History MA
About this course
Embark on the MA History journey — an immersive experience in unravelling national and global histories.
Led by top experts, we're all about propelling your academic and personal success, regardless of your background. Flexibility meets depth as we infuse vital skills, leadership, creativity, and digital prowess into your growth.
Expect dynamic teaching methods, hands-on experiences, and international partnerships that make history relevant to today's challenges. Collaborate with external partners, dive into innovative assessments, and unlock doors to diverse careers.
Our graduates emerge as powerful communicators, ready for the modern, global, and digital world.
Join us to discover history's resonance in shaping tomorrow.
-
100% of NTU's research in History was assessed to be world-leading or internationally excellent - REF 2021 -
Combines the coherence and support of a taught MA with the challenges of a research degree. -
Study in a city steeped in history, with museums and heritage sites on your doorstep.
What you’ll study
The MA History represents an exciting opportunity to study new areas of historical enquiry, and to then undertake your own primary research in a field of your choice.
MA History combines the coherence and support of a taught MA with the challenges of a research degree. This makes it ideal for those wishing to pursue a historical interest beyond undergraduate level or as a preparation in research skills for those aspiring to PhD study.
Teaching on the course directly reflects the internationally recognised expertise of our staff that includes medieval and early modern British and European history; modern and contemporary history; public history and global history. Case studies include Crusades and Crusaders; Early Modern Religions and Cultures; Race and Lynching; Memory, Genocide, Holocaust; Social History and ‘The Spatial Turn'.
This course is divided into modules, which are worth a number of credit points, and are separately taught and assessed. To get your degree you have to pass all modules to collect 180 credit points.
History and Memory (20 credit points)
Pre-Modern Voices (20 credit points)
History and Policy (20 credit points)
Mind, Body and Emotions (20 credit points)
History Practice and Purpose (40 credit points)
Embark on a transformative year-long journey at the heart of your degree. Nurture essential digital, research, and numeracy skills whilst immersing yourself in research methods. You will grow personally through hands-on experiences, engaging with experts, and real-world placements. This is your gateway to holistic development and career readiness.
Research Project (60 credit points)
Unlock your potential through this module—a gateway to showcase your Masters-Level research skills with a creative and innovative project. Your research project will bring together all the strands of your modules and subjects, allowing you to explore your personal interests and competencies to the full.
We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
Video Gallery
How you're taught
Study and support
Teaching is by a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, archive visits and one-to-one tutorials. There is a programme of regular research seminars and lectures delivered by visiting specialists. The course encourages, supports, and requires substantial independent study. Students are allocated a personal tutor. Additional support is offered via the University's Virtual Learning Environment and through contact with members of the teaching team.
Learn a new language
Alongside your study you also have the opportunity to learn another new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students and gives you the option of learning a totally new language or improving the skills you already have. Learning a new language can enhance your communication skills, enrich your experience when travelling abroad and boost your career prospects. Find out more about the University Language Programme.
Further information
Expert Teaching Staff
You will be taught by academics with world-leading research expertise in the following fields:
- Medieval and early modern
- Modern and contemporary history
- Public history
- World history
- Memory studies
Dr Jenny Woodley is the Course Leader for MA History.
Work experience
Every student will fulfill a minimum of 120 hours of assessed work-like experience. This encompasses formal placements or employer-led tasks, supplemented by activities like community engagement, volunteering, and certifications. A reflective assessment will encapsulate engagement with these experiences, elucidating their relevance to future career aspirations.
Assessment
Assessment on the course is varied and includes formal course work, report writing, and presentations, as well as more creative outputs such as artefacts, a virtual memorial and debates.
Careers and employability
Your career development
History graduates are highly employable due to their demonstrable versatility developed throughout their experiences. Students can go onto a wide range of careers including archives, marketing, education, law, museums management, planning, and public relations.
Although this course does not offer a formal placement, it is vocationally focused with work-like experiences and will help you to develop a broad range of transferable skills.
Our students have gone on to a wide range of careers, securing roles in sectors that include archiving, marketing, education, law, museum management, and public relations.
In addition, this course provides excellent preparation for undertaking a PhD. Many of the graduates of MA History have successfully secured postgraduate funding, and are now studying at PhD level in early modern, modern, and contemporary history.
Campus and facilities
Entry requirements
- A UK honours (minimum 2.2) degree in History or a related subject, or equivalent.
Applications from candidates with non-standard entry qualifications will be considered on an individual basis if they can demonstrate relevant professional experience.
Recognition of Prior Learning
NTU may admit a student with advanced standing beyond the beginning of a course, through an assessment of that student's prior learning, whether it is certificated or uncertificated. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available to these prospective students, such as recognising experiential learning or transferring to a similar course at another institution, otherwise known as credit transfer.
All prospective students who wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning should initially contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form
You will need the equivalent to:
- A UK honours (minimum 2.2) degree in History or a related subject.
International qualifications
We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:
Postgraduate preparation courses (Pre-Masters)
If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Pre-Masters courses through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), based on our City Campus:
English language entry requirements
You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
Fees and funding
Course fees for 2025 entry:
Course | Full-time Home (UK) tuition | Part-time Home (UK) tuition* |
|---|---|---|
MA History | £9,300 | £4,650 |
* Please note that if you are considering a course that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for the first year of study. The course fee for the second year may be subject to annual review.
Alumni Discount
We’re happy to be able to offer a 20% alumni discount to most current NTU students and recent NTU alumni. This discount is currently available for those starting an eligible postgraduate taught, postgraduate research or professional course.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service on +44 (0)115 848 2494.
Course fees for 2025 entry:
Course | Full-time International and EU tuition | Part-time International and EU tuition* |
|---|---|---|
MA History | £17,850 | £8,925 |
* Please note that if you are considering a course that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for the first year of study. The course fee for the second year may be subject to annual review.
Scholarships
We offer scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for your scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.
Living costs
Get advice on the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget:
Paying fees
Find out about advanced payments, instalment plan options and how to make payments securely to the University:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
How to apply
If you are interested in joining us in September 2025, this course will open for applications through the applicant portal from September 2024. Courses starting in January 2026 will be open for applications from July 2025.
Ready to join us?
Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow our step-by-step guide. You can apply for this course throughout the year. Most of our postgraduate and professional courses are popular and fill up quickly though, so apply as soon as you can.
Writing your application
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. Make sure you include as much information as possible, including uploading evidence of results already achieved, as well as a personal statement.
Keeping up to date
After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU in our postgraduates’ guide. Here you’ll find advice about how to write a good personal statement and much more. Good luck with your application!
Getting in touch
If you need any more help or information, please contact us at Ask NTU or call on +44 (0)115 848 4200.
If you are interested in joining us in September 2025, this course will open for applications through the applicant portal from September 2024. Courses starting in January 2026 will be open for applications from July 2025.
Apply online through our NTU applicant portal.
Application advice
Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example. After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
Writing your personal statement
Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
