History
Entry requirements
You will need an Honours degree, normally in any humanities or social science discipline such as History, Politics, Cultural Studies, or Literature, and normally of an upper second-class standard. Relevant equivalent study or professional experience can also be considered for entry, for the MA, PGDip, and PGCert.
Months of entry
September
Course content
Take your love of history and uncovering the past to the next level with our History MA. Enhance your knowledge of the areas that you find most fascinating while learning from our leading academic experts.
Explore a wide range of topics and approaches or specialise with one of our pathways:
Learn from our wide range of experts, covering diverse research methods, periods and places. You’ll explore history from lots of viewpoints and disciplines, developing your own perspectives on the past.
- Join one of the largest History departments in the UK and tailor your degree to your historical interest.
- Choose to study a curated pathway, explore multiple historical periods or take modules from other subject areas to enrich your understanding of history.
- Make the most of our outstanding international reputation for research by engaging with events and research seminars.
- Study in a department ranked eighth in the country in the Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021, according to Times Higher Education.
At Birmingham, research and teaching go hand-in-hand. Lecturers and professors continue to research in their field, offering valuable expertise in History and Heritage.
- Taught modules - each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.
- Seminars – modules are mainly taught by small group teaching.
- Dissertation – you'll undertake a 12,000-word dissertation in an area that interests you.
You can choose to study a PG Certificate (PGCert) or PG Diploma (PGDip) in History rather than a full MA. A PGCert and PGDip don't include the dissertation element. The length of your course depends on which type of qualification you choose and whether you choose to study full-time or part-time.
Information for international students
If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification.
For this course we require IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band, which is equivalent to:
- TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
- Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
- Cambridge English: C1 Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component
- LanguageCert ESOL SELT (UKVI): B2 'Communicator' with no less than 33 in each skill
Fees and funding
The College of Arts and Law is a vibrant community of students and academics, dedicated to ensuring that excellence is rewarded, and that fears about finance do not constrain current or prospective students. For this reason, in addition to University funding schemes, we offer our own College-specific funding initiatives.
Qualification, course duration and attendance options
- MA
- part time24 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- full time12 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- PGDip
- part time16 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- full time8 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- PGCert
- full time4 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
Course contact details
- Name
- Postgraduate enquiry service