As one of the largest communities of historians in the UK, we offer a depth and breadth of subject expertise that is hard to match. Our research spans centuries and continents, taking in everything from medieval fertility and early modern commerce to the critical study of international development, sexology, and arson in the twentieth century.
You will be joining a vibrant and inclusive research community, underpinned by our research centres and their regular programme of seminars and events. As postgraduate students, you will be expected to become a part of this research community; we see this as key to your development as independent researchers.
As a city with a rich past from Roman times to the present day, Exeter is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the study of history. While you are here, you will have access to locally, nationally, and internationally significant archives, which you will be able to use to develop your own original contribution to research. And you will be able to take advantage of our close partnerships with museums, archives, and other heritage organisations to set up placements and gain valuable hands-on experience of these sectors.
Teaching
Most of the teaching across the MA will be in small group seminars or tutorials, allowing you direct access to the knowledge and experience of our expert researchers. In these small group seminars, you will sharpen your understanding of sources, methods, and debates, and gain experience of presenting and debating research. The exception is the core module, Advanced Historical Research Skills, where you will work together as a cohort to plan and deliver a research conference – invaluable training for careers inside and outside academia.
Research
At the heart of the programme is the dissertation. You will be supported by an expert supervisor to plan, research, and write a 15,000-word dissertation, which will be submitted right at the end of the programme. It will be on a topic of your choice, and may lay the foundations for a PhD research proposal, should you choose this path. Some of the topics our students have explored in their dissertations in the past include:
- Medieval Martial Arts (1300-1600)
- Early Modern views of the reproductive organs, sex, and conception, circa 1650 to 1850
- The Labour Party’s relationship with the British forces in the Inter-War Years
- Health and the seaside: sea bathing in the nineteenth century
- Exeter Cathedral in the fourteenth century
- 'Medicinable or Mortal'? Astrological Figures and the Practice of Physick
- British Media Reporting of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide
- Terminal illness, suicide, and euthanasia in Early Modern England
Archives
One of the most exciting things about being at Exeter is the many opportunities you will have to undertake original archival research.
On our doorstep are the University’s Special Collections, with collections dating from the late thirteenth century to the present day; the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum, which has one of the largest collections of materials relating to the moving image in Britain; and the Arab World Documentation Unit, with over 100,000 items relating to the history of the Middle East and North Africa.
In Exeter itself, you will be able to undertake research in Exeter Cathedral Library Archives and the Devon Heritage Centre, as well as other important archives locally such as the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office, and the largest collection of material relating to the history of Cornwall at Kresen Kernow.
And with London just two hours away by train, you will also have easy access to some of the largest and most important archives in the country, including the National Archives at Kew, the British Library, and more.
Other facilities and resources
As a member of the Department of Archaeology and History, you will have plenty of opportunities to learn more about the research that our colleagues in Archaeology do. This includes the work that they do in the various archaeological labs on campus, which include reference collections of artefacts, animal bones, and plant remains.
The University of Exeter is also home to a state-of-the-art Digital Humanities Lab, which supports our research by photographing archival collections, encoding and publishing complex literary and historical texts, and creating online platforms to exhibit digitised materials. As students, you will also benefit from their unique spaces, equipment, and training.
You will also have access to the Language Centre, where you can enrol into evening classes at a discounted rate.
