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Study your postgraduate degree at a University that is ranked in the top 25 universities in the UK for History. (Complete University Guide 2022).
At the Department of History, our links with other departments across the University, as well as with external organisations, mean that the programmes we offer you are truly interdisciplinary.
Create your own degree pathway and pursue your specialist interests on our flexible master's degrees. Optional modules allow you to focus on a specific historical case study.
Our modules cover a vast geographical area including Britain, Europe, Africa, America, the Middle East and South Asia, and explore a range of themes from gender and women’s history, fiscal history, global history, post-colonial history to history of medicine and science.
Optional modules on our MRes programme give you the opportunity to advance your understanding of a particular subject area. You will carry out an in-depth study of relevant sources and of advanced scholarship in the field.
Subjects offered in the past have included: Dante; Medieval women; Byzantine material culture; Arthurian literature; Crusades; Kingship and Queenship in 12th and 13th century France and Manuscript production and collection in England.
Our academics are acknowledged experts at the forefront of their disciplines and active researchers. This advanced research informs their teaching, exposing students to a wealth of knowledge.
Our research strengths are concentrated in areas of gender history, black and non-western history, and medical history included in health humanities. In particular, we focus on questions of political and religious ideology, political patronage, minorities, and aspects of political, socio-cultural and economic change.
Visit our stories page to learn more about our academic research
Studying history at Reading will equip you with transferable skills which are highly sought-after by top employers across a range of fields. These include:
All students will have to attend compulsory careers and employability training organised by the University’s careers team.
Many of our graduates pursue careers in teaching, and government. Others move into doctoral research, or take our optional Public History and Public Engagement pathway to gain the practical and theoretical experience needed to work in archiving, museums, heritage and conservation, or in the media sector.
Our staff have partnerships with a variety of prestigious institutions including:
We are proud to hold unique resources of international significance, all of which are available for your use and to enhance your learning. We encourage a collections-based approach to studying, and actively teach students how to use these resources to bring their research to life.
Highlights include:
Our postgraduate courses are designed to recognise that every student is unique. Our courses enable you to fit your studies around your commitments and to create a flexible course to suit your needs and interests.
You can undertake our courses full-time, over 12 months, or part-time, over 24 months. Alternatively, you can undertake our courses on a modular basis, which can be spread over up to five years. If your circumstances change during your degree, it is possible to change your registration status.
Looking to acquire new skills, change career paths or learn more about a subject you're passionate about? We'll support you to achieve your goals.
