Course Overview

Don’t just study history: write it. Our Early Modern History Master’s degree will equip you with the tools you need to examine and interrogate primary and secondary sources, so that you graduate with the skills to develop refined and informed original historic research.

Our Master’s programme focuses on early modern culture, politics, religion, and society between 1500 and 1750. Taught by our eminent historians, whose seminars relate directly to their research, you’ll be learning at the very forefront of historical debate.

Our School has a vibrant postgraduate community, attracted here by our specialist academics and our research output. In fact, we have one of the UK’s highest concentrations of historic expertise, and in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) UEA’s research in History was rated third in the whole UK.

About

Focusing on Britain, continental Europe, and the Atlantic world between 1500 and 1750, our Early Modern History MA covers a wide variety of topics including religion and politics, gender history, power and social relations, mentalities, orality and print culture, questions of authenticity and forgery, and material culture.

Our programme is characterised by its intensity, rigour, and creativity of study. Through it, you’ll not only acquire a deeper and more advanced knowledge and understanding of early modern history, but you’ll also develop and improve your understanding of the problems and opportunities posed by primary sources and documents. You’ll discover, as well, how you can apply these skills in the heritage industry and other professional contexts.

You’ll learn how to apply complex historical theories and concepts to test hypotheses against detailed examples and case studies. You will also acquire the ability to discriminate between conflicting interpretations and perspectives, and to discuss findings and communicate them in a clear manner, both in discussion and in your work. In our English Paleography module, you’ll even learn how to decipher handwriting of the past.

Through our taught modules and your own independent research, you’ll develop the skills and knowledge you’ll need to undertake advanced independent historical research, which you’ll demonstrate through your Master’s dissertation. You’ll graduate ready to take your studies on to doctoral level, and with qualities that are in high demand in the workforce, including problem-solving, self-discipline and time-management, the ability to work with others, and excellent oral and written skills.

Employability

After the Course

You’ll graduate ready to pursue a wide range of occupations, thanks to the breadth of the skills you will have acquired during your postgraduate history degree. Many of our graduates go on to pursue academic careers. Others develop careers in business, public service, teaching and management, or the heritage and tourism sector.

We work closely with UEA’s Careers Service, offering a number of events, workshops, and information sessions to help get your career off to the best start.

Careers

A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.

Examples of careers that you could enter include:

Teaching and research
Civil service and local government
Heritage and tourism
Journalism
Law
Business and finance

Discover more on our Careers webpages.

Entry Requirements

Degree Classification

Bachelors degree (minimum 2.1 or equivalent)

Degree Subject

Humanities subject

English Foreign Language

Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):  

IELTS: 6.0 overall (minimum 6.0 in Writing & Speaking with 5.5 in the others)

Test dates should be within 2 years of the course start date.

We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement. 

If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:  

Pre-sessional English at INTO UEA  
Academic English at INTO UEA

Intakes

This course is open to UK, EU and International applicants. The annual intake for this course is in September each year.

Additional Information or Requirements

Admissions Policy:

Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.

Fees and Funding

Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2024/25 are:

UK Students: £9,975 (full time)
International Students: £21,200 (full time)

If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students).

We estimate living expenses at £1,023 per month.

Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.

Scholarships and Bursaries

The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships; please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.

Course Related Costs

Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.

How to Apply

Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.

To apply please use our online application form.

FURTHER INFORMATION

If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:

Postgraduate Admissions Office

Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk

International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students section of our website.

MA Early Modern History

Why you should choose us