History

The History Master’s programme offers you research-based training in history as an academic discipline. We teach you how to do research, and we challenge you to develop your own ideas on topics of your choice.

Developing historical expertise

The broad range of expertise of our History Department pertains to the following areas of (early) modern history:

• political history
• cultural history
• history of international relations and conflict studies
• economic and social history

The programme’s courses are taught in small groups by first-rate instructors. You will learn advanced research skills whilst developing historical expertise in your specific areas of interest. We will also challenge you to connect your work to ongoing scholarly debates and to reflect on current affairs.  

Why this programme in Utrecht?

An active student community

In Utrecht, you will become part of a dynamic and diverse student community. Class discussions and extracurricular activities will allow you to develop and test your ideas about history as an academic discipline. You will have the chance to assist in organising the programme’s annual student conference and participate in one of our Department’s regular academic seminars. 

Societal relevance

The Faculty of Humanities contributes to scholarly debates, and our instructors also engage in debates on current affairs such as global inequality, cultural diversity, democratisation processes, and terrorist threats. Most of our students aspire to become academic researchers. There is also broad demand for excellent research skills in non-academic public and private organisations. Graduates of the programme will have the chance to explore these job opportunities. 

International network

Our Department participates in various national networks for historical research, and our staff is well connected with leading research universities abroad. This broad network will allow you to work with international experts in your research areas during a study abroad or internship experience. In the past, our students have visited the University of Oxford, University College London, University of Sheffield, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of California, Berkeley, and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to name but a few.

Teaching staff

You will work under the supervision of leading experts in cultural history, political history, social and economic history, and the history of international relations, who will teach you advanced research skills and help you develop your historical expertise. Our staff will also share their commitment to in-depth and collaborative work with you, as well as their enthusiasm for the interdisciplinary course content.

After graduation

After successful completion of the programme, you will be fully qualified to apply for PhD positions. Most of our students aspire to become academic researchers, but you will discover that there is a much broader demand for excellent research skills from non-academic public and private organisations. We encourage our students to explore these job opportunities outside academia. 

The key feature of this Master’s programme is the high degree of individual freedom students are afforded with in following their own interests.