MA Migration History: People, Objects, Cultures

Program Overview

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MA Migration History: People, Objects, Cultures

Course Overview

The MA in Migration History: People, Objects, Cultures offers a unique opportunity to undertake advanced study of one of the oldest, most constant, and still searingly relevant phenomena in human history: the movement of people, both voluntarily and involuntarily, across borders.

Key Features

• Unique postgraduate degree: focusing on the history of international migration over several centuries, from the early modern era to the present.
• Diverse in approach: emphasises political, economic, cultural, intellectual, and imperial explanations for and interpretations of migration history.
• Visits to and workshops in key archives and cultural institutions in the UK and abroad.
• Taught in Bloomsbury, in central London.
• Study week in Paris during the Spring term.

Structure of the Course

The MA in Migration History is a taught Master’s, based in Bloomsbury in central London, which runs for one year, from September to September. In the autumn, winter, and spring terms, students take a range of modules, each of which is dedicated either to the history of migration in a particular geographical region, including a comprehensive grounding in the history of emigration and immigration in the British Isles, or to specific themes in migration history, from the role of war and repression in generating mass exoduses of refugees to the transoceanic movements forced and facilitated by the rise of global empires.

Modules on the Course

Autumn Term

• Emigration and Immigration in the Modern British Isles
  • This module gives students a systematic understanding of the history of emigration and immigration in the British Isles since the eighteenth century.
• The Practice of Research
  • This module provides students with a thorough understanding of the methodologies, skills and critical thinking required for the study, research, and writing of History at the MA degree level.

Winter Term

• Persecution and Protection: The History of Asylum
  • Refugees, exiles, and the divisive international and domestic politics of asylum have emerged as some of the great global issues of the last generation.
• Empires of Movement: Exchange, Enslavement and Emigration (optional)
  • Empires have always been a crucial factor in the global movement migration.
• Art Across Borders: Networks, Collecting, and Conquest (optional)
  • This module, taught in partnership with Buckingham’s MA in the Art Market, Provenance and the History of Collecting focuses on the changing status of objects and artefact when they move between different cultural, religious and political contexts.

Spring Term

• Migration in La Grande Nation
  • A counterpart to ‘Emigration and Immigration in the Modern British Isles’, this module provides a history of movement to and within France.
• Dissertation
  • In the spring term, students begin preparation for their dissertations.

Summer Term

• Dissertation
  • This will constitute the culmination of students’ work on the MA in Migration History.

Entry Requirements

• A first or second-class honours degree from a recognised university or,
• A recognised professional qualification

Teaching & Assessment

Buckingham prides itself on the focused and high-quality teaching that it provides to students. With one of the most favourable staff-to-student ratios in the United Kingdom, the University is able to give students individualised supervision tailored to their needs.

After Your Course

Graduates of the MA in Migration History will be well prepared for an array of opportunities for further study and employment.

Course Fees

• Sep 2025 Full-time (1 Year)
  • UK: £10,300
  • INT: £16,480

Scholarships and Bursaries

We have bursaries and scholarships available for both home and international students at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and these are awarded based on location, merit or financial need.

• Postgraduate First-Class Scholarship
  • The scholarship will reduce tuition fees by 33% for new UK and international postgraduate students.
• Sheikh / Mubarak Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah Scholarship (Postgraduate)
  • A £20,000 scholarship for outstanding Arabic students pursuing a full-time Master’s degree in the UK.

Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

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The MA in Migration History: People, Objects, Cultures

is a unique postgraduate program offered by the University of Buckingham.

• To equip students with the research skills and knowledge necessary to pursue independent research in this field.
• To develop students' critical thinking and analytical skills.
• To prepare students for careers in a variety of fields, including academia, government, law, and the charitable sector.

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Key Features:

• Focuses on the history of international migration across many centuries.
• Interdisciplinary and diverse in approach.
• Includes visits to key cultural institutions in the UK and abroad.
• Taught in London.
• Includes a study week in Paris.

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Outline:

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Program Content:

The program covers a wide range of topics related to the history of migration, including:

• The mass exoduses that accompanied religious war and repression in the early modern era.
• The transoceanic movements forced and facilitated by the rise of global empires.
• The unprecedented scale of international migration in the twentieth century.
• The legal and intellectual history of political asylum.
• The ecological issues raised by the movement of flora and fauna accompanying humans on the move.
• The rise of international networks that have enabled cultural transmission and exchange across borders.

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Program Structure:

The program consists of:

• Core modules: These modules provide students with a grounding in the history of migration and the skills necessary for historical research.
• Optional modules: These modules allow students to tailor their studies to their specific interests.
• Dissertation: Students write a dissertation on a topic of their choice, supervised by a member of the academic staff.

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Course Schedule:

The program is taught over one year, starting in September. The schedule includes:

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Workshops
• Field trips
• Study week in Paris

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Modules:

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Core Modules:

• Dissertation (Migration History)
• Emigration and Immigration in the Modern British Isles: Issues and Debates
• Migration and the Grande Nation
• Persecution and Protection: The History of Asylum
• The Practice of Research

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Optional Modules:

• Art across Borders: Networks, Collecting, and Conquest
• Empires of Movement: Exchange, Enslavement and Emigration

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Assessment:

The program is assessed through a variety of methods, including:

• Written assignments
• Presentations
• Class participation
• Dissertation

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Assessment Criteria:

• Understanding of the subject matter
• Critical thinking and analysis
• Research skills
• Written and oral communication skills

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Teaching:

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Teaching Methods:

The program employs a variety of teaching methods, including:

• Traditional lectures and seminar discussions
• Workshops with partner institutions
• Class visits to relevant cultural institutions and archive collections
• A week-long study trip to Paris

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Faculty:

The program is taught by a team of experienced historians with expertise in the history of migration.

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Unique Approaches:

The program emphasizes individualized supervision and small-group seminars, providing students with the opportunity to engage in close discussion with their peers and instructors.

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Other:

• The program is open to students with a first or second-class honours degree from a recognised university.
• International students are welcome to apply.
• The program is taught in English.
• The University of Buckingham is a UKVI Student Sponsor.
• The program is one of the first of its kind in the UK.
• The program is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue successful careers in a variety of fields.
• The program is highly regarded by employers and academics alike.

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Careers:

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Potential career paths

for graduates of the program include:

• Academia
• Government
• Law
• Charitable sector
• Museums and archives
• Cultural heritage management

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Opportunities:

Graduates of the program will be well-prepared for further study at the doctoral level or for employment in a variety of fields. The program will provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in their chosen career paths.

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Conclusion:

The MA in Migration History: People, Objects, Cultures is a unique and comprehensive program that provides students with a deep understanding of the history of international migration. The program is taught by a team of experienced historians who are passionate about their subject. The program is well-suited for students who are interested in pursuing careers in academia, government, law, the charitable sector, or museums and archives.

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• UK: £10,900
• INT: £16,480
Course fees do not include additional costs such as books, equipment, writing up fees and other ancillary charges. Where applicable, these additional costs will be made clear. Please note that The University of Buckingham has four terms per year. The tuition fees quoted are for the degree (e.g. if you start a degree at Buckingham in January, you will pay the same termly fee for the duration of your degree – you will not be affected by the price increase in September). Students will pay the same termly fee for the duration of their studies, unless studies are interrupted and resumed later. The tuition fee quoted is therefore the total cost of the degree. Fees are normally paid in termly instalments.