MSt in History

Who is the course designed for? 

This course is designed for adult learners with a deep interest in history. You will develop high-level skills in historical research. We are open to applicants of all backgrounds and prior experience of the subject.  

The course has been designed to be accessible to those in full- or part-time employment, to international students, and to those with family commitments. You might be a teacher wishing to extend your expertise in history, want to train in historical methods for career development or a career change, be retired and wish to devote some of your time to historical study, or simply be interested in study of the past for enrichment. 

It combines core training in historical methods with classes in a wide range of topics in history, culminating in an independent research project. 

Successful applicants will become members of a Cambridge College and will join the wider graduate community, with full access to the facilities of the University.  

For more information, watch our most recent MSt in History 'Ask-Me-Anything' AMA event recording.

Aims of the programme

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course you should have:  

• developed an understanding of, and ability to apply critically, the main academic theories and concepts underpinning the study of history 
• extended and developed your analytical, evaluative and critical capacities 
• developed the ability to form independent judgements based on your reading, research and writing 
• gained demonstrable specific subject knowledge and analysis relevant to your dissertation 
• developed research skills required for further postgraduate research  

Skills and other attributes

The course helps to develop your critical awareness and theoretical understanding of the past. You will acquire the skills and techniques used by historians.  

By the end of the course, students should have acquired or consolidated:   

• the academic, technical and ancillary skills necessary to participate in critical debates within the field of history 
• the ability to formulate a research topic, create a research project, and communicate their ideas and research findings in a substantial piece of postgraduate level research 
• transferable skills, including the ability to take responsibility for their own learning, working independently, giving oral presentations, planning and producing written assignments, and, where they have chosen to do so, using information technology 

We welcome applications from students with a variety of backgrounds and professional experiences. As part of our admissions process, you’ll need to meet certain requirements and make sure you’re able to attend teaching sessions in the UK.   

Standard entry requirements 

Typically, we expect a good UK undergraduate degree, such as a 2.1, or international equivalent, in history or a humanities-related subject.  

If your degree is not from the UK, check international qualifications on the University’s postgraduate site to find the equivalent in your country. 

Non-standard applications 

If you do not meet the standard entry requirements, we still encourage you to apply. You’ll need to show you have relevant, professional experience that makes you a strong candidate, and/or have completed higher-level study. Please include this information when you apply. 

English language requirements 

Our courses are taught in English and require a good level of fluency. If English is not your first language, you'll need to prove you have sufficient fluency before admission. If we offer you a place, it will be subject to you meeting this requirement. For more information, visit Postgraduate and Master's admissions and the University’s English language requirements.  

Visa information  

We welcome applications from international students. If you’re coming from overseas, you would attend the in-person teaching sessions for this course with visitor immigration permission.  

It's important to be aware that entering the UK as a visitor for study purposes comes with certain expectations and restrictions. To make sure you understand the requirements, we advise you to read the in-depth information on the University’s International Students website. 

Course structure

Year 1  

• 3 residential modules 
• Informal lectures, seminars and class discussion, student-led peer-to-peer learning 
• Study historians’ work and historical primary sources 
• Guided preparatory reading 
• 3 essays of 3,000 words (30%) 

Year 2  

• Expert 1:1 supervision 
• 3 Day Schools with student-led, peer-to-peer learning and research workshops 
• 16,000 to 20,000-word dissertation based on primary sources (70%) 

Contact time 

• 10 days in Year 1, 3 days in Year 2 
• 3 Day Schools in Year 2 

A Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) offers you learning support while you are on the course, including learning resources, to build a virtual community of practice. You are expected to have sufficient IT skills to engage with the VLE, where all assessed assignments are uploaded.  

Below are the expected teaching dates for this course. If they change, we'll update offer-holders in line with the University's terms of admission. 

Teaching

Year 1

Please note that the content of all modules is indicative and may be subject to change.  

