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Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
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Postgraduate MA
Social History
Develop your passion and understanding of history on this exciting postgraduate course. You’ll learn from an expert team of research-active historians.
Course Overview
-
L27 -
City Campus -
Full-Time -
12 Months -
16 Sep 2024
As part of this course you’ll:
- Explore the social and cultural history of Britain, Europe and the Wider World from c. 1750 to the very recent past
- Develop key transferable skills in research, writing, communication, and digital technology
- Join a thriving academic community and take part in a student-led conference
- Benefit from our links with external partners such as Leeds Museums and Galleries and Leeds Libraries, with access to resources and networking opportunities
- Get familiar with historians’ approaches and methods
Learn with experts
You’ll be taught by an expert team of research-active historians. We are internationally recognised for our outward-looking approach to the past and for our specialism in areas such as:
- Communication
- Food history
- Gender
- Life writing
- Technology
- Travel
Working with you
We are proud of our collaborative approach to teaching and learning. It will give you the skills and confidence to complete your own independent research dissertation.
Shape your career
Whether you’re already working, looking to change professions, or continuing your studies from an undergraduate degree, our careers advisors will support you in shaping your career path whilst you complete your studies. You’ll be able to continue accessing this support for five years after you graduate.
Gaining a postgraduate degree in social history has helped many of our alumni progress within their existing industry, and also helped those looking for a change of career. With the support of the Leeds Beckett career team, you can discover what role is best suited to you, and where you are best placed to apply your new set of skills and knowledge.
Follow our @BeckettHistory twitter to see more of what we get up to.
Why study Social History at Leeds Beckett University...
- Learn from an expert teaching team of research-active historians
- Benefit from our connections with external partners and community organisations, such as Leeds Libraries and Leeds Museums and Galleries
- Increase your employability prospects by developing a wide range of transferrable skills
- Access a supportive careers team who can help you achieve your career goals, even after you’ve graduated
Dr Grainne Goodwin talks about the Social History MA at Leeds Beckett University.
Everything you need to know
Discover all there is to know about the course, from entry requirements and fees to exploring the school you’ll be joining - we’ve got it covered.
Entry requirements
Applicants should either have at least a second class honours degree in the cognate subjects of Humanities, Social Sciences, Law or Human Geography, at least a second class honours degree in a non-cognate subject supported by evidence of an aptitude for the subject applied for, or have equivalent experience or training, normally from within the work environment.
All applications should be supported by a reference, either academic or professional; you can download our reference template for completion.
All applicants should satisfy our English Language requirements . Please note the IELTS requirement for this course are IELTS 6.5 with no skill below 5.5. Further details about acceptable equivalent qualifications can be found on our International Student information pages .
Entry requirements
Applicants should either have at least a second class honours degree in the cognate subjects of Humanities, Social Sciences, Law or Human Geography, at least a second class honours degree in a non-cognate subject supported by evidence of an aptitude for the subject applied for, or have equivalent experience or training, normally from within the work environment.
All applications should be supported by a reference, either academic or professional; you can download our reference template for completion.
All applicants should satisfy our English Language requirements . Please note the IELTS requirement for this course are IELTS 6.5 with no skill below 5.5. Further details about acceptable equivalent qualifications can be found on our International Student information pages .
IELTS
All applicants should satisfy our English Language requirements . Please note the IELTS requirement for this course are IELTS 6.5 with no skill below 5.5. Further details about acceptable equivalent qualifications can be found on our International Student information pages .
Selection Criteria
We may use selection criteria based on your personal attributes; experience and/or commitment to the area of study. This information will be derived from your personal statement and reference and will only be used if you have met the general entry requirements.
Independent study is a crucial part of learning at university and you will be required to undertake many hours of self-directed research and reading, and preparation and writing of assessments. Your course is delivered through a number of modules, which will help you to plan your time and establish a study routine. Outside of your lectures, workshops and tutorials, a range of support is available to assist with your independent study. Our subject-specific librarians will be on hand to direct you to the specialist learning and study-skill resources. You’ll also be assigned an academic advisor to give you tailored feedback and support.
Teaching & Learning
* These modules rotate on an annual basis. Not all modules listed may be available in your year of entry.
What you'll learn
This is an introduction to the theories and methods that are core to historical research. You will study research skills and methods, exploring libraries, sources, archives and treatments of history using case studies. You will analyse the relationships between literary texts, historical documents, and films, as well as scrutinising how events have been recorded, historicised, fictionalised and dramatised.
