MA Modern History

The MA in Modern History focuses on the period c1500-2000, and draws on the considerable range of expertise within the School to offer a broad selection of modules, allowing you to tailor your programme to your interests.

Overview

You learn from academics regarded as experts in their fields and research areas. You develop your capacity to think critically about past events, approach primary and secondary sources from a variety of perspectives and strive to understand the complex issues surrounding context and significance. In addition, you engage with the wider historiography and discourse associated with your studies, understanding the structure and nature of cultural, political and social forces in the modern period.

Teaching and assessment

All courses are assessed by coursework, and the dissertation counts for half the final grade (comprising one third assessed preparation, two thirds actual dissertation).

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

• place the study of texts, images and artefacts, in their historical contexts, at the centre of student learning and analysis;
• ensure that students of modern history (ie history after 1500) acquire knowledge and understanding in the historical modes of theory and analysis
• enable you to understand and use the concepts, approaches and methods of modern history in different academic contexts and refine their understanding of the differing and contested aspects between, and within, the relevant disciplines
• develop your capacities to think critically about past events and experiences
• encourage you to relate the academic study of modern history to questions of public debate and concern

Careers

As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, postgraduate qualifications are becoming more attractive to employers seeking individuals who have finely tuned skills and abilities, which our programmes encourage you to hone. As a result of the valuable transferable skills developed during your course of study, career prospects for history graduates are wide ranging. Our graduates go on to a variety of careers, from research within the government to teaching, politics to records management and journalism, to working within museums and galleries – to name but a few.