History MA
1 to 2 Years Full-Time | Distance Learning

The MA History course offers a programme of study that will empower you to problematise the past, set your own field of enquiry and test your ability to manage a significant research project.

This course is primarily delivered online to provide you with the flexibility to study at times convenient to you.

Our wide-ranging modules will deepen your historical understanding and help prepare you for the dissertation. ‘War and Peace in Historical Context’ will develop your understanding of the social, cultural and political consequences of war in rich and varied contexts. ‘British Empire and its Imperial Rivals’ will enhance your understanding of the global history of colonialism, one of history’s most dynamic forces. ‘Historical Contexts’ has a twofold purpose. It will introduce you to some of the key questions animating current historiography and showcase the historical expertise within the department. Finally, ‘History in the Digital Age: Institutions, Issues and Ideas’, an innovative and wide-ranging module, will give you the insights and cutting-edge skills needed to make a success of your dissertation.

The assessment methods employed on this course include historical and historiographical essays, oral and written presentations, critical reviews and portfolios of work.

Your dissertation will form a large part of the assessment process and will be overseen by a supervisor who specialises in your subject area.

Throughout your studies you will benefit from working with our team of specialist historians who were recently ranked in the UK’s top 20 for the quality of their history publications (REF 2014).

The subjects our academics teach reflect their research interests. All are authors of influential books and articles, adding new knowledge and perspectives to our understanding of the past.

You will be assigned a dedicated dissertation supervisor with specialist knowledge of your chosen subject area. They will guide you through your project with the help of our team of support staff.

Boasting doctorates, awards and extensive academic knowledge in their particular specialism, you can be confident you are learning from the best.

As a distance-based learner a large proportion of your course’s content will be delivered online using the latest innovative software.

Learning materials such as module handbooks, assessment information, lecture presentation slides and reading lists will be available via our innovative e-learning platform, Blackboard. You can also access student support and other key University systems through your personal account.

In addition, you will also be provided access to innovative learning and assessment platform, pebble+, where you can store your written material and key course documents.

The MA History course is centred around research-rich learning and delivery.

Delivered by our team of renowned academics, you will be learning from research-active experts who boast specialisms in all aspects of history including early modern and modern British, European, imperial and global history. In addition to our established strengths in political, cultural and social history, we have growing strengths in environmental history and the history of material culture.

Many staff are qualified to professorial level and engaged in collaborative research projects, which are often part of national or international research networks.

Northumbria is in the top ten nationwide for the quality of its research publications in history where 90% our research publications are world-leading or internationally excellent.History at Northumbria is ranked 26th in the UK for research power, according to 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

On completion of this course you will possess expert research skills thanks to your ability to collect, sift through and organise historical data. You will also be able to confidently use state-of-the-art digital researching tools.

Employability skills are embedded throughout all aspects of this course and, on completion, you will possess a range of attributes that are highly valued in today’s competitive job market. These skills include effective workload management, IT, problem solving, communication, teamwork and self-motivation.

Your previous qualifications and the specialist nature of this course will provide a strong foundation for your future work or study.

The MA History course has been designed to form the basis for those wishing to progress to PhD level and we offer advice in writing PhD and funding applications should you decide to take this route.

The broad range of skills and knowledge acquired on this course can help to enhance promotion prospects in many professions, most notably teaching, professional research, museums or archives, public policy and project management. It should also enhance your prospects of employment should you wish to move into such vocations.

You will also leave prepared for a career as a researcher or employment within a broader business environment.