Masters Degrees in British & Irish History

In the first term, students on the course will be offered an intensive training programme consisting of classes, seminars, workshops, individual and group assignments. Each student will take a compulsory core readings course in Modern British history. This course will include weekly classes on major themes, historiography, and methods, based on key readings, so that students come to a foundational understanding of central themes in Modern British history.

Students will also choose two Options, one in Michaelmas Term and one in Lent Term, from a range of Options in British history and historiography.

From the first term students begin research for a 15-20,000-word dissertation, working closely with a supervisor.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/hihimpmbh

Course detail

By the end of the programme, students will have acquired:

1. a firm grasp of the historiographical debates in Modern British History;
2. research skills relevant to the specific area in which they will have written a dissertation;
3. the ability to situate their own research findings within the context of previous and current interpretative scholarly debates in the field.

Format

1. Compulsory core option, Michaelmas Term, taken from the core course ‘Readings in Modern British History and Historiography’. The core course focuses on key debates in British political, social, cultural or economic history. The following fields will be covered: the industrial revolution; the language of the social order; faith and secularisation; democracy; liberalism; the impact of empire; gender history. Students will attend weekly classes on these major themes, based on key readings, in order to come to a foundational understanding of key themes in British history. The final essay, of a maximum of 4,000 words, will be assessed and worth 10% of the final MPhil mark.

2. One option in Michaelmas Term and one option in Lent Term. Weekly classes on broad but more specialized topics, such as ‘the long eighteenth century’, ‘class and social mobility in the long twentieth century’, ‘history and public policy’. Each of these modules will require an essay (maximum word length of 4,000) which will count for 10% of the final mark for the MPhil (so all three modules, including the core course essay, will count for 30% of the final degree mark). In addition, each Option will incorporate a presentation (unassessed) for each student.

3. Dissertation. Those who satisfactorily complete this programme of study will continue on to a research project, closely supervised by one of Cambridge’s outstanding group of historians of Modern Britain. The dissertation, of between 15,000 and 20,000 words, will be submitted by the middle of June. This dissertation is worth 70% of the final mark in the degree.

4. Research seminar. The students are asked to regularly attend at least one seminar offered by the Modern British history subject group (among which the Modern British history, Modern Cultural History, Irish history, British social and economic history) and to engage in the discussion.

5. Graduate training. Alongside regular presentations and debates with the Options, a graduate workshop or ‘training day’ will take place late in Lent Term at which students will present their work to other students and to the Faculty involved in the Modern British history MPhil. This workshop provides an excellent opportunity to exchange with other students as well as senior historians about their present work, their achievements and difficulties, and to learn a variety of presentation skills.

Continuing

In order to be considered for continuation to the PhD, and always subject to satisfactory supervision arrangements being in place, students are expected to obtain an overall mark of 70 for the MPhil and a mark of at least 70 for their dissertation.

Please see the Faculty website for more information:

http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/prospective-graduates/apply/apply-mphil-phd
http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/prospective-graduates/apply/apply-ltc-home

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

Please see the History Faculty’s Funding Guide via the History Faculty’s weblink below:
http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/prospective-graduates/faculty-funding/funding-options

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

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Gain a detailed knowledge and understanding of historical methodology as you explore a range of subjects within British, European and world history, from the 15th century to the present day. Benefit from the history team’s specialist knowledge and links across the global historical community and develop the deep and systematic understanding of historical research to excel in further studies, or begin your career with confidence thanks to the professional-experience opportunities offered.

Key features

-Join a community of student-historians from a variety of backgrounds with a programme designed to appeal to a range of audiences, including recent graduates, teachers looking to enhance their professional qualifications and those in the local community with a long-standing passion for history.
-Explore history through a variety of means – with a combination of taught and self-led learning, regular research seminars run by -Plymouth University’s Centre for Research in Humanities and Performing Arts, and access to Peninsula Art’s history lecture series featuring world-leading academics.
-Work alongside internationally recognised researchers* and experienced professionals as you develop the skills that will allow you to choose how you progress upon graduation: take your studies further with a PhD, or enter the workplace with the confidence and skills to fast-track your career.
-Plot your own course through the centuries as you take the lead in your masters dissertation research project, and choose areas of study from the history team’s range of research specialisms.
-Explore history with your friends and colleagues by joining the History Society, a lively and supportive community hosting educational and social events.
-Discover the most up-to-date ways of studying history through our online resources including a vast eBook library. Build links with local record offices and archives, accessing opportunities to develop your expertise in the local and regional history of Plymouth and the South West.

* In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, 85% of History’s research outputs (primarily books and journal articles) were considered to be internationally recognised in terms of significance, originality and rigour.

