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MA History Modules

The MA programme consists of a set of core and optional modules. The largest component of the MA qualification is a dissertation research project which is developed through the taught modules and supported by one to one supervision.

Students will normally choose six taught modules during the Michaelmas, Lent and Summer terms and write a 15,000 word dissertation. Students who plan to undertake a further research degree after their MA may choose to write a longer, 25,000-word dissertation. Students who choose the longer dissertation must take four taught modules.

The choice of which dissertation to write can be made half-way through the Lent term. You can take the degree as a full–time student over 12 months, or part–time over 24 months.

MA Core Modules

All students take a core course in Michaelmas Term: Researching and Writing History. This module introduces the pursuit of advanced historical research. What are the principal conventions and controversies of the historical profession? How are historical arguments created and maintained? Students on this module are invited to begin to set out their research project: what are the principal questions you will seek to address, what sources will you use?
In addition to this core module, all students will undertake History for Life. This module is taught by all members of the History department, across the Michaelmas and Lent terms, and is designed to show how valuable historical study and skills are in the world outside the university. Each member of staff will introduce an argument based on their own research which sheds light on a current social, cultural or political debate. Students who decide to undertake the shorter dissertation will make a presentation at the end of the course and create their own reflection on the relevance of their research beyond the academy.

MA Module Options

• HIST400: Dissertation (25,000 words)
• HIST450: Dissertation (15,000 words)

• HIST401: Researching and Writing History
• HIST405: History for Life
• HIST411: Approaches to Social History
• HIST412: Advanced Political History
• HIST413: Advanced Religious History
• HIST414: Advanced Cultural History
• HIST415: Historical Approaches to Locality and Region
• HIST421: Beyond the Text: Literature, Image and Voice as Historical Evidence
• HIST422: Medieval Primary Sources - Genre, Rhetoric and Transmission
• HIST423: Landscape and Heritage
• HIST425: Introduction to Latin Translation for Historians
• HIST426: Digital Humanities
• HIST451: Researching Medieval and Early Modern History
• HIST452: Researching Modern History
• HIST491: Historical Consultancy/School Placement
• HIST492: Additional Research Project

With the exception of History for Life and Medieval Latin, all the taught modules run over a single ten-week term and are taught by seminars. History for Life has weekly seminars in the Michaelmas and Lent terms, while Medieval Latin is taught in classes for 25 weeks.
We try to ensure that all courses run every year, but this is not always possible due to staff availability. Any of these courses, with the exception of the core courses and one 'Advanced' course, can be substituted for one offered by other departments in FASS (for example, European Languages and Cultures, Politics, Religion and Philosophy, English, Sociology, Media, Film and Cultural Studies).

Please note that unforeseen circumstances sometimes result in late changes to module availability.

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