MA Early Modern History

At the core of this Master’s course is the seminar Society, Politics and Culture in the Early Modern World. Over two semesters, you will consider how historians’ approach to the study of early modern world has evolved. During the module, different members of staff will present an aspect of their own research and encourage discussion and debate. The seminars will encourage you to consider how the current state of the field relates to your own research by examining themes of social, intellectual and cultural history alongside the religious and the political.

You will be able to engage with the wide variety of sources available for the study of early modern history, as we introduce you to a broad range of primary material, including non-written evidence. Through the seminars you will develop your research skills, preparing you for the successful planning and writing of your own dissertation.

In the autumn semester you will also take the module English Palaeography. Covering handwriting of the 16th and 17th centuries, this is an essential component for any historian who intends to use early modern manuscripts. If you need to learn Latin paleography, you may, by arrangement, sit in on the medievalists’ class.

Throughout the year you will also be trained in the practice of being a professional historian in our Historical Research Skills seminars and workshops. These emphasise practical employability skills and professional development, and are facilitated by academics from the School of History who are specialists in a particular theoretical approach or research method. This will help you develop key transferable skills in identifying, using and interpreting different forms of data, and in the oral and written presentation of research. Topics include using state archives, biography as history, approaches to studying everyday lives, how to write conference papers, academic publishing, and writing grant and PhD applications.

Your Specialist Tutorial module is an important way for you to specialise in an area of the subject. You will choose a topic from a wide array of options relating to the Early Modern period, so that you can develop clear postgraduate historical expertise. Over the year you will work closely in these tutorial sessions with an active researcher in that field, working with secondary and/or primary source material to gain a strong grounding in the major historiographical questions of the research area. Through this, you will gain the historiographical knowledge to produce new, original historical research. The range of tutorial options varies each year, reflecting the availability and expertise of our teaching staff, but topics may include: The Atlantic World; A History of Gender 1500–1900; A History of Emotion; The Political History of the Early Modern Period; Religion in the Early Modern Period; and Urban History.

The culmination of our programme is the dissertation: with guidance and support, you will pursue an independent piece of historical research of your own devising. This is undertaken mainly in the second half of the MA and you will be supervised by one or more members of the School.

Please email Professor Malcolm Gaskill () if you have any questions about the course.