Study Early Modern and Eighteenth Century History at the University of Warwick
Why Choose Warwick?
Early modern history (c.1450-c.1750) is a core strength of the Warwick University History Department. Around a third of the Department's academic staff are scholars of the early modern period who will be your teachers, tutors and supervisors.
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You will be part of a first-class research environment where students and staff are engaged in a wide variety of projects to further their expertise in the field of early modern history. The Early Modern and Eighteenth Century Centre provides a focus for these activities, and a link to the activities of other research centres in the department; the Global History and Culture Centre, the Centre for the History of Medicine and the European History Research Centre all look at early modern history as well.
EMECC and the wider Department also have close ties with other departments especially French and History of Art, and with the European Early American Studies Association, the interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of the Renaissance, and the Yesu Persaud Centre for Caribbean Studies, all of which include early modern history in their remit. It is possible to arrange joint supervision with staff in these departments for interdisciplinary projects.
Coventry and Warwickshire and the wider region have many places of interest associated with the early modern period, which will enrich your time at Warwick. You can see some of the major attractions on the page Places to Visit.
There are many opportunities at the University of Warwick for students to pursue their interests in Early Modern and Eighteenth Century topics at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
PhD level: The Department has a core strength in Early Modern History and a broad range of supervisory expertise. Explore the Department's academic staff for further information about those with research specialisms in early modern and eighteenth century studies. You can also find a list of current and recently completed PhD students in Early Modern History here.
MA level: The Department offers the 'MA in Early Modern History' for students who want a taught MA course.
This includes a core module: Themes in Early Modern History (HI992)
Optional Modules with early modern content: Religious Cultures, Gender and Sexuality, Empire, Consumption, Medical Humanities, Science, Technology, Environment and Society
For Undergraduates
Early modern modules are core elements of the single and joint honours undergraduate history courses, and there are many early modern option modules for students to select. In addition, single-honours History students are offered the opportunity to select the 'Renaissance and Modern History' stream of the course which includes a term spent in Venice studying the early modern Advanced Option 'Florence and Venice in the Renaissance'.
Modules with an early modern focus include:
First Year
- HI113 Europe in the Making, 1450-1800 (core 30 CATS module for all History students)
- HI112 Mongols, Ming and Manchu: China, 1500-1800 (optional 30 CATS module)
- HI179 Deviance and Nonconformity in Early Modern Europe (optional 30 CATS module)
Second Year
- HI242 Reformation, Politics & Rebellion in Sixteenth-Century Germany (30 CATS option module)
- HI275 The British Problem: Empire, Conflict and National Identities, 1558-1714 (30 CATS option module)
- HI2E9 Crossing Boundaries and Breaking Norms in the Medieval World (30 CATS option module)
- HI2B8 Caravans and Traders: Global Connections, 1200-1500 (15 CATS option module)
- HI2C1 Galleons and Galleys: Global Connections, 1500-1800 (15 CATS option module)
- HI2D2 Corruption in Britain and its Empire 1600-1850 (30 CATS option module)
- HI2K2 Imperial Natures: Environments and Empires from the Little Ice Age to the Great Acceleration (c.1450 to the present) (30 CATS option module)
Final Year
- HI31R The Elizabeth Reformation (30 CATS special subject)
- HI3G9 Venice in the Renaissance (30 CATS special subject)
- HI3J3 Arts and Society in Early Modern Europe (30 CATS special subject)
- HI31J The French Revolution, 1774-1799 (30 CATS special subject)
- HI3K2 A Global History of Travel: Odyssey to Aeroplane (30 CATS special subject)
- HI3T3 The Early Modern Body (30 CATS special subject)
- HI3T5 Value in the Age of Reason (30 CATS special subject)
- HI390 The World of the Tavern in Early Modern Europe (30 CATS special subject)
- HI3T7 Religious Conflict and Civil War in France c.1560-1600 (30 CATS special subject)