The MA in Late Antique and Byzantine Studies enables students to specialise in an exciting and multi-faceted field of study that covers the history and culture of the Mediterranean world during the long millennium from the foundation of Constantinople in 324 to the fall of the Byzantine empire in 1453. Taking this MA at Royal Holloway is ideal if you are interested in progressing to doctoral research in Byzantine studies, particularly in reading and editing Byzantine texts from manuscripts. It can also lead to careers in education, journalism, finance, politics and cultural sectors.
You will be taught by experts from the College’s Hellenic Institute, a research centre for the diachronic and interdisciplinary study of Hellenism. The Hellenic Institute brings together areas of teaching and research in which Royal Holloway has long excelled: the study of the language, literature and history of Ancient Greece and Byzantine Studies. The Institute promotes the study of Greek language, literature and history, from the archaic and classical age, through the Hellenistic and Roman times, Byzantium and the Post-Byzantine period, to the establishment of the Modern Greek State and the modern world.
There is an extraordinarily wide choice of courses available, drawing on the resources of the whole of the University of London including a range of modules in research skills (ancient languages, palaeography, epigraphy, papyrology) and those that will develop your critical and conceptual understanding of the field through a variety of disciplines (history, literature, material culture, philosophy).
Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, written examinations and a dissertation.
The MA in Late Antique and Byzantine Studies at Royal Holloway enables students to develop strong presentation and negation skills, along with analytical and research skills, which makes them highly employable and can lead to careers in education, journalism, finance, politics and cultural. The majority of graduates, however continue research on a doctoral level in the field of Byzantine Literature and History, and Greek Palaeography at Royal Holloway and at other universities in Britain and abroad.
Our Careers team will work with you to enhance your employability and prepare you for the choices ahead. Their support doesn’t end when you graduate; you can access the service for up to two years after graduation.
This MA offers students the opportunity to specialise in an exciting and multi-faceted field of study that covers the history and culture of the Mediterranean world during the long millennium from the foundation of Constantinople (modern Istanbul) in 324 to the fall of the Byzantine empire in 1453.
Students gain a thorough grounding in key aspects of and approaches to late antique and Byzantine studies. They acquire necessary research skills (ancient languages, palaeography, epigraphy, papyrology) and develop their critical and conceptual understanding of the field through a variety of disciplines (history, literature, material culture, philosophy).
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of one core language or research skills module (40 credits), optional modules (80 credits), and a research dissertation (60 credits).
Core modules
Either one language acquisition module, or a research skills module (40 credits). These include:
Optional modules
Optional modules will be finalised in Spring 2018. Please contact the department for more information. The following optional modules were available in 2017/18 and this is an indicative list only:
Dissertation/report
All students attend the Introduction to Byzantium seminar, leading to an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of up to 12,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of seminars, lectures, workshops and library visits. Assessment is through unseen examinations, coursework essays and the dissertation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Late Antique and Byzantine Studies MA
Graduates of the programme are equipped with the skills necessary for further doctoral study in this field. The programme also leads to careers in research or teaching, cultural management, general management, civil service and banking.
Employability
Debates, small group seminars and tutorials help students to acquire strong presentation and negotiation skills for their future career. Likewise the analytical and research skills gained by students on this programme are highly valued by employers from a range of industries. There are many additional activities available, both within the department and the wider UCL community, to help students focus on employability skills whilst they are here, for example, departmental careers talks and networking opportunities with history alumni.
UCL History enjoys an outstanding international reputation for its research and teaching.
This intercollegiate programme is taught jointly with King's College London and Royal Holloway, University of London, and students benefit from the international expertise and wealth of resources that the three colleges have to offer.
Located in Bloomsbury, UCL History is just a few minutes' walk to the British Library, the British Museum and the research institutes of the University of London, including the Warburg Institute and the Institute of Historical Research. UCL is ideally located at the heart of various historical societies and academic communities.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: History
82% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
The end of classical antiquity in the Mediterranean and the Middle East witnessed the formation of polities, institutions and ideologies which define and continue to influence our world to the present day.
By combining a diverse, yet cognate range of research interests, this programme offers an exceptional selection of linguistic and disciplinary expertise in the study of the late antique, Islamic and Byzantine worlds, embracing archaeology, art history, history, languages and literatures, and auxiliary disciplines such as palaeography, numismatics, and sigillography. It presently provides training in the following source languages: Greek, Latin, Arabic, and/or Hebrew.
