Naval, Maritime and Coastal History (Distance Learning) (Taught)

Overview
Transform your love of naval and maritime history into a versatile postgraduate qualification on this Master's in Naval, Maritime and Coastal History, all from the home of the Royal Navy.

Thanks to our partnerships with the National Museum of the Royal Navy, the HMS Warrior and other key maritime heritage institutions, you'll have digital or in-person access to a treasure trove of expertise, archives and galleries to enrich your studies.

With the entire course online via distance learning, you can choose to study full-time over a year or part-time over two years, if you're looking to study alongside work or military service.

You'll embark on a deep dive into the global legacy of developments in the naval domain from 1508 to 1960. Considering factors from strategic to sociological, technological to cultural, you'll explore subject areas including the role of the Women’s Royal Naval Service during the Second World War, debates around the naval battle at Jutland, how Nelson won at Trafalgar, and what contributed to the Boston Tea Party.

You'll learn from a team of naval experts and historical curators who share your passion for the field, and analyse topics with a diverse cohort of fellow students from all around the world.

When you graduate, you'll have specialist expertise in naval, maritime and coastal history as well as enhanced career-ready skills in critical analysis, research, source evaluation and writing. You'll be an ideal candidate for PhD study, or for roles in fields such as journalism, education, museum curation, or the Armed Forces.

What you'll experience

On this course you'll:

• Immerse yourself in a rich exploration of naval history, into areas such as the European Imperial expansion, the birth of the United States, and the role of the sea in the English Civil War, the Spanish Armada, the reign of King Henry VIII and the disappearance of the Mary Rose

• Enjoy digital or in-person access to the collections of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, the HMS Warrior, Lloyd's Register Foundation, the Legasee Educational Trust, and the Wellington Trust, and have the chance to get involved in research projects, field trips and behind-the-scenes tours

• Hear from expert guest lecturers, such as Dr Edward Hampshire from the Royal Navy’s Naval Historical Branch, and opt to attend history research seminars conducted by the University and external academics

• Develop your ability to carry out historical research and interpret multi-archive sources using our extensive interactive library, including unique primary sources, secondary literature, and video clips of experts in the field

• Build a network of fellow naval historians and, once you graduate, join our naval history alumni group

• Choose an area of naval, maritime or coastal history to explore in-depth for your dissertation or research project

Careers and opportunities

The transferable skills that you develop on this course will make you an excellent candidate for a number of careers, including:

• Journalism

• Law

• Teaching

• Administration

• Archive and museum work

• Civil service

• Armed forces

• Research

Other graduates have continued their studies to PhD level or set up successful businesses with help and support from the University.

Course Modules

The University of Portsmouth is passionate about creating career-focused modules that do more than support your studies, they empower your academic journey and prepare you for what comes next.

We design modules that have:

• Clear themes and skills development as you progress through each year
• Assessments that feel meaningful, often based on real-world tasks rather than isolated exams
• Career-enhancing opportunities such as placements, live projects, enterprise and volunteering

For a full list of the modules you will study on this course, please visit the link to the course page.

https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate-taught/ma-naval-maritime-and-coastal-history#modules