Program Overview

History (MA)

The MA in History at Cardiff University is a one-year full-time program that seeks to satisfy students' curiosity about history while deepening their knowledge of its key concepts and methods as a discipline.

Why Study This Course

Taught by leading scholars across a range of periods and geographies, this program offers students the opportunity to explore a variety of approaches to the study of the past – social, cultural, intellectual, political – across a broad chronological and geographic range. The academic interests of the faculty span British, Welsh, European (including Central and Eastern Europe, and Russia), Asian, and North American histories from the medieval to the modern period.

• Dissertation with a difference: Examine an original take on a specialist topic that sparks curiosity in the dissertation study, or opt for an engagement-based dissertation project.
• Get research ready: Gain dedicated training in research planning, including its effective communication.
• Placement opportunities: Stand out with professional experience in the heritage sector as part of the Master's degree.
• Heritage and community action focus: Explore issues of engagement and educational co-production with the local community.

Admissions Criteria

To be considered for an offer for this program, applicants must meet all of the entry requirements.

• A copy of the degree certificate and transcripts showing a 2:2 honours degree in a relevant subject area, such as Ancient History, Classics, Classical civilisation, History, and Modern Languages, or an equivalent international degree.
• A copy of the IELTS certificate with an overall score of 6.5 with 6.0 in all subskills, or evidence of an accepted equivalent.

Course Structure

The MA comprises two parts: part one involves six taught modules for a total of 120 taught credits, and part two a research dissertation worth 60 credits.

• Part one: The taught stage includes three core modules designed to enable students to develop critical research skills and approaches essential to postgraduate study.
• Part two: The dissertation stage allows students the flexibility of choosing the pathway that best suits them and their career aspirations, with options to undertake a research dissertation or focus on a public engagement or community action project.

Core Modules

• Dissertation (HST086) - 60 credits
• Sources and Evidence: Advanced Historical Research Skills (HST081) - 20 credits
• Theories, Methods and Practices of History (HST083) - 20 credits
• Writing History: Dissertation Preparation (HST085) - 20 credits

Optional Modules

• The Atlantic World (HST076) - 20 credits
• Gender, Power and Culture (HST077) - 20 credits
• Heritage, Community Action and Public Engagement (HST078) - 20 credits
• Space, Place and Historical Research: From Micro-Histories to the Global Turn (HST082) - 20 credits
• Reading Modern Welsh History: Nation, Class and Gender (HST084) - 20 credits
• Medieval Empires (HST089) - 20 credits
• Doing Ancient History: Themes and Approaches (HST091) - 20 credits

Learning and Assessment

The MA teaching focuses on small group seminars and masterclasses complemented by individual tutorials and supervision sessions.

• How will I be taught: Seminars, masterclasses, individual tutorials, and supervision sessions.
• How will I be assessed: Coursework essays, source criticisms, annotated bibliographies, blogs, critical reviews, posters, and oral presentations.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees depend on the student's fee status, which could be home, island, or overseas.

• Fees for home status: £10,200 for year one, with no deposit required.
• Fees for overseas status: £24,700 for year one, with a £2,500 deposit.

Funding

Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria.

• Master's Scholarships: An award open to UK students intending to study one of the taught master's degrees.
• Postgraduate loans: Available for students starting their master's degree in September 2026 or later.
• Alumni Discount: Available for Cardiff University graduates who are planning to start an eligible master's in 2026/27.

Careers and Placements

The program equips students with the intellectual skills and personal development acquired through advanced historical study, making them qualified for a wide range of professions.

• Popular employment sectors include education, the law, journalism, publishing, advertising and marketing, the civil service, heritage, government, and other professional sectors.
• The School of History, Archaeology and Religion has a dedicated Work Placements Officer who can support students with work experience opportunities both in and out of term time.