Postgraduate study at St Chad's...

Postgraduates at St Chad's are registered for Master's or PhD courses in virtually all departments of the University.  In addition, the College admits a good number of PGCE students every year, assigning them to a specialist College Tutor with relevant teaching experience.

The student body is diverse, with 25 countries represented among undergraduates and postgraduates.

The College strives to find the right balance in terms of offering support to postgraduates, while at the same time respecting their maturity and their ability 'to get on with it'.

The completion rate for Master's students is close to 100%, and the five year completion rate for PhDs is currently the same.

Academic Support

Beginning in September 2006, St Chad's will be offering a programme of academic support tailored especially for postgraduates within the College.  The College's Ramsey Fellow will direct the postgraduate programme, which will centre around a series of interdisciplinary postgraduate seminars to supplement the University's offerings.

The College is fortunate to have its own core staff of researchers, and the seminars will give both postgraduates and staff a chance to interact on an academic level.

Social Support

The Middle Common Room is the student-run student association within St Chad's College.  It is a lively group and each year offers a broad programme of activities to introduce people to Durham and to each other.

The Middle Common Room have their own meeting/social room in the College, which is open to all postgraduates, whether living in or out of College.

An Uncommon Common Life

St Chad's offers a healthy mix of the old and the new, and the College strives to maintain what is best of the time-honoured tradition of College living.  The key to such traditions is drawing people together from all parts of the College to dine together in a relaxed atmosphere and to socialise afterwards.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout term, the College holds Formal Hall -- a black gowned affair, with table service and wine.  Staff and guests are usually seated at High Table, though postgraduates can also invite themselves to High Table several times a term.

In addition, the College holds at least one feast per term -- usually for a good reason, though sometimes because there hasn't been one in a long time.  These are special six-course meals, where the College's three chefs show off a bit, and where the accent is on having a bit of fun.

The MCR often retire to their common room for port and cheese after Formal Hall, and they often coordinate other social activities to coincide with Formal evenings.

Accommodation

St Chad's has invested heavily (over £1 million in the past three years) to provide excellent postgraduate accommodation in College.

Almost half of the postgraduate community lives in College, chiefly at Trinity Hall (25 rooms) or Hallgarth Street (5 rooms).

Trinity Hall is an exclusively postgraduate community, housed in an impressive early Victorian building, which was completely renovated in 2003.  Almost all the rooms have en-suite facilities and they are all furnished to 4* hotel standards.   Room prices vary chiefly according to room size.

Trinity has a communal cooking area and a communal lounge.  It also has extensive grounds and is situated in one of the quieter locations within Durham. (An extended description of Trinity Hall is given on the left panel.)

Trinity Hall is a three minute walk into town, a five minute walk to the Cathedral, a five minute walk to the Main Library, and an 8 minute walk to Main College.

Hallgarth Street is an Edwardian house located just a few minutes from College.  It offers a more home-like experience and offers the usual facilities one would expect in any home.

Both these residences offer the choice of self-catering or college-catered meals; and all rooms in College are either wired for internet access or have wireless networks.

In 2007, the College will add 10 more en-suite postgrad rooms in a new, yet-to-be-named residence, located just a few feet from the centre of Durham.

Libraries and IT

The College has a rich array of library rooms - eight in total.  Because we could never compete with the University's library resources, the College libraries are chiefly aimed at the undergraduates, though the research library may be of interest to some postgraduates, depending on their field of study.  While all the libraries are open to postgraduates, the Research Library, with its restricted access, is especially suited for private study.

All the libraries provide internet access, and there is a separate computer room, equipped with printers and a photocopier.

The Durham Media Academy is located within the College, and the Academy's Director is available to help with specialised IT and media needs.

Want to find out more?

Feel free to contact the College to arrange for a tour, to chat with one of the College Officers, or to meet with some of our current postgraduates. More information can be found in the postgraduate on-line admissions page.

Alternatively, you can email the Principal with any queries you may have....