Social and Cultural History MA

Overview

This course focuses on the history of people, their societies and cultures. You’ll explore how people have lived and died across a wide range of historical periods and geographies.

Core modules will improve your research skills as well as introducing you to key concepts and issues in social and cultural history. You’ll also choose from a wide range of optional modules, allowing you to focus on societies and periods that are of interest to you.

You could study apartheid in South Africa, communities and castes in India, birth and death in medieval Europe or social movements in the USA. You’ll be able to focus on gender, race and religion as well as other issues that have shaped the lives of individuals and communities.

Taught by expert researchers within the School of History and the Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute, this course uses the latest approaches and thinking in social and cultural history to give you an insight into the lives of others.

This course is also available to study part-time over 24 months.

Learning and teaching

We use a range of teaching and learning methods. The majority of your modules will be taught through weekly seminars, where you’ll discuss issues and themes in your chosen modules with a small group of students and your tutors. Independent study is also crucial to this degree, giving you the space to shape your own studies and develop your skills.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

We use different types of assessment to help you develop a wide range of skills, including presentations, research proposals, case studies and essays, depending on the subjects you choose.

Career opportunities

This course will heighten your cultural and social awareness as well as allowing you to build your historical knowledge. You’ll also gain high-level research, analysis and communication skills that will prove valuable in a wide range of careers.

Graduates have found success in a wide range of careers in education, research and the private sector. Many others have continued with their studies at PhD level.

We offer different forms of support to help you reach your career goals. You’ll have the chance to attend our career groups, meeting students with similar plans, or you could become a paid academic mentor to an undergraduate completing their final-tear dissertation. You could also apply for one of the internships we offer each year.

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (Hons) in history, or a degree scheme that includes a significant proportion of history, or a related subject such as cultural studies, literature, or sociology.