MA in History

The MA History programme at Queen’s has been redesigned to offer all its existing strengths in an innovative package of modules that challenges students to develop their knowledge and skills. Students will be taught by leading experts in public history, urban history, women’s and gender history, religious history, political history, and the history of the race.

Our Faculty have research specialisms across a range of chronological areas. We have major areas of research strength in the history of Ireland, Britain, the USA, Europe, Africa and Asia. History offers supervisory expertise to students who plan to work on ancient, medieval, early modern or modern/contemporary history. Modules are designed in a complementary fashion in order to develop the range of skills that employers expect from graduates from the best-designed postgraduate taught programmes.

The MA History programme at Queen’s is designed around students’ research interests and provides the opportunity to choose courses relating to a variety of historical periods and locations. You can opt to specialise in particular areas such as Gender History, Public History, Oral History, History of Religion, Urban History, History of Race and Ethnicity, the History of the Cold War, Social History, Political History, or Economic History. You can opt to take these approaches within American History, British History, Irish History, European History, African History, Asian History or Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern History.

Student Experience

The School has a rich research culture and postgraduate community. Postgraduate students host regular graduate-led seminars, colloquia and conferences. Students engage closely with research activities and events run by the Centre for Public History at Queen’s. This programme provides students with an opportunity to work in the largest and most international community of historians on the island of Ireland: Close involvement of practitioners from a wide range of organisations in many aspects of the course, including practitioner-led workshops and Field trips to Europe Rich research culture and postgraduate community Involvement in the Centre for Public History at Queen’s Involvement in the Institute of Irish Studies Involvement in QUOTE (Queen’s University Oral history, Technology and Ethics) Hub.

A placement option is available for MA History students, offering the opportunity to engage with practitioners from museums, media, heritage sites and leading historic visitor attractions and to benefit from the hands-on experience of working in a public history context.

Studying MA History at Queen’s offers a unique insight into many of the key issues relating to contested histories, cultural memory, commemoration, identity, and community history in a very real and meaningful way, and to gain a first-hand understanding of the relationship between public history, heritage, policy, and the consumption of history at a local, national and international level.

Welcome to the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast. We are a dynamic community of internationally acclaimed researchers, scholars and students who are committed to creating and sustaining a modern and meaningful place of connected learning. We are open to all talents, welcoming of challenge and change, and dedicated to using our subject expertise to make a difference in lives locally, nationally and internationally.

The Faculty has almost 10,500 students and over 700 academic and support staff who work in and across our five Schools – Arts, English and Languages; History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics; Law; Management; and Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, and in the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice. Our colleagues and students pursue a wide range of activities, including world-leading research and life-changing teaching. We hope that you want to be part of our work: we have nearly 150 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes as well as lots of challenging doctoral opportunities, so there is definitely something to suit your needs and ambition.

We are proud of the work of our students and staff, which has been recognised by many others for its quality and its commitment to work that makes. As a member of the Russell Group, Queen’s University Belfast is one of the UK’s 24 leading universities, providing students with a world-class education underpinned by world-class research. Queen’s is truly a global university, as our researchers work closely with more than 250 universities around the world and with even more businesses and agencies in Belfast and internationally. These networks and collaborations inform our programmes and offer great opportunities for students to learn with and from international peers and partners.

So, with a huge range of undergraduate and postgraduate opportunities, as well as a vibrant postgraduate research culture, I know that you will find that Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast will challenge and inspire you, as well as equip you with the first-class skills and knowledge to excel in your chosen career.

Nola Hewitt-Dundas Pro-Vice-Chancellor

An Intellectual Powerhouse

Spanning everything from traditional humanities and social science subjects to cutting-edge areas in Creative Arts and applied professional studies.

Over 40 per cent of our research is ranked in the top 25 per cent for its respective subject area, with a further 40 per cent in the top 50 per cent nationally.

A Collaborative Culture

Our interdisciplinary environment allows students from all fields the opportunity to interact with academic leaders and participate in their research.

Areas of notable excellence include Creative Writing, Sonic Arts, Global Financial Markets, Children’s Well-being, Poverty and Social Exclusion, Translation and Interpreting and Shared Education.