Essentially students can design an MA programme which speaks to their own research interests and incorporating taught modules if appropriate; a research proposal is submitted at application stage and if suitable, students are allocated 1 or 2 mentors with academic knowledge and expertise in the same area; students spend the first 4 weeks of the course working closely with their mentors to produce a �learning contract�; this is a development of the research proposal and details the learning aims, specific details of the subject to be studying, assessment methods and relevant deadlines for assessment; studying for an MA by this route makes large demands of the student and requires the capacity to frame a programme of learning and take on independent research; there are clear rewards for students being able to undertake in depth study in the areas they�re really interested in with the support and expertise of a mentor who will ensure that their work meets postgraduate standards; such a programme is suitable for all types of students, from those who live locally but whose professional or other commitments make it difficult to fit into a taught MA framework, to those living some distance from the university and those who are based overseas; not only is the programme of study flexible, but communication between the student and the mentor can be undertaken by electronic means if face to face meetings are difficult or not appropriate.