Module 1: Approaches to History    

Teaching dates: Tuesday 12 to Friday 15 October 2027   

Learn about approaches historians use in history, such as: 

• biography and political history 
• local and urban history 
• economic, social and cultural history 
• microhistory and intellectual history 

This module also provides an introduction to the course, a talk about Cambridge colleges, library skills and essay writing support. 

Module 2: Sources, Methods and Research Skills   

Teaching dates: Wednesday 09 to Friday 11 February 2028   

Learn new skills in using, for example:   

• quantitative and qualitative approaches 
• literature, visual sources, and material culture 
• oral history  
• archaeology 
• primary sources in history, such as religious history, the history of the book and the social history of medicine 

This module also provides a session on online research and referencing skills, and essay writing support. 

Module 3: Theory, Concepts and Historiography   

Teaching dates: Wednesday 03 to Friday 5 May 2028  

Theoretical, conceptual and historiographical approaches are developed through a number of thematic topics drawn from, for example:   

• The Annales School 
• Race and gender 
• Memory and emotions 
• Poverty and labour history 
• The history of the family 
• Historical demography and migration 

This module also provides a class on essay writing support and getting started on your dissertation.

Year 2

In the second year, you will focus on your dissertation. You will work independently on your chosen topic under the supervision of an expert in the chosen field whom you will have regular contact with. You have 5 supervisions between May 2027 and May 2028.  

There will also be 3 Day Schools where all students provide a short presentation on their research to date, alongside some training in dissertation research and writing:  

• Day School 1: Friday 20 October 2028 
• Day School 2: Friday 19 January 2029 
• Day School 3: Friday 20 April 2029 

Assessment 

Year 1 

Assessment will be through three essays of up to 3,000 words each.    

To complete Year 1 successfully, you must pass at least 2 of the 3 assessed assignments and reach an average pass mark of 60% across the 3. Year 1 assignments constitute 30% of the overall award mark.  

Year 2  

Dissertation  

A dissertation of 16,000 to 20,000 words. The dissertation constitutes 70% of the overall award mark.  

Feedback 

You will be given formal feedback on your assignments and informal feedback throughout the course, including during supervisions. Supervisions also result in an annual progress report at the end of Year 1 and termly reports during Year 2. 

Fees

The total fees for this course are shown above in 'Course details'.

To understand which fee status applies to you, whether as a home or overseas student, visit the University’s fee status page.  

To help you manage your finances more comfortably, you can pay the fee in instalments.  See how to pay for more.  

There are also some additional costs you’ll need to cover as part of this course. These are usually: 

• an application fee of £85, unless you're eligible for a fee waiver, payable online
• any travel, accommodation and subsistence costs for the residential teaching sessions held in Cambridge

Funding

Please see our bursaries page for information about the MSt in History research bursary. 

We're dedicated to reducing and removing financial barriers to learning. Visit financial support ahead of the application deadline to find out what other options may be available to help you in your studies. You can explore external funding and stay up to date on our concessions and bursaries. 

Considering applying? We look forward to receiving your application. We consider applications on a 'gathered field' basis, reviewing them all together after the application deadline. 

Standard/non-standard applications 

Where an application meets the standard academic entry requirements (which includes 2 suitable references), and the dissertation proposal is assessed as being strong, it may be possible for us to make you a conditional offer of admission without interview. Please note that we would first need to have secured a confirmed Supervisor for your proposed dissertation topic before any offer can be made.  

Where an application does not meet the standard academic entry requirements, and/or the Course Team feels that further discussion of the research proposal/application may be required, we may invite you to an online interview. Please note that being invited to attend an interview does not guarantee that we will make you an offer. 

Key timings for your application 

• The application deadline is Thursday 25 February 2027.  
• We’ll hold online interviews for shortlisted candidates requiring them in April 2027.  
• If you're shortlisted, we'll contact you in the weeks before interviews to arrange a time.  

How to apply and what you'll need  

The ‘Apply now’ button will take you to the Applicant Portal. There, you can:  

• create, save, and submit your application 
• upload your supporting documents   
• submit and manage your references 
• pay your application fee 
• track your application 

Supporting documents 

When you submit your application, you’ll need to provide supporting information. 