This programme provides you with excellent preparation for graduate research in historical, archaeological, literary or art-historical topics focusing on the Mediterranean and western Asia from late antiquity into the early middle ages.
You will have access to the expertise of academics who are all passionate about their area of study. Drawn from several schools across the University and brought together in the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, the team comprises specialists in the various branches of late antique, Islamic and Byzantine studies.
The MSc comprises seminars, language classes and tutorials, which will include seminar discussion and debate, presentation to peers, directed and independent reading, as well as interactive language teaching. You will complete one compulsory course and select a further two language courses and an additional three options from a wide range on offer.
The compulsory course is:
Option courses previously offered include those listed below. Option courses change from year to year and those available when you start your studies may be different from those shown in the list:
The programme emphasises acquisition of essential language skills for original research and close work with key historical and/or literary sources of evidence and grounding in the issues surrounding them.
You will gain an appreciation of the associated material cultures, including issues surrounding its recovery, survival and curation, which will prepare you for future academic research and prospective careers in aspects of museums and heritage management.
Our students view the programme and a graduate degree from Edinburgh as an advanced qualification valued and respected by many employers. Those interested in long-term academic careers consider the MSc as preparation for a PhD.
The MSc provides a toolkit of transferable skills in organisation, research and analysis that will be highly prized in any field of work. It can form a stepping stone to many careers, such as further academic research, museum and art curation, literary translation or analysis, education or public heritage. Graduates of related programmes are putting their skills to use as tutors, archivists, writers and conference coordinators for employers including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
This programme is intended for students who have a background in Byzantine Studies and, normally, some knowledge of Greek.
It comprises a major individual research project, supervised by a specialist in the field of study, and taught elements which provide the opportunity to deepen your knowledge of Byzantium through a range of modules in archaeology, art, history, literature and numismatics.
MRes programmes offer a unique opportunity to deepen and develop your knowledge of the subject by combining taught elements with research training and an independent research project.
The MRes Byzantine Studies features three taught modules which will prepare you for your research. All students take a core module in Methodologies of Byzantine Studies, and your remaining two modules are optional so you can focus on areas of specific interest.
Topics available to study and research include art, history and archaeology. Full details of available modules can be found in the Modules section below.
Assessment
Taught modules are typically assessed by written assignment. You will also complete a 20,000-word thesis on a topic of your choice, with support from a supervisor.
The Byzantine Studies MRes forms part of the Centre for Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies (CBOMGS) which is the only centre in the UK to bring all of these subjects together within a single unit.
CBOMGS aims to provide a stimulating environment for cross-disciplinary research and inter-cultural dialogue for the wider research community. You will benefit from the insight of academic staff and peers from across the College of Arts and Law.
The Centre for Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies has a large postgraduate community which organises an annual international postgraduate colloquium. Postgraduates also participate in the bi-weekly General Seminar of the Centre and in the Spring Symposium of Byzantine Studies. A Medieval Greek Summer School, the only one of its kind, takes place at Birmingham, end of July-August.
You will also become part of, and contribute to, the lively international community of the College of Arts and Law Graduate School, which offers dedicated research resources and a supportive working environment. Our team of academic and operational staff are on hand to offer support and advice to all postgraduate students within the College.
Your degree will provide excellent preparation for employment and this will be further enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University.
The University's Careers Network provides advice and information specifically for postgraduates that will help you to develop an effective career and skills development strategy, and to make the most of your time with us at the University. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team to deliver tailored programmes of careers events and local support.
You will have opportunities to: meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs; attend employer presentations and skills workshops; receive individual guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique; and access to comprehensive listings of hundreds of graduate jobs and work experience opportunities.
You will also be able to access our full range of careers support for up to two years after graduation.
Postgraduate employability: Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies
Graduates with a postgraduate degree in Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies can boast a wide combination of skills that can be applied in many types of work and which employers regard very positively. Many graduates have gone on to pursue academic posts at institutions such as Dumbarton Oaks (Harvard University), University of Birmingham and University of Warwick.
Our Late Antique and Byzantine Studies MA covers an exciting and varied field of study spanning the history and culture of the Eastern Mediterranean world during the period that begins with the foundation of Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 330 and ends with the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453. As well as exploring the history of region through a variety of themes – history, literature, material culture, philosophy and theology – the course will also help you to develop proficiency in vital research skills, including the use of ancient languages (Medieval Greek or Latin), palaeography, epigraphy, papyrology.
