History

Entry requirements

You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or an international equivalent with a minimum mark of 60% in your final-year dissertation. In cases where an undergraduate transcript does not contain a research element such as a dissertation, we may ask applicants to provide an example of their academic writing that demonstrates capacity for independent research.

If you are currently completing a degree, we understand that your final grade may be higher than the interim grades or module/unit grades you have achieved during your studies to date.

We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree. Specific module requirements would still apply.

We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement. If you have at least one of the following, please include your CV (curriculum vitae / résumé) when you apply, showing details of your relevant qualifications:

• evidence of significant, relevant work experience in Creative industries: Journalism, Teaching, Curating, Museum work, Professional careers (eg Law, Accounting, private business, Medicine);
• a relevant postgraduate qualification.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The MA in History is the perfect next step for anyone who wants to deepen their knowledge of the past or move into a career involving history. We teach a variety of historical approaches through courses that focus on different periods and places.

You can opt to take specialist master's level units in History and other subjects, join undergraduate History units, or undertake independent solo research projects supervised by a specialist. Our teaching also offers opportunities to engage with external partners, such as BBC History Magazine, the National Trust, or the SS Great Britain.

The research and teaching expertise in the department ranges from the medieval to the modern, with particular strengths in:

• race, colonialism and empire
• environmental history
• public history
• histories of gender, sexuality, and the body
• medieval and early modern history
• contemporary Britain and America
• global history (especially Africa and Asia)

On the MA, you may want to deepen your specialism in one of these areas or you may prefer to obtain a broad knowledge of different historical subjects, themes, debates and methodologies.

The MA offers unique opportunities to get hands on experience for students looking to move into work in heritage and research, including options involving creative writing and research methods.

As well as benefitting from the research expertise of our staff, you will be immersed in a vibrant postgraduate community at Bristol. This is underpinned by regular seminar series, guest speakers, and skills workshops, as well as social events organised by our History Society and student reps. You'll also have access to several prestigious research groups within the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences, where the Department of History plays a key role. These include the Centres for Medical Humanities, Black Humanities, Environmental Humanities, and Medieval Studies.

Information for international students

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

Fees and funding

Funding and studentship opportunities are listed on the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences funding pages.

Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.