History (F89) | Open University

Course summary

The MA in History provides you with the opportunity to explore society, politics and culture in Britain and Ireland during either the early modern (c.1500-1780) or modern (c.1750-1970) period. Within each of these periods, you can choose from a range of themes to explore in depth, such as the body, popular politics, interpersonal violence, immigration, the environment and institutions. Using our world-class collection of online primary source materials together with collections of documents and artefacts in local and national repositories, you will produce an independent research project on a topic of your choice.

Key features of the course

Gain an understanding of the key events which shaped either early modern or modern Britain and Ireland
Builds your practical skills of research methods and analysis, critical thinking and collaboration
Develops your ability to present a sustained argument in clear, logical prose
Applicable to a wide range of careers which involve complex ideas and texts is important

Modules

To gain this qualification, you need 180 credits. You'll study two compulsory 90-credit modules. You must pass part 1 before progressing to part 2.

You'll study the following:

MA History part 1
Explore society, politics and culture in Britain and Ireland during either the early modern or modern period.
MA History part 2
This module supports you in planning, researching and writing a dissertation on an aspect of British and/or Irish history during the period 1500–1970.

Entry requirements

You must hold an honours degree (or equivalent) to study our MA in History. Although your degree does not need to be in History or a closely related subject, you will need some knowledge of the subject to successfully complete this qualification, as the MA in History assumes all students have the knowledge and skills usually acquired by pursuing the subject at undergraduate level.

An honours degree of at least 2.1 (or equivalent) will greatly increase your chances of successfully completing the MA in History.

Alternative entry
Applications from candidates who don't have an honours degree but do have knowledge and skills relevant to studying history at postgraduate level, demonstrable through a track record of prior study and/or work experience (paid or voluntary), will be considered. Applicants must include the following information when returning the requested entry check documentary evidence.

Details of why you are interested in studying our MA in History, details of any skills and knowledge you have relevant to studying history at postgraduate level, and any further information that you feel might support your application (e.g. membership of historical societies, publications on historical themes).
A CV (2 pages max)
Evidence of prior study, if applicable (e.g. copies of certificate or transcript of higher education, further education or professional qualifications).

Additional considerations
If your degree or background is not in history, or if you would simply like to sharpen your understanding of the discipline, we strongly recommend completing the Open Learn course What do historians do? This free course explores some of the ways historians work and the types of evidence they use to develop our understanding of the past.

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum overall score of 7 under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Please see the IELTS website for details.

If you’re in any doubt about the suitability of your qualifications or previous experience, please contact us before you enrol.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

As fees for individual modules can vary, the total cost you pay for your qualification depends on the modules you choose to study. For further information about fees, please refer to the course description on The Open University website.