students seeking rigorous teaching, active research opportunities and clear pathways into careers in the UK and beyond.

How do we construct new knowledge within the complex landscapes of culture, history, and creative expression? The MRes in Arts and Humanities at Queen’s University Belfast is designed for those ready to move beyond taught content and engage directly with the intellectual challenges of their chosen field. By bridging the gap between master’s-level study and doctoral research, this programme provides a bespoke, research-intensive environment where your project dictates your curriculum.

Students benefit from a unique structure that prioritizes individual inquiry. Rather than following a rigid pathway, you work closely with a supervisory team to build a research preparation portfolio, allowing you to tailor your methodological approach to your specific research questions. Whether you are exploring archaeology, sonic arts, literature, or broadcast production, the degree is built to support both traditional academic dissertations and practice-based creative outputs.

A bespoke research environment

The programme is distinguished by its flexibility and its integration into the wider research culture of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. You will be part of a vibrant, interdisciplinary community, with access to world-class resources such as the Sonic Arts Research Centre and the extensive collections of the McClay Library. It is an ideal environment for those who want to 'dip their toe' into PhD-level work, develop high-level project management skills, or pursue a career that demands rigorous, independent analytical capability.