Modern History MA (Hons) 2018 entry

The MA (Hons) in Modern History will teach you to analyse historical events from the past five-hundred years from a present day context. The course takes a broad view of political and social developments and allows you flexibility in your studies.

You can choose topics ranging from the 15th to the 21st century, studying British, European, Middle Eastern, South Asian, East Asian or American history. In addition, you will be able to pursue a variety of different approaches including political, military, cultural, religious, intellectual, scientific, general, social and economic history.

Applications for 2018 entry for this course have now closed, see which courses are available for the upcoming academic year.

UCAS code

V140

Course type

Master of Arts (single Honours degree)

Course duration

Four years full time

  • Start date: 10 September 2018
  • End date: 30 June 2022

If you started this programme in 2017, you can find information about 2017 entry on the 2017 Modern History MA page. Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.

Entry requirements

SQA Highers AAAB including History
GCE A-Levels AAA including History
IB points 36 including HL6 in History

For degrees combining more than one subject, the subject with the higher entry requirements determines the grades you need. You will also need to meet any further subject specific entrance requirements as outlined on their pages.

International applicants

If English is not your first language, you will need an overall IELTS score of 7.0, with a minimum score of 6.5 in each component (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking), or an equivalent English Language qualification.

Do I need to have studied this subject before?

Students must have studied History at SQA Higher, GCE A-Level or equivalent.

Faculty entry requirements

You must also meet the Faculty of Arts minimum qualifications. These vary depending on which qualifications you hold.

Other qualifications

Passes in other examinations at equivalent levels and subjects may be accepted by the Dean of the Faculty. More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University’s entry requirements webpage.

Find out more about Faculty of Arts entry requirements.

Timetables

St Andrews students must meet with their Adviser of Studies at the beginning of Semester 1 in September to complete advising – a compulsory part of the matriculation process. After module choices have been decided, a timetable will be allocated indicating the dates and times of classes.

Reputation 

The School of History at St Andrews has an international reputation for the diversity of teaching programmes offered. The School has expertise in mediaeval and modern history, from Scotland to Byzantium, and the Americas to the Middle East and South Asia. 

The School of History was ranked third in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2018 and first in Scotland by the Complete University Guide 2018 for overall student satisfaction and quality of teaching and research.

The School was ranked best in Scotland in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) for the quality and impact of its research.

The University of St Andrews as a whole was voted top in the UK for student satisfaction in The National Student Survey 2017 as 94% of St Andrews final year students gave the University top marks for the quality of the learning and teaching experience.

In 2017, the University received a TEF Gold award for the quality of teaching and the undergraduate experience.

Find out more about studying History at St Andrews.

Course information

The MA (Hons) in Modern History is a four-year course run by the School of History. During your studies, you will learn to critically examine primary sources, survey material analytically and develop study skills.

Alongside Modern History, in the first year of your studies you will be required to study an additional two subjects. In the second year, you will usually carry on at least one of these subjects, sometimes two. Find out more about more about how academic years are organised.

The skills you gain in analysing original and secondary source materials will prepare you to continue exploring a wide range of historical subjects at a more advanced level in your third and fourth years. During these years, you will be able to branch out and study the modern history of countries and societies from around the globe. You will also be encouraged to dive deeper into a specialist topic of your choice during your fourth year.

Breadth of knowledge and perspective are highly encouraged, and all sub-honours students are expected to take some modules in other subject areas, for example English, Art History or Geography.  

Graduates in Modern History from St Andrews can expect to have developed a wide knowledge in history, and be able to make connections across different time periods and between different cultures.

The University of St Andrews operates on a flexible modular degree system by which degrees are obtained through the accumulation of credits. More information on the structure of the modules system can be found on the flexible degree structure webpage.

Find out more about studying History at St Andrews.

Modules

In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours) you will take the required modules in Modern History alongside modules in at least one other subject.

Typically, you will take one Modern History module per semester during your first two years, and two modules per semester during your third and fourth year (known as Honours). Find out more about the modular Scottish degree system.

