5 postgraduate courses you probably won’t believe exist…

With more than 8000 MSc courses and just over 5000s MAs available in the UK, there is certainly no issue finding specific and often diverse programmes.  However, you may not have come across these unusual options:

1) Funeral Celebrancy

Yes, at the University of Winchester you can study the art of dying, death and the celebration of human live in various religions and movements. Modules include ‘Death Dying and Pastoral Care in World Religions’ and ‘Performing Rituals, Creative and Critical Methodologies in Constructing and Performing a Eulogy’.

Increasingly people are becoming more creative and more specific in their ‘last wishes’, people are turning away from traditional expectations and embracing new ideas and movements, such as humanism or eco-burials.

If you’re interested in the way death and dying are understood by different cultures and religion, but not working or hoping to work in undertaking, then Winchester also run a course called: Death, Religion and Culture.

2) The Beatles, Popular Music and Society

You won’t be surprised to hear that this course is based in Liverpool; areas of study include ‘Understanding Popular Music’ and ‘Musicology and the Beatles’ as well as a history module, examining musical production in post WWII Liverpool. This course is for those with an undergraduate degree in a humanities subject and presumably, a healthy interest in the Beatles.

3) International Spa Management

The ‘only course of its kind in the world’ (you won’t be surprised to hear) that will prepare you for a management career in the spa industry. With a team of staff who specialise in this particular area of management, you will develop a critical understanding of the spa industry and consumer behaviour, as well is the skills required for management roles, such as project management, financial planning, marketing and strategy, amongst others. This course is available full time and part time, with integrated work experiences at the on-site day spa, as well as the option of a placement year.

4) Horror and Transgression

What makes us human? What are the boundaries of culture and society? What defines us collectively?  If you are looking for answers to these questions, specifically in the context of horror and supernatural then this course might be just for you.  Modules include ‘Horror without Boundaries’ and ‘Transgression: Theories and Practice’. You'll need an Honours degree, 2:2 or above in related humanities degree, e.g. American Studies, Creative Writing, English, Film and Television Studies, History or Media Studies or in a similar discipline (for example History of Art and Design, Theatre Studies, Modern Languages, Politics or Art and Design with a substantial art and design history component).

5) Brewing and Distilling

According to the British Beer and Pub Association the UK beer industry generates around 700,000 jobs a year and 46% of those employed in the sector are aged 16-24.

Courses in brewing and distilling are a relatively new concept, despite the UK being the home of Whiskey and many famous ales, beers and ciders, so where else better to study the science and process of distilling and brewing than Edinburgh? This course at Herriot Watt University is aimed at science or engineering graduates and is available at PGCert, PGDip and MSc level.

Additionally, there is the Brewing and Packaging course at Nottingham Trent University, aimed at those in the industry who want to further their understanding of the scientific principles and practice of the brewing process, but also people who aspire to work as brewers.