History, Early Modern, MRes

After consultation with your academic supervisor, you can pursue a 20,000 word research thesis in any aspect of British or European history, including European discovery of the wider world, political, military or diplomatic history, or the history of early modern religion, culture, society or ideas.

You will study three taught modules:

Historical Methods

This module, which runs throughout the autumn semester, is your chance to meet students from across the range of masters programmes offered within the department, from ancient and medieval through to modern and contemporary history. Together, you will consider the key approaches, theories and concepts that have shaped historical practice since the Second World War. These include developments such as the Annales School, historians’ response to Marxism and to anthropological theory, cultural history, the linguistic turn, gender and critical social theory. The focus is on the application of ideas to historical practice. You will investigate how early modernists have adapted these theories and methods to their particular field of study.
Assessment: 4,000-word essay

In the second semester, this module introduces in more detail the hands-on study of early modern history by interrogating a range of important sources, from ecclesiastical documents and court records, state papers, printed books, diaries and letters to maps, music, visual and material culture and digital humanities. These sessions will familiarise you with important practical and methodological issues, as well as giving a sense of how these kinds of material have been used by historians to enhance our understanding of the past.
Assessment: 4,000-word essay

This module, which consists of a number of different elements, runs in the spring term, and provides important training and support as you develop your research skills, and devise your own unique thesis topic. In the first five weeks of the spring term you will receive intensive training in palaeography (reading old handwriting), and you will hold additional meetings with your supervisor to help you prepare to give an oral presentation on your thesis topic, as well as submit an annotated bibliography of primary and secondary sources, and an outline thesis plan.
Assessment: Palaeography transcription, annotated bibliography and thesis plan (2,500 words), fifteen-minute presentation

Please note that the optional module information listed on the website for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.