Social and Economic History (Research Methods)

Entry requirements

You will be expected to have at least a 2:1 (or international equivalent) undergraduate degree, with an overall average of 65% or above, in a History related discipline from a recognised institution.

Applicants with an overall average of 60-64% (or international equivalent) may be accepted, subject to the submission of a writing sample of up to 5,000 words

A 500-word personal statement which should include the following:

• Why are you interested in studying in the Durham History department
• What skills and knowledge you would bring to the course
• What skills and knowledge you would hope to acquire on the programme
• An indication of your planned area of research

Months of entry

September

Course content

The MA in Social and Economic History (Research Methods) fuels your interest in the past and develops the essential skills and knowledge you need to undertake in-depth research into the aspects of social and economic history that most interest you.

The course offers the highest quality training in social research methods and applies this knowledge to the study of the past. It is accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council, the UK’s largest funder of economic, social, behavioural, and human data science activity. It is also part of our four-year funding scheme offered through the Northern Ireland and North East Doctoral Training Partnership that culminates in a PhD in any aspect of the subject.

The course, which is completed in one year full-time or two years part-time, is shared between the Department of History and the Department of Sociology. Core areas of learning include an in-depth introduction to the study of research, themes, readings and sources from a historical perspective as well as quantitative and qualitative research methods. You can choose further optional modules from a selection of research and historical themed options in the sciences and social sciences areas, as well as one further module from across the Arts & Humanities Faculty more broadly. You also carry out independent research on a related area of your choice in the form of a dissertation.

You will have access to the extensive learning resource made available via various libraries, archives, and special historical collections housed in the University and in the city itself.

The postgraduate communities in both departments are vibrant and committed, and contribute in a major way to the academic environment with their active involvement in discussion groups, annual conferences and other events.

All the MA programmes offered by the Faculty of Arts & Humanities consist of three components:

• a Major Research Project to the value of at least 60 credits
• Core Modules to the value of 0-90 credits, depending on the programme
• Elective Modules, making up the total number of credits to 180; some of these modules will be defined as Recommended Electives for particular programmes.

For students studying the MA in Social and Economic History, the Dissertation (your Major Research Project (60-credits))enables you to apply the skills and methods you have gained from the course to an extended piece of work and develop a knowledge and understanding of a specialist area of history.

Year 1 modules

You will be required to take the following core modules:

Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Practices across Social Science Research (15 credits)

introduces you to the different programmes of social science research and sets out the challenges you will face working across a range of disciplines. You will also be given an introduction to the ethical issues involved in the conduct of social research.

Themes, Readings and Sources (30 credits)

provides training in historical skills, methodologies, and theories. It is designed to guide you, regardless of your specialism, towards taking an independent approach to learning and research.

Quantitative Research Methods and Analysis (15 credits)

develops your knowledge, critical understanding and skills in quantitative data analysis by teaching you how to use statistical techniques for exploration and description of data sets and to make appropriate statistical inferences.

Qualitative Methods and Analysis (15 credits)

equips you with the skills and knowledge to understand and assess qualitative social sciences research, including the different approaches to research and design and analysis of qualitative data.

Additionally, you must choose an additional 15-credit module from the list below:

• Advanced Statistics for Psychology and the Behavioural Sciences
• Advanced Ethnographic Research
• Multilevel Modelling
• Simulating Data in R
• Systematic Review
• Computational Social Science
• Participatory Action Research

Finally, you will choose 30 credits of elective modules from across the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, so that your total number of credits adds up to exactly 180.

Information for international students

If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take a pre-Masters pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

Fees and funding

For further information see the course listing.