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History (Online), MA

Explore history from anywhere with a 100% online master’s degree.

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Time investment: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Location: Online

Cost: Up to £8,460

Language: English

About this degree

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Make history your own

Curious about the world and the stories that shape us? Whether it’s uncovering forgotten communities, analysing political upheavals, or exploring cultural transformations, Teesside’s online MA History puts you in the historian’s seat.

This course may be about the past, but it’s built for the future. Its applied learning approach lets you explore historical methods, engage with critical debates, and shape research questions of your own.

With this insight and transferable skills, you’ll produce original work that matters both academically and beyond.

Learn the practical side of history

This course dives deep into history, but doesn’t lose sight of the skills you’ll need today. You’ll develop analytical thinking, research, and communication skills that employers in teaching, heritage, museums, and management value highly.

Through practical projects like exhibitions, websites, theatre scripts, and educational resources, you’ll apply theory to real-world contexts and gain experience that sets you apart in competitive career paths.

Visitor with curly hair and dark coat observes a glass display case filled with colourful pottery artefacts in a modern museum setting.

Conservator wearing white gloves uses a magnifying glass to inspect a small blue and gold artifact amid pottery shards and a complete vase on a worktable.

Work with Teesside’s history experts

History comes alive when you explore it with experts and put your research into action.

You’ll study with Teesside’s research-active historians and join a supportive online community, receiving personalised guidance on framing questions, analysing sources, and presenting findings.

Through discussions, seminars, and collaborative projects, you’ll gain the insight and experience to make an impact, whether you’re advancing your career, contributing to public history, or continuing doctoral research.

Where you’ll be studying

Studying at Teesside University

Teesside University delivers 100% online, career-focused education designed to help you thrive anywhere in the world.

With a Gold rating (Teaching Excellence Framework 2023) and recognised for outstanding student experience, Teesside combines expert teaching with research that drives real-world impact.

Flexible and innovative, they offer online courses that fit around your life, empowering you to upskill, reskill, or take the next step in your career.

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Learning outcomes

Dig into the past

Explore key methodologies of historical research and apply critical and practical skills to investigate the themes, periods, and narratives that shape history today.

Work with sources like a pro 

Build archival and analytical skills through primary-source research, while learning how to frame questions, present findings, and apply for funding.

Focus your study 

Choose specialist options aligned with teaching staff expertise, debating ideas in seminar settings and developing your own research questions.

Shape your own project 

Take charge of an independent study, negotiating your focus with a supervisor to pursue the topics that matter most to you.

Do history beyond academics

Translate interpretive and historiographical skills into transferable strengths valued in teaching, heritage, museums, and other professional fields.

Additional information

To be eligible for this degree, you’ll need an honours degree (at least a 2:2) in history or a relevant discipline, a professional qualification, and/or relevant work experience.

If you’re an international student or English is not your first language, you’ll need to need to demonstrate English language skills equivalent to IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in each component. You can do so with one of the following accepted tests:

UKVI approved IELTS (Academic)
Non-UKVI approved IELTS
Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) – B2 and C1 tests
Pearson’s PTE Academic
PTE Academic UKVI
LanguageCert International ESOL SELT
TOEFL iBT
WAEC grades A1 to C6
NECO grades A1 to C5
SPM grades A to C
Kenya High School Certificate Grade C+ or Higher
Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education grades 1 to 6
Uganda Certificate of Education grades 1 to 6

This course is delivered entirely online, and you’ll learn through a variety of methods, including lectures, seminars, guided discussion and assigned reading.

You’ll get regular feedback from tutors and fellow learners through online discussions, helping you improve as you go. Assessment includes a mix of informal tasks and formal pieces, such as a dissertation project, source analyses, short research projects, essays, and knowledge exchange activities.

The beauty of a history degree is its versatility. With this master’s degree, you’ll be prepared to work in a variety of sectors, including teaching, museums, heritage management, government, and beyond. Some roles you might consider after graduation include:

Historian or researcher
Museum curator or archivist
Heritage manager or cultural officer
Policy advisor or government analyst
Writer, editor, or content specialist

Some graduates also consider further academic study, such as an MPhil or PhD.

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Modules

What happens to history outside the classroom? This module invites you to explore different ways historians interpret the past, sharpening your critical and historiographical skills as you engage with current debates, narratives, and themes shaping the discipline today.

Dive deep into a specialist area that matches your interests. You’ll join seminars with expert tutors, develop your own research questions, and debate ideas—perfect for honing your skills in a supportive, focused environment.

Looking to explore a topic close to your heart? This independent study lets you take the lead. You’ll work closely with your supervisor to design a personalised research project that dives deeper into your chosen area.

Sharpen your research toolkit with hands-on sessions covering everything from crafting research questions to mastering methodologies. You’ll get practical experience with primary sources and build skills in presenting your work and applying for research funding, readying you for future academic challenges.

Ready to bring all your learning together? This module is the climax of your MA History journey, where you produce an extended piece of historical research. Whether you choose a 15,000-word dissertation or a creative knowledge exchange project, you’ll showcase your expertise and original thinking.