Course details

You can study MA History full time over one year, or part time split across two years. Your studies will consist of four modules, two of which are core modules: key debates and research methods in history - an assessment of current trends and methodologies in the discipline of history, and the public history module - an examination of the theory and practice of how the past is presented to public audiences. You’ll supplement these with two option modules, where you select the areas of history that interest you the most as you select from the research specialisms of history team. The group’s areas of expertise include: imperialism, colonialism and de-colonisation in the modern period; the political and social history of 19th century Britain; Ireland since 1900; British military and diplomatic history during the 20th century; European integration; politics and society in the USA since 1900; amongst others. The programme culminates in an independently researched MA History dissertation.

Core modules
-MAHI700 Key Debates and Research Methods in History
-MAHI701 Public History
-MAHI702 MA History Dissertation

Optional modules
-MAHI703 Britain in the Sixties
-MAHI710 The Irish Revolution 1912-37
-MAHI718 Independent Research Project in History
-MAHI704 Piracy and Privateering, 1560-1816
-MAHI706 The Civil Rights Movement
-MAHI712 Empire of Law. Ruling the British Empire 1760-1960
-MAHI705 The African American Experience
-MAHI709 The French Wars of Religion 1558-1598
-MAHI714 Culture and Society. Britain c 1760-1914
-MAHI716 America and the United Nations 1945 to the present
-MAHI720 Key Debates in Post War Japanese History
-MAHI721 From Unification to Reunification: Key Themes in Modern German History

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

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Would you like to participate in a dynamic and flexible course that can be tailored to meet your own individual interests and career aspirations?

The MA History course consists of broad, thematic taught modules that focus on the middle ages through to present day.

Offering an extremely flexible approach to study, this course incorporates three core modules - historical contexts, digital history and dissertation preparation - which you will study alongside two modules of your own choice, in subjects such as American history, British history, European history and early modern history.

In addition to the taught modules of this course you will also complete a dissertation that will be conducted under the careful guidance of our specialist academics.

Throughout your studies you will have access to our leading learning facilities and new Institute for the Humanities.

Northumbria has just launched its first MOOC (Massive Online Open Course) exploring the fascinating history and culture of the American South from colonial times to the 21st century.

Experience for free Northumbria's excellence in teaching and research with the University's Institute of Humanities, all from your own home.

This course has several available study methods - for more information, please view the relevant web-page:
2 years part time: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/history-dtphtr6/

1-2 years full time distance learning: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/history-ma-ft-dl-dtdhtr6/

2 years part time distance learning: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/history-dtdhty6/

Learn From The Best

Throughout your studies you will benefit from working with our team of specialist academics who were recently ranked in the UK’s top 20 for the quality of their history publications (REF 2014).

Our academics are not only teaching their specialist subjects but also writing textbooks and adding new knowledge and perspectives to our understanding of the past.

When undertaking your dissertation you will be assigned a dedicated supervisor with specialist knowledge of your chosen subject area. They will guide you through your project with the help of our team of support staff.

Boasting doctorates, awards and extensive academic knowledge in their particular specialism, you can rest assured you are learning from the best.

Teaching And Assessment

The MA History course offers a programme of study that will empower you to problematise the past, set your own field of enquiry and test your ability to manage a yearlong project.

This course is primarily delivered via a classroom setting, with regular face-to-face supervision. This course can also be undertaken as a distance-learning course through a Virtual Learning Environment (VLR).

The assessment methods employed on this course include historical and historiographical essays, oral and written presentations, critical reviews and portfolios of work.

Your dissertation will form a large part of the assessment process and will be overseen by a supervisor who specialises in your subject area.

Module Overview
EF0126 - E.S.A.P. in FADSS Level 7 (Optional, 0 Credits)
HI7001 - Historical Contexts (Core, 30 Credits)
HI7004 - War and Peace in Historical Perspective (Core, 30 Credits)
HI7005 - Digital History and Research Methods (Core, 30 Credits)
HI7007 - The British Empire and its Imperial Rivals (Core, 30 Credits)
HI7010 - History Dissertation (Core, 60 Credits)

Learning Environment

Throughout the duration of your course you will have access to state-of-the-art facilities to support your learning experience.

Further facilities are available at the Institute for the Humanities, a special research space in the University’s Lipman Building. These include a resource room, specialist computing equipment and interview rooms. You will also have access to a designated Humanities Student Hub, providing space for self-study, group work or a rest in between teaching sessions.

You will receive support at every step of your learning journey through our on-campus facilities and innovative e-Learning Portal, Blackboard, which will allow you to access electronic versions of your course’s supporting documentation.

