MSt in History

About the course

The MSt in History aims to improve your practical and intellectual grasp of research processes, ability to conceptualise and engage with historical problems, and enlarge your understanding of the historical and historiographical context within which your own research is set.

The MSt in History is an umbrella programme, comprising nine specific strands.

• Medieval History
• Early Modern History, 1500-1700
• British and European History, 1700-1850
• Modern British History, 1850 to the Present
• Modern European History, 1850 to the Present
• US History
• Intellectual History
• History of War
• Women's, Gender and Queer History

While all students will apply for and follow a specific strand, they will share a common course, Theory and Methods, and they will also have a free choice of options. In this way, the course gives access to a wide range of both general and specialised training within the field of history.

You can find more information on the course webpage on the faculty website and on each strand's webpage.

Assessment

You will write a dissertation of not more than 15,000 words on a topic falling within the scope of this MSt, usually within the historical period of your optional subject.

In addition to the dissertation, students are assessed on the methodology course through a 3,000 to 5,000-word essay. This is followed by an assessed essay of 8,000 to 10,000 words or by two assessed essays of 4,000 to 5,000 words each for the optional subject course.

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, 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 normally 3.75 out of 4.0.