Study the key themes of the British economic, cultural and political relationships with Italy. You'll examine a range of primary documents, including literature, travel-writing, journalism, and both diplomatic and consular reports. You'll investigate how Britain's interest in the Italian Risorgimento led to a considerable enthusiasm for the unifying of Italy between 1859 and 1870.
You will undertake a sustained piece of research in social history on a topic selected by yourself and involving the use of both primary and secondary sources. You will design, plan, manage and complete a sustained research project, presenting your findings both orally and in writing.
Study the history and historiography of modern technology in societies and cultures under colonial rule. You'll explore the role of technology in imperial rule, attitudes and practices concerning technology and the changes that ensued. You'll gain an understanding of how modern mechanical technologies became everyday goods. You'll also look at how people viewed, used and abused these technologies to understand their role in wider social and cultural change.
Consider the United States (US) as a country shaped by confinement. We'll explore different forms of confinement from enslavement, relocation and internment to incarceration, institutionalisation, and detention. This will enable us to consider how these spaces structure and define life in the US. We'll examine how they began and how they have grown and developed over time, and the ways in which they interact with and inform each other. We'll theorise both the physical and psychological forms of imprisonment that manifest in each space and the ways in which they reflect and reinforce social hierarchies and prejudices. Crucially, alongside this, this module will examine each form of confinement as a space for creativity and cultural expression. We'll explore a range of primary sources including autobiography, podcasts, art, and film, to consider how these spaces construct ideas of community and identity and how cultural tools can be used as a form of resistance. In doing so, the module will analyse the spatial, social and political confinements that have developed throughout US history and the forms of cultural expression used to challenge them in order to question the limitations and possibilities of American freedom.
Bringing together recent research in environmental history and the histories of food and eating, you will look at how food has been grown, transported and consumed in the western world since the Columbian Exchange of 1492.
Explore the history of masculinity and gender history since the 1980s, focusing on 19th and 20th century Britain. You'll consider the big questions that have piqued the interests of educationalists, politicians and social and cultural commentators throughout the period. Notably: what does it mean to be a 'real man' and how has this changed over time? Is there such a thing as a single uniform masculine code of behaviour? And to what extent is masculine identity forged out of a series of economic, social, cultural and psychological crises? Covering the period between 1850 and the turn of the 21st Century, you'll draw historical comparisons with current discussions about a supposed 'crisis of masculinity'. You'll argue that the concept of 'crisis' has always existed in contemporary understandings of hegemonic masculinity.
Drawing on local and national collections, you will discover that studying material culture can illuminate the social and cultural life of the long 18th Century (c.1688/9-1830s).
Examine the social, cultural and political history of Britain in the 'long 1960s' (c. 1956-1974) – the period which saw a 'cultural revolution'. You'll study various forms of cultural production in the context of social and political changes in Britain.
This module considers the United States as a country shaped by confinement. Each week you'll focus on a different form of confinement — enslavement, relocation, internment, incarceration, institutionalisation, and detention. You'll then look at how these spaces structure and define life in the US. You'll examine how they began and how they have grown and developed over time, considering the ways in which they interact with and inform each other. You'll theorise both the physical and psychological forms of imprisonment that manifest in each space and the ways in which they reflect and reinforce social hierarchies and prejudices. Alongside this, you'll examine each form of confinement as a space for creativity and cultural expression. You'll also explore a range of primary sources including autobiography, podcasts, art, and film. This will enable you to study how these spaces construct ideas of community and identity and how cultural tools can be used as a form of resistance. In addition, this module will analyse the spatial, social and political confinements that have developed throughout US history. You'll examine the forms of cultural expression used to challenge these confinements in order to question the limitations and possibilities of American freedom.
Over the last 30 years, there has been an increased interest in life writings, or 'documents of life', which include autobiographies and biographies, diaries, letters, testimonies and oral histories. You will explore questions concerning authenticity, memory, narrative and moral authority and their implications for the use of life writings as historical sources.
You will examine urbanisation and metropolitan cultures of the cities within Europe during the second-half of the 20th Century. We will ask you to consider the relationship between cities and the social, economic, political and cultural policies of local, national and supranational governments and other governing bodies.
Study the emergence of celebrity culture in Europe and North America. You will consider the extent to which modern theories of celebrity can be applied to historic contexts, and we will encourage you to engage with a range of non-traditional source materials, including photographs and other material objects.
Consider journeys, voyages and discoveries as recounted in travel journals, guidebooks, colonial texts, memoirs, fiction, letters and ethnographic studies. You will consider these representations against the backdrop of the histories of travel, tourism and exploration.