We provide a supportive and informal learning environment, offering feedback at all key stages of your course.

Research-Rich Learning

The MA History course is centred around research-rich learning and delivery.

Delivered by our team of renowned academics, you will be learning from research-active experts who boast specialisms in all aspects of history including the British co-operative movement, eighteenth and nineteenth century British political and imperial history, the British empire and modern Irish political history.

Many staff are qualified to professorial level and engaged in collaborative research projects, which are often part of national or international research networks.

More than three quarters of Northumbria University’s History department’s research outputs are rated as being world-leading or internationally excellent, placing us in the upper quartile for history research in the UK. We have also been ranked among the top 20 universities in the UK for research power in History, according to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework.

Give Your Career An Edge

On completion of this course you will possess expert research skills thanks to your ability to collect, sift through and organise historical data. You will also be able to confidently use state-of-the-art digital researching tools.

Employability skills are embedded throughout all aspects of this course and, on completion, you will possess a range of attributes that are highly valued in today’s competitive job market. These skills include effective workload management, IT, problem solving, communication, teamwork and self-motivation.

Your Future

Your previous qualifications and the specialist nature of this course will provide a strong foundation for your future work or study.

The MA History course has been designed to form the basis for those wishing to progress to PhD level and we offer advice in writing PhD and funding applications should you decide to take this route.

The broad range of skills and knowledge acquired on this course can help to enhance promotion prospects in many professions, most notably teaching, professional research, museums or archives, public policy and project management. It should also enhance your prospects of employment should you wish to move into such vocations.

You will also leave prepared for a career as a researcher or employment within a broader business environment.

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This MA in the History of the British Isles will deepen your appreciation of the distinctive political, social and cultural aspects of the British and Irish historical experience, from the Reformation period to the present day, while also fostering your awareness of values and experiences the British and the Irish share with their European and global neighbours. This Master's degree considers the constituent countries of the British Isles - England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales - and asks how and why the geographical and political entities that are Great Britain, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland came into being.

The pressing current day issue of devolution is encouraging discussions about the formation of nation-states and national identities which feed into debates amongst historians about whether the territorial state is the most useful or constructive means of assessing historical developments and how the creation (and re-creation) of national identities relate to religion, race, gender and class.

The core module will introduce you to the systematic study of historiography and the methodologies used in the analysis and interpretation of historical source material. You can explore the enormous breadth of research interests in the department via the 3 option modules you choose, which span from the ancient period to the contemporary moment. This programme will enable you to engage with the most important and up-to-date themes, debates and historiographies in the study of the British Isles.

Finally, the dissertation gives you the chance to pursue your own interests and undertake your own research and critical thinking under the supervision of a member of staff with relevant expertise. By drawing on the expertise of staff directly engaged in English, Irish and Scottish research areas, the programme provides support and encouragement if you want to go on to pursue independent, professional or PhD research, develop new skills in relation to existing careers, or simply deepen your own understanding of the richness, diversity and complexity of the British historical experience in comparative perspective.

Key teaching staff on this programme

Course director: Professor Jerry White.

Other staff who teach on this MA programme include:

Dr Laura Stewart
Dr Sean Brady
Professor Joanna Bourke
Dr Jan Rueger
Professor Frank Trentmann
Professor Vanessa Harding
Professor David Feldman.

Why study this course at Birkbeck?

Arts and humanities courses at Birkbeck are ranked third best in London and 11th in the UK in the Times Higher Education 2015-16 World University Subject Rankings.
This exciting, collaborative Master's degree offers you the chance to use the British Isles as a focus for the study of broad historical themes.
You can follow, further develop and enhance your own interests, with a wide choice of option modules, while improving your research skills and undertaking a dissertation in an area that interests you.
Our Department of History, Classics and Archaeology is one of the leading research and teaching departments for history in the UK. It is ranked 6th in the UK for the percentage of our research deemed world-leading or internationally excellent.
Our academic staff are international authorities in their fields, delivering stimulating, research-led teaching.
Our department is home to thriving student societies and a number of affiliated research centres that actively run seminars, conferences and other events where some of the world's best scholars present their latest research. These include the Pears Institute for the Study of Antisemitism, the Raphael Samuel History Centre and the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities.
We are located 5 minutes' walk from the British Museum and the British Library, while the Museum of London is easily reachable. The Institute of Historical Research is located in Bloomsbury, near the main Birkbeck campus, and has an internationally renowned library collection and seminars that you can attend.
Birkbeck Library has an extensive history collection, including the major specialist journals, and access to online materials.