CV  

Upload an up-to-date resume.  

Research proposal  

Watch our Top tips for submitting your dissertation proposal video for information and guidance. 

Please title this as 'research proposal'. 

This is one of the most important parts of the application. Applicants are admitted for the topic of their research proposal and an expert supervisor has to be secured before an applicant can be admitted.     

The research proposal should state clearly the intended area (place, theme) of research, the chronological period, how the research contributes to the existing historiography on that topic, and the primary sources that might be consulted, within the scope of the MSt, and should be between 600 to 1,000 words (2 to 5 pages) in length. The chronological period should be appropriate to the research question and body of original primary sources and it is advised that a long chronological period is avoided. The proposal should display an awareness of the relevant secondary literature on the place of study and wider research area, as well as the national and/or global context.    

A strong proposal would indicate the possible primary sources to be consulted. The research proposal will be strengthened with a bibliography of suitable primary and up-to-date secondary sources. A strong statement of intended research is not overly ambitious: remember that this research will be undertaken over one year, part-time. A weak proposal will think that far more research can be undertaken than can reasonably be achieved in this time scale. Remember that you might need specialist skills such as languages, palaeography or Latin and you will need to indicate whether you already have these skills or will need to acquire them in Year 1. If you need to acquire them, then you need to set out a reasonable timeframe in which to do so.  

You should have your research proposal and writing sample ready before you begin, as they will be submitted as part of the application form and cannot be submitted later.  

Writing sample   

Applicants should submit a single-authored writing sample (continuous prose) in English. This should be a complete final-year undergraduate paper (or a number of shorter papers) in history or a related field (humanities or social science) or approximately 10 to 20 pages of historical research.  

If you do not have recent examples of these, please answer one of the following questions:   

1. ‘A multi-use right.’ Is this a useful description of the criminal justice system in the eighteenth century? 
2. ‘Poor law provision was always a small component of poor relief.’ Discuss with reference to any period of around one hundred years between 1550 and 1834. 
3. ‘Globalising intellectual history:’ is this necessary, and if so, why? 
4. ‘Histories of migration have often focussed on the free movement of people, but in human history, unfree or coerced migration is the more common experience.’ (Please discuss this in relation to a specific case study: 

• General introductions to migration histories 
• The Atlantic Slave Trade 
• Indentured Labour, Diaspora and Empire   

Reading lists to assist with these questions can be provided. Please contact us from this course page for more information.  

Qualifications and transcripts   

Upload details of degree-level courses you have completed or are studying.  

References 

You’ll need to nominate 2 referees, preferably academic, when completing your application. We'll need your referees to have submitted your references before we can review your application. It’s your responsibility to make sure references are submitted before the application deadline. We strongly advise you allow enough time for this process and that you follow our guidelines and instructions for submitting references in the ‘Submitting your application’ section of our Postgraduate and Master’s admission page.  

For more information on applying and admissions, see Postgraduate and Master's admissions. 

As an MSt student, you'll become a member of a Cambridge College. For the MSt in History, we work with the following Colleges:   

• Lucy Cavendish 
• Selwyn 
• Wolfson 

On your application, you can specify preference(s) for any of these Colleges, and we’ll do our best to allocate you to your preferred choice(s), subject to capacity and ensuring an equal balance between the Colleges we work with. As there are only a limited number of places available at some Colleges, please give a second choice of College on your application form if you're selecting preferences.    

If you have a pre-existing membership at a Cambridge College which is not listed above, you can ask them to consider you as a member for this course. However, we cannot arrange this for you. If you do not have a pre-existing College membership, you can only become a member of one of the above Colleges. 

To find out more about Colleges, watch our video on 'How to choose a Cambridge College'.

We're committed to supporting you in your learning journey, and we offer a variety of support opportunities to meet individual needs. Visit student support to find out more about how we can help.