Throughout history, as societies have become more organised, so too have their criminals. You will study a range of criminal organisations, exploring the role organised crime has played in both shaping and reacting to the ebb and flow of power and socio-economic development in the modern world.
Examine the changing nature of public history since the mid-20th Century. You will explore specific case studies and learn about the skills and resources used by public historians.
Investigate the limits and possibilities of using history to address contemporary challenges. This module will introduce the different ways that history can be used, ranging from the direct application of historical knowledge to the use of analogies to think about the present. You'll focus primarily on examples drawn from British policymaking and be encouraged to set these in a global context using international examples during your assessment. You'll also explore specific case studies where history has or could be used to enhance decision making. Throughout the module, you'll be encouraged to reflect on the social purpose of historical research and identify transferable skills that will boost your future employability.
Fees & Funding hellooo
£8,250
UK
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2024/25 is £8250. The amount you will pay may increase each year to take into account the effects of inflation.
£17,500
International 2024
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2024/25 is £17500. The amount you will pay is fixed at this level for each year of your course.
Fees & Funding
£8,250
For students entering in 2024
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2024/25 is £8250. The amount you will pay may increase each year to take into account the effects of inflation.
Additional course costs
Tuition Fees
Your tuition fees cover the cost of registration, tuition, academic supervision, assessments and examinations.
The following are also included in the cost of your course:
- 24/7 Library and student IT support
- Free wifi via eduroam
- Skills workshops and resources
- Library membership, giving access to more than 500,000 printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to software, including five free copies of Microsoft Office 365 to install on your PC,laptop and MAC, and access to free high-end software via the Leeds Beckett remote app
- Loan of high-end media equipment to support your studies
In many cases, costs associated with your course will be included in your course fee. However, in some cases there are ‘essential’ additional costs (those that you will be required to meet in addition to your course fee), and/or ‘optional’ additional costs (costs that are not required, but that you might choose to pay). We have included those essential or optional additional costs that relate to your course, below.
Essential Costs
- Travel, accommodation and sustenance associated with your dissertation, research project or data collection (the cost will vary depending on your topic and individual project and you could choose to undertake a project that does not have any associated costs or conduct it in a cost-effective manner)
Other study-related expenses to consider: materials that you will need to complete your course such as books (whilst the library provides access to readings recommended for your modules, you may wish to purchase your own copies of some books); you can also make suggestions for books to be added to Library stock; placement costs (these may include travel expenses and living costs); student visas (international students only); printing, photocopying and stationery (you may need to pay for multiple copies of your dissertation or final project to be printed and bound); events associated with your course such as field trips; study abroad opportunities (travel costs and accommodation, visas and immunisations). Other costs could include academic conferences (travel costs) and professional-body membership (where applicable). The costs you will need to cover for graduation will include gown hire and guest tickets, and optional extras such as professional photography.
As well as your mobile phone, you will also need access to a desktop computer and/or laptop to complete assignments and access university online services such as MyBeckett, your virtual learning environment. You can book and borrow AV equipment through the media equipment service accessed online via the student hub and located in the library at each campus. Equipment includes: 360 Cameras, iPads, GoPros, MacBooks, portable data projectors, portable projection screens, flipchart stands, remote presenters, digital cameras and camcorders, SLR cameras, speakers, microphones, headphones, headsets, tripods, digital audio recorders and PC/laptops (a laptop loans service is provided on campus in the library on both campuses). Student laptops are also available from the laptop lockers located in the libraries.
This list is not exhaustive, costs are approximate and will vary depending on the choices you make during your course. Any rental, travel or living costs are also in addition to your course fees. If you choose to study via distance learning, you may not be able to access all of the facilities listed if you are not able to visit us on campus.
£17,500
For students entering in 2024
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2024/25 is £17500. The amount you will pay is fixed at this level for each year of your course.
Additional course costs
Tuition Fees
Your tuition fees cover the cost of registration, tuition, academic supervision, assessments and examinations.
The following are also included in the cost of your course:
- 24/7 Library and student IT support
- Free wifi via eduroam
- Skills workshops and resources
- Library membership, giving access to more than 500,000 printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to software, including five free copies of Microsoft Office 365 to install on your PC,laptop and MAC, and access to free high-end software via the Leeds Beckett remote app
- Loan of high-end media equipment to support your studies
In many cases, costs associated with your course will be included in your course fee. However, in some cases there are ‘essential’ additional costs (those that you will be required to meet in addition to your course fee), and/or ‘optional’ additional costs (costs that are not required, but that you might choose to pay). We have included those essential or optional additional costs that relate to your course, below.