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The M.Phil in Modern Irish History introduces well-qualified Humanities or Social Sciences graduates to research in modern Irish history, to the problems currently addressed by historians and to the methods they apply to study of the subject. Drawing on the current interests of staff, the course is based on the rich resources of Trinity College Dublin's library and of the adjacent Dublin libraries and archives. The course provides opportunities for in-depth study of selected issues in modern Irish history. It also serves as an introduction to students wishing to pursue doctoral studies.

The course comprises three main elements. A number of research training modules focus on the range of approaches, technologies and resources available to researchers in modern Irish history. In addition students take special subject modules in each term. Topics on offer change from year to year, but cover a range of specialised themes from the seventeenth to twentieth centuries. Some modules concentrate on key moments or developments in Ireland's history, while others examine Ireland's relationship with the outside world, whether through emigration or through its place in the British empire. Finally, Students write a dissertation of between 15,000 and 20,000 words on any area of modern Irish history based on primary sources and relevant scholarly writing.

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The programme is taught by a team of academics in the social, political and cultural history of Scotland from the medieval period through to the 20th century. It has a particular geographical emphasis on Gaelic Scotland, Scotland’s place in the British Isles and Europe, and on urban Scotland.

Why this programme

◾Teaching and research in Scottish history are firmly embedded in the University, giving benefits from synergies with Celtic and Gaelic, archaeology and Scottish literature, all contributing to the work of the Centre for Scottish & Celtic Studies.
◾You will enjoy access to the Baillie Collection, our prized collection of printed medieval and modern sources in Scottish, Irish and English history. The collection also offers printed state papers, Historical Manuscript Commission publications and a select collection of modern monographs.
◾Our programme has strong links with the University's Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery, giving you access to primary source material including an enormous collection of anatomical and pathological specimens, coins, books, manuscripts and ethnography.
◾You will join an extensive medieval research community. Glasgow has active charter and chronicle research groups in medieval studies, a reading group and regular staff-student seminars. The annual Edwards Lecture is the keynote event in the calendar of this scholarly community.

Programme structure

Our History Masters are built around a hands-on research training course, specialised courses on historical and theoretical themes, and other courses developing your technical skills and other abilities like languages and palaeography.

If you choose to study Scottish History, there will be a guided selection of courses that will provide you with the specialised knowledge in that field. You will be taught through a series of seminars and workshops. Internationally recognised historians give guest lectures throughout the year.

In the final part of the programme, you will select a specialised topic and conduct original primary source research for your dissertation. You are supported in your research and writing up by an assigned supervisor with expertise in your field of inquiry.

Core courses
◾Research resources and skills for historians.

Optional courses

Course options may include
◾Politics and literature in Jacobean Scotland
◾Culture, politics and society in the Highland clearances
◾Interdisciplinary perspectives on Scottish culture
◾Specialist course in Medieval Scottish studies
◾Revolutionary Scotland: literature, culture and politics 1830-1939
◾The Scottish Wars of Independence
◾Scottish popular culture
◾Scottish Reformation.

The courses taught each year vary depending upon staff availability.

To widen your approach and develop an interdisciplinary perspective, you are also strongly encouraged to take one or two complementary courses in cognate subjects, such as
◾Monuments in transition in Medieval Scotland
◾Records and evidence
◾Introduction to museology
◾Approaching the past
◾Sources for early Medieval Scottish Christianity.

Courses in Scottish literature, English literature, theology, history of art and other College of Arts subjects can also be studied, by agreement with the programme convener.

Career prospects

Apart from continuing to study a PhD, you can transfer the arts research skills and methods you learn on this programme to positions in the public and private sectors, such as heritage, policy and projects, journalism and teaching.

Positions held by recent History graduates include Editor Business & History Products, Lead Scholar/Instructor and Secretary.

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If you have a passion for history and are looking for an intellectual challenge, this fascinating MA course could be what you are looking for. It explores aspects of British and Irish local and regional history between 1750 and 1950, introducing the key themes of Poverty and welfare, Crime, Police and Penal Policy, The role of families, Urban History, Religion and Industrialisation. Using our world-class collection of online primary source materials, you will be encouraged to produce an independent research project on a topic of your choice.

Key features of the course

•Develops your ability to present a sustained argument in clear, logical prose
•Builds your skills of analysis, critical thinking and practical research
•Provides a firm foundation for further research studies
•Applicable to a wide range of careers.

This qualification is eligible for a Postgraduate Loan available from Student Finance England.

Modules

To gain this qualification, you need 180 credits as follows:

Compulsory modules

• MA History part 1 (A825)
• MA History part 2 (A826)

You must pass A825 before studying A826.

The modules quoted in this description are currently available for study. However, as we review the curriculum on a regular basis, the exact selection may change over time.

