At Leiden University, we have one of the world's leading centres for the study of European and non-European history. The master in History is your opportunity to access this world-class expertise.
With such a broad curriculum, the master’s programme in History offers you the chance to specialise in niche subject areas not offered elsewhere. A flexible format also allows you to tailor your degree to suit your career goals. To help you develop a cohesive area of expertise, the programme offers seven specialisations each with their own thematic focus. Within your specialisation, you even have the added option of focusing on Maritime History, Political Debate or Economic History.
At Leiden University, you learn from some of the leading scholars in the field. We have a specialised faculty 'chair' in almost every area of European and non-European history, while covering almost all periods form Classical Antiquity to the present. Small-scale classes and intensive mentoring ensure you benefit from their expertise both in and outside of the classroom.
All subjects in the master in History have a strong international orientation. Whichever your focus area, you will acquire a broad, comparative dimension to your knowledge and connect this to the latest global events. This approach to learning is not only unique to this programme but brings you a far broader understanding and an aptitude for critical thinking both of which are highly valued by employers today.
The research master in History at Leiden University offers five specialisations in which you will focus on historical processes, historical research, historiography and methodology.
The two-year research master in History at Leiden University offers you the chance to determine a study based on your own particular interests and ambitions. During your studies you will experience the riches and challenges of academia not only via frequent meetings with your tutor, but also during the seminars in which staff members and research master's students discuss one another's research findings and exchange scholarly views and insights.
Selected students will also be able to participate in the Europaeum Vaclav Havel MA Programme, an initiative of Leiden University in cooperation with the Sorbonne (Paris), the Jagiellonian University of Kraków and Charles University in Prague which leads to a separate additional master certificate in European Society and Politics issued by the Europaeum Association of leading European Universities.
You are encouraged to spend the third semester of your research master's abroad taking optional courses and conducting research for your thesis. Leiden University has a large network of options for your studies abroad.
Judged best in the field
The highly regarded Keuzegids Master’s Selection Guide 2017 ranked Utrecht University’s Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance programme as the best in the field in the Netherlands.
Our Research Master’s programme in Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Studies focuses on interdisciplinary study of the material, social, and intellectual developments in Europe (including the Mediterranean region) from Antiquity through the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Within this long period, you can focus on your academic interests by choosing one of the following tracks:
Within each track, you will work with source materials in their original languages, including in manuscript form. The Ancient Studies track has a keen interest in archaeology. The Medieval Studies and Renaissance Studies tracks go beyond a solely historical approach by including courses in literature, linguistics, art history, musicology, and history. In the Medieval Studies track, you may specialise in either Medieval History, Medieval Art History, Medieval Literature, or Medieval Musicology. Medieval Celtic Studies combines literary studies with historical linguistics. Read more about the tracks.
The programme is enhanced with research conducted by lecturers who are internationally renowned in their fields of expertise. You are encouraged to work alongside these lecturers on research projects, and you can spend a semester abroad at one of the many universities with which we have research links. After graduation, approximately 50% of graduates go on to undertake a PhD, either in the Netherlands or abroad.
For those with ambitions outside research, courses are being developed on ‘Heritage and Cultural Transfer’ (including an internship in material culture, e.g. on written texts as objects), and on the uses of the ancient and medieval languages.
The programme attracts students from the Netherlands and abroad. International students find an internationally unique interdisciplinary approach to the study of pre-modern civilisations. They quickly feel welcome in the community of teachers and students and fully participate in the programme’s scholarly life.
This Research Master’s programme will provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to gain admission to PhD programmes in your chosen specialisation; you can also conduct independent research and complete your doctoral dissertation. The programme will give you the skills needed for your future career, including pursuing scholarly research to be published in peer-reviewed journals.
Our programme also prepares you for careers outside academia in management, politics, or the arts. The programme is both academically and socially relevant; by developing your professional skills and your ability to work independently, you will be well prepared for the challenges of the modern employment market. Read more about possible career prospects.
The Classics and Ancient Civilizations (Research) programme at Leiden University covers the entire range of present-day research on the civilisations of Greece and Rome, Egypt and the Ancient Near East.
The research master's programme distinguishes itself from other similar master's programmes by consistently integrating Greek and Roman Antiquity, the world of the Hebrew Bible, ancient Judaism, emerging Christianity, Egypt (ancient, antique and late-antique) and the cuneiform cultures of Ancient Mesopotamia, within their broader context. The number of specialisations offered by the Classics and Ancient Civilizations (Research) programme is unparalleled.
The programme makes creative use of a wide range of research methods, all of them well-represented at Leiden University. Traditional philology with its intimate knowledge of languages and texts, while still indispensable, is enriched by literary studies, cultural history, and the analysis of material culture.
You will be able to tailor your study programme to your personal interests by creating your own combination of courses within the specialisation of your choice from other research master’s programmes within the Faculties of Humanities.
The master’s programme in Classics and Ancient Civilizations at Leiden University covers the entire range of present-day research on the civilisations of Greece and Rome, Egypt and the Ancient Near East.
This master's programme distinguishes itself from similar programmes by consistently integrating Greek and Roman Antiquity, the world of the Hebrew Bible, ancient Judaism, emerging Christianity, Egypt (ancient, antique and late-antique) and the cuneiform cultures of Ancient Mesopotamia, into their broader context. The number of specialisations on offer at Leiden University is unparalleled.
The programme makes creative use of a wide range of research methods, all of them well-represented at Leiden University. Traditional philology with its intimate knowledge of languages and texts, while still indispensable, is enriched by literary studies, cultural history, and the analysis of material culture.
At Leiden, our master’s students are considered valued members of a close-knit academic community. Small classes, regular individual mentoring, and an informal, open-door policy create an environment that is ideal for the exchange of ideas and the development of your knowledge and intellectual abilities.
An important goal of the programme is to develop your ability to conduct high-quality scientific research using a wide variety of research methods. This is a particularly exciting field in which to conduct research, with different research sources opening up the possibility of completely fresh interpretations of the past. Many students conduct field research in a country abroad, visiting excavation sites, or participate in one of our department’s own research projects including excavations at Saqqara and the Dakhla Oasis.
Whether it is the history of Europe, the development of modern European literature or the art of Rome that fascinates you, the Research Master's specialization are an excellent choice for talented students who want to prepare themselves for an international academic career. Indeed, the diversity of interests of our teaching and research staff will allow you to specialize in almost any subject, and the space we offer within the Master's specialization for research and studies at home and abroad allows you to put together a training programme that perfectly meets your wishes.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/hlcs
Within the Master's programme in Historical, Literary and Cultural Studies, you can choose between three English-taught Master's specializations:
1. Historical Studies
Students can specialize in any historical theme from antiquity to the present day. Many students specialize in Ancient History, Medieval History, Cultural History from 1500 to the present, the History of Dutch Catholicism, Gender studies, Modern Political History, Globalisation and Presented History. Students, working in small numbers, will pursue their own specialty and discuss developments in contemporary historiography, debate research ideas and critique other's writings and research.
2. Literary Studies
If you have completed your Bachelor's degree in one of the classical or modern languages and have strong ambitions to conduct international research, this programme is your springboard to an academic career in literary studies. The specialization admits students of various languages and literatures, including German, French, Spanish, English (both American and British), Dutch, Ancient Greek and Latin as well as other languages and literary studies. Central to this programme is the attention paid to methods of textual interpretation and New Philology. Students select courses to fit the needs of their specialism and discuss contemporary developments and research ideas. Whether you prefer ancient Greek tragedy, contemporary American literature or Dutch poetry, the new Literary Studies Research Master's is very well suited for talented students wishing to contribute to (inter)national research in this field.
3. Art and Visual Culture
If you are interested in visual and material culture from Antiquity to the present and aspire a career in international scientific research in the fields of art, visual culture or classical archaeology, Radboud University Nijmegen is pleased to offer a two-year research Master's specialisation which offers exactly that. This programme is based on the unique cooperation of the departments of Classical Archaeology, Cultural Studies and Art History, allowing a broad perspective on the visual heritage of western culture from classical antiquity to the present as well as specialist training.
The Research Master's in Art and Visual Culture is designed for highly motivated students who are interested in the art and visual culture of Europe from classical antiquity to the present, and have ambitions for an international career in these fields.
The HLCS institute greatly values the close interaction between students and top researchers, which is why our courses are open only to small numbers of students working under the supervision of experienced professors. At the start of the first year, you will choose a tutor (always an excellent researcher with relevant expertise) who will personally guide your development as a specialist in your field. Regular meetings with your tutor will ensure the steady increase of your academic skills. They will also offer the opportunity to exchange research ideas at an advanced level. Your tutor will help you apply for international funding to support research trips and the attendance of conferences, as well as guide the preparation of your PhD proposal, which is an integral part of the course programme.
During the Master’s programme you will gain a broad perspective on the humanities in general because of the collaboration between the programmes of Historical Studies, Literary Studies, and Art and Visual Culture. Through your personal Master’s research, you will also have concentrated on a very specific phenomenon in your own field. This combination of broad and specific focus will open a lot of doors for you. Our research programme has produced graduates that are appreciated by employees for their research skills as well as their insightfulness and analytical skills, and who have not only learned how to delve into large quantity of data and master it but also how to place their results in a larger context.
In short, at the end of the programme you’ll:
- Have acquired heuristic research skills at an advanced level.
- Have gained general knowledge of leading perspectives, theories, concepts, and paradigm shifts in the humanities and advanced knowledge specifically for own field.
- Be able to engage in the public debates regarding issues in the humanities.
- Have acquired English academic writing skills and have practiced writing a publishable scholarly article and a proposal for a PhD project.
- Have started to build up a professional international network.
Academia and beyond
This programme is initially intended to prepare its students for an academic career, in particular as PhD researchers. About half of our graduates find such a position in the Netherlands or abroad. The other half also obtain academic positions with research orientated duties. Examples include:
- Researcher at a cultural or scientific organisation or research centre
- Assistant of a senior researcher
- Teacher at an institution for higher education
- Policy-making official in the fields of culture and science
- Editor in the field of historical or cultural scholarship
- Staff member of a publishing company or and text agency, usually with regard to scientific, historical or cultural journals
- Curator of a cultural heritage institution or in the museological sector
- Consultant for a political party
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/hlcs
This course is about learning how to make new discoveries that will contribute to a better understanding of literary texts and how they function within society.
Whether you prefer ancient Greek dramas, medieval Dutch poetry, contemporary American literature, or general literary theory, this Master’s is suited to students wishing to contribute to textual research. The Master’s in Literary Studies will teach you how to approach historical and contemporary texts from an international perspective, as well as to examine the current societal significance of literature. By the end of the programme, you’ll be able to discuss literary texts and scholarly approaches with other scholars at the highest academic level.
At Radboud University, we believe that to fully understand literature, you need to broaden your scope. You will gain insight into methods and theories in both literary studies and the humanities in general. You’ll become familiar with a wide range of literary traditions, critical approaches and theoretical debates. This will enhance your own research. In order to expand your horizon as a literary scholar, you’ll spend a semester conducting research and taking courses abroad.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/hlcs/literary
The programme welcomes students with interest in all fields of literary studies, but our own research primarily focuses on Europe and ‘its worlds’, including the ways Europe interacts with and differs from the rest of the world. All our research is performed in collaboration with scientists from other fields within the Institute for Historical, Literary and Cultural Studies (HLCS). We are joined in thirteen themed research groups.
- There is a strong focus on textual scholarship and methods of literary interpretation. The programme studies all forms of literary texts and written records from all historical periods.
- In your first year, you take several courses with students from the other HLCS research Master’s as Historical Studies, and Art and Visual Culture. This unique construction will allow you to view your own field from the perspective of other disciplines within the humanities.
- A personal tutor will guide you throughout the entire programme. He/she will give you advice on how to tailor our programme to best suit your interests, act as a sounding board for your research ideas, and help you make the right connections in the academic world.
- You’ll receive thorough preparation for PhD research, including the writing of a publishable scholarly article and a proposal for a PhD project.
- This programme strongly encourages you to go abroad for at least a semester. Students can use our connections to other universities (IRUN network) and research institutes to find a place that meet their academic interests.
Any research done by students of the Master’s in Literary Studies will be supervised by a researcher at the Institute for Historical, Literary and Cultural Studies (HLCS) in Nijmegen. HLCS research focuses around the theme Europe and its Worlds and questions whether ‘Europe’ consists of different worlds, how it is addressed, how it differs from the rest of the world, and how it interacts with other worlds. Researchers from a variety of humanities disciplines collaborate in thirteen different thematic groups to explore the spaces, cultural practices, beliefs, texts and ideas related to Europe and its World.
- Thematic research groups
There is a literary scientist in many of these thematic groups. Although all the groups could be of interest to a literary researcher, our experience is that the following generate a lot of interest among the Literary Studies students:
- European Literary History
This group explores the various forms, functions, agents, media, infrastructures, traditions and theories of literature that, now or then, have been involved in relating ‘Europe’ to a certain space, tradition, or identity.
- Studying Criticism And Reception Across Borders
This group researches literary reception in its broadest sense, from analysing the practice of book reviewers and literary criticism, to studying all sorts of literary institutions like publishers, literary magazines.
- Memory, Materiality and Meaning in the Age of Transnationalism
This group studies the media and forms of embodiment through which we create memory through meaning-making and performative practices.
Master’s thesis topics in Literary Studies:
For their Master’s thesis research, students can work together with researchers from one of the HLCS research groups or choose a topic in a non-related area. A small sample of thesis topics that you could research in this programme:
- Classicism under Justinian. A study of Justinian's classicising policies in the fields of literature, legislation and military conquest.
- The early transmission of Sappho's songs reflected in the ancient sources.
- Performing the Past, Staging the Future: Memory, Modernity, and (Inter)nationalist Identities at the Dublin Gate Theatre.
- Austen: The Next Generation. Modern reworkings of Pride and Prejudice and the Quest for New Audiences.
- De naam van de schrijver. Auteur, lezer en pseudoniem.
- Lolita - ethiek, lezer & effect. Een cognitief narratologische analyse van Vladimir Nabokovs Lolita (1955).
This programme is initially intended to prepare its students for an academic career, in particular as PhD researchers. About half of our graduates find such a position in the Netherlands or abroad. The other half also do well and often find academic positions with research orientated duties. Examples include:
- Researcher at a cultural or scientific organisation or research centre
- Assistant of a senior researcher
- Teacher at an institution for higher education
- Policy-making official in the fields of culture and science
- Editor in the field of historical or cultural scholarship
- Staff member of a publishing company or and text agency, usually with regard to scientific, historical or cultural journals
- Curator of a cultural heritage institution or in the museological sector
- Consultant for a political party
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/hlcs/literary
