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Reformation Studies (MLitt) 2020 entry

The MLitt in Reformation Studies provides intensive training in the historiography, debates and sources of the Protestant and Catholic Reformations.

Applications for 2020 entry for this course have now closed, see which courses are available for the upcoming academic year.

Course type

Postgraduate, leading to a Master of Letters (MLitt)

Course dates

  • Start date: 7 September 2020
  • End date: 30 September 2021

Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.

Course duration

One year full time

Entry requirements

The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.

Tuition fees

UK and EU: £9,450
Overseas: £19,400

Application deadline

Wednesday 12 August 2020. Applicants should apply as early as possible to be eligible for certain scholarships and for international visa purposes.

Application requirements

  • CV
  • personal statement (optional)
  • sample of academic written work (2,000 words)
  • two original signed academic references
  • academic transcripts and degree certificates
  • evidence of English language proficiency (required if English is not your first language).

For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.

Course information

The MLitt in Reformation Studies is a taught postgraduate programme run by the Reformation Studies Institute in the School of History.

Highlights

  • Students have the opportunity to explore the literature in a field of particular individual interest with an expert member of staff.
  • The programme offers students the flexibility to pursue their own avenues of interest, specialising in a particular theological, geographical or methodological area, while also instilling a wide contextual awareness of all of the European Reformations.

Teaching format

Teaching methods include seminars and fortnightly tutorials. Class sizes range from individual supervision up to six students. The modules are assessed by coursework only; there is no final exam.

Students will spend the final three months of the course focusing on researching and writing the final assessment piece for the MLitt, a dissertation of no more than 15,000 words.

Further particulars regarding curriculum development.

Modules

The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment. For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the latest module catalogue which is for the 2019–2020 academic year; some elements may be subject to change for 2020 entry.

  • Aspects of Reformation (1 and 2): explains selected themes in Reformation Studies and encourages students to develop a sense of the historiography of the period.

Students choose two optional modules.

  • Directed Reading: a programme of individual study, intended for those who have already developed an interest in a particular geographical or thematic field of Reformation history, and who wish to work on an individual basis with a particular member of staff at the Institute.
  • The European Renaissance: compares and contrasts the Italian and Northern Renaissances, examining their medieval origins and exploring themes such as religion, humanism, court and urban life, in order to test this traditional interpretation.
  • Religion and Identity in Early Modern Britain: explores the significance of the Reformation in reshaping the ways in which Scots and Englishmen perceived themselves as members of distinct Protestant churches and communities in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Skills training in two of the following:

  • Early Modern Documents and Sources
  • Latin
  • Paleography and Manuscript Studies

Optional modules are subject to change each year, and some may only allow limited numbers of students (see the University’s position on curriculum development).

Student dissertations will be supervised by members of the teaching staff who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process. The completed dissertation of not more than 15,000 words must be submitted by a date specified in August.

If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MLitt, there is an exit award available that allows suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PGDip instead of an MLitt.


The modules listed here are indicative, and there is no guarantee they will run for 2020 entry. Take a look at the most up-to-date modules in the module catalogue

Conferences and events

The School of History hosts the Early Modern and Modern History (EMMH) Postgraduate Forum, which provides a space for postgraduates at all stages to present ideas, discuss research issues and find out about what their fellow historians are up to. 

The Reformation Studies Institute at St Andrews hosts a regular seminar programme and numerous workshops and conferences.

Funding

The School of History is pleased to be able to offer a number of competitive scholarships which contribute to the fees and maintenance for postgraduate study. 

  • Language Bursaries: enables students to undertake intensive language courses abroad during the summer before their programme begins.
  • School of History MLitt Awards: offers the cash equivalent of one year's home fees and cannot be held in conjunction with other awards offering full fees and maintenance.

Find out more about postgraduate scholarships

Recent Graduate DiscountThe University of St Andrews offers a 10% discount in postgraduate tuition fees to students who are eligible to graduate or who have graduated from St Andrews within the last three academic years and are starting a postgraduate programme with the University of St Andrews. 

After the MLitt

Research degrees

In addition to the MLitt, the School offers a two-year Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree option in Reformation Studies.

Many graduates continue their education by enrolling in PhD programmes at St Andrews.

PhD in History

Careers

Reformation Studies postgraduates go on to pursue careers in a range of sectors such as libraries, museums or other areas of the heritage industry. 

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students on a taught postgraduate course and offers a programme of events to assist students in building their employability skills.

Contact

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

Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2907
Email: pghist@st-andrews.ac.uk

History website

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).

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