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MA Contemporary History and International Politics

Address the key political and social challenges facing the world today

Year of entry: 2025 (September)

Length

1 year full-time,
2 years part-time

Start date

September 2025 (semester dates)

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The world needs better politics: better ways of distributing resources and resolving conflicts.

How can we do this when our engagement with politics is most often local and national? The politics of the future is haunted by those of the past. In order to imagine and move towards building a new future, an understanding of history must underpin national and international politics.

This interdisciplinary MA seeks to address these problems by bringing together politics and contemporary history, with a particular focus on transnational ideas and institutions.

You'll benefit from a wide range of expertise across two outstanding departments, as well as access to numerous centres and institutes, including:

The MA in Contemporary History and International Politics gave me a great opportunity to study fascinating topics which are still relevant today. The flexibility to choose both History and Politics modules allowed me to build a course that was best suited to my interests. Staff were very supportive in allowing me to pursue my topic of choice during the final dissertation.
Alex, MA Contemporary History student

History research

History's research was ranked 11th in the UK and third nationally for the impact of its research in the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). Also, 87.5 per cent of their research impacts were rated at 4* - REFs highest rating.

Politics research

Politics are ranked in the UK top ten for the quality of our research outputs and our research environment - the support they give to their researchers - according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021)

Course content

The course consists of:

  • a core module
  • taught option modules
  • a research training module
  • 14,000 - 16,000 word dissertation

You can opt to take two skills modules or a placement instead of one taught option module.

Dissertation

You will write a dissertation of between 14,000 - 16,000 words on a topic of your choice. Using source materials and analysis techniques, you will draft up the findings into an independently researched dissertation.

You will receive support, advice and guidance from your dissertation adviser 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 adviser 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.

The York approach

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.

Students who complete this course will be able to:

  • Interpret and illuminate the dynamics of the contemporary world by deploying an in-depth and systematic knowledge of cutting-edge historical and political science scholarship.
  • Explore and differentiate the perspectives of contemporary and historical actors and thinkers, and assess their significance using a range of advanced approaches and methods.
  • Work with a high degree of independence to design and pursue research questions and resolve complex problems using a diverse range of advanced approaches and techniques.
  • Construct and defend robust arguments, judiciously selecting different forms of evidence and/or theories.
  • Utilise advanced research skills, including how to locate and generate data using manual and digital techniques, and match and manipulate raw materials using carefully chosen and clearly articulated methodologies.
  • Conduct interdisciplinary study and research, drawing on information, concepts, theories and analytical approaches from history, politics and related disciplines in a balanced and creative way.
  • Communicate research findings to a range of audiences imaginatively, lucidly and succinctly using a variety of forms including short reports, oral presentations and extended pieces of writing.
  • Respond responsibly and resourcefully to the ethical and practical issues that arise during advanced historical research, including disciplinary differences between historical methods and those deployed by cognate disciplines and be alert to the value of working across these boundaries.

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees for 2025/26

Study modeUK (home)International and EU
Full-time (1 year) £11,200£25,900
Part-time (2 years)
This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation.
£5,600£12,950

Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.

For courses which are longer than one year, the tuition fees quoted are for the first year of study.

  • UK (home) fees may increase in subsequent years (up to a maximum of 2%).
  • International fees may increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).

Fees for students starting in the 2025/26 academic year.

Fees information

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.

Additional costs

There is no obligation to purchase books or other texts - all core texts and resources will be available in our library or online.

Funding information

Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.

We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.

If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.

Funding opportunities

Chevening Scholarships

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.

Departmental Funding Opportunities

  • Overseas students may also be eligible for the Chevening Scholarship, please use the link to find out more.

Living costs

You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

Teaching and assessment

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.

Teaching format

Most of your modules will consist of weekly two-hour seminars. The Research Training module will be taught through three-hour workshops. You will normally work in small groups of fewer than 15 students.

Facilities

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.

Teaching location

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.

About our campus

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.

Assessment and feedback

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. 

Two students walking past Clifford's Tower in York
Walking past Clifford's Tower, York city centre.
A group of students working in Beningbrough Hall
A group of students working in Beningbrough Hall, North Yorkshire.

Careers and skills

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.

Career opportunities

  • innovation funding consultant
  • project support officer for a local authority
  • university researcher
  • senior commercial executive
  • information analyst
  • public relations officer

Transferable skills

  • analytical thinking
  • formation of original arguments
  • effective time management
  • communication skills
  • efficient organisation, use and management of electronic research resources
  • ability to carry out independent research in primary sources
  • professional presentation skills

Entry requirements

Typical offer
Undergraduate degree 2:2 or equivalent in History or a relevant subject
International pre-masters programme Pre-masters from our International Pathway College
Other international qualifications Equivalent qualifications from your country

English language

If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:

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
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 459-494, with 426-458 in all other components
Skills for English B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component
PTE Academic 61, minimum 55 in each component
TOEFL 87, minimum of 21 in each component
Trinity ISE III Merit in all requirements

For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.

If you haven't met our 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.

Applying

You can apply and send all your documentation online. You don’t need to complete your application all at once: you can start it, save it and finish it later.

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Next steps

Contact us

Get in touch if you have any questions

Dr Eskandar Sadeghi-Boroujerdi

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Department of History, Department of Politics and International Relations

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