MA (History)

Course details

Students taking the MA and the Postgraduate Diploma in History follow the same taught programme but only MA students write a dissertation.

This newly revised popular post-graduate course has been structured so as to offer students greater choice. Entrants may choose the omnibus History MA which combines a thorough training in the craft of history with an exploration of the ways in which history is and has been interpreted by historians, politicians, the media and others. Alternatively, students may choose to specialize in Local and Regional History, a branch of the programme which introduces a variety of regionally-focussed approaches to the past, in Ireland and abroad, or they may select Transnational History, which explores the movement of people, ideas and goods across national borders. Whatever their specialism, students on the History MA develop their ability to carry out research and to construct their own historical arguments.

Aims and objectives

This programme enables students to develop critical and analytical skills.  it trains them in ways of evaluating evidence and encourages them to reflect on different modes of presenting information in print and electronic formats.

The taught programme aims to increase students’ awareness of the nature of historical change and to deepen their understanding of the mentalities of other historical periods. In doing so, they develop a critical awareness of the relationship between current events and political, social, economic and cultural processes in the past. Students are introduced to a wide range of historical sources and taught to appreciate and understand many different kinds of source from estate rolls and depositions to newspapers, memoirs and oral evidence. This year, students may choose to specialize in Local and Regional History or Transnational History. As well as the taught courses which they must take and for which they must submit essays/projects, students are given guidance in framing research questions and carrying out independent research, culminating in their dissertations. Continuous feedback from dedicated staff enables them to hone their research techniques and to present their findings clearly and accessibly in thesis form.

Lecturers on the programme include historians working in medieval, early modern and modern history across a range of geographical areas and using a variety of historical approaches. Students are encouraged to develop comparative perspectives across Irish, European, North American and world history. Transnational History students will take courses that explore the movement of peoples, ideas and goods across national borders. Students on all three branches of the programme will take the same two core courses: Sources and Resources, and Historical Debates and Controversies.

Key facts

Entry requirements

There is a common entry for all three branches of the programme: students will choose the branch they wish to pursue by the end of the first week of term. Successful applicants will normally hold an honours degree of H2.2 standard, including a minimum H2.1 in history, or GPA of 3.5. Selection will be based on applicants' academic record and academic references testifying to their academic ability and enthusiasm for history.

Course outline

Students taking the MA and the Postgraduate Diploma in History follow the same taught programme but only MA students write a dissertation.

CORE COURSES

(Must be taken by students on all three branches of the programme):

• Sources and Resources (15 ECTS)
• Historical Debates & Controversies(15 ECTS)

OPTIONAL COURSES

Each student must take three courses (30 ECTS) from the list below.

• Studies in Local History 10 ECTS
• Regional Identities 10 ECTS
• Studies in Oral History 10 ECTS
• Comparing Slavery, Antislavery and Nationbuilding: The Americas, The Atlantic and Europe 10 ECTS
• NGOs & The Making of the Twentieth Century World 10 ECTS
• People on the Move: Studying Migration 10 ECTS
• The First Crusade and the Sources 10 ECTS
• Studies in the History of Imperialism and Colonialism 10 ECTS

All students carry out original research and produce a dissertation of 15,000 - 20,000 words. Students may research an area of their choice as long as the project they envisage allows them demonstrate the competencies being tested and an appropriate supervisor in the area is available.

Further information about these modules is available at: Course Modules