Scottish History MA (Hons) 2019 entry

The MA (Hons) in Scottish History is an ideal introduction to understanding Scotland’s unique historical development and place in the wider world. By studying Scottish History, you will get a grounding in the history of the country, adding breadth and depth to your experience living, studying and working in Scotland.

In your studies, you will cover a wide chronological range of periods from the Dark Ages to Modern Scotland. You will be exposed to issues of nation building, loss of sovereignty, the tensions between core and periphery, and the reclamation of nationhood.

Applications for 2019 entry for this course have now closed, see which courses are available for the upcoming academic year.

UCAS code

V212

Course type

Master of Arts (single Honours degree)

Course duration

Four years full time

  • Start date: 9 September 2019
  • End date: 30 June 2023

If you started this programme in 2018, you can find information about 2018 entry on the 2018 Scottish 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

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes, please see our entry requirements for more information.

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 first in Scotland by the Guardian University Guide 2019 and fourth in the UK by the Complete University Guide 2019 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 academic experience in The National Student Survey 2018 as 94% of St Andrews final year students gave the University top marks for the quality of the learning and teaching experience.

The University has secured 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 Scottish History is a four-year course run by the School of History. During your studies, you will learn to approach Scottish History from a number of different angles, exploring issues such as invasions, rivalries, lordship, tyranny, Enlightenment, social problems and culture, past and present.

In the first two years, you will have the opportunity to study from a broad chronological span, from antiquity to the present day. You will study how economic, social and political issues and events have fundamentally shaped modern Scottish society, and gain valuable insight into ongoing tensions within the Union and the nature of modern Scottish identity. 

Alongside Scottish 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 how academic years are organised.

The skills you gain in analysing original and secondary source materials will prepare you to dive deeper into specialist topics during your third and fourth years. 

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

Graduates in Scottish History from St Andrews can expect to have developed an appreciation for this country’s 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 Scottish History alongside modules in at least one other subject.

Typically, you will take one Scottish 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 module:

  • Scotland and the English Empire 1070-1500: compares and relates the societies of the English crown and the kingdom of Scotland in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of England.

Students will also choose one module from the following:

  • The Fall of Rome and the Origins of Europe (400-1000): examines how political, cultural and social life changed in the Byzantine, British and ‘barbarian’ worlds in response to major upheavals.
  • 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 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 module:

  • 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.

Students will also choose one module from the following:

  • 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.
  • Mediaeval Europe (1000-1400): examines key themes that helped to shape Western Europe from the 11th to 14th centuries, a period known as the ‘High Middle Ages’.

If you decide to take Scottish History in your third and fourth years, you choose from a wide variety of advanced options, including modules ranging from the Picts and Vikings to modern Scottish politics and society.

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

  • Culture and Society in Renaissance Scotland
  • End of the Middle Ages? Scotland and England in the Fifteenth Century
  • Kingship and Tyranny: Scotland in the Age of Reform 1513-1603
  • Mediaeval St Andrews
  • The Scottish Enlightenment
  • Work and Politics in Modern Scotland.

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 other appropriate medium.

In fourth year, students also undertake a dissertation of around 10,000 to 12,000 words on a topic of their choice or an Honours Project. These modules based on independent research enable 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 currently available can be found in the module catalogue.

Teaching

Teaching format

Teaching at sub-honours level is delivered primarily through lectures (100 to 200 students) and small group tutorials (5 to 7 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 5 to 15 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 a small and friendly group of Scottish historians who publish extensively and continue to make a major contribution to the development of Scottish History. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of tutorials under the supervision of the module leader.

You can find contact information for all Scottish 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

During your Scottish History degree, you will be assessed by a combination of coursework and examinations. Coursework includes:

  • research essays
  • class presentations
  • source analysis.

At Honours level, weighting normally shifts and varies from 40% coursework and 60% examination, to 100% coursework only.

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

The School 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 2019 entry

Scotland and EU £1,820
Rest of the UK £9,250
Overseas £22,350

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. 

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 Scottish History as part of a joint Honours degree alongside one of the following subjects:

  • Classical Studies
  • English
  • Film Studies
  • Geography
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Mathematics
  • Philosophy
  • Russian
  • Social Anthropology
  • Spanish

Your future

Careers

History students at St Andrews have traditionally moved into a very wide range of careers after 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 Scottish History graduates have found careers in:

  • education
  • financial services
  • libraries
  • museums and galleries
  • Scottish politics
  • social work.

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

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

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 Scottish History may be interested in joining the following student societies:

  • Celtic Society embraces all things Scottish and specialises in trips to the Highlands, pub socials, traditional Burns suppers, and ceilidhs.
  • 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 199th-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 Scottish History at St Andrews is an incomparable experience. Being taught by academics who write the books and are leading experts in their fields, and having access to one of the largest collections of original Scottish sources in the world, enabled me to work in an academically challenging and an intellectually stimulating environment in which I could develop and broaden my research interests. In all honesty, it is the best decision I ever made."

Petros (Nicosia, Cyprus)

Contact information

School of History
University of St Andrews
St Katharine's Lodge
The Scores
St Andrews
KY16 9BA

Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2914
Email: scothist@st-andrews.ac.uk

School of History

Policies

Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our Admissions policy.

Curriculum development

As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online. (PDF, 72 KB).

Tuition fees

The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online. (PDF, 84 KB).