COURSE CURRICULUM

The research master Politics, Culture and National Identities, 1789 to the Present at Leiden University is designed to give you the intellectual tools and methodological skills to study how politics and identities in Europe have been shaped across time. The program combines a comparative and international approach with rigorous training in historical research. It begins with an intensive Literature Seminar in the first eight weeks, focusing on current debates and recent insights within the field of Cities, Migration and Global Interdependence. This is followed by Research Seminars, where you will carry out independent research using primary sources or published documents. You take one Research Seminar in the first semester and a second either in the second semester or abroad in the third semester. All students also follow courses in historical methodology and research skills, which provide a strong foundation for analysing processes of change and engaging with debates in the discipline.The program requires you to take the Historical Theory course, which explores key issues such as explanation, representation, narrative, comparison, objectivity and ethics through close readings of major texts. In addition, a tutorial offers you one-to-one engagement with a specialist, allowing you to refine your research interests and prepare your thesis subject. You will also follow courses at a Research School worth at least 10 EC, giving you advanced methodological and area-specific training. The compulsory Developing Research Proposals course helps you design research projects, from formulating questions to writing proposals, under the guidance of senior academics. Optional Courses, up to 20 EC, provide further flexibility and are often taken abroad to expand your international experience.The program concludes with a Research MA thesis, supervised by faculty experts, and defended in a final ceremony. Throughout your studies, you are taught by leading researchers who integrate the latest academic debates and findings into the curriculum. Regular seminars give you direct access to ongoing research, often linking to your own thesis topic. The main objective of the program is to prepare you for a career as a junior academic researcher, either in a semi-academic position or as preparation for a PhD. Graduates emerge with the ability to address complex problems independently, critically and creatively, and to present their results effectively in writing and orally.