Single Honours

MA History

The discipline of History involves study of the human past adopting a critical approach to evidence relevant to that enquiry.

Wiliam Roberston, Principal of the University and Historiographer Royal 1764-93.

Work in History takes the form of interaction with the evidence in primary form and through sceptical reading of a wide body of historical writing.

The Edinburgh experience is distinctive for its breadth: historical themes range from Enlightenment to Genocide, chronological periods cover the medieval to the contemporary, and in terms of geography the history of every continent. All these can be studied using a variety of different intellectual approaches to the past.

Programme details

Typically one-semester courses are worth 20 credits, full-year courses 40 credits; you normally complete 120 credits in each year. In addition to any core courses listed below you can choose additional courses from across the Schools of the University.

These are summary guides only - see foot of page for full details.

Pre-honours

Year 1

History courses under History, Classics and Archaeology / Divinity (80 credits)
2 optional courses (40 credits)

Year 2

History courses under History, Classics and Archaeology / Divinity (80 credits)
2 optional courses (40 credits)

Honours

Year 3

4 courses in History (80 credits)

Year 4

Dissertation in History (40 credits)

Full-year course in History (40 credits)
2 courses in History (40 credits)