Students will take the following compulsory first-year modules:

  • The Early Modern Western World (c. 1450-1770): looks at continental European history in the early modern period, and the expansion of Europe.
  • Themes in Late Modern History (c. 1776-2001): provides a thematic coverage of major political and social developments in the Western world during the 19th and 20th centuries. 

Students will take the following compulsory second-year modules:

  • Scotland, Britain and Empire (c. 1500-2000): provides an introduction to how and why the British nation state evolved from the separate kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland and how and why it has survived over the last three centuries.
  • History as a Discipline: Development and Key Concepts: provides an introduction to key theoretical and methodological approaches which have characterised the emergence of History as a discipline since mediaeval times.

If you decide to take Modern History in your third and fourth years, you choose from a wide variety of advanced options, including modules ranging from Elizabethan England to East Asia in the 20th-century.

Here is a sample of Honours modules which have been offered in previous years:

  • The Life of the Mind: Key Tests in European Thought (1512-1697)
  • From Cradle to Grave: Living and Dying in Early Modern England (c. 1500-1800)
  • Pirates and Privateers in Early Modern Scottish History
  • South Asia and the European Encounter (c. 1700-1857)
  • Imperial Russia 1815-1917
  • Making Italians: Region, Nation and Empire in Italy from Unification to Fascism.

Some modules at Honours level are intended to build your portfolio and provide you with career experience. For example, the Recording the Past module allows you to submit a multimedia historical project in the form of a radio programme, video documentary, website or another appropriate medium.

In fourth year, students may also undertake a 12,000-word dissertation on a topic of their choice. This independent project enables you to develop key research skills which are desired by both prospective employers and by graduate schools offering postgraduate degrees.


The sub-honours modules listed here are the compulsory modules that students must take in order to graduate in this subject. However, most students at St Andrews take additional modules, either in their primary subject or from other subjects they are interested in. For Honours level, students choose from a range of Honours modules, some of which are listed above. A full list of all modules available for the current academic year can be found in the the module catalogue.

Teaching

Teaching format

Teaching at sub-honours level is delivered primarily through lectures (100 to 300 students) and small group tutorials (6 to 9 students). Lectures are given by all members of the School, enabling students to hear active researchers in each field talk about their specialism. Tutorials are an opportunity for students to discuss and develop their thinking in a small and friendly atmosphere, guided by a professional expert. 

Teaching at Honours level moves away from large group lecturing. Students meet in groups of about 10 to 18 students for longer classes in which they are expected to participate fully. 

When not attending lectures and tutorials, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve:

  • working on individual and group projects
  • undertaking research in the library
  • preparing coursework assignments and presentations
  • preparing for examinations.

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team with expertise and knowledge of modern history. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of laboratory classes and seminars under the supervision of the module leader.

Find contact information for all History staff on the School of History website.

In addition to your studies in the School of History, optional academic support is available through practical study skills courses and workshops hosted within the University. 

The University’s student services team can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long term medical conditions or learning disabilities. More information can be found on the students with disabilities webpage.

Assessment

Almost all of the modules in History are assessed by a balanced combination of coursework and examination. Coursework includes:

  • research essays
  • class presentations
  • source analysis.

Classroom examinations often incorporate essays and source exercises. In addition, most modules include a written examination held at the end of each semester during a dedicated exam diet with revision time provided beforehand.

The School of History provides feedback on every assessment, with a view to improving your performance in future, and aims to provide feedback on assessments and coursework within three weeks.

Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements. Please note that some Schools offer qualified entry to Honours, and this will be clearly specified in the programme requirements. To find out the classification equivalent of points, please visit the common reporting scale webpage.

Fees

Tuition fees for 2018 entry

Scotland and EU £1,820
Rest of the UK £9,250
Overseas £21,290

For overseas students, tuition fees will be fixed at this level for the duration of your programme.

More information on tuition fees can be found on the undergraduate fees and funding page.

Accommodation fees

Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation in 2018.

