Explore topics from the Middle Ages to the present day. Tailor this degree to fully match your own interests.
Year of entry: 2027 (September)
Specialise in a particular topic, or combine topics that are not often studied together. Our staff have international expertise in a range of topics, giving you the freedom to study what matters to you.
Become a confident independent researcher. You will create your own research agenda for each modules and work with your tutors to address questions that you wish to answer.
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 a wide range of periods.
Join a friendly, intellectual community, where teaching is informed by groundbreaking research. Our influential staff feature regularly in the media.
You will study a core module, Research Training, and choose from a range of option modules to supplement your learning based on your own interests.
The Research Training module will allow you to create and manage a research project, locate relevant primary and secondary sources, handle those sources and prepare a research proposal. Teaching will consist of both plenary sessions and seminars, which may include visits to local museums and archives in York. Several sessions will also be led by outside speakers, to help deepen your understanding and hear from a range of experts in their fields.
The dissertation allows you to work at an advanced level as independent scholars. You will be supported through workshops in the spring semester and you will also be allocated an advisor, who will support you in the spring semester and into the summer vacation.
You will study one core module:
You will study four 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.
The freedom you are given in postgraduate study to apply new methods and ideas is accompanied by research training in new skills and approaches that I did not get to cover in-depth in my undergraduate degree.
| 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.
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.
The course will be delivered through a range of seminars and workshops, supplemented with visits to local museums and archives around York. Several sessions will also be delivered by guest speakers, who are experts in their fields. This will allow you to broaden your horizons and enhance the knowledge that you have previously built upon.
During your studies you will receive tailored support, and as a Masters student at York, you will have access to the Writing Centre to help develop your academic writing skills.
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.
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.
This course will support you if you are wanting to work in a history-related field. However, it will also equip you a variety of transferable skills for many workplaces. This course is also an excellent springboard for further study.
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 international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
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.
