Introduction
Aberystwyth University’s Masters in the History of Wales/Hanes Cymru is your opportunity to study a broad sweep of Welsh History, from the social, political and religious frameworks that emerged from early modern Wales through to key themes in modern social history such as the development of wealth, health and medicine.
When you choose to study the Masters in History of Wales/Hanes Cymru you will have a choice of fascinating modules looking at the economic and demographic changes, health during the nineteenth century, mental health (including social attitudes towards madness and the evolution of institutional care), the impact of religious conflict and emergence of nonconformity, landownership in Wales and much more. You will develop the necessary high-level skills in planning, research, analysis and reporting required of every thorough historian, and you will add to the knowledge base of the department through investigating your own specialist research topic.
In addition to the subject-specific knowledge, the Aberystwyth University’s masters in the History of Wales is constructed in such a way to develop a strong compliment of skills that you can draw upon in many postgraduate employment situations. Upon completion of this degree, you will have mastered the diverse skills needed for evidence-handling, such as locating, gathering, selecting, organising and synthesising large bodies of evidence into a coherent and compelling interpretation. Your confidence in writing, reporting and discussion will be backed up by tried and tested skills in critical evaluation and argument formation. The minimum entry requirement for the Masters in History of Wales is at least a BA Honours degree (2:1) or equivalent.
The MA in the History of Wales can be studied in English or in Welsh, as the MA Hanes Cymru. We undertake to provide at least 80 credits of the MA Hanes Cymru through the medium of Welsh. Please note that not all modules in this scheme are available in both Welsh and English. Where for staffing reasons modules are only available in English, Welsh-medium students may submit written work in Welsh.
Overview
The Masters in History of Wales/Hanes Cymru begins with a foundational study of the methodological and interpretative techniques available to the historian for unpicking common problems in historical enquiry. You will also direct your own study in historical practise by choosing from a range of modules designed to develop your abilities and skills. These include manuscript skills, the inclusion of IT in historical investigation and source work.
Armed with these skills and methodologies, you will tackle a selection of specialist option modules on a range of subjects including Health, Medicine and Society in Wales, 1830-1951, Religion and Identity in Early Modern Wales and Landownership and Society in Wales. These modules, and more, will allow you to specialise your study, giving you freedom to direct your future engagement with the subject, be it through further study, lecturing or researching, or in related forms of work such as teaching.
The course is a full-time programme, taught over one year, and is divided into two parts over three semesters. In part one, you will study a selection of core and optional modules worth 120 credits. In part two, you will demonstrate your learning in a written dissertation of about 20,000 words, worth an additional 60 credits. By engaging with your dissertation topic, you will play a part in advancing the boundaries of departmental knowledge through research and the production of an academically rigorous piece of written work. The full descriptions relating to all the study modules can be found on the "At a glance" tab.
All the modules you will study are designed to push you to better all of your academic skills and practices. For instance, your written communication will be enhanced through the need for precision (in transcription and calendaring) and adherence to editorial conventions (in presenting case materials). Your practical and technical skills in reading and transcription will also be tested through direct engagement with a wide range of manuscript material under careful observation and guidance. Though the subject is highly specific, the skills you will learn are deployable across a range of employment situations. Employers in every industry value creativity, research skills, analytic rigour and discursive competence that you will secure in the course of your studies.
Upon graduation from the Masters in History of Wales, you will have demonstrated personal motivation, academic professionalism and historical mastery of this fascinating period in Welsh history. The breadth of newly-sharpened skills you will have obtained on this course will ensure you are well-prepared for immediate advancement in further study or employment as a professional, widely competent and dynamic historian.
