Postgraduate News and Views: Music performance studies, education in Wales

Britain is leading the way in music performance studies. So says Professor John Rink from the department of music at Royal Holloway, University of London, which is helping keep us ahead of the game by joining forces with the Royal College of Music (RCM) to offer a joint MMus in Performance. The course is part of a new strategic partnership to enhance teaching and research at both institutions.

Starting in 2003, the course will have a 50-50 split, with Royal Holloway handling the academic teaching and RCM the performance elements, explains Rink: "This shared supervision builds on internal links that have existed for some time. There are few opportunities for students to engage in these two activities in equal measure at masters level, but the fusion is a particularly fruitful one, and we're looking for students who are motivated by both performance and academic aspirations at the highest level."

¿ Education welfare officers from Gwynedd, Ceredigion and Ynys Môn unitary authorities may study for an MA in education at the University of Wales, Bangor, as part of an innovative training initiative to raise their status and profile. "I've been amazed at how complex and demanding their jobs are," says Robert Jones, principal training officer at Gwynedd Council, who helped design the course with the university. "One of the great problems historically has been their status vis-a-vis teachers and other professionals."

The course is being offered as in-service training, but comprises two MA modules designed to cover issues of concern to education welfare officers, such as social inclusion, mental health, counselling, process recording, and the legislative framework and education acts.

¿ Sheffield Hallam University has launched a new Doctorate of Business Administration in facilities and property management, run by its Facilities Management Graduate Centre and associated research groups in the School of Environment and Development. The award – the first to be launched by a UK facilities management institute – complements existing, work-based MBA and certificate programmes. "We know that research into the organisational impact of facilities and property is needed, at scales from urban developments to the individual building," says the programme leader, Professor If Price. "We also know there are people who aspire to continue beyond a masters to the highest award in the university system."

The four-year programme is aimed at those wanting to do an in-depth research project of strategic relevance to their employer, profession or industry. It is of equivalent level to, but more structured than, the traditional PhD, explains Price.

emma@haughton.net