Find out more about studying MA History at University of Essex? We've gathered all the key details, entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
MA - Master of Arts
University of Essex
Part Time
Oct 2026
2 Year
Our MA History is rigorous, flexible and wide-ranging, so that you can to choose the modules and a dissertation topic which best suit your interests. Historical research at Essex concentrates on the period from 1500 to the present, and covers a wide geographical area that includes Britain and Europe, Russia, Latin America, the USA, China and Africa. In addition to two compulsory modules, one that deals with recent developments in the study of history and the other providing you with practical steps to undertake historical research, you take three optional MA modules which enable you to explore the latest in historical research in our specialist areas. You also write a 15,000-word dissertation on a topic of your choice. Our Masters degree also provides you with opportunities to explore local history, and we have strong links with the Essex Record Office, one of the best county record offices in the UK. A variety of assessment allows for testing of a range of skills and learning outcomes. Assessed coursework generally consists of essays, concept studies, critical commentaries, research proposals, and a 15,000-word dissertation. Students usually attend a two-hour seminar for each module each week. Seminar groups/workshops which would usually have about 15 students.
How does the history that we see all around us come into being? What choices do historians and others make in placing history before particular audiences in particular forms, and why do they make these decisions? This module explores how history is made using different types of sources and how it is shared in different forms. Part I of this module focuses on how historians encounter and engage with different types of sources, using case studies ranging across the early modern and modern periods. Part II considers the many forms in which histories are made and shared, both with and for different audiences.
This module introduces you to the study of history at postgraduate level. It focuses on the theoretical and methodological implications of the 'cultural turn'. You'll be introduced to key concepts, and will explore debates about the meanings of terms such as 'subjectivity', 'identities' and 'discourse'. You will also explore the possibilities opened by cultural approaches, as reflected in new and emerging debates and themes such as childhood, public and private, sex, the psyche, and memory. You will also take part in four workshops that introduce you to the skills and resources you will need to do well in your postgraduate studies.
