Italian MScR
Awards: MScR
Study modes: Full-time, Part-time
Funding opportunities
Programme website: Italian
A Masters by Research (MScR) programme is ideal if you would like to complete a short piece of independent research in any area of Italian studies, from medieval to contemporary culture. The programme is a good stepping stone to a PhD, but is equally of value as a stand-alone qualification.
As a Masters by Research student, you will be part of a wider masters community while specialising in what most interests you right from the beginning of the programme. This is how it is different to a taught Masters (MSc).
Italian has been studied at the University of Edinburgh since the eighteenth century. The first lectureship in the subject was established in 1919 and, today, it is a broad area of study involving a sizeable community of teaching and research staff, language tutors, and PhD students.
We founded the Edinburgh Journal of Gadda Studies in 2000 and coordinated the international Edinburgh Gadda Prize. To mark our centenary in 2019, we hosted the Biennial Conference of the Society for Italian Studies.
Research excellence
In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), our research in Italian was submitted in Modern Languages and Linguistics (Panel D - Arts and Humanities; Unit of Assessment 26).
The results reaffirm Edinburgh’s position as one of the UK’s leading research universities - third in the UK.
As published in Times Higher Education's REF power ratings, this result is based on the quality and breadth of our research in the unit of assessment.
Join our interdisciplinary community and undertake a project comprising research assignments and a 15,000-word dissertation under the guidance of an experienced and well-published supervisor.
Our expertise covers most areas of Italian cultural studies from the Middle Ages to the present, including:
- literary history and theory
- comparative studies
- translation
- film studies
- philology
- philosophy
- intermediality
- cultural studies
- decolonial studies
- digital humanities
- environmental humanities
- political theory
- practice-led research
Explore our range of research centres, networks and projects in Italian Studies
Go beyond the books
Beyond the Books is a podcast from the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at research and the people who make it happen.
Listen to a mix of PhD, early career and established researchers talk about their journey to and through academia and about their current and recent research. Guests include Dr Emanuela Patti (Series 2 - Episode 8) talking about her research at the intersection of literary, media, and cultural studies.
This programme is delivered and assessed through:
- two 20-credit courses on research skills, methods and problems
- two 40-credit supervised research assignments
- one 60-credit supervised 15,000 word dissertation
Find out more about compulsory and optional courses
We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.
| Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MScR | Italian | 1 Year | Full-time | Programme structure 2024/25 |
| MScR | Italian | 2 Years | Part-time | Programme structure 2024/25 |
This programme includes training on research skills, methods and problems.
Between the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC), the Careers Service and the Institute for Academic Development (IAD), you will find a further range of programmes and resources to help you develop your postgraduate skills.
You will also have access to the University’s fantastic libraries, collections and worldwide strategic partnerships.
Join in
As part of our research community, you will be immersed in a world of knowledge exchange, with lots of opportunities to share ideas, learning and creative work.
Activities include:
- a regular seminar series in European Languages and Cultures (with masterclasses co-created by staff, students and visiting speakers)
- film screenings
- writers’ talks
- networking and editorial opportunities associated with our Edinburgh Gadda Projects
Our graduates tell us that they value LLC’s friendliness, the connections they make here and the in-depth guidance they receive from our staff, who are published experts in their field.
On campus
The Main University Library holds academic books, journals and databases, including online resources such as the Edinburgh Journal of Gadda Studies.
The Library is also the home of the University's Centre for Research Collections which brings together:
- more than 400,000 rare books
- six kilometres of archives and manuscripts
- thousands of works of art, historical musical instruments and other objects
Many of our Special Collections are digitised and available online from our excellent Resource Centre and Computing Labs in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC).
In the city
As a research student at Edinburgh, which is twinned with Florence, you’ll be based in a world-leading festival city with fantastic cinemas, theatres, galleries, museums, and collections.
Many of the city’s resources are located close to the University's Central Area, making them very easy to access when you are on campus. For example, the Italian Cultural Institute and National Library of Scotland are both less than one km from our School. We have great links with both, and the latter has a significant collection of Italian manuscripts and books.
Most of the city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the Old Town retaining many of its medieval buildings and streets.
There are excellent medieval, Renaissance and modern collections in the National Galleries of Scotland, including many notable works by Italian artists.
These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.
You should have near-native speaker competence in Italian.
MScR: A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a related subject.
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
English language requirements
Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
- Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
- Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.
Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
Degrees taught and assessed in English
We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:
We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.
Find out more about our language requirements:
| Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MScR | Italian | 1 Year | Full-time | Tuition fees |
| MScR | Italian | 2 Years | Part-time | Tuition fees |
Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.
Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:
- borrowing money
- taking out a loan
- family support
- personal savings
- income from work
- employer sponsorship
- scholarships
Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study
Featured funding
If you are a current student or graduate of the University of Edinburgh, you are eligible to apply for a John Orr Award. This award of £2,300 per annum is for applicants to a masters degree programme in any Romance literature, language or dialect.
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
- Contact: llc.PGResearch@ed.ac.uk
- School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- 50 George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9LH
- Programme: Italian
- School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Applying
Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.
MSc by Research Italian - 1 Year (Full-time)
MSc by Research Italian - 2 Years (Part-time)
| Programme start date | Application deadline |
|---|---|
| 8 September 2025 | 30 June 2025 |
If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.
You must submit two references with your application.
The online application process involves the completion of a web form and the submission of supporting documents.
For a Masters by Research programme, you should include:
- a sample of written work of about 3,000 words (this can be a previous piece of work from an undergraduate degree)
- a research proposal - an outline of your proposed area of study, helping us gain a clearer picture of what you hope to achieve
See our guidance:
Before you apply, you should look at the interests and expertise of our research community on the programme website. This will help you decide if this programme is right for you and your supervision needs.
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
Further information
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
- Contact: llc.PGResearch@ed.ac.uk
- School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- 50 George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9LH
- Programme: Italian
- School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences