Course summary

The University, in existence for 800 years, has a wealth of medieval buildings and traditions, and a wide range of medieval manuscripts and printed books are held by the University’s many libraries. This rich history makes Cambridge an ideal place to study medieval history. The MPhil in Medieval History forms an integral part of the teaching and research in the Cambridge History Faculty, which is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. The course offers students intensive training in medieval concepts and methods and helps students develop skills in Latin and palaeography which they will use to research a key theme in medieval history. The MPhil in Medieval History combines taught and research elements over a nine-month full-time programme. The taught elements include taught modules on research topics and skills training, training workshops and seminars, and all students will also complete a long piece of independent research (15,000–20,000 words). Throughout the course the student will be supervised by a dedicated member of staff, who will guide research on the subject that the student has chosen, leading to the completion of an original piece of historical research in the form of a dissertation. In addition, students will benefit from Cambridge’s vibrant research environment by participating in classes, workshops and other events, and by attending seminars given by guest speakers. The course is designed for those who have completed degrees in which History is the main or at least a substantial component and who want to consolidate their knowledge of medieval history. It is particularly appropriate for those who may wish to continue on to a PhD, at Cambridge or elsewhere. It is also well-suited to those who seek simply to explore medieval history at a deeper level. It is expected that this will be the normal means by which those without an appropriate master’s degree from elsewhere will prepare for the PhD degree in medieval history at Cambridge.