MA History
Belfast, United Kingdom
MA
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
14 Aug 2026
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 23,000 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* international fee
Key Summary
The MA History programme at Queen’s is designed to offer an innovative package of modules that challenges students to develop their knowledge and skills and flourish in their area of interest or future specialism.
Our Faculty have research specialisms across a range of chronological and geographical areas. We have areas of particular strength in ancient, medieval, early modern and contemporary history in Ireland, Britain, the USA, Europe, Africa and Asia. Students will be taught by leading experts in public history, urban history, women’s and gender history, religious history, political history, and extra-European history.
Modules are designed in a complementary fashion in order to develop the range of skills that employers expect from graduates from the best-designed postgraduate taught programmes. They are designed also to train students who want to continue on a PhD.
Modules range from Theory, methods and sources to Topics in the History of Religion, the History of Race and Ethnicity, the History of the Cold War, Social History, Political History or Economic History. You can opt to take these approaches within American History, British History, Irish History, European History, African History, Asian History or Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern History.
History Highlights
Student Experience
The School has a rich research culture and postgraduate community. Postgraduate students host regular graduate-led seminars, colloquia and conferences. Students engage closely with research activities and events run by the Centre for Public History at Queen’s and the Institute of Irish Studies at Queen’s.
This programme provides students with an opportunity to work in the largest and most international community of historians on the island of Ireland.
Involvement in QUOTE (Queen’s University Oral history, Technology and Ethics) Hub
World Class Facilities
The School is a world-leading centre for innovative and dynamic historical research. In the 2021 UK assessment of research (REF), History at Queen’s was ranked in the top 23 departments for research and 100% of the History research environment was considered as ‘world-leading’.
Internationally Renowned Experts
Modules focus on cutting-edge staff collaboration on emerging research themes with renowned experts in their field.
The MA can be regarded either as an end in itself, culminating in the distinction of having obtained a postgraduate degree and enhanced your employability skills as a researcher, or as a stepping stone to the higher research degree of a PhD. Many graduates have gone on to Ph.D. programs both at Queen’s and other world-leading Universities. Others go into a wide variety of employment including careers in museums, archives, or libraries; journalism or media-related work; teaching; private and public administration; economic development, and the voluntary sector.
Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports, and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognized by a world-leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
Course Structure
Students may enrol on a full-time (1 year) or part-time (3 years) basis. Part-time students typically complete one or two modules per semester. Full-time students typically complete three modules per semester.
The MA is awarded to students who successfully complete six taught modules (120 CATS points) and a 20,000-word research dissertation (60 CATS points).
Exit qualifications are available: students may exit with a Postgraduate Diploma by successfully completing 120 CATS points from taught modules or a Postgraduate Certificate by successfully completing 60 CATS points from taught modules.
Core Modules
- Dissertation (60 credits)
- Presenting Sources (20 credits)
- The Historian's Craft (20 credits)
- Approaches to History (20 credits)
Optional Modules
- Major themes in US History (20 credits)
- Culture and Society from Antiquity to the early modern period (20 credits)
- Belfast: Place, Identity and Memory in a Contested City (20 credits)
- Individually Negotiated Topic in History (20 credits)
- Public History Internship (20 credits)
- Telling Stories: Creative Approaches to History (20 credits)
- Topics In Irish History (20 credits)
How do I fund my study?
The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study.
A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Master's courses in all subject areas. Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.
- Queen’s ranked 17 in the world for international outlook (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022).
- 16% of the Queen’s student population are international students (Queen’s Planning Office, 2023).
- Ranked 10th in the UK for graduate prospects (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024).