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Degree type

MA

Course length

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Location

Durham City

Programme code

V1KC07

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Course details

The MA in History brings together your own specialist field of interest and the broader academic discipline of history to prepare you for future research.

The course is delivered by subject specialists whose expertise allows you to tailor the course to your own distinct areas of research. Areas of particular strength include African History, East Asian History, South Asian History, Transnational History, Medieval History, Early Modern History, Modern History, and Visual and Material Culture.

You will complete one research-focused core module which offers a grounding in the practices, theories, approaches and methodologies of history. Beyond this, you will have the freedom to shape your own path through the course, choosing from a selection of optional modules that provide an in-depth exploration of topics and themes linked to current staff research. You can further tailor the course through your choice of dissertation.

The course runs on a full-time basis for one year, or for two years part-time, and offers opportunities for wider academic networking through the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, the Centre for Nineteenth Century Studies, and the Centre for Visual Arts and Culture, among other research centres and institutes.

The University has a vibrant and supportive learning community and is able to provide you with an extensive study resource thanks to its large number of libraries, archives, and special collections.

Postgraduates are active in the academic and social life of the Department. They lead their own discussion groups, organise annual conferences, and meet with external keynote speakers, thereby forming an integral part of the Department’s wider research culture.

Course structure

All the MA programmes offered by the Faculty of Arts & Humanities consist of three components:

  • a Major Research Project to the value of at least 60 credits 

  • Core Modules to the value of 0-90 credits, depending on the programme
  • Elective Modules, making up the total number of credits to 180; some of these modules will be defined as Recommended Electives for particular programmes.

For students studying the MA in History, the Dissertation (your Major Research Project) brings together the skills and methods acquired in your modules to research and write an independent investigation of a specialist area of history using extensive secondary and primary source material. You can choose between a 15,000-word (60-credit) or a 20,000-word (90-credit) dissertation.

You will also be required to take the following 30-credit core module: 

Themes, Readings and Sources provides essential training in historical skills, methodologies, and theories, regardless of your specialism. As the core module for this programme, the focus is on the academic knowledge and practices relevant to history as a discipline. The module structure encourages you to apply the skills you develop to optional modules and dissertation preparation.

Finally, you will choose either 60 or 90 credits (depending on which dissertation you have selected) of elective modules from across the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, so that your total number of credits adds up to exactly 180.

Learning

This course is delivered primarily through small group seminars, with some larger classes and lecture-style sessions where appropriate. Core content is taught through a series of seminars and will familiarise you with the skills and problems that are associated with advanced historical work.

Small seminars constitute the vast majority of class time for optional modules. They encourage discussion and the sharing of ideas and you should expect to carry out a substantial amount of independent study in order to be able to contribute fully in the sessions. Occasionally, lectures might present key information, which can then be followed up in the smaller seminars.

The nature of timetabled contact time varies from module to module with the majority of optional modules providing 20 contact hours.

Your dissertation includes a further seven hours of one-to-one contact time with a supervisor who has specific knowledge in your topic of choice.

Assessment

Assessment is rigorous and ongoing during the course. Although methods of assessment vary by module, the majority include essays and presentations. You will also complete a dissertation which is worth either one-third or half your total marks, depending on the dissertation route you choose.

Entry requirements

You will be expected to have at least a 2:1 (or international equivalent) undergraduate degree, with an overall average of 65% or above, in a History related discipline from a recognised institution. Applicants with an overall average of 60-64% (or international equivalent) may be accepted, subject to the submission of a writing sample of up to 5,000 words. 

A 500-word personal statement which should include the following:

  • Why are you interested in studying in the Durham History department
  • What skills and knowledge you would bring to the course
  • What skills and knowledge you would hope to acquire on the programme
  • An indication of your planned area of research

English language requirements

Fees and funding

Full Time Fees

Tuition fees
Home students £12,500 per year
EU students £27,500 per year
Island students £12,500 per year
International students £27,500 per year

Part Time Fees

Tuition fees
Home students £6,900 per year
EU students £15,200 per year
Island students £6,900 per year
International students £15,200 per year

The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase and are expected to rise throughout the programme of study. The fee listed above is for the first year of the course only. More information is available here: Tuition fees - how much are they - Durham University

Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.

Scholarships and Bursaries

We are committed to supporting the best students irrespective of financial circumstances and are delighted to offer a range of funding opportunities. 

Find out more about Scholarships and Bursaries

Career opportunities

History

Life as a postgraduate in the Department of History is an excellent preparation for continuing research at a higher level or to pursue a professional career in the public or private sector if that is where your aspirations lie.

During your time studying here, you will develop skills, knowledge and personal attributes that are equally applicable in either career path, such as critical thinking, comprehension, analysis and communication of information and the ability to make knowledge-based decisions.    

Our postgraduates enter a variety of academic and academic-related careers as well as areas such as the arts and heritage sector, law, the Civil Service, accountancy, teaching, the charities sector and business.

Department information

History

The Department of History is a highly successful academic community that places a huge value on the contribution postgraduates make to its ever-growing research output covering a wide range of historical contexts.

Specific areas of expertise in the Department include medieval, early modern and modern history in Britain, continental Europe, North America, Africa, and East and South Asia. They consider a wealth of themes including gender, culture and race as well as political, religious, economic and social topics.

Our postgraduates benefit enormously from being taught by staff who work at the cutting edge of their respective subject specialisms. This enables them to incorporate the most up-to-date findings into their teaching. Our Masters qualifications in Global History, History, and Social and Economic History (Research Methods) offer choice, flexibility and the opportunity to specialise.

You will also benefit from the relationships the department has with University research institutes and centres, such as the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, the Centre for Nineteenth Century Studies, and the Centre for Visual Arts and Culture.

We consider our postgraduate community to be committed and active, contributing to academic activities through its own discussion groups and organising annual conferences and meeting with external keynote speakers.

Facilities

The Department is located in the heart of the city of Durham, next to Durham Cathedral and Castle, which together form the UNESCO World Heritage site. We occupy a group of historic town houses on North Bailey and Palace Green.

Our students have access to the Department’s specialist libraries and online resources, enabling historical research up to and including doctoral level. In addition, the University Library, with its archives and special collections, and the Durham Cathedral Library and Archives hold historical resources of international significance.

Durham is also home to an extensive and diverse range of archives and special collections, from Magna Carta to the Sudan Archive.

Apply

Find out more:

Apply for a postgraduate course (including PGCE International) via our online portal.  

Visit Us

The best way to find out what Durham is really like is to come and see for yourself!

Join a Postgraduate Open Day
  • Date: 01/09/2023 - 31/08/2024
  • Time: 09:00 - 17:00
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Self-Guided Tours
  • Date: 01/09/2023 - 31/08/2024
  • Time: 09:00 - 16:00
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