Leads to further research or careers in education, journalism, finance, politics and cultural sectors.
Our Late Antique and Byzantine Studies MA covers an exciting and varied field of study spanning the history and culture of the Eastern Mediterranean world during the period that begins with the foundation of Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 330 and ends with the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453. As well as exploring the history of region through a variety of themes – history, literature, material culture, philosophy and theology – the course will also help you to develop proficiency in vital research skills, including the use of ancient languages (Medieval Greek or Latin), palaeography, epigraphy and papyrology.
This course is ideal if you have previous training in a related subject in the humanities.
For students whose previous training has been in a related subject in the humanities. To give a grounding in the subject, normally with a language-training element in medieval Greek or Latin.
Teaching
If you are a full-time student, we will give you six to eight hours of teaching each week through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 35 hours of self-study.
If you are a part-time student, we will give you two to six hours of teaching each week through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 17.5 hours of self-study.
For your dissertation, we will give five hours of supervision each year, and we will expect you to undertake 575 hours of self-study.
Assessment
We will assess you through a combination of coursework and examinations. Typically, we will assess 20-credit modules through a 5,000-word essay or three-hour examination, and 40-credit modules through approximately 10,000-words of coursework, or a combination of coursework and examination. You will take 180 credits of modules over your programme.
Your dissertation will be a 12,000-word essay.
Some of our graduates continue their research in our department and elsewhere in the UK, EU and US. Others transfer the skills and knowledge they develop to careers in teaching, cultural management, general management, civil service and banking.
The MA in Hellenic Studies enables students to develop their knowledge and appreciation of Greek history and culture, from the Homeric and Classical age, through the Hellenistic and Roman times, the Byzantine and Post-Byzantine period to the modern world. It is suitable for students from a wide range of different discipline and ideal if you are interested in progressing to doctoral research in Greek History and Culture. It can also lead to careers in education, journalism, finance, politics and cultural sectors.
Through your studies you will examine the elements which characterise Hellenic culture through the centuries, at the same time acquiring a deeper knowledge of a certain period and discipline, including philosophy, history, law, religion, theatre, language, literature, epigraphy, papyrology and palaeography.
You will be taught by experts from the College’s Hellenic Institute, a research centre for the diachronic and interdisciplinary study of Hellenism. The Hellenic Institute brings together teaching and research on the language, literature and history of Ancient Greece from across the College. It promotes the study of Greek language, literature and history, from the archaic and classical age, through the Hellenistic and Roman times, Byzantium and the Post-Byzantine period, to the establishment of the Modern Greek State and the modern world.
Core modules
Optional modules
In addition to these mandatory course units there are a number of optional course units available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course units that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new units may be offered or existing units may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.
Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, written examinations and a dissertation.
The MA in Hellenic Studies at Royal Holloway enables students to develop strong presentation and negation skills, along with analytical and research skills, which makes them highly employable and can lead to careers in education, journalism, finance, politics and cultural. A considerable number of graduates continue research on a doctoral level in the field of Greek History and Culture at the Hellenic Institute of Royal Holloway and at other universities in Britain and abroad.
Our Careers team will work with you to enhance your employability and prepare you for the choices ahead. Their support doesn’t end when you graduate; you can access the service for up to two years after graduation.
The Royal Holloway MA in Crusader Studies offers a unique and fascinating examination of the ideas, impact and personalities of this subject from the medieval age to the present day. You will be taught, inspired and challenged by internationally recognised experts in this field.
Royal Holloway has a long tradition of studying the History of the Crusades and Byzantium and in conjunction with the libraries and research seminars of central London, offers unparalleled expertise and resources. This is an ideal MA if you are pursuing an advanced interest in crusading history, it will provide you with a further set of skills and a qualification, it also has a highly successful track record as a springboard to doctoral research.
The programme offers students an understanding of the context of the crusades, and the ideology that underpinned the movement as well as a consideration of its modern day resonances. You will gain an unparalleled insight into the ideas, events and people of crusading history while engaging with a full array of source materials in this compelling field. The course will also consider the impact of the crusades on the Muslim world, as well as exploring western Europe’s first contacts with the terrifying Mongols.
We are one of the largest and liveliest History departments in the UK yet our size is not at the cost of anonymity; you will receive our individual attention and become part of our close-knit post graduate community.
Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, examinations and a dissertation.
