History has long been studied and used to help interpret the world around us, and it continues to play a central role in understanding and shaping contemporary society. This MA lets you explore this relationship from all angles, using theories and approaches from other disciplines, such as anthropology and sociology, creative arts, literary studies, psychology, science and medicine, as well as geography.
It also gives you important professional and entrepreneurial skills by developing your understanding of how history and heritage are central to many 21st-century industries, from museums and archives to marketing and urban planning.
Develop both intellectual and professional skills for leadership roles in the public history, heritage and cultural industries
Study in a historic city and county, surrounded by visitor attractions including country houses, museums and industrial archaeology
Build your networks and undertake fascinating real-world projects, drawing on our links with local, national and international heritage organisations
Be inspired by our dedicated, enthusiastic teaching team, including historians who are published experts in their field
Through optional modules, research projects and self-directed study, you can choose to focus on the issues and case studies you find particularly interesting
This MA also helps you to build on the research skills you will have acquired during your first degree and allows you to develop original research on a subject of your choice in modern and/or public history, through an Independent Study module. It’s therefore excellent preparation for doctoral study.
I met a wide range of people from professionally and academically different backgrounds, who ultimately gave me the confidence to pursue my interests and to think outside the box of what a career in heritage could be.
Jasmine Chell-Wallis
MA graduate and Cultural Services Consultant
Immerse yourself in Derbyshire’s history
Where better to study public history and heritage than Derbyshire? From fine aristocratic estates to the archaeology of the Industrial Revolution, our county encapsulates many aspects of England’s historical experience.
Our flourishing links with the heritage, creative and cultural industries will open doors for you. The course gives you access to public history and heritage producers, such as local authorities, charitable trusts, businesses, community groups and private individuals. You will therefore gain unrivalled experience in the different practical, legal, commercial and management challenges facing the sector today.
Our partnerships span organisations with international profiles and provide great opportunities for work experience and networking for our students. As well as the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site, they include places such as Derby’s ground-breaking ‘Museum of Making’ and a range of grand country houses, from Kedleston Hall to Chatsworth House.
Our MA History and Heritage has been launched to help you make the most of the many career opportunities in heritage, creative and cultural industries and further afield. Employability skills are embedded in every aspect of the course, encouraging enterprise, independence and confidence to pursue the career of your choice.
We are part of several networks designed to enable students to broaden contacts, knowledge exchange and experience, these include the European Network for Public History Masters and the Heritage Alliance, England’s largest coalition of heritage interests.
What you will study
You will study the below core modules and choose one of the optional modules:
Hospitality and Tourism Experience Design and Innovation
Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.
Postgraduate Open Event
Join us at an upcoming Postgraduate Open Event, where you will get the opportunity to meet our expert academics and find out more about your course.
Our interactive teaching style and our innovative assessment strategy will help you develop your confidence, critical thinking and communication skills, as well as your understanding of the subject.
You will learn through lectures, seminars, workshops and field trips. History is a debate-led discipline so we encourage you to develop and strengthen your own voice but also to work collaboratively with others on larger projects. This means our classroom sessions always include plenty of discussion, whether they are lectures, seminars or workshops.
In nearly all modules, you will be encouraged to apply challenging theories and concepts to case studies of your own choice. This will mean taking as much responsibility as possible for your own learning, which allows you to develop into an independent and proactive critical thinker.
There is the chance for you to undertake wide-ranging projects on behalf of arts and heritage organisations. You will work to ‘live briefs’ set by employers which reflect current opportunities and pressures within the sector, from sustainability to accessibility.
How you'll be assessed
Assessments will help you develop a wide range of research, critical thinking, communication and teamwork skills which are flexible and adaptable for a varied global market.
Our modules include a diverse range of assessments, including literature reviews and source analyses, where you develop your skills as a historian by analysing and contextualising evidence from primary and secondary materials. You will gain experience in writing to engage public audiences and frequently be able to negotiate your own topics and ideas for written coursework, with support from the module tutor(s), in a way that allows you to recognise and understand the significance of such tasks for your future aspirations.
Who will teach you
Dr Kathleen McIlvenna
Programme Leader
Dr Kathleen McIlvenna
Kathleen is a Senior Lecturer in History and teaches across the undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Specialising in nineteenth-century and early twentieth century British history with a focus on health, welfare and work. Kathleen i...
Cath is a lecturer in modern British and European history and heritage, with research interests in nineteenth- and twentieth-century British Cultural, Social and Intellectual History.
Senior Lecturer in History; Programme Leader for MA History
Dr Oliver Godsmark
Dr Oliver Godsmark is Senior Lecturer in History with an interest in colonialism, South Asia and India’s partition. His research focuses on citizenship and democracy, caste and tribe, and the South Asian diaspora. Experienced in public...
Senior Lecturer in History; Programme Leader for BA (Hons) History and Subject Lead for Joint Honours History
Dr Ruth Larsen
As a Senior Lecturer in History, Ruth Larsen is the Programme Leader for undergraduate History programmes. She has research expertise in British History of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, especially relating to gender history ...