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Programme description

This programme offers students an introduction to the study of the ways in which writing in English has shaped or mediated political identities in England, Scotland and Ireland.

This programme introduces you to the relationship between literary writing and political and social discourse in Britain and Ireland between the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688 and the end of the 19th century. This is the period of the creation of the Britain in which we live today, and also the time in which ancient British, Scottish and Irish national cultures were conceptualised as a response to radical literary, social and political innovations.

In examining the role of literary writing in this period, you will evaluate the ways in which it changed in response to social and political developments. You will also explore how Romantic conceptions of history, society and the aesthetic are developed and questioned during the course of the 19th century.

Programme structure

The programme will be taught through a combination of seminars and tutorials over two semesters, after which you will complete an independently researched dissertation. You will complete two compulsory and two option courses, along with courses in research methods.

Compulsory courses:

• Enlightenment and Romanticism 1688–1815
• Romanticism and Victorian Society 1815–1900
• Research Skills and Methods

Option courses may include:

• Poet-Critics: the Style of Modern Poetry
• Fairy Tales
• Digital Humanities for Literary Studies
• Green Thoughts: Landscape, Environment and Literature
• The Long Summer: Edwardian Texts and Contexts 1900–1910
• Shakespeare Adapted
• Fairy Tales

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully follow this programme will gain:

• knowledge and understanding of the role of literary writing in the formation of British, Scottish, Irish and English national identities in the 18th and 19th centuries
• practical knowledge of the range of theoretical and philosophical ideas informing contemporary literary criticism
• a grounding in the research methods of literary studies

Career opportunities

This programme will help you to identify possible topics for advanced research in English literature, potentially leading to an academic career. The transferable skills you gain, such as communication, project management and analysis, will give you an edge in a competitive employment market.

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Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study History at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).

The MA in History is an exciting programme that covers a wide range of topics in history from the Middle Ages onwards.

Key Features of MA in History

The wide-ranging expertise of Swansea University's historians offers the study of British, European, American or Asian History. The History MA allows students to explore the history of art and culture, empire, gender, politics, religion, sexuality and science.

Students on the MA History programme are introduced to key concepts that shape the study of history. The MA in History students benefit not only from the unusual concentration of historians at Swansea, but also from the existence of the College of Arts and Humanities Research Centres, the Callaghan Centre for the Study of Conflict, Power and Empires and the Richard Burton Centre.

History MA students benefit from the the College of Arts and Humanities' Graduate Centre. The Graduate Centre fosters and supports individual and collaborative research activity of international excellence and offers a vibrant and supportive environment for students pursuing postgraduate research and taught masters study including the MA in History programme. The Centre provides postgraduate training to enhance academic and professional development and facilitates participation in seminar programmes, workshops and international conferences.

The full-time History course structure is split across the year with three modules taken in each academic semester (a total of six modules) and then a dissertation over the summer. History students study three compulsory modules and three optional modules. The dissertation is written on a specialist research topic of the student's choosing.

Part-time study for MA in History is available.

MA in History Programme Aims

- To acquire advanced knowledge and understanding of a range of topics related to history.

- To develop theoretical and methodological skills relevant to all aspects of the study of history.

- To lay a solid foundation of knowledge and analytical and presentational skills for further research work in the field.

Modules on the MA in History

Modules on the History course typically include:

• Historical Methods and Approaches

• New Departures in the Writing of History

• Communicating History

• Directed Reading in History

• From Princely Possessions to Public Museums: A History of Collecting and Display

• Power, Conflict, and Society in the Modern World

• Venice and the Sea

• Medieval Manuscripts

• Fascism & Culture

Who should Apply?

Students from a history or related background. Students interested in preparation for postgraduate research, MPhil or PhD, or who wish to develop skills and knowledge related to history.

Research Interests

All staff in the Department of History and Classics are research active and publish books and articles in their areas of expertise. Staff and students are members of a range of Arts and Humanities research centres: the Callaghan Centre for the Study of Conflict, Power and Empire, the Richard Burton Centre for the Study of Wales and the Research Groups: MEMO: the Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Research and GENCAS: the Centre for Research into Gender in Culture and Society. Regular research seminars and lectures are run through these groups and through the Research Institute for Arts and Humanities (RIAH) giving students including those of the MA in History programme access to cutting-edge research.

Careers

Career expectations are excellent for History graduates. MA degree holders in History may move on to doctoral study or enter employment in such areas as museums, heritage and tourism; marketing, sales and advertising; business, art, design and culture; media and PR; social and welfare professions; humanitarian organisations; the civil service, and education.