On completion of your MA in Crusades Studies at Royal Holloway you will have developed and finessed skills, such as research, analysis and presenting, which will appeal to future employers. Your degree also demonstrates that you enjoy being challenged, understand complex issues, as well as other values and cultures, which equips you to operate successfully in a fast-changing and increasingly globalised and multi-cultural environment. On graduation you will have ideally placed to develop your career in areas that involve the professional creation, evaluation and dissemination of knowledge or wish to progress towards a PhD.
This MA provides a unique range of options from the early modern period to the present, covering lands where mighty empires and many nations have interacted and competed over the centuries: the Russian Empire, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Habsburg Monarchy, the Ottoman Empire, the German Empire, and their successor states.
Students are encouraged to choose from modules which are as diverse in geography as they are varied in approach. The programme is especially rich in modules exploring the relationship between power and culture. Several methods modules are available, including Methods of Area Studies Research (MASR).
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of one core module (30 credits), a choice from a range of optional modules (90 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).
Core module
Optional modules
Dissertation/report
All MA students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of approximately 10,000-12,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, presentations, and self study. Student performance is assessed through examinations, essays, a portfolio of work (which includes annotated bibliography, bullet-point presentation, encyclopaedia-style entry, and book review), oral presentation, document analysis, and the dissertation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: History (SSEES) MA
With their specialist knowledge and language skills, SSEES Master's graduates can be found in business, finance, the media, international agencies, charities, diplomacy, international security organisations, the law, and academia.
Some graduates advise the Russian, Polish, American, and other governments, and the European Commission.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
Students who have successfully completed this programme have moved into further academic research and doctoral studies, careers in teaching and careers in government, NGOs or the European Parliament. The regional specialism of this MA along with the opportunity to learn a language is attractive to employers. Networking is facilitated by two major collaborations led by SSEES: CEELBAS and the International Master's (IMESS). Scholarships, internship opportunities and excellent links with other universities in the region provide further benefits.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
The UCL School of Slavonic & East European Studies (SSEES) is a world-leading specialist institution, and the largest national centre in the UK, for the study of central, Eastern and south-east Europe and Russia.
Located in Bloomsbury, SSEES offers an ideal location for scholars. The British Library, British Museum, University of London Library and other similar research centres are all close by.
The SSEES Library is unequalled in Britain for the depth and breadth of its collections, the majority of which are on open access in the SSEES building.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: SSEES - School of Slavonic & East European Studies
64% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
This course is ideal as a bridge to study at MA level or beyond if you are new to the field of Late Antique & Byzantine Studies.
It covers the Byzantine Empire, 600-1453 and an ancient language (Greek or Latin) plus options including Medicine in Western Civilization I and Constantinople: Imperial Capital - Medieval Metropolis.
Leads to MA study or careers in education, journalism, finance, politics and cultural sectors.
The Late Antique and Byzantine Studies Graduate Diploma is a highly flexible academic study pathway that offers you the opportunity to customise your module choices to reflect your academic interests.
Initially, you will study either a Greek or Latin language module at a level to reflect your language abilities. You will then choose to study further topics from the late antique and Byzantine area of the course as well as a range of optional modules from the Department of Classics or the Department of Theology & Religious Studies.
You must take modules totalling 120 credits to complete the course. If you are studying full-time, you will complete the course in nine months, from September to June; if you are studying part-time, your programme will take 18 months to complete. (For progression to the MA in Late Antique & Byzantine Studies, a pass at Merit standard (60 per cent) would be required)
The Late Antique and Byzantine Studies Graduate Diploma is a multi-disciplinary study programme designed both for graduates who are looking to strengthen and expand their understanding of Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, and also for students from other backgrounds requiring an in-depth understanding of the main areas of the subjects.
Though it may be taken as a free-standing qualification in its own right, many students take the Graduate Diploma as a preliminary to the MA in Late Antique & Byzantine Studies at King's.
Teaching
We use lectures, seminars and group tutorials to deliver most of the modules on the programme. You will also be expected to undertake a significant amount of independent study. You will be assigned a personal tutor who will provide support and guidance for your studies.
Assessment
Assessment methods will depend on the modules you have selected to study. The primary methods of assessment for this course are coursework and examinations.
The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. They are however, subject to change.
Our graduates frequently choose to continue their studies at Kings’ by studying for a master’s in Late Antique and Byzantine Studies; While some decide to follow related courses at other UK universities.
