Explore the diverse range of themes from the 18th to the 21st century.
Year of entry: 2027 (September)
Show year of entry: 2026/27
Applications open 21 September 2026
Gain a deep understanding on topics from across the modern period. From the history of moving images to the politics of past injustices, analyse important historiographical developments and their impact on modern historical study.
Make use of exceptional facilities and resources. Gain access to the Borthwick Institute for Archives, one of the largest archives in the UK outside London. The city of York also has amazing museums, libraries and archives that cover the modern period.
Collaborate with York’s Centre for Modern Studies. You'll be invited to academic seminars, reading groups and conferences. You'll collaborate with both staff and other postgraduates.
Join a friendly, intellectual community, where teaching is informed by groundbreaking research. Our influential staff feature regularly in the media.
When it comes to history, York really is exceptional. If you’re going to undertake an MA, do it somewhere beautiful and do it somewhere that will support you with excellent, engaging teaching. York ticks all of those boxes. It’s a huge privilege to do history surrounded by history, and here that privilege is seen and felt every day.
The course consists of:
You will also study three option modules. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
You will write a dissertation of between 14,000 - 16,000 words on a topic of your choice. Using a variety of source materials and analysis techniques, you will craft the findings into an independently researched dissertation.
You will receive support, advice and guidance from your dissertation supervisor throughout your project. The range of expertise of our staff and of our source materials means we can provide you with guidance on a wide range of topics.
You will have five one-to-one meetings with your dissertation supervisor across Semester 2 and the summer period (June/July). In these meetings, you will discuss the feasibility of your project and receive feedback on two draft chapters of your dissertation.
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £12,420 | £27,840 |
| Part-time (2 years) | £6,210 | £13,920 |
Fees are for year one. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation.
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
There is no obligation to purchase books or other texts - all core texts and resources will be available in our library or online.
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2027/28 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.
Most of your modules will consist of weekly two-hour seminars. You will normally work in small groups of fewer than 15 students.
We are home to the Borthwick Institute for Archives, a major archive repository in Britain. It holds the records of the Archbishopric of York from the early thirteenth century onwards, and specialises in the study of ecclesiastic institutions.
There are several other important archives housed at York, including the JB Morrell Library and the Raymond Burton Library for Humanities Research. These contain collections covering subjects such as the British Civil Wars, French Revolution and Modern Asian history. Find out more about our libraries.
You will be based in the Department of History in Vanbrugh College on Campus West. Most of your teaching will take place in or close to Vanbrugh College.
You will also get the opportunity to visit and be taught at local museums and heritage sites close to the city.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
You will be primarily assessed by essays and your dissertation. You will have the chance to submit assignments for formative assessment, enabling you to get and use feedback before the final summative assessment.
While completing your MA, you will gain essential skills in research, presentation and analysis. These skills are invaluable for progressing to a PhD and for a diverse range of careers.
Accelerate your professional network. We'll connect you with the guidance, industry links and experiences to help you stand out and find your career advantage.
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 or equivalent in History or a relevant subject. |
| Other qualifications and experience | We would consider a 2:2 but our decision would depend on the whole application including the quality of the written work submitted. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
You will need to submit examples of written work with your application. Please see our guidance on submitting written work.
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Qualification | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, minimum of 6 in each component |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 136, minimum 126 in each component |
| Duolingo | 120, minimum 105 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 478-509, with 444-477 in all other components |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 60 with 52 in Listening, 53 in Reading, 65 in Speaking, and 59 in Writing |
| TOEFL | 4.5, with 5 in Listening and 4.5 in each other component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all requirements |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