Funding and scholarships

The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to undergraduate students each year.

Find out more about undergraduate scholarships.

Joint Honours degrees

You can take Modern History as part of a joint Honours degree alongside one of the following subjects.

  • Arabic
  • Art History
  • Classical Studies
  • Classics
  • Comparative Literature
  • Economics
  • English
  • Film Studies
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • Greek
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Latin
  • Management
  • Mathematics
  • Middle East Studies
  • New Testament
  • Persian
  • Philosophy
  • Psychology
  • Russian
  • Social Anthropology
  • Spanish
  • Theological Studies

"With" degrees

You can take Modern History as part of a "with" Honours degree in which the majority of the course deals with the first named subject. St Andrews offers the following "with" degree in Modern History:

  • Modern History with Persian

Your future

Careers

History students at St Andrews have traditionally moved into a very wide range of careers on graduating. Some continue their academic careers via a postgraduate training degree to doctoral study either in St Andrews or at another university. Other students have often progressed to postgraduate qualifications in teaching, law or accountancy.

Recent Modern History graduates have gone to work for the following employers:

  • Justice Department of the Scottish Executive
  • Telegraph Publishing Ltd
  • Radio Lynx
  • International Council for Educational Exchange in New York
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Zenith Media. 

A degree in History will provide you with transferable skills that will equip you for a future career in many sectors. These skills include:

  • time management
  • project planning
  • group work
  • oral and written expression
  • focused research and presentation.

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.

Study abroad

The University is delighted to offer undergraduates a number of exciting opportunities to apply to spend a semester or year abroad as part of a St Andrews degree programme. St Andrews is partnered with large and small institutions, ancient and young, across the globe. What unites all of our programmes is the quality of the academic provision, ensuring that participation in a St Andrews Study abroad programme opens the door to a new and valuable academic experience at another world-class institution. Study Abroad for credit is permitted on existing University-approved programmes only.

Student life

From the outset, the University of St Andrews offers an array of events and opportunities which result in a truly unique student experience. Students participate in a range of traditions, notably, the red academic gown and the academic family, where older students adopt first year students as ‘children’ and help guide them in a system of mentoring. These traditions and the choice of over 150 sports clubs and student societies to choose from ensures a community feel amongst students from first year onwards.

Students of Modern History may be interested in joining the following student societies:

  • Archaeological Society is for those interested in anything from ancient weaponry to Indiana Jones. The society organises bi-weekly meetings (featuring guest speakers), social events, movie nights, and day trips to archaeological sites.
  • History Society hosts talks with guest speakers on a variety of topics as well as social events including pub nights, garden parties and trips abroad. 

The School of History occupies three sites all within a few minutes’ walk of each other at the heart of the historic town of St Andrews. Students will attend tutorials, seminars and individual meetings with tutors in these buildings, while larger lectures are located in nearby buildings. The School of History sites are:

  • St Katharine’s Lodge, a 19th-century former school near the seafront
  • New Arts Building, a modern building with lecture classrooms and study spaces
  • St John’s House, located on South Street.

The town of St Andrews itself has lots to offer. As the campus is located around town, walking around you encounter ancient and modern buildings and areas of greenery and seaside which provide a rich, beautiful backdrop to learning. If you want a change of scenery, St Andrews' position near surrounding towns and cities such as Anstruther, Dundee and Edinburgh make it ideal for getting to know more about Scotland.

Find out more about student life at the University of St Andrews.

"Studying at St Andrews really opened my eyes to the incredible scope and range that history as a subject can offer. I have studied women in witchcraft trials and political structures in nineteenth century Germany, the set-up of Scottish medieval churches and the intricacies of the early modern spice trade. The Department is incredibly supportive and my tutors have helped me identify my passions and inspired me to pursue a career as a historian."

Cara (Edinburgh, Scotland)


Contact

School of History

University of St Andrews
St Katherine's Lodge
The Scores
St Andrews
KY16 9BA

Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2938
Email: modhist@st-andrews.ac.uk

History website