Student Quote

“I graduated with a First-Class Honours BA History degree and an MA in History from Swansea University. My four years of study here were truly the most enjoyable of my life so far! The lecturers, tutors and all members of the History department were also incredibly friendly and always willing to help. The History MA was fully funded by a University Alumni bursary. The range of modules available to MA students is exceptional and the facilities here are fantastic. With a designated Arts and Humanities Postgraduate computer room and common-room area, as well as the University’s very own archives, Swansea is a great place to study History.”

Cath Horler, History, MA

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King’s is internationally recognised as a centre of excellence for the study of medieval history, with expertise in the study of Anglo-Saxon England, Britain in the central Middle Ages together with early and later medieval Europe.

This MA course gives you the skills and analysis you need for medieval historical study and delving into the significant topics of the period, from Magna Carta to the history of medieval women. It will also introduce you to the burgeoning field of digital humanities through collaboration with the Department of Digital Humanities where the digital and historical worlds meet.

Key benefits

• One of the best history departments in the world, ranked 5th in the UK for Research Quality (REF 2014) and in the top five departments of history in Europe (QS World University Rankings 2016).
• International centre of excellence for the study of Medieval history.
• Introduces students to the burgeoning field of digital humanities through collaboration with the Department of Digitial Humanities and King’s Digital Lab.
• The central London location offers students unrivalled access to world-class museums, collections, archives and libraries as well as easy access to resources in Europe.
• Vibrant research culture, including seminars and conferences at which students are encouraged to participate and give papers.

Description

 King’s is internationally recognised as a centre of excellence for the study of medieval history, with traditional expertise in the study of Anglo-Saxon England, Britain in the central Middle Ages together with early and later medieval Europe, recently strengthened by the arrival of new members of staff.

The MA programme is amongst the most successful of its kind worldwide, teaching students the skills and analysis required for medieval historical study and delving into significant topics of the period, from Magna Carta to the history of medieval women.

The History department has traditional expertise in Anglo-Saxon England, Britain in the central Middle Ages together with early and later medieval Europe. Major research projects in medieval history currently being undertaken by MA teaching staff include the AHRC-funded online databases Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England (PASE) and Henry III Fine Rolls, an AHRC-funded project The Making of Charlemagne’s Europe and the Leverhulme Trust funded project Profile of a Doomed Elite: The Structure of English Landed Society in 1066.

Institute of Historical Research (IHR)

We will encourage you to make full use of the opportunities available through the Institute of Historical Research (IHR). Many members of the Department prepare and deliver its period-based seminars, including the flourishing Early Medieval History and European History 1150-1550 seminars. In addition, the IHR offers a wide range of other events: from student-run workshops to specialist training days. This intersection between Department, School and the IHR means we have a uniquely productive environment for graduate study in History.

Course purpose

To train scholars moving into academic work after completing an undergraduate degree, but also for those who want to deepen their knowledge of the period.

Course format and assessment

Students will take modules worth a minimum of 180 credits. Taught compulsory and optional modules assessed by coursework and/or examination plus a compulsory dissertation.

If you are a full-time student, we will give you four to eight hours of teaching through seminars, where you will contribute to the dicsussion and prepare presentations.

If you are a part-time studnet, we will give you two to six hours of teaching each week through seminars.

For your dissertation, we will give you six hours of supervision.

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Assessment

The majority of our modules are assessed through coursework. Your dissertation will be a 15,000-word essay.

Career prospects

Our graduates continue to further research or transfer their skills and knowledge to careers in teaching, archives, the media, finance, politics and heritage industries.

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The MA in Celtic Studies is a unique distance learning programme which offers students interested in Welsh and Celtic Studies the opportunity to study various aspects of the history, literature and cultural heritage of the Celtic regions in their own homes.

Course Overview

This multidisciplinary Master's degree allows students to study a wide variety of subjects in the following fields: early and late medieval history and literature, folklore, gender studies, the sociology of language, Arthurian literature, religion, spirituality and iconography.

In Part One students will be introduced to the study and research methodology skills required to undertake a postgraduate programme and they will complete modules on the history of the Celts and the legends of the Mabinogi. In addition to these three compulsory modules students will choose from one of the following pathways:
-Culture and society (Welsh Folk Life, the Sociology of the Welsh Language)
-Medieval (the Celtic Arthur, Women in the Middle Ages: sources from the Celtic regions)
-Sanctity and Spirituality (The Cult of Saints in Wales, Celtic Otherworlds – from the druids to the monastic voyage tale)

Students will then be allowed to take any other module from one of the above pathways or Beginners' Welsh (a total of six modules in all). In Part Two students are given the opportunity to research in detail a topic which has particularly appealed to them and write an extended dissertation. They will be allocated a supervisor to help guide them through their dissertations.

