ObjectivesThis MA is an exciting collaborative course, offering you the opportunity to use the British Isles as a focus for the study of broad historical themes, from the Reformation period to the present day. It aims to give you an appreciation of distinctive aspects of the British historical experience, while also fostering awareness of shared social and cultural norms. The development of devolved government for constituent parts of the British Isles has provoked greater interest in how and why the British nation-state came into being. It has also fed into existing debates about whether the territorial state is the most useful or constructive means of assessing historical developments – how does the enquiry into state formation and the creation (and re-creation) of national identities relate to historical approaches focused on religion, race, gender and class? By drawing on the expertise of staff directly engaged in Scottish, Irish and English research areas, the programme will provide support and encouragement for students aiming towards independent research, intending to develop new skills in relation to existing careers, or hoping simply to develop their own understanding of the richness, diversity and complexity of the British historical experience.
Entry requirementsEntry requirements Good degree and references.
Academic titleHistory of the British Isles (MA)
Course descriptionContent
Core course
-Britain in History: a compulsory 10-week course introducing -historiographical, methodological and theoretical debates on central themes.
Options
Three options from a list covering a wide chronological and thematic spread. These may include:
-Civil Society: Ideas, Practices and Dilemmas in the Modern World
-Social Change and Social Thought in the Nineteenth Century
-Mind, Body and Self in the Victorian Age
-Gender in Britain
-Power and Authority in Britain, 1603–1689
-Race and the Victorians
-The Rule of Freedom: Governing the Self, Governing the Social in Britain, -1800–1939
-The Victorian Communication Revolution
-Technology, Modernity and the Nation: Britain and Germany 1800–1930
-The Decline of Magic: Magical Ideas in English Society, 1650–1750
-Social History of Britain
-Early Modern Society and Culture
-A Cultural History of Modern Warfare
-Plots, Conspiracy Theory and Political Culture in Early Modern Britain and France
-Religion in Society, Politics and Culture: Britain and Ireland 1801–1922
-Britain and Reformation.
-Dissertation.
Teaching
Teaching is by seminar, with individual supervision meetings for the dissertation.
Assessment
-Each core and option module is assessed by an esay of 4000–5000 words. -Dissertation of 15,000 words.