History MA

Overview

Draw on the research and expertise of our academics in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology and develop the analytical and critical-thinking skills that are vital across a range of careers.

Our History MA will give you a breadth of understanding and insight across a variety of eras and spaces.

For example:

• Medical History
• Ideas and Ideologies
• Conflict
• Oral and Public History

Choose from modules based on themes such as the social or cultural, the political or the economic. With a variety of subdiscipline expertise and course content available in areas such as environmental history and the digital humanities.

We also offer a wide geographical and periodical range: from the pre-historic to the modern, and from the local histories of the North East of Britain to global histories of Europe, Asia, the Americas or Australasia.

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

 

What you'll learn

Equip yourself with the key skills of an Historian. Learn to engage with a variety of sources and topics, developing a range of skills in areas such as:

• digital technologies
• archival research and data collection
• analysis
• presentation

Understand the practice of history at Postgraduate level through a set of structured modules, then tailor the course to your areas of interest through a choice of four optional modules.

You can even take modules from outside the programme. Modules from the School of History, Classics and Archaeology, or an independent study project in an area of particular interest to you are also available.

Modules

You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.

Course content changes

Module information is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions.

Optional modules availability

Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

 

History MA modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Dissertation	60
The Practice of History	20
Research Skills and Dissertation Training	20

Optional Modules	Credits
Fundamentals of Digital Humanities: Computer literacy, data analysis and GIS	20
Conflict in European History: Case Studies	20
Ideas and Influences in British History	20
Independent Study Project in History	20
Independent Study Project in History	20
Missions, Missionaries and Empires in World History: British, European and Informal Empires	20
Public History I: projects in global public history	20
Oral History and Public History	20
The Patient in History	20

How you'll learn

Delivery and teaching methods

Your teaching will be based at our Newcastle campus.

The course is delivered through a combination of:

• seminars
• individual tutorials
• small-group teaching

Module teaching runs from Monday to Friday, during the day and term time only.

Your tutors and other academic staff are available for consultation, and for dissertation supervision, during vacations.

If you take this course part time, you'll agree your module selection with the Degree Programme Director.

Assessment methods

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

• Dissertation
• Essay
• Poster
• Portfolio
• Research proposal

Student support

Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:

• module handbooks
• course materials
• groups
• course announcements and notifications
• written feedback

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:

• peers
• academics
• personal tutors
• our University Student Services Team
• student representatives

You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff. They will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.

Your future

Careers

You'll gain and consolidate a broad range of skills, preparing you for a wide range of academic and professional opportunities.

We'll help you develop and explore your personal interests, equipping you with an advanced set of skills employers are looking for.

Our students go on to a diverse range of careers. Some opt for roles within history and heritage organisations, whilst others choose to use their leadership, communication and project management skills within the education sector.

Many of our graduate’s progress into industries such as finance, legal services and publishing. Here their advanced research, analytical and critical thinking skills are essential to success.

Our Careers Service

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information.

Facilities

Benefit from our extensive museum and archive collections such as:

• The Great North Museum: Hancock – our on-site museum. Home to the collections that previously made up the:
  • Hancock Museum
  • Shefton Museum of Greek Art and Archaeology (an internationally-renowned collection of over 1,000 Greek and Etruscan artefacts)
  • Museum of Antiquities.
• Special Collections & Archives at The Robinson Library – a rich collection of archival material, historical medical texts and rare books.
• The UNESCO-recognised Gertrude Bell Archive – explorer, archaeologist and political diplomat. 

Find out more about the Gertrude Bell Archive

You’ll also have access to:

• first-class computing facilities
• relevant databases
• a dedicated postgraduate computer room
• library facilities on campus and around the city

Find out more about our School's facilities

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2025 entry (per year)

Tuition fee increases

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals - tuition fee status

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information. 

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination
• graduation

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

Deposit

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

Funding deadlines

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding

Find funding available for your course

Select your country

How to apply

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.

Apply Online  

Open days and events

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Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events