MSc in Economic and Social History

About the course

Economic and social history is the study of economic activities and social organization in the historical past. This one-year specialist course offers a unique framework for research training in economic and social history.

The MSc in Economics and History offers a wide range of options and allows you to specialise in economic and/or social history, or historical demography, although the boundaries between these areas are deliberately permeable. It is intended to introduce you to the wide variety of methods used in the study of economic and social history, as well as to the subject itself.

If you wish to apply for the DPhil following the MSc, you will be encouraged to develop your doctoral proposal during the first few months of the course, so that you will be well placed to make doctoral applications. The MPhil in Economic and Social History provides an alternative route to the DPhil, which would allow for entry to the doctoral programme at the beginning of students’ third academic year in Oxford.

Graduate destinations

About a quarter of master’s students proceed to doctoral work at Oxford; others continue academic study at other institutions. Other career destinations are as diverse as, but broadly in line with, undergraduate history career destinations: law, finance, management consultancy, civil service etc.

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of the following UK qualifications or their equivalent: a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant discipline in the humanities or social sciences. Applicants are normally expected to have a previous degree in history, economic history or economics, but for master's applications a number of candidates may be accepted with a degree in a different subject area. You will need to ensure that you link your proposed dissertation topic with your previous expertise when you present it in your research proposal, or that you explain why you want to switch to study history, and to show that you have already done some background research into it. Your submitted written work should show your writing and research skills in their best light, as it will be important to show that you have the necessary skills required for historical research. For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.75 out of 4.0.