European History MA

This MA European History offers you the chance to study key ideas, debates and practices that have shaped our understanding of Europe and the most important historical and methodological approaches to critically interpreting European pasts and presents.

Why choose this course?

* You will learn from world-renowned experts in European history, including British, German, French, Italian, Balkan, Russian and Eastern European history, as well as international, transnational, global and comparative historical perspectives.

* We are unique in our wide-ranging approach to studying Europe through the critical perspectives of empire, nationalism and nation-making, migration, gender and social inequality.

* You will be joining a community of specialist historians whose research spans diverse historical periods, from the Early Modern to the present day, and puts Europe in dialogue with the world.

What will I learn?

Rather than presuppose one all-encompassing definition of 'Europe', whether geographical, ideological or otherwise, on this course we highlight the different contexts within which the European past and present can be analysed, and embrace a broad approach to the study of European history.

You will explore intellectual traditions, methodological questions, interdisciplinary approaches, and other themes and topics to a broadly defined European chronology and geography.

How will I learn?

As well as being able to follow your interests choosing from a wide range of option modules covering many aspects of European history and politics, you will also receive training in research methods and undertake your own argument-oriented dissertation. This makes the course an excellent entry point for more advanced study at either MPhil/PhD level or professionally, and it is also a valuable tool in advancing your knowledge and expertise if you work in educational professions.

You will be taught primarily through seminars, with some supervision support for your dissertation, and classes in the evening.

This course gives you the choice of studying on campus, online or via flexible learning.

If you require a Student visa to study in the UK, you will only be able to apply for the on-campus study option for this course. Online and flexible options will not be available to you because they may affect the conditions of your visa.

Please note, courses starting in January are not part of the Flexible Master's UK and will take place on campus.

Highlights

* You will study with historians actively engaged in their research topics and currently developing innovative research approaches: from microhistories of places and people to oral history and the study of memory; from histories of international organisations to ethnographic understandings of the archive; from intellectual history and the transmission of ideas to the critique of global empire.

* Birkbeck was ranked in the top eight universities in the UK for its History research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

* Our School of Historical Studies is home to student societies and affiliated research centres that actively run seminars, conferences and other events where some of the world's best scholars present their latest research.

* Get a flavour of our teaching and research in this area through a wide range of free online and in-person seminars, workshops and tasters; also check out events at the Raphael Samuel History Centre, a leading centre for public history.

Careers and employability

On successfully graduating from this course you will have gained an array of transferable skills, including:

* critical analysis and interpretation

* research skills

* argument-based writing

* networking

* presentation skills.

Possible professions include:

* teacher

* consultant

* Civil Service fast-streamer

* researcher

* journalist

* archivist

* museum education officer

* museum curator

* editorial assistant

* politician’s assistant.