COURSE CURRICULUM

The MA History at the University of Southampton combines core and optional modules to provide students with advanced knowledge and research skills across a range of historical periods and themes. Core modules include the MA History Dissertation, which allows students to undertake a substantial 12,000-word research project on a topic of their choice under expert supervision, and Public History, which examines the practice of history within heritage and education sectors, considering the role of museums, heritage sites, and public engagement. Students can tailor their studies through a selection of optional modules that explore specific regions, periods, and thematic approaches. Options include Advanced Research Seminars in American, Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern, and Modern British History, which involve student-led discussions supported by expert historians. Additional thematic modules allow exploration of memory, narrative, national and transnational identities, and cultural concepts such as nation, culture, and power. Other modules provide skills in digital humanities, such as Text as Data, or examine historical transformations through thematic studies, including American history, medieval and early modern periods, modern British history, and the ancient world. Modules on transnational movement and globalisation focus on migration, mobility, and diversity. This program equips students with rigorous research, critical analysis, and interpretative skills applicable to academia, heritage, and broader professional contexts.