Course summary
The MA in History offers you the opportunity to explore a variety of historical approaches, and many different periods and places. This MA is characterised by a high degree of choice, both in what and how you learn. It offers unique opportunities to get hands on experience for students looking to move into work in heritage and research. You can opt to take specialist master's level units, join third-year undergraduate units, or undertake independent solo research projects. Several units also offer the chance to engage with external partners such as the SS Great Britain, BBC History Magazine, or the National Trust. The wide range of research and teaching expertise in the department means that we are confident you will find units that reflect your own interests, whether that's medieval notions of the apocalypse, the English Civil War, maritime empires, race in North America, or something else entirely. Across the year, students can choose to specialise by following pathways through our programme that reflect our strengths in:
- medieval and early modern history
- contemporary British, European and American history
- global history (with particular focus on African and Asian history)
- histories of colonialism, empire, and race
- environmental history
- public history
- histories of gender, sexuality, and the body
Assessment method
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/media/postgraduate/admissions-statements/2025/ma-history.pdf
How to apply
International applicants
The University of Bristol welcomes applications from international students and accepts a wide range of qualifications for postgraduate study. If you study or have studied at a university outside the UK, please select the relevant page for further information on qualifications, scholarships and education representatives in your country/region: bristol.ac.uk/international/countries
Entry requirements
You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or an international equivalent in Humanities, Arts, or Social Sciences, and a minimum mark of 60% in your final-year dissertation. In cases where an undergraduate transcript does not contain a research element such as a dissertation, we may ask applicants to provide an example of their academic writing that demonstrates capacity for independent research. If you are currently completing a degree, we understand that your final grade may be higher than the interim grades or module/unit grades you have achieved during your studies to date. We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree. Specific module requirements would still apply. We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement. If you have at least one of the following, please include your CV (curriculum vitae / résumé) when you apply, showing details of your relevant qualifications: - evidence of significant, relevant work experience in Creative industries; Journalism, Teaching, Curating, Museum work, Professional careers (eg Law, Accounting, private business, Medicine); - a relevant postgraduate qualification. See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/international/countries/
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
Channel Islands | £7300 | Year 1 |
England | £7300 | Year 1 |
Northern Ireland | £7300 | Year 1 |
Scotland | £7300 | Year 1 |
Wales | £7300 | Year 1 |
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
Sponsorship information
Funding and studentship opportunities are listed on the Faculty of Arts funding pages. (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/study/postgraduate/funding/)
Provider information
University of Bristol
Beacon House
Queen’s Road
Bristol
BS8 1QU