Archives MRes

University of Liverpool

Combine training in archival research skills with tailored theoretical and methodological approaches aligned to your proposed research project. Under expert supervision, you’ll produce a major piece of independent research that makes an original contribution to knowledge and offers ideal preparation for PhD study.IntroductionThis MRes provides a personalised and focused introduction to postgraduate research. It will enable you to develop into an independent researcher and produce an original research project, supported by an expert in archives.The programme provides intensive preparation for doctoral research and your future career. We’ll guide you through the research process, equipping you with transferable skills, including critical thinking, project management, written and verbal communication, and problem solving.Training in research methodologies will be tailored to archival research and your specific research proposal. You’ll co-design a bespoke reading list and individual assessment tasks in preparation for a substantial piece of research.You’ll discover how to develop a research proposal, identify relevant evidence and sources, plan and undertake the research, and analyse and present your findings. Record-keeping theory and best practice will be complemented by a two-week placement at an archive repository. This will develop your cataloguing skills and test your understanding of archival description.You’ll be supported by academic experts in the Department of History. Our team of MRes supervisors are actively engaged in archival research that spans medieval record keeping through to contemporary public policy and open government.Who is this course for?You should have a very well-developed research proposal that has already been discussed and approved by your prospective supervisor in the Department of History prior to submitting your application.What you'll learnRecord-keeping theory and skills and their application to records management and archivesRecord-keeping standards and best practice for the identification, classification, cataloguing and indexing of recordsThe value of records and their effective management in legal, financial, political and cultural contextsHow to design a robust research proposalHow to identify relevant evidence and sources