Fact File
| Duration: |
One year full-time. The academic year is divided into three semesters, but this course is administered in two parts: Part One runs from October to May; Part Two runs from June to September. |
|---|---|
| Contact Time: |
Approximately 10 -14 hours a week in the first two semesters. During semester three you will arrange your level of contact time with your assigned supervisor. |
| Assessment: |
Part 1 of the course is delivered and assessed through seminars, tutorials and essay assignments. In Part 2, the successful acceptance of your dissertation (up to 20,000 words) leads to the award of an MA. |
| Entry Requirements: |
BA honours degree (2:1) in a related subject at undergraduate level and accompanying references. We will consider applicants with other experience which gives an equivalent basis for entry |
| English Language Requirements: |
If you have a Bachelor’s degree from a UK University, you do not need to take an English proficiency test. Non-native English speakers who do not meet this requirement must take a University-recognised test of academic English language proficiency: IELTS or TOEFL. The required IELTS minimum proficiency level is 6.5. For TOEFL, the minimum scores are as follows: 580 for the paper-based test; 237 for the computer-based test (with an essay rating of 5.0); and a score of 93 for the internet-based test. More information on IELTS can be found here [Link: www.ielts.org] and, for TOEFL, here [Link: www.ets.org/toefl/] |
| Course Fees: |
The fee for this course for 2012- 2013 is £4,250 for home and EU students and £10,500 for international students. For details of other students’ fees, please view this page. [Link: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/postgrad/funding-fees/eu-taught/tuitonfees/ There are a number of Aberystwyth Scholarships and International Excellence Scholarships (AIES) to help fund the studies of students who meet specific criteria. In addition, accommodation is guaranteed to all international students. |
At a Glance (V194)
Year 1 Core (40 Credits)
Students must take these modules
Dissertation 1
Year 1 Options
Students must take 20 credits from these modules
Using Manuscript Sources For Medieval Studies: Palaeography
Skills & Sources Of The Historian - Sources For Modern History
Skills & Sources Of The Historian: It Skills
Manuscript Skills: Post Medieval Palaeography And Diplomatic
Using Manuscript Sources For Medieval Studies: Palaeography
Year 1 Options
you must choose two 30 credit options from this list
Health, Medicine And Society In Wales, 1830-1951
Career Development
Qualification: Masters in the History of Wales
This degree will suit you:
- If you wish to study the History of Wales at an advanced academic level;
- If you desire a strengthen your critical and scholarly abilities through engagement with historical sources;
- If you wish explore your enthusiasm for this exciting and highly satisfying subject;
- If you aim to foster transferable skills and engage in professional and personal development for entering employment.
Employability
Every element of the Aberystwyth Master’s in the History of Wales enhances your employability. Alongside the development of your subject-specific knowledge and experience, an especially noteworthy strength of this course is the emphasis on personal development. As an emerging Master historian, your strengthened research and critical faculties will make you a strong candidate for any post where ideas and topics need research, analysis, discussion, expansion and classification.
Throughout the course you will demonstrate initiative and self-motivated learning, supported by the crucial self-awareness to be flexible and independently-minded. Allied with strengthened skills in communication, you will be fully confident in framing coherent and insightful questions and expressing them in oral and written form.
Employers in every industry value such skills and the pattern of creativity, research, analysis and discussion you will undertake in this course creates highly marketable skills which will, upon graduation, stand you in excellent stead for entry into the jobs market. The organisational skills you will learn on this course will help you direct and therefore make the most of your individual flair, bringing a balance of skills that prospective employers will find attractive.
Advanced Skills in Writing and Reporting
This course will encourage precision in your writing abilities, not only in the historical transcription and calendaring skills relevant to certain modules, but also in reporting, presenting and adhering to specific editorial rules in your assignments. You will be trained in editorial methods of historical texts, their development and the principles of authentication. Strong emphasis is placed on applying theory to practice so your individual skills in the interpretation and transcription of manuscript sources will be stretched. This practical demonstration of theory ensures that our Master’s graduates are adaptable and can apply their written expertise to the demands of the modern workplace.
As the assessment for this Master’s course is done through essay-writing, tutorial and seminar presentation, culminating in the 20,000 word dissertation, you will receive much practice in writing and reporting, as well as rigorous feedback on your submissions. This will develop in you a thorough knowledge of the structure, conventions and development of written communications, which will, in turn, make your writing clear, accurate and authoritative. These skills will stand you in good stead for your future progression into employment.
A host of employers look for accuracy, thoroughness, an eye for detail and the ability to find and prove connections across broad subject matter, and you certainly will have proven yourself, simply by graduating from this prestigious MA course.
Contacts
Tel:01970 622662
Fax:01970 622676
Email:history-enquiries@aber.ac.uk
Department of History & Welsh History
Aberystwyth University
Hugh Owen Building
Penglais
Aberystwyth
SY23 3DY
Department of History and Welsh History website
Other important information: