Masters Degrees in Modern History, Netherlands

Explore Europe’s history and culture from a global perspective

In the Master's programme in Cultural History of Modern Europe, you will study Europe's position in the world from a cultural-historical perspective, with an emphasis on modern history.

Our programme offers you profound insight into the history of ideas and practices that form the identities of individuals, groups, and societies, including heritage and public history in international frameworks. The programme content focuses on theories of modern cultural history, global perspectives on European civilization, the politics of heritage and cultural memory, aspects of transnational history and postcolonial culture, global practices of citizenship, and the development of career-oriented academic competencies. We begin by looking at contemporary problems and discussions.

This programme offers an English track and a Dutch track. The modules offered in these tracks are the same – only the language of instruction differs.

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You can take the Master's programme in Modern History and International Relations as a specialization within the Research Master's degree in History or the Research Master's degree in International Relations.

The two-year Master's programme in Modern History and International Relations teaches you to carry out independent academic research in the fields of modern history and international relations. You will explore recent developments in these fields and study relevant theoretical and methodological backgrounds. You will learn about subjects such as international political economy, the history of cultural identity and European cooperation and integration.

As a student of this programme you work in small groups and are supervised by highly qualified researchers. The programme is closely related to the research carried out at the Groningen Research Institute for the Study of Culture (ICOG) and the N.W. Posthumus Institute.

Degree: MA in History (research), MA in International Relations (research)

Why in Groningen?

- Intensive supervision by high-quality researchers in small groups
- A challenging multidisciplinary approach
- Partial Talent Grants and Research Assistantships

Job perspectives

After graduation you are well prepared for a career in research at a university or a private or governmental research institute. You can pursue jobs at international organizations and government institutions as well. You can apply for a PhD-position.

Job examples

- International Affairs / Foreign Policy Advisor jobs
- Investigating Journalism
- Research oriented career in International Relations or History
- Academic positions

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You’ll learn to make connections between the past and the present. You’ll research the ways in which current traditions came to be, and how current views on the past emerged, as well as their role in the present.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/history

Engaging in debate

During the Master’s in History, you’ll develop a set of academic skills such being able to collect different sources and critically analyse them, to interpret data and to form constructive arguments. You’ll also learn how to clearly present research results and how to enter into a debate with historians and other interested parties.

As an academic historian, you’ll have lots of options. You could work for museums, heritage institutions, libraries, archives, political parties, think-tanks or as a policy maker, journalist, teacher or information officer.

Specialisations

The History Master’s has three specialisations: one is English-taught and the other two are Dutch-taught.

- Eternal Rome
In this specialisation, you’ll analyse Rome and its impressive legacy to become acquainted with its ancient history, medieval history, art history, classical philology, archaeology, and literary theory.

- Actuele geschiedenis (i.e. Current History)
You’ll study the tension between current events and history in this specialisation; how it affects the current interpretation of the past and how history is used and abused to give direction to the future.

- Politiek en parlement (i.e. Politics and Parlement)
In this multidisciplinary specialisation history, political science and constitutional law meet. You’ll learn to put political phenomena in a historical context.

Career prospects

As an historian, you’ll be able to identify developments and historical events. You’ll be able to ask different questions and approach issues from a variety of perspectives. Each Master’s specialisation focuses on different professional perspectives. Thus, Politics and Parliament (Dutch) will give you the foundation you need to work in politics in The Hague, whilst the specialisation Eternal Rome will make you an expert in Rome and its many influences on Western society. Read more about your career prospects as a historian with each specialisation:
- Eternal Rome
- Actuele geschiedenis
- Politiek en parlement

Teacher of History in the Netherlands

Want to become a History teacher in secondary education? After completing your Master's in History you can get your ‘eerstegraads bevoegdheid’ to become a teacher in the Netherlands (leraar geschiedenis of maatschappijleer). With this degree, you can teach the higher grades of secondary school in the Netherlands (HAVO and VWO). This one-year postgraduate programme is offered in Dutch by the Radboud Docenten Academie.

PhD programme

If, upon completing your Master’s, you want to become a researcher in this field, you could choose to start a PhD. You’ll need to apply for a temporary position at a university, where you can carry out research and write you PhD paper. Many PhD candidates also teach in their field. A small number of graduates become PhD candidates.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/history

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The Leiden University Institute for History has a broad and wide-reaching academic scope. The Master’s Programme in History is an accurate reflection of this academic range and offers you the chance to obtain a degree based on your own particular interests and ambitions. To enable you to pursue your own interests as much as possible, the various specialisations have a thematic focus. Within these specialisations there are also possibilities to concentrate on Maritime History, Political Debate or Economic History.

Visit the website: http://en.mastersinleiden.nl/programmes/history/en/introduction

Course detail

Strong international orientation and focus on the study of European and non-European history in a global context gives the Leiden MA in History a unique character in the Netherlands. The wide range of chairs in history which include most European and non-European areas, combined with the unique archive material available in Leiden University and in nearby The Hague facilitates a study of nearly all areas of the world.

Specialisations

- Ancient History
- Archival Studies
- Cities, Migration and Global Interdependence
- Colonial and Global History
- Europaeum Programme European History and Civilisation: Leiden-Oxford-Paris Programme
- Europe 1000-1800
- Political Culture and National Identities

Careers

Alumni of the MA in History can be found in almost every sector of the employment market. Many graduates work for public services, while research, business services, banking and financial services, communications and teaching are also increasingly popular. You will also be qualified to carry out advisory work, policy development, management, co-ordination, editing and information services.

Recent graduates are working with companies such as Achmea, Sdu Uitgevers, VPRO/NOS, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Leiden University.

How to apply: http://en.mastersinleiden.nl/arrange/admission

Funding

For information regarding funding, please visit the website: http://prospectivestudents.leiden.edu/scholarships

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