MA (Research) Legal History

Aims and objectives Books in the Library

The MA (Res) Legal History is an interdisciplinary programme that equips graduates with a sophisticated understanding of legal and historical approaches to social, cultural and political phenomena, advanced skills in archival research, and the ability to undertake high level analysis of law and legal issues. Its aim is to provide students with the research skills needed to undertake postgraduate research in the field of legal history. It will be especially useful for students preparing for doctoral research in legal history or to those wishing to undertake a professional career while contributing to academic research in legal history.

Students in the programme will be closely linked to the Law School's Forum for Legal and Historical Research.

Transferable skills

The programme provides a range of transferable skills, including the ability to construct and manage a research project; the ability effectively to analyse and evaluate legal and historical sources, information and data; the ability coherently to communicate in written and oral form the results of research and the rationale and process behind them; and, generally, the ability to develop high level skills of critical and independent thought and analysis

Programme content

The programme is research-focussed and is structured with the aim of facilitating students in the development of skills central to legal historical research, and guiding them through the process of formulating, researching, and producing an individual research project in legal history.

All students must complete 180 credits of study.  There are four compulsory modules:

  • Research Methods in Legal History  -  LWMHRM (20 credits)
  • Archival Research  -  LWMHAR (20 credits)
  • Research Dissertation  -  LWMHDI (90 credits)
  • Research Seminar Presentation  -  LWMHRS (10 credits)

Students must also complete 40 credits from the following list of modules.

  • History and Management of an Archive  -  LWMHMA (20 credits)
  • Critical Thinkers  -  LWMHCT (20 credits)
  • Sourcing the Past  -  LWMHSP (20 credits)
  • Archival Internship - LWMHAI (40 credits)

Students who have not previously completed a degree in Law may, at the discretion of the Programme Director, take one of the following modules in place of one of the options outlined above:

  • History of English Law - LW3HEL (20 credits)
  • Criminal Justice - LW3CJ (20 credits) 

Part-time/modular arrangements

The programme may be undertaken over two years on a part-time basis. Selection of modules between the two years will be agreed at the commencement of the programme. It is expected that students will normally complete at least 60 credits in year one, and that this will include the modules in Research Methods in Legal History and Archival Research. It is also expected that students will normally commence their dissertation in year one. Modules will be assessed in the year in which they are taken.

Entry requirements

Candidates for the MA (Res) Legal History should have a background in any of law, humanities or the social sciences. See the Entry Requirements for all taught postgraduate programmes.

Career prospects

With its emphasis upon legal and historical research skills and independent research, this programme is particularly suited to those who are thinking of entering the legal profession, or who wish to pursue a PhD in history, law or related areas. Pursued as a part-time programme, it is also of great value to people who are already undertaking academic research or members of the Legal Profession, especially barristers, who wish to build their skills of legal and historical analysis with a view to contributing to the literature upon which superior courts, parliamentary bodies and law reform agencies frequently rely.

For further enquiries please contact Dr Stephen Banks or Dr Charlotte Smith

 

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