No previous knowledge of the Celtic languages is required for this programme, as students study texts in translation and the programme is taught through the medium of English. However, students may choose to study Welsh as part of the programme and it is also possible for students who are fluent in Welsh to study their modules entirely through the medium of Welsh (see MA Astudiaethau Celtaidd) or receive supervision and communication in Welsh, but opt to write their assignments in English.

Modules

-CYCS7020 Conceptualizing the Celts
-CYCS7015 Y Mabinogi
-CYCS7021 The Celtic Arthur and the Matter of Britain
-CYCS7005 Women in the Middle Ages
-CYCS7004 Welsh Folk Life
-CYCS7016 The Sociology of the Welsh Language
-CYCS7007 The Female Saints of Wales
-CYCS7019 Celtic Otherworlds
-CYCS7018 Welsh for Beginners

Key Features

If you would like to learn more about the history, literature, religion and cultural heritage of the Celtic regions, this course is ideal for you. You’ll be able to choose from a wide range of interesting topics and choose to specialise in a pathway that suits you. Since the course is a distance learning programme, you do not need to move to Lampeter and sacrifice your day job, as you can study from the comfort of your own home using our VLE (virtual learning environment) and the course content and reading material we provide.

We’ll guide you through some of the most important texts ever written in the Celtic languages and help you read critically. You’ll learn where to find the most important sources on the Celtic peoples, Arthurian literature, modern folklore, druids and Celtic saints and how to question the various versions of the past that have been put forward by historians, linguists, folklorists and archaeologists. You’ll gain research skills which will be a sound basis for further study, as well as a range of important skills which can be easily transferred to the workplace.

If you would like to work quickly, you can register on the programme on a full-time basis, but if you have a full-time job and family commitments, you can complete as few as two modules per year. This also allows you to spread the cost over a number of years and makes the course very affordable. If you are interested in learning one of the Celtic languages, you can choose to learn Welsh with us and you will be able to attend our intensive language residentials if this suits you.

We have students in America, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Belgium and Mongolia, as well as many in Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland. You do not have to come to Lampeter to follow this course, but you are always very welcome to come and meet your tutors. We also collaborate with the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies and some of our MA students are supervised by staff from the centre who also offer great expertise in Celtic Studies.

Assessment

The modules are assessed by a variety of assessment methods: 5,000-word essays, short assignments, linguistic exercises, reviews, reports and one 15,000-word dissertation.

Career Opportunities

This course is ideal for those who want to learn more about the history, literature and cultural heritage of Wales and the Celtic regions in order to improve their job prospects. Many of the students who undertake the course on a part-time basis are already in employment and wish to gain a postgraduate qualification as a possible means to promotion or change of job role. Former students include journalists, writers, storytellers, teachers, lecturers, editors and people who work in the tourist or heritage industries. Many of our students have also gone on to further research in Celtic Studies at PhD level.

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The Romantic movement has traditionally been seen to dominate the aesthetic and literary output of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, but recent critical and historical scholarship has emphasized the range and diversity of contemporary literary forms and styles of writing which cannot comfortably be treated as though they were part of that movement.

By examining the selected literary and aesthetic works in the light of the historical circumstances in which they were produced, the MA offers participants the chance to develop a broad view of the major changes in sensibility and ideology of the period, and to investigate such contemporary issues as:
-The representation of landscape or revolution
-The place of women as writers
-The role of the periodicals as a cultural medium and the importance of ideas of Empire and the Orient
-Romantic aesthetic theory and poetic practice

By setting Romantic and Sentimental writings alongside each other, this MA offers students an opportunity to find their own paths through the literary and cultural history of the period.

You will develop an understanding of:
-The engagement of sentimental and Romantic writing with a range of political, social and aesthetic issues in the period
-The cultural meanings and associations of the variety of styles and genres in which sentimental and Romantic writing was produced
-A range of different critical perspectives about Romantic literature

Assessment

-Four assessed essays of approximately 4,500 words each
-A 14,000-16,000 word dissertation, written in consultation with a supervisor on an agreed topic

Careers

We have an excellent employment record for our postgraduates who are highly prized by top level employers, both in the UK and on the international stage. A combination of outstanding teaching and a supportive collegiate environment enable our students to develop their creativity, intellectual independence and ability to filter complex information and present it persuasively in person and in writing. These are important transferable skills which will always hold their value at the top end of the jobs market.

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Summary

Our MA programme is team-taught with a rich diversity of historical research. Many modules have an interdisciplinary focus, with an appeal to the specialisms of students with a variety of backgrounds in historically-oriented disciplines.