Essential Costs
- Travel, accommodation and sustenance associated with your dissertation, research project or data collection (the cost will vary depending on your topic and individual project and you could choose to undertake a project that does not have any associated costs or conduct it in a cost-effective manner)
Other study-related expenses to consider: materials that you will need to complete your course such as books (whilst the library provides access to readings recommended for your modules, you may wish to purchase your own copies of some books); you can also make suggestions for books to be added to Library stock; placement costs (these may include travel expenses and living costs); student visas (international students only); printing, photocopying and stationery (you may need to pay for multiple copies of your dissertation or final project to be printed and bound); events associated with your course such as field trips; study abroad opportunities (travel costs and accommodation, visas and immunisations). Other costs could include academic conferences (travel costs) and professional-body membership (where applicable). The costs you will need to cover for graduation will include gown hire and guest tickets, and optional extras such as professional photography.
As well as your mobile phone, you will also need access to a desktop computer and/or laptop to complete assignments and access university online services such as MyBeckett, your virtual learning environment. You can book and borrow AV equipment through the media equipment service accessed online via the student hub and located in the library at each campus. Equipment includes: 360 Cameras, iPads, GoPros, MacBooks, portable data projectors, portable projection screens, flipchart stands, remote presenters, digital cameras and camcorders, SLR cameras, speakers, microphones, headphones, headsets, tripods, digital audio recorders and PC/laptops (a laptop loans service is provided on campus in the library on both campuses). Student laptops are also available from the laptop lockers located in the libraries.
This list is not exhaustive, costs are approximate and will vary depending on the choices you make during your course. Any rental, travel or living costs are also in addition to your course fees. If you choose to study via distance learning, you may not be able to access all of the facilities listed if you are not able to visit us on campus.
how will i be assessed?
Our MA Social History course is assessed by a mixture of writing and oral assessment. This includes traditional essays, proposals, other writing tasks, presentations and podcasts.
The course also includes a research dissertation.
What I enjoyed most about this programme was its diversity. There is a wide range of distinct modules, reflecting the breadth of expertise across the programme team. This is a real benefit as it provides different opportunities for your own research, with consistent support and guidance from teaching staff about how to explore your ideas.
Hannah
MA Social History
This course allows you to explore parts of social and cultural history that often go unnoticed. The academics are extremely supportive and as passionate about the development of your independent research as their own.
Tom
MA Social History
Moving on up
Leeds Beckett climbs 40 places in the Complete University Guide 2024
Your future in our hands
There’s a lot to consider when choosing a course. Take a look at the team you’ll be working with, employability statistics and career prospects to help make up your mind.
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Career Prospects
The MA Social History develops key transferable skills in communication (written and oral), research, analysis, and project development/management. It will help you to appreciate the different factors that can influence individual and group behaviour.
These sought-after skills make our graduates highly employable across a range of sectors and roles. Our graduates have successfully secured employment within financial, legal and professional services, as well as the creative industries, education, and the public sector.
My decision to continue studying at Leeds Beckett was inspired by the valuable support I received from my tutors. I felt fully informed about my career options after completing my masters. There was even a careers day tailored specifically to masters students, which helped me to decide my next move, and I’m now preparing to start my PhD.
Lucie Wade
MA Social History, PhD Social History
Dr Rachel Rich
Reader / School Of Humanities And Social Sciences
Rachel Rich researches the history of food in modern Europe. Her current focus is the history of royal dining in Georgian England. She is the Co-Editor of Food and History, and the Course Director for BA (Hons) History and MA Social History.
Beckett Careers Team
Our careers service is not just there for undergraduates, we support our postgraduate taught and research students too.
Your postgraduate degree will boost your CV and help you stand out from the crowd. Whether you're just starting out on your chosen career path, changing careers or moving to the next level, we can provide you with expert advice and resources to help you take the next steps to achieving your goals.
Your Beckett experience
At Leeds Beckett your experience is important to us, find out more about what to expect from your time on this course and life at uni.
School of Humanities and Social Sciences The School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Leeds Beckett celebrates student and staff with a true passion for the Arts and Humanities.
Experience Leeds Beckett
Our state-of-the-art facilities and learning environments give you everything you need to succeed – whether that’s completing your current studies or joining our cutting-edge research teams.
Social History Projects
Examples of recent social history research projects undertaken by students as part of this course.
