History (MA)

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a related subject

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirementsLink opens in a new window. This course requires the following:

• Band C
• IELTS overall score of 7.5, minimum component scores of two at 6.5/7.0 and the rest at 7.5 or above.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements pageLink opens in a new window.

Academic References

We typically ask for one academic reference for taught courses.

You will be asked to include an email address for your referee(s) when submitting your application and we will contact them for you.

View our guide to academic references.Link opens in a new window

Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Core modules

Optional modules

Optional modules can vary from year to year. We are currently revising our suite of optional modules, and more information will be available in the coming months. Example optional modules may include:

You will choose two or three modules from the list above. You are also able to take optional modules in cognate disciplines, e.g., Politics and International Relations, English and Comparative Literary Studies, Film & TV, History of Art, Theatre Studies, Modern Languages and Cultures, Sociology.

Teaching

History Writing: Theory and Practice

This compulsory 60 CATS two-term core MA module will equip you with the theoretical and methodological skills needed to carry out an extended piece of historical research and writing. Teaching will be delivered in a combination of lectures, seminars, and workshops.

Dissertation

The dissertation (60 CATS) is the most important piece of work you will produce in the course (a 15,000 word project). You should view it mainly as an opportunity to do in-depth research on your favourite topic and to develop research techniques and methodologies as well as to present the research in an appropriate format. It is helpful to begin the course with a clear, if general, idea of your dissertation topic.

Reading lists 

If you would like to view reading lists for current or previous cohorts of students, most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library on the Talis Aspire platformLink opens in a new window. 

You can search for reading lists by module title, code or convenor. Please see the modules tab of this page or the module catalogueLink opens in a new window.  

Please note that some reading lists may have restricted access or be unavailable at certain times of year due to not yet being published. If you cannot access the reading list for a particular module, please check again later or contact the module’s host department.  

Your timetable

Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your optional modules when you join us.

Part-time Study

The University of Warwick welcomes applications from students wishing to undertake the master's degree on a part time basis. Part-time students complete the same quantity of work undertaken by full time students, but this work is spread out over a longer period. Part-time study for the History Master’s degrees typically takes two years, instead of the usual one year.

The Department of History offers a high degree of flexibility in the construction of individualised programmes of part-time study. However, we recommend that part-time students follow the mandatory Writing History module in the first year. This will mean that the optional modules are followed in the second year. (If students have external commitments which mean that a different structure is more appropriate, this can normally be accommodated.)

Part-time students will rarely be required to be on campus for more than one or two days a week. Part-time students will join the vibrant community of postgraduates in the Warwick History Department, and are encouraged to attend as many of the wide range of departmental offerings (seminars, reading groups, discussion forums, conferences, staff-student liaison committee, etc) as they are able to accommodate into their own timetable.

Queries about part-time MAs should firstly be directed to the Postgraduate Coordinator via email at PGHistoryOffice at warwick dot ac dot uk.

Your career

Our degrees equip you with the skills and experiences needed to excel in your career. With access to exceptional career services, industry connections, and global opportunities, we’ll inspire and help you to aim high and achieve your goals. Our guidance ensures you graduate as a well-rounded professional ready for lifelong success.

The median salary for University of Warwick 2021/22 postgraduates whose main employment was full-time work in the UK was £38,000 (based on 971 respondents - 17% of the total postgraduate population)*.

A postgraduate degree in History provides you with the skills and knowledge to embark on a range of career paths. History Master's graduates have pursued careers in academia, the civil service, NGOs, education, law and in a range of research roles across the private sector*.

Helping you find the right career 

Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers ConsultantLink opens in a new window offering impartial advice and guidance together with workshops and events throughout the year.

• A Career to suit you
• Discovering Careers in the Creative Industries
• Warwick careers fairs throughout the year

Find out more about careers support at Warwick.

History at Warwick

Each year, we attract excellent students like you to Warwick.

We will help you develop the skills needed to conduct research, including in the archives, engage critically with your sources, and support you in developing critical thinking and writing skills.

Whether you’re working with classmates in seminars and workshops, or getting involved with the History Society, at every turn you’ll find like-minded people who share your fascination with the past and its significance in the present.

Get to know us better by exploring our departmental website.Link opens in a new window

History Master’s Degrees

Warwick specialises in research-led teaching and as a taught Master’s student you will be supported by a team of exceptional historians who will help you take your passion for History to the next level.

We are home to four field-leading Research CentresLink opens in a new window, which underpin our History MA.

Our History MA degree will provide you with the skills and experience you need to continue on to a History PhD or to help you enter your chosen career.

Our Master’s Degrees

• History (MA)

Our Research Courses

• History (MA by Research)
• History (MPhil/PhD)

Read more about our courses on the History websiteLink opens in a new window.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your taught course fees  

Fee Status Guidance

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.

Find out more about how universities assess fee status

Additional course costs

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.

For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).

Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2025/26 year of study). Information about module department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:

• Core text books
• Printer credits
• Dissertation binding
• Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and funding