MA Cultural History
Ground and enhance your knowledge of Cultural History
Ground and enhance your knowledge of Cultural History
- Consider how major historical events and contexts have influenced cultures past and present
- Learn from expert staff at the forefront of their fields, with specialists in British and European cultural history as well as material cultures
- Develop your independent research, critical-thinking, and analytical skills
- Choose either a taught and research pathway, with both full and part time options available
Overview
Explore the influence of significant events and contexts on culture
Develop into an independent researcher in a supportive environment as you meet and learn from experts in the study of cultural history.
Our MA Cultural History course allows you to explore and consider the definitions, evolutions, and theoretical understandings of the effects of historical events on people, their beliefs, and their behaviour.
Why this course?
This course will appeal to anyone who is thoughtful, intellectually curious, and inquisitive about cultural history, and who would like a supportive and stimulating learning environment in which to learn.
We want to help you to develop your academic research, investigative, and writing skills as you work towards a specialism within the area of cultural history that interests you.
We offer full and part time options for both our taught and research masters courses. This allows you to fit your studies around your other commitments.
On this course you will:
- Present your ideas in a convincing and structured way to a range of audiences, both academic and non-academic.
- Discuss and argue in an informed, thoughtful and sensitive way, including the ability to compare critical approaches and different methodologies.
- Enhance your skills in high-level academic writing.
- Learn from our expert team of published writers and leading academics.
- Develop your independent research skills, including compiling bibliographies, understanding the range of academic tools, and use of the internet or research.
The Course
Become an active and confident researcher in the field of Cultural History
Our MA Cultural History is an open and flexible programme designed to give you the possibility of exploring the full diversity of this subject across either taught or research pathways.
The course develops you into an active and confident researcher in the broad field of cultural history. We see research as a public activity and the course offers ways in which to explore these processes as engagement in the cultural conversation.
The course is a gateway to MPhil/PhD research, providing an opportunity to focus on your topic of interest, develop your independence in a supportive environment, and refine your research skills.
Taught route
- Full-time students will complete British Cultural History (taught for both semesters and achieving 60 credits) plus one further 30-credit module per semester.
- On completion of 120 credits you will work on a dissertation.
- Part-time students will complete British Cultural History in Year One and two further taught modules in Year Two. You will then proceed to the dissertation.
Research route
- Full-time students will complete British Cultural History and will then be allocated a research supervisor to work for the remaining 60 credits via two research modules.
- On completion of 120 credits you will work on a dissertation.
- Part-time students will complete British Cultural History in Year One and two research modules in Year Two. You will then proceed to the dissertation.
This list is indicative and subject to change.
British Cultural History
In this core module you will engage in advanced, detailed and specific learning across a number of key themes in the formation and representation of British cultural identities. Taught over two semesters it provides a space for you to learn, think and practice a variety of examples of cultural history.
Dissertation
The dissertation constitutes two taught modules at MA level. It will sustain a positioned argument (thesis) over up to 12,000 – 15,000 words. You will draft a proposal for study which will be discussed initially with their Adviser. Once an appropriate supervisor/tutor has been identified, the student will liaise with that tutor in order to plan and negotiate their particular subject and establish an agreed timetable of work. Attention will be focused on aspects that will enable students to arrive at a worthwhile and plausible solution as a result of the knowledge, skills and facilities provided. Those wishing to take this module must ensure that all learning resource implications can be met.
Independent ‘Pilot’ Study Module
The module provides a teacher-led space for you to learn and then practice and engage with historical research of your preference.
Material Cultures C.1300-1900
This module uses material culture as a lens through which to explore diverse themes within British and European cultural history from the medieval to the modern. Personal identities, politics, and beliefs were all crucial to peoples’ lives during this period, but buildings, clothes, food and objects were how they experienced and crafted these concepts for themselves on a daily basis. As such, this module examines the links between the conceptual and the material as you explore objects in different contexts, including royal palaces, holy sites, religious houses and everyday domestic interiors, and to examine objects as carriers of meaning and agency.
Research Proposal and Literature Review
The module will include discussion on style, form, content, and most importantly on the primary questions to be answered in a dissertation.
The Aftermath of War: Society, Politics Commemoration and Heritage
This module assesses how warfare has shaped social organisation and cultural representation.
You will examine the relationship between war, society and culture to demonstrate the multiform and often contradictory processes that conflict serves to evoke for individuals, communities and wider collectives.
You will consider periods including: Medieval and Early Modern attitudes to war; the legacy of the First World War, war in the media; warfare museology.
Experience
Find facilities and research centres that support your learning
Learning Resource Centre
The Learning Resource Centre (LRC) contains the library, a café, IT/teaching rooms, and the Support and Information Zone (SIZ).
Library
Our campus library holds more than 200,000 books and over 500,000 eBooks.
Expert staff
Our teaching staff are all experts in their fields and at the forefront of modern research within the study of History.
Subject specific librarians
If you have difficulty finding material for an essay, seminar or project, subject librarians will be happy to provide assistance.
Royal Literary Fellows
Gain writing support from professional writers through Royal Literary Fund.
Local cultural links
The University is placed within the reach of the beautiful South Downs area of the UK.
Teaching and Assessment
Feel the support of internationally recognised research staff
You will study our MA Cultural History through interactive lectures and seminars, over the course one year full-time and two years part-time.
In each case you will take our four core modules, culminating in a research proposal and accompanying literature review.
In addition to the core courses, staff offer dedicated tutorial time after each taught session and are also available for discussion and consultation online or via individual tutorials.
Why Take an MA?
Become an active and confident researcher
Our MA Cultural History course develops you into an active and confident academic researcher.
The course acts as a gateway to MPhil/PhD research and provides opportunity to focus your topic of interest ahead of any potential doctorate study you choose to undertake.
This course would be ideal for:
- Anyone interested in intellectual development.
- Those wanting to develop their skills, subject knowledge, and confidence in research and the presentation of research.
- Those looking for careers in research-related fields, librarianship, or arts management.
- Teachers of Cultural History and related subjects.
- Those pursuing careers requiring high-level abilities in writing, presentation, and critical analysis.
- Any employment role requiring skills in self-directed analysis, communication and writing, such as editing and publishing.
- Any business role requiring abilities in self-managed development and the presentation of ideas.
- Current students who are keen to enhance their studies further.
Course Costs
Course Fees 2024/25
UK fee
International fee
University of Chichester alumni who have completed a full undergraduate degree at the University will receive a 15% discount on their postgraduate fees.
For further details about fees, please see our Tuition Fees page.
For further details about international scholarships, please see our Scholarships page.
Entry Requirements
- An honours degree at 2:1 or higher in a related discipline.
- Students with a 2:2 honours degree will be considered on a case by case basis.
- You will be required to attend an interview.
- If English is not your first language then English language proficiency required is IELTS 6.5 (with no element less than 5.5) – or equivalent qualification.
