COURSE CURRICULUM

The MA History of Wales at Aberystwyth University offers a detailed and flexible study of Welsh history through a structured combination of core and optional modules. The course is suitable for both students with previous experience in Welsh history and those approaching the subject for the first time. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the key events, themes, and transformations that have shaped Wales over the centuries. Students gain essential research and analytical skills, and are encouraged to explore topics that reflect their personal academic interests.Core modules include The Making of Wales, which introduces major historical developments across different periods, and Research Methods and Professional Skills in History, which equips students with the tools needed for effective historical research, critical reading, and writing. The Dissertation in Welsh History, which is the central project of the course, allows students to carry out in-depth independent research on a topic of their choice, under the guidance of an academic specialist.Optional modules allow students to tailor their degree to specific interests. Some focus on Wales directly, such as Class and Community in Wales 1850–1939, Gerald of Wales, and Landownership and Society in Wales. Others provide wider historical or methodological perspectives, such as Information and Society, Post Medieval Palaeography and Diplomatic, Concepts and Sources in Heritage Studies, and Representations of the Holocaust 1945–2020. Modules like Borders and Borderlands in Modern Asia and Science, Place and Victorian Culture offer further thematic breadth.The course also includes practical and professional components such as Working with History, which explores how historical knowledge is used in contemporary careers. With its strong research focus and broad range of topics, the MA History of Wales prepares students for further academic study or careers in education, heritage, archives, and public history, while deepening their understanding of Welsh identity and historical context.