A distinctive feature of the MA is the core module, Public History, exploring how history is communicated to a wider audience. This seeks to enhance employability, especially for those interested in pursuing history-related careers outside academia. You may also choose modules in other Humanities disciplines likely to improve your skills, especially in foreign languages such as French, German or Latin.

Modules

Historiography; research skills 1 and 2; dissertation; plus 3 optional modules from pathways in: medieval early modern history; modern British/colonial history; modern European history; transatlantic history.

Visit our website for further information...

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Programme description
The MA in History allows you to draw on a broad range of options to design a programme that best reflects your needs and interests. You might, for example, focus on chronologically diverse modules which are united by cultural or political themes, or you may prefer to specialise by period or region. You will have the opportunity to create your own links between periods and approaches. You could combine the study of medieval religious popular cultures with the US Presidency, the crusades with May �68 in Paris, Hollywood film with the history of political thought, or medical history and the body with Renaissance culture. You will receive intensive research-skills training at the Institute of Historical Research. Your work culminates in an individually-supervised research dissertation, which is an essential building- block for those considering a PhD.

Programme outline
The core module, An Introduction to Historical Methods and Approaches, is team-taught by many members of the School. You also produce a dissertation and choose three optional modules.

Optional modules may include:

Women and Gender in Georgian England
New Labour in Government
Overcoming Nazism
Medical History and the Body
Hollywood and the Second World War
Imperial Cities
Theories of Empire

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This interdisciplinary programme aims to provide you with the opportunity to develop your knowledge and understanding of medieval society and culture. Staff expertise, drawn from across the University, covers a wide range of disciplines and specialisms including Archaeology; History; Islamic studies; Law; Music; Theology; Visual and material culture; and the literatures of England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain from the Fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance. Particular areas of strength include medieval religious culture, Christian-Muslim interaction, intellectual and elite culture, and the history of medicine.

The University library maintains extensive holdings in all these disciplines, extensive audio-visual collections and a number of medieval manuscripts (including the Syon Collection), while Exeter Cathedral Library and Archives and the Devon Heritage Centre contain further significant medieval manuscripts, documents and early printed books. You will benefit from contact with leading scholars in the field, whilst receiving the training suitable for MPhil/PhD research.

Modules

A range of optional modules are available which reflect the varied research interests of academic staff across the Centre for Medieval Studies. These interests range widely across the medieval period and cover Britain, Europe and the Islamic world. They also represent several disciplines, including History, Archaeology, Classics, Literature, Music, Art History, Theology and Islamic Studies.

The core module Interpreting the Middle Ages: Images, Texts and Contexts will give students an overview of these different disciplinary approaches and show how they can be applied to the study of medieval texts and objects. Other core modules are Medieval Research Skills, which introduces students to the skills needed to work with medieval sources such as palaeography and codicology, and Current Research in Medieval Studies which asks students to reflect on how academic research projects are designed and presented, and gives them guidance in developing their own dissertation projects. Students also have the option of taking Latin modules and are strongly encouraged to do so if they are considering going on to an MPhil or PhD.

The programme

- offers an excellent, interdisciplinary education in medieval studies, covering a wide range of topics and approaches across the medieval period;
- gives students the opportunity to work with the medieval sources in and around Exeter, for example at Exeter Cathedral, the Devon Heritage Centre and the University’s Special Collections;
- produces graduates who are highly competent in subject-specific, core academic, and personal and key skills that are both relevant and transferable to employment;
- encourages participation in research seminar programmes offering insights into a very wide range of research cultures and specialisms and into how academics go about designing and presenting research projects;
- offers excellent preparation for students intending to continue on to doctoral-level research with a good track record in obtaining funding for further study.

Research areas

As an MA Medieval Studies student you will be welcome to join the Centre for Medieval Studies (http://humanities.exeter.ac.uk/history/research/centres/medieval/) , which brings together academic staff and Postgraduate students from a wide range of disciplines across the University’s Colleges. We are brought together by our shared interests which run from the Early Middle Ages to the early Renaissance and may include archaeology, theology, music, literature and law. We hold regular seminars and research events which, if you decide to join us at Exeter, we hope you will not only attend but become an active part of.

Research is at the heart of History and our students are encouraged to come to Departmental Research Seminars and become an active part of wider research community. Our research centres regularly hold seminars and other research events which MA students are welcome to attend.
Our current research centres include:
• Centre for Early Modern Studies
• Centre for Imperial and Global History
• Centre for Maritime Historical Studies
• Centre for War, State and Society
• Centre for Medical History
• Centre for Medieval Studies
• Institute of Cornish Studies

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