Scottish Historical Studies MLitt

The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment. For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the latest module catalogue which is for the 2018–2019 academic year; some elements may be subject to change for 2019 entry.

Complusory Modules

• Directed Reading in Scottish History: designed to encourage the development of skills of historical analysis through concentrated study of a topic chosen by the student.
• Scotland’s Pasts: Writing Scotland from the Middle Ages to the Present (1 and 2): gives students a thorough grounding in the history of historical writing in Scotland.

Students choose two optional modules. Optional modules are subject to change each year, and some may only allow limited numbers of students (see the University’s position on curriculum development).

• Building Britain: The Construction and Deconstruction of Britishness, 1707-2000: explores the concept of 'Britishness', its construction and deconstruction, from 1707 to 2000.
• Historical Sources and Skills (various modules): gives students a chance to focus on two technical skills from the following: bibliography; palaeography; language training; archaeology; archive studies; quantitative and computing skills for historians.
• Living with the Lion: Themes in the Study of Mediaeval Scotland: explores key themes and texts in the study of mediaeval Scotland, particularly concerning elite culture and the power structures of the kingdom.
• Religion and Identity in Early Modern Britain: explores the significance of the Reformation in reshaping the ways in which Scots and Englishmen perceived themselves in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Student dissertations will be supervised by members of the teaching staff who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process. The completed dissertation of not more than 15,000 words must be submitted by a date specified in August.

If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MLitt, there is an exit award available that allows suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PGDip instead of an MLitt.