Tom is Head of the Discipline of Humanities, responsible for managing programmes in History, English, Creative and Professional Writing, Publishing, American Studies, and Popular Music in Society.
As a student on our programme, you will benefit from the fact that we have combined the appeal of a traditional and highly regarded academic discipline with the need to produce graduates who are articulate, confident and adaptable, and thus able to make successful careers in an increasingly changing and competitive employment market.
Our unique emphasis on strategic planning and project management helps foster skills of enterprise, entrepreneurship, resilience and responsibility, as well as developing your managerial competencies, which are otherwise often absent from Humanities programmes. In recent years, our graduates have entered into a variety of careers across the public sector and commercial companies, including consultancy, marketing, museums, archives, and libraries.
The MA History and Heritage also offers the perfect preparation for doctoral study and careers in academia, fostering the independence and originality of thought needed to complete a PhD.
Ongoing careers support
Our Careers and Employment Service will provide you with help, guidance and support from day one of your course – and for up to three years after you’ve completed your studies.
Entry requirements
Our entry requirements are a 2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject or relevant professional experience in the heritage sector.
Applications may be considered if you have a 2:2 honours degree and can demonstrate significant relevant experience. Depending on your qualifications and experience you may be invited to attend an interview. This may be a virtual interview or can be done over the telephone as well as face to face.
Applicants who may not meet the standard admissions criteria stated on the website, but who can evidence relevant skills and understanding gained through recent experience in industry are also encouraged to apply. Applications in these circumstances will be considered on their own individual merits and we reserve the right to invite applicants to have an informal interview to discuss their experience, the course, the nature of the programme, and what will be expected of students. This may be a virtual interview, or can be done over the telephone as well as face to face. Where appropriate, the programme adheres to the University’s academic regulations regarding the recognition of prior certificated or experiential learning.
International Students Applications from European and international students are welcomed. To begin the course with us, you will need to have qualifications and experience that are at the same level as we would expect from a UK student applying for the same course.
If English is not your first language you will need to have passed the International English Language Teaching System (IELTS) at the overall level IELTS 7.0, including a minimum score of 6.5 in each test category. (Where appropriate the university’s International Admissions office can give further details, including information regarding approved IELTS test centres.) The English language qualification required by this programme is at a higher level than that required for other university programmes: the reason for this is that throughout the MA programme you will have to work with the English language at an advanced level.
Fees and funding
2024/25 (August 2024 - July 2025)
Type
Full-time
Part-time
UK
£9,450 for the full course*
£1,050 per 20 credits
International
£14,900 for the full course
N/A
Please note fees normally increase in line with inflation and the University's strategic approach to fees, which is reviewed on an annual basis. The total fee you pay may therefore increase after one year of study.
* UK full-time fees paid within one academic year are rounded down to the nearest £50 if applicable
Please note fees normally increase in line with inflation and the University's strategic approach to fees, which is reviewed on an annual basis. The total fee you pay may therefore increase after one year of study.
* UK full-time fees paid within one academic year are rounded down to the nearest £50 if applicable
Please note at postgraduate level, you’ll need to gain the following number of credits in total to obtain the respective awards. If you have any questions please contact us.
Award
Credits
Postgraduate Certificate
60 Credits
Postgraduate Diploma
120 Credits
MA or MSc
180 Credits
This means you will gain 180 credits in total to complete the full MA or MSc. If you are studying part time you will normally complete your studies over two or three years, depending on the course structure.
Funding your studies
Find out more about fees, postgraduate loans and support you may be entitled to.
We're committed to providing you with an outstanding learning experience. Our expert teaching, excellent facilities and great employability prepare you for your future career. As part of our commitment to you we aim to keep any additional study costs to a minimum. However, there are occasions where students may incur some additional costs.
Included in your fees
All compulsory reading materials available in digital format. Additional reading based on library and/or digital resources
All compulsory study trips attached to modules (approximately 5/6 over the course) - museums, heritage sites
Mandatory costs not included in your fees
Printing and binding of one copy of dissertation - approx. £6
Expenses incurred travelling to external partner organisation for Public History Consultancy module
Optional costs not included in your fees
Purchase of reading materials - approx. £30 per text but cost varies depending on source
There may be costs associated with non-compulsory fieldtrips
International student scholarships
We have a range of scholarships and discounts available to international students which can be used together to offer a reduction in your tuition fees.
Our undergraduate and postgraduate course pages will show the intakes that are available and open to applications. It's best to apply early so you can secure your place and beat the rush.
Once we have received your application and supporting documents (such as qualifications or references), we will review it and contact you within 4 weeks to let you know if you have been successful or not.
Our aim is to support all students to have the best possible opportunities to succeed and so our application and enrolment deadlines are in place to ensure you stand the best chance of doing so.
Joining the programme later may harm your chances of success on your course. It is therefore vital that you take note of the dates and ensure you submit your completed application and subsequent enrolment in time.
Undergraduate and postgraduate taught deadlines
Please note some courses may have an earlier induction, teaching and enrolment deadline date.
If your course operates a gathered field or pooled admissions process there may be an earlier application date. Please check your individual course page for further details.
Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.
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