Postgraduate study
Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

History MScR

Awards: MScR

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: History

Research interests within History are extremely wide-ranging. In particular, we host expertise in:

  • Medieval history:

    • Our research interests lie in the social, political, religious and cultural history of Britain, Europe, the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean – with particular emphasis on gender, saints, medicine, crusades, trade, economic history and Islamic law.
  • British and Irish history:

    • We have particular interests in early modern religion, belief and intellectual history (including the Scottish Enlightenment); social and political history; Second World War Studies, relations between Britain and Ireland; and international relations.
  • European history:

    • Specialisms include the Renaissance, early modern political and intellectual history; genocide; Russia and the Soviet Union; modern political and intellectual history of France, Spain, Germany, Greece, Czech Republic; historical memory and public history; histories of gender and sexuality.
  • US (American) history:

    • Expertise includes revolutionary and early national America; the Civil War; US diplomatic history in the 19th and 20th centuries; politics in the 20th century; African-American history and the civil rights movement; and history of labour.
  • African history:

    • We have expertise in West, East and South Africa, and specialisms include intellectual history; environmental history; comparative African history; history of Islam; urban history; print culture; history of nationalism and decolonisation.
  • Asian history:

    • We have expertise in the Middle East, South Asia and East Asia, with specialisms in histories of print and archives; intellectual history; diplomatic history; economic history and history of economic thought; cross-cultural interactions; histories of religion and philosophy; nationalism and colonial resistance.
  • Latin American and Caribbean history:

    • Specialisms include history of slavery; colonialism; histories of race, gender, and the body; Indigenous history; and material culture studies.

This is a brief summary of the expertise of the academic staff in History. For fuller descriptions of faculty research specialties, please visit their individual pages.

The MSc by Research is perfect if you have a specific topic of interest you wish to research in depth. In History, we can offer supervision across an exceptionally wide chronological and geographical range.

When applying, as for other research programmes such as a PhD, you must submit a research proposal explaining your plans and demonstrating your knowledge of the chosen field. This will be closely scrutinised as part of our admissions process.

This programme is assessed by means of a long dissertation of 30,000 words.

You are encouraged to engage with two history skills courses. You will not be assessed on these courses but they will aid your development as a historical researcher. These courses are:

  • Developing Historical Research
  • Historical Methodology

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScRHistory (MSc by Research)1 YearFull-timeProgramme structure 2024/25
MScRHistory (MSc by Research)2 YearsPart-timeProgramme structure 2024/25

You will be have at least two supervisors who will provide expert academic guidance on your chosen research topic.

Each student will have a primary supervisor and an assisting supervisor(s), who will be appointed by the primary supervisor (please see the entry requirements below on how to identify and contact a supervisor at the School of History, Classics and Archaeology before applying.)

You will meet regularly to discuss your progress and research plans, as well as drafts of your thesis/dissertation chapters, conference papers and potential articles.

In addition to individual supervision, all our Masters by Research students pursue an individually tailored programme of research and professional skills training agreed upon with their supervisors.

Our building offers you a range of facilities, resources and study spaces, in a stunning location.

Our postgraduate students have access to:

  • a dedicated study and computing lab with printing, copying and scanning facilities, overlooking the Meadows, one of the city’s best-loved green spaces
  • two research rooms, shared with undergraduates, housing some of our impressive book collections and a small selection of computing facilities
  • a large common room overlooking the Meadows, shared by graduate students and staff
  • a number of small-scale teaching rooms, well-equipped with facilities such as data projection and smart boards
  • exhibition areas, filled with artefacts and artwork from our collections

All of our facilities are in addition to the multiple libraries and computer labs provided across the University’s estate. Many of our rooms overlook the Meadows.

Our location, right in the heart of Edinburgh, means you will be based close to the city’s cultural attractions and facilities, including a wealth of libraries, archives, museums and galleries, which provide uniquely rich support for the disciplines we teach.

Our students view the programme and a graduate degree from Edinburgh as an advanced qualification valued and respected by many employers. Others are interested in pursuing long-term academic careers and therefore consider the MSc as preparation for a PhD.

The combination of skills training courses, specialised seminars, and independent research provides you with transferable skills that will be beneficial whatever path you choose.

Graduates pursue work in related areas such as:

  • museums
  • policy think tanks
  • national and international civil services
  • non-governmental organisations
  • galleries
  • libraries
  • historic trusts

Others build on the transferable skills gained and enter areas as diverse as:

  • business
  • media
  • public administration
  • marketing

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

We require the following (with further details below):

  • Provisional supervision agreement between you and a primary supervisor, in writing
  • Research proposal
  • Qualifications at undergraduate level
  • References
  • Entry interview
  • Evidence of English language competency

Provisional supervision agreement

You must name a member of staff who has provisionally agreed, in writing, to supervise you in order for your application to be taken forward. Please ensure that the relevant correspondence is uploaded to your admissions application. This statement of support is provisional, pending assessment of your application and your performance at an interview. If you haven't approached a member of our academic staff yet, please use the following staff list to help you find a supervisor in the subject area of your interest.

Research proposal

You must submit a research proposal (in a Word or PDF document) demonstrating your knowledge of your field of research. This will be closely scrutinised as part of the decision making process. Guidance on writing a research proposal can be found online:

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree, a minimum US 3.25 GPA or international equivalent, in a subject related to your programme.

We may also consider your application if you have relevant professional experience; please check with your potential supervisor before you apply.

You will need to submit your undergraduate degree certificates and transcripts in order to be considered for MSc by Research admission. For instructions on how to upload any additional documents after you have submitted your application, please follow the support guidance:

References

You must submit two references with your application.

Entry interview

If you have met all of the entry requirements, you will need to attend an online interview with potential supervisors. The interview should last 20-30 minutes. Please note that an offer to study is subject to a successful interview.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
  • Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScRHistory (MSc by Research)1 YearFull-timeTuition fees
MScRHistory (MSc by Research)2 YearsPart-timeTuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

  • borrowing money

    • taking out a loan

    • family support

  • personal savings

  • income from work

  • employer sponsorship

  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

  • your programme
  • the duration of your studies
  • your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

Please note that the funding applications have their own separate timelines and you will need to be conscious of this when applying for funding.

When you submit your MScR study application in the application portal a deadline is generated automatically. This deadline will differ from any funding deadlines. Scholarship application deadlines should be followed if applying for funding.

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • School of History, Classics & Archaeology
  • William Robertson Wing
  • Teviot Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9AG
Programme start date Application deadline
8 September 2025 1 August 2025

If you are applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

You must submit two references with your application.

You must submit a research proposal demonstrating your knowledge of your field of research as outlined under the entry requirements.

Two supervisors (sometimes more) will be appointed to work with you on the project. You must contact a prospective primary supervisor before applying: they will be required to provide a brief statement of provisional support, which should be included with your documents.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • School of History, Classics & Archaeology
  • William Robertson Wing
  • Teviot Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9AG