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Hatfield College
Hatfield College grounds with signpost in the foreground and blue and yellow bunting hung in the background

Middle Common Room

Middle Common Room 

Hatfield College

The Middle Common Room (MCR) is the community of postgraduate students, at both Masters and PhD level, who are members of Hatfield College - one of Durham University's seventeen colleges, and the second oldest having been founded in 1846. Situated on the North Bailey, Hatfield College enjoys a prominent position in the heart of the historic city of Durham, with the dedicated postgraduate accommodation block located just five minute walk away. We also welcome all mature students and fourth year undergraduate students to join us. 

We seek to foster a community which supports academic study and hope you will enjoy and benefit from all that College and Common Room membership offers. We stay in touch via email and regular newsletters and have very active social media channels – please do follow us for all the latest news and updates on activities and events. 

To continue to run an exciting programme of events, we rely on payment of an annual levy (which is currently £50), which, if paid, means you will become an “ordinary member” of the MCR. In becoming an ordinary member, you will gain access to a range of benefits, such as free or discounted access to events (for example, college formals and excursions), entitlement to vote and have your voice heard in MCR, ability to run for an executive or non-executive officer role, and access to apply for our MCR Research Awards scheme – the MCR participates with the Hatfield Trust to support members for the purposes of research and professional development, supporting initiatives such as conference attendance and field trips. You have the right to opt-out of paying the levy. If you have any queries about paying the levy, please contact our Treasurer at hatfield.mcrtreasurer@durham.ac.uk.  

You are encouraged to join the Hatfield Middle Common Room. Do browse the MCR's own website for information on the MCR's activities, our Executive Officers, induction programme (PG “Freshers’ Fortnight”) and how to pay the annual membership levy. 

College Membership for part-time and distance learning students 

At present, in addition to our full-time members and those living in or around Durham City, we have over 300 postgraduates at Hatfield College who study either on a part-time basis or via distancing learning. Although some of our students are not physically based in the North East we aim to offer a warm welcome when they are in Durham. Some of our part-time or distance learning students like to become ordinary (full) members of the Middle Common Room and we strongly encourage you to do so. Previously, part-time and distance learning members have been recipients of the MCR Research Awards scheme described above.