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Postgraduate Study

10 courses offered in the Faculty of History

The MPhil in American History combines taught and research elements over a nine-month full-time programme. The taught elements include three modules (one core course and two optional courses), as well as training workshops and seminars. All students will also complete a dissertation based on independent research (15,000–20,000 words).

The MPhil is designed for those who have completed degrees in which history is the main or at least a substantial component and who want to consolidate their knowledge of American history. However, students with degrees in related fields (such as international relations, English, or politics) are also encouraged to apply. The MPhil is particularly appropriate for those who may wish to continue on to a PhD, at Cambridge or elsewhere, but it is also well-suited for those who seek simply to explore American history at a deeper level. It is expected that this will be the normal means by which those without an appropriate master’s degree from elsewhere will prepare for the PhD degree in American history at Cambridge.

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The MPhil in Early Modern History combines taught and research elements over a nine-month full-time programme. The taught elements comprise a core module, optional modules, training courses, and research seminars. All students write a long piece of independent research (15,000–20,000 words). The course is designed for those who have completed degrees in which history is the main or at least a substantial component and who want to consolidate their knowledge of Early Modern History.

It is particularly appropriate for those who may wish to continue on to a PhD, at Cambridge or elsewhere. It is also well-suited for those who seek simply to explore Early Modern History at a deeper level. It is expected that this will be the normal means by which those without an appropriate master’s degree from elsewhere will prepare for the PhD degree in Early Modern History at Cambridge.

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The MPhil in Economic and Social History combines taught and research elements over an 11-month full-time programme which includes taught modules, training in social science research methods encompassing quantitative and qualitative analytical tools, and a long piece of independent research (15,000–20,000 words).

The course is designed for those who have completed degrees in which history is the main or at least a substantial component and who want to consolidate their knowledge of economic and social history. It is particularly appropriate for those who may wish to continue on to a PhD, at Cambridge or elsewhere.  It is also well suited for those who seek simply to explore economic and social history at a deeper level. It is expected that this will be the normal means by which those without an appropriate master’s degree from elsewhere will prepare for the PhD degree in Economic and Social History at Cambridge.

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The PhD in History is an advanced research degree, awarded on the basis of a thesis and an oral viva voce examination. The primary purpose of the PhD is the preparation and presentation of a substantial piece of independent and original academic research, completed in three or four years if studying full-time and five years if studying part-time.

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The Master of Studies (MSt) in History provides students, having relevant experience at first-degree level, with the opportunity to carry out advanced research in history and to develop critical awareness and theoretical understanding of the associated skills and techniques that can be deployed. The MSt offers education and research training at master’s level. The taught elements of the syllabus, Part I, are offered during the first year in three intensive study blocks/modules, usually scheduled inside full term, each of which is examined by an assessed essay. Sessions are offered in research training, and essay and dissertation writing.

 

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The MPhil in Medieval History combines taught and research elements over a nine-month full-time programme. The taught elements include taught modules on research topics and skills training, training workshops and seminars, and all students will also complete a long piece of independent research (15,000–20,000 words).

The course is designed for those who have completed degrees in which History is the main or at least a substantial component and who want to consolidate their knowledge of medieval history. It is particularly appropriate for those who may wish to continue on to a PhD, at Cambridge or elsewhere. It is also well-suited to those who seek simply to explore medieval history at a deeper level. It is expected that this will be the normal means by which those without an appropriate master’s degree from elsewhere will prepare for the PhD degree in medieval history at Cambridge.

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The MPhil in Modern British History combines taught and research elements over a nine-month full-time programme. The taught elements include three modules, as well as training workshops and seminars, and all students will also complete a long piece of independent research (15,000–20,000 words).

The course is designed for those who have completed degrees in which History is the main or at least a substantial component and who want to consolidate their knowledge of modern British history. It is particularly appropriate for those who may wish to continue on to a PhD, at Cambridge or elsewhere, in modern British history. It is also well-suited for those who seek simply to explore modern British history at a deeper level. It is expected that this will be the normal means by which those without an appropriate master’s degree from another university will prepare for the PhD degree in modern British history at Cambridge.

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The MPhil in Modern European History combines taught and research elements over a nine-month full-time programme. The taught elements include three modules, as well as training workshops and seminars, and all students will also complete a long piece of independent research (15,000–20,000 words). Students will usually need a reading knowledge of the language of the country they wish to study, though this is not a formal requirement, especially for topics with a transnational focus.

The course is designed for those who have completed degrees in which history is the main or at least a substantial component and who want to consolidate their knowledge of modern European history. It is particularly appropriate for those who may wish to continue on to a PhD, at Cambridge or elsewhere, but it is also well-suited for those who seek simply to explore modern European history at a deeper level. It is expected that this will be the normal means by which those without an appropriate master’s degree from elsewhere will prepare for the PhD degree in Modern European History at Cambridge.

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The MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History combines taught and research elements over a nine-month full-time programme, though priority is given to the pursuit of the individual student’s research in a dissertation of 15,000-20,000 words. Classes are provided in core methodology and the reading of selected texts, and in an option course on selected concepts: these are intended to be "exemplary", offering opportunities to explore different methods used in the field, different approaches to reading texts, and a variety of political concepts. In addition to the dissertation, students will write two essays (6,000 words each) within the general fields of political thought and intellectual history.

The course is designed for those who have completed a substantial number of history courses at a university level, but also incorporates such disciplines as politics and classics. The teaching staff and examiners have diverse disciplinary backgrounds, as do students on the course. The MPhil is particularly appropriate for those who may wish to continue to a PhD, at Cambridge or elsewhere, but it is also well-suited for those who seek simply to explore political thought and intellectual history at a deeper level. It is expected that this will be the normal means by which those without an appropriate master’s degree from elsewhere will prepare for the PhD degree at Cambridge.

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The MPhil in World History combines taught and research elements over a nine-month full-time programme. The taught elements include three modules, as well as training workshops and seminars, and all students will also complete a long piece of independent research (15,000–20,000 words). Students will also take language classes, a component that is required but not examined. This may be in any language offered by the Cambridge University Language Centre, and may be elementary, continuing or advanced. In this way, the MPhil in World History offers students a thorough preparation for an advanced research degree that will be highly valued in institutions across the world.

The course is designed for those who have completed degrees in which History is the main or at least a substantial component and who want to consolidate their knowledge of world history. It is particularly appropriate for those who may wish to continue on to a PhD, at Cambridge or elsewhere, but it is also well-suited for those who seek simply to explore world history at a deeper level. It is expected that this will be the normal means by which those without an appropriate master’s degree from elsewhere will prepare for the PhD degree in world history at Cambridge.

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Department Members


Professor Mary Laven
Chair of Faculty

  • 95 Academic Staff
  • 49 Postdoctoral Researchers
  • 520 Graduate Students
  • 682 Undergraduates

https://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/

Research Areas