Modern History MA

Year of entry

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Start date
September 2023
Delivery type
On campus
Duration
12 months full time
24 months part time
Entry requirements
A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in history or a related subject.
Full entry requirements
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in all components
UK fees
£10,750 (total)
International fees
£22,250 (total)

Course overview

Students working

This course will allow you to take a broad approach to studying modern history by providing the opportunity to explore a range of issues across Africa, India, the Americas, Britain and Europe from the early modern period to the 21st century

You will enhance your research skills, and you’ll be able to choose from a wide range of optional modules spanning a wide range of nations, continents, periods and themes to explore topics that interest you. You could study black internationalism alongside early modern Europe, the Spanish state, Stalinism, political violence in India or apartheid.

You’ll be taught by leading researchers as part of a large and diverse School of History as well as the Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute. Our research interests range from social history and identity to political history, nationalism and internationalism, meaning this flexible course offers plenty of opportunities to gain important skills while focusing on issues that suit your interests.

Specialist Resources

You’ll study in a supportive environment with a wide range of resources. The world-class Brotherton Library has one of the best history collections in the UK, ranging from monographs and journals to conference papers, theses and over 100 digital databases of primary sources and other materials for fundamental research. The Brotherton also has its own special collections including the Leeds Russian Archive and the Feminist Archive North.

The Alf Mattinson Collection is full of printed works and papers related to the history of the Labour Party, whilst the Romany collection and Liddle Collection offer insights into Romany culture and the First World War respectively.

Course details

You’ll study one core module in your first semester, introducing you to different research methodologies in history and allowing you to develop your skills. You’ll also select from a wide range of optional modules throughout the year, allowing you to pursue topics that interest you such as the history of Yorkshire, the European Enlightenment or issues surrounding global security.

You’ll also have the opportunity to work collaboratively with partner organisations, such as the West Yorkshire Archive Service, by studying the ‘Making History: Archive Collaborations’ module.

This course will equip you with in-depth subject knowledge, as well as high-level skills in research, interpretation and analysis. You’ll be able to demonstrate these when you complete your dissertation on a modern history topic of your choice, which you’ll submit by the end of the course.

If you choose to study part-time, you’ll study over a longer period and take fewer modules in each year.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Modern History MA Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Modern History MA Part Time in the course catalogue

Year 1 compulsory modules

Module Name Credits
Dissertation (MA) 60
Practising Modern History 30

Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)

Module Name Credits
Engaging the Modern City: The Civic Researcher 30
Making History: Archive Collaborations 30
Secrecy and Espionage in Early Modern Europe 30
Reformation(s): Belief and Culture in Early Modern Europe 30
Gender and Power in Early Modern Europe 30
Medicine and Warfare in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries 30
Defending the Nation: Britain during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, 1793 to 1815 30
Revolution and Rebirth: Eastern Europe and the USSR, 1985-99 30
Social Histories of South Africa 30
Stalinist Terror 30
Black Internationalism 30
Histories of Migration from Early Modern to Modern 30
The Idea of Black Culture 30

Learning and teaching

We use a range of teaching and learning methods. The majority of your modules will be taught through weekly seminars, where you’ll discuss issues and themes in your chosen modules with a small group of students and your tutors. Independent study is also crucial to this degree, giving you the space to shape your own studies and develop your skills.


Listen to the School of History podcast – a series of interviews with our academic staff about their latest groundbreaking publications, their research interests and how they bring them into the classroom, and what inspired them to become historians in the first place.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

We use different types of assessment to help you develop a wide range of skills, including presentations, research proposals, case studies and essays, depending on the subjects you choose.

Applying

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (Hons) in history, or a degree scheme that includes a significant proportion of history, or a related subject such as politics.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in all components. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Arts and Humanities (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Arts and Humanities (10 weeks).

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional.

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

How to apply

Documents and information you need:

You’ll need to upload the following documents when completing the online application form:

  • A transcript of your completed BA degree or grades to date

  • A personal statement of around 500 words in response to the questions asked in the supporting statement section of the application form

  • If English is not your first language, you’ll need to submit proof of your English language results (eg IELTS).

We do not generally request references, unless further information is required to support the assessment of your application.

Where further information to support the assessment of your application is needed, we may ask for a recent sample of written work.

Deadlines:

We usually aim to process your application within 2-4 weeks. However, during the busy April-June period this can take up to six weeks.

We recommend that you apply as early as possible so you can leave enough time to make any arrangements before starting the programme, such as moving to Leeds or visa applications. Application deadlines for scholarships are likely to close much sooner.

Occasionally we may invite applicants to interview before deciding whether to offer them a place.

The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures receives very large numbers of high-quality applications and regrets that it cannot make offers to all of its applicants. Some particularly popular schools may have to reject many that hold the necessary academic qualifications.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2024

This course is taught by

School of History

Contact us

Student Education Service Office

Email: HistoryPGTadmissions@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:

Fees

UK: £10,750 (total)

International: £22,250 (total)

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Read more about paying fees and charges.

Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Please view our Scholarships and Employment page for the latest information about School scholarships.

Career opportunities

This course will heighten your cultural and social awareness as well as allowing you to build your historical knowledge. You’ll also gain high-level research, analysis and communication skills that will prove valuable in a wide range of careers.

Graduates have found success in a wide range of careers in education, research and the private sector. Many others have continued with their studies at PhD level.

We offer different forms of support to help you reach your career goals. You’ll have the chance to attend our career groups, meeting students with similar plans, or you could become a paid academic mentor to an undergraduate completing their final year dissertation. You could also apply for one of the internships we offer each year.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more about Careers support.

Study abroad and work placements

Our optional placement module "Making History" provides a fantastic opportunity to gain relevant experience in areas relating to History such as archiving and heritage. You will gain 50 hours work experience working on a project with a partner organisation. You will also develop your critical analysis skills through the completion of a critical essay and a project portfolio.