History and Heritage

Course Fees:

Please see the tuition fee pages for current tuition fees. Please note that all fees are subject to an annual increase.

Funding:

Funding opportunities may be available, please check our funding calculator for details. 

Why study MA History and Heritage at Aberystwyth University?

• Study just five minutes away from the National Library of Wales, one of five UK copyright libraries, and home to a multitude of sources for Welsh history, from the medieval period onwards, including estate, court and church records, maps, photographs, newspapers, private archives of many leading figures in Welsh history, the Welsh Political Archive and the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales. 
• You’ll have the opportunity to undertake a work placement as part of this course with an institution that engages on a daily basis with history. 
• We have strong links with the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments, the National Library of Wales, Ceredigion Archives and the Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies, all based in Aberystwyth.
• History has been taught in Aberystwyth since 1872, making our department the oldest in Wales and one of the foremost in Britain.
• Our lecturers are research active and are recognised as leading authorities in their respective fields.
• You'll benefit from small group teaching.
• You'll benefit from expertise across the university when engaging with the concepts of heritage and public history.
• You’ll engage with a major growth area of research and gain hands-on experience in heritage issues.

Duration:

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time.

Contact Time:

Approximately 6 hours a week in the first two semesters, then mutually agreed contact time with your assigned supervisor.

Our graduates have expansive and varied careers in museums and archives, heritage administration, tourism, public administration, the civil service, local government, teaching, journalism, the broadcast media and publishing.

Skills

This course will empower you to:

• Increase your critical faculties
• Develop study and research skills
• Gain academic and practical expertise of heritage and historical processes
• Develop strong writing and analytical skills as well as the capacity to work independently
• Develop your abilities in structuring and communicating complex ideas clearly, accurately, and authoritatively.

How will I learn?

The course is delivered through a combination of seminars, tutorials, workshops, and a work placement with a heritage agency.

The core module, 'Research Methods and Professional Skills in History', will also require attendance at departmental research seminars, where you'll be immersed in the research culture of the Department.

Throughout the year there will be workshops to aid in researching and writing your dissertation, and during the final semester, you'll arrange a suitable level of contact time with your assigned dissertation supervisor.

What will I learn?

When studied full-time, the first two semesters consist of six 20-credit modules, including a work placement module, where you'll play a full part in the work of a major heritage agency.

Optional modules are varied and allow you to tailor the course to suit your interests.

In the final semester, you'll complete your MA dissertation, an original research project (15,000 words) undertaken under the close supervision of a specialist within the Department.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment will be via a combination of essays, reports, group projects, practical exercises, oral assessments and written examinations.

Successful submission of the MA dissertation in the final semester leads to the award of an MA.