| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
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MA in History at University of Galway
Course Overview
This master’s programme enables you to develop a sophisticated understanding of the challenges of interpreting the past. Specialists in modern, early modern and medieval history introduce you to a range of historical sources, reflecting on their uses and limitations. You will learn to evaluate ways in which historians, politicians and the media interpret the past. You will develop research and analytical skills, using the techniques of the history profession to present your findings.
Students may take the programme on a full-time [one year] or part-time [two year] basis.
Part-time
students take the programme over a two-year period, completing their research dissertation in Year Two. Some of the taught modules will be available in the evening.Learning objectives
Students will acquire graduate employment skills, including written and oral communication skills, analytical skills, and problem-solving skills.
On successful completion of this programme students will be able to:
1. Understand the mentalities of people in other historical periods.
2. Write and speak critically about the nature of historical change.
3. Use a wide range of historical source material—from estate rolls and depositions to newspapers and oral evidence.
4. Convey a critical awareness of the relationship between current events and political, social, economic and cultural processes in the past.
5. Organise and present their work in an effective manner.
6. Complete an original historical research project.
7. Work effectively in group settings.
Students will complete two core taught modules, three optional modules and a research dissertation of c.20,000 words. The topic of the dissertation will be chosen by the student in consultation with an academic supervisor, who will providing one-to-one support and expertise in the student’s chosen field of enquiry. N.B. Post-graduate diploma students are not required to do a dissertation.
Applications are made online via the University of Galway Postgraduate Applications System.
Selection will be based on applicants' academic record and academic references testifying to their enthusiasm for the subject and their ability to carry out a research project.
Who Teaches this Course
This programme draws widely on the expertise of the History staff.
Dr Róisín Healy M.A., PhD.
Senior Lecturer
Dept. of History
Room 415, Tower 1
Arts/Science Building
NUI Galway
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DR KEVIN O'SULLIVAN BA Ph.D
LECTURER
History
Room 413, Tower 1
Arts/Science Building
Central Campus
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Dr. John Cunningham MA, PHD, H.DIP.ED, DIP.GAEILGE View Profile
Dr Laurence Marley B.A, M.A, H Dip, PhD. View Profile
Prof Enrico Dal Lago PhD
Established Professor of History
Department of History, School of History and Philosophy
University of Galway
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All modules are assessed by coursework. Modes of assessment include projects, essays, reviews, reports and oral presentations. A final dissertation involving original research is an essential component of the programme
(except for those taking the post-graduate diploma)
.Program Outline
Course Outline
Students taking the MA and the Postgraduate Diploma in History follow the same taught programme but only MA students write a dissertation.
CORE COURSES
(Must be taken by students on all three branches of the programme):
OPTIONAL COURSES
Each student must take three courses (30 ECTS) from the list below:
How are these modules delivered?
Most of these are taught through weekly two-hour seminars with a strong emphasis on student participation in discussion. HI6062 People on the Move: Studying Migration’ may be taken on-line, in the classroom, or blended learning format. It is available also for MA students in the University of Limerick.
How are these assessed?
The five taught modules of the programme are assessed by a range of coursework assignments, mainly essays, but including portfolios, projects, and presentations
Students on the full-time programme will take two core modules and one optional module in Semester One, and two optional modules in Semester Two. During Semester Two students will work on their research dissertation with a research supervisor of their choice and attend occasional seminars on dissertation related topics
Module Details for Full Time Course
Module Details for Part Time Course
Curriculum Information
Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.Glossary of Terms
Credits
You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module
An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Optional
A module you may choose to study.
Required
A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Semester
Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year.
Year 1 (90 Credits)
Required
HI509:
DissertationHI509: Dissertation
15 months long | Credits: 30
All students carry out original research and produce a dissertation of 15,000-20,000 words. Students may research an area of their choice as long as the project they envisage allows them demonstrate the competencies being tested and an appropriate supervisor in the area is available.
Learning Outcomes
- tbc
Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
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The above information outlines module HI509: "Dissertation" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Required
HI519:
Sources and ResourcesHI519: Sources and Resources
12 months long | Credits: 15
This team-taught module explores the ways in which historians have used a wide range of sources such as medieval charters and chronicles, estate rolls, memoirs, newspapers, government records, reports of commissions of inquiry and oral evidence. It considers questions such as the following: Who produced these sources? Why were they produced? In what context? Were they subject to censorship? Who was the target audience? What kind of research questions can we examine with such evidence? What factors have affected the preservation of historical records? How can we study groups who have left few written records? What impact had developments such as mass literacy, television and the internet on the communication of knowledge and access to historical sources?
Learning Outcomes
- tbc
Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
| EmailLecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module HI519: "Sources and Resources" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Required
HI503:
Historical Debates & Controversies: Studies in HistoriographyHI503: Historical Debates & Controversies: Studies in Historiography
Semester 1 and Semester 2 | Credits: 15
This team-taught module examines perceptions of History as a discipline and methodological approaches to different periods and themes. It looks at perceptions of the groups, issues, events and periods considered worthwhile subjects for historical investigation and explores the role of ideology in framing historical questions. It examines case themes such as the following closely: Decolonisation and Development; Gender and History; Comparative History; Counterfactual History; History, Conflict and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland. Key questions: why do historians disagree? Is “value-free History” possible? How important is empathy in historical investigations? Why do certain historical topics and come into and go out of fashion? What is the difference between modern history and journalism? What challenges are involved in investigating conflict? Can historians make a contribution to public policy formulation? Should they? How do historians approach commemorations?
Learning Outcomes
- tbc
Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
| EmailLecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module HI503: "Historical Debates & Controversies: Studies in Historiography" and is valid from 2020 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Optional
HI546:
Studies In The History Of Colonialism And Imperialism IHI546: Studies In The History Of Colonialism And Imperialism I
Semester 1 | Credits: 10
This course introduces students to some of the key thinkers and concepts in the writing of British imperial history. The work of scholars such as J. A. Hobson, Ronald Robinson and Jack Gallagher, Peter Cain and Tony Hopkins, Chris Bayly, Alan Lester and John Darwin will be discussed. Concepts such as finance imperialism, informal empire, the official mind, gentlemanly capitalism, colonial knowledge, imperial networks, and bridgeheads will be examined from a critical perspective. Full use of on-line journals and other e-resources will be encouraged. Students will be asked to read key texts, undertake wider reading and research to help put these key texts in context, comment on their readings, and present their own ideas as the basis for class discussion and debate. Course assessments will be linked closely to the core texts studied.
(Language of instruction: English)Learning Outcomes
- Describe different historical theories concerning the origins and nature of British overseas expansion during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
- Critically evaluate the merits of these theories, with reference to a range of examples drawn from the history of the British empire
- Identify inter-disciplinary trends in the history of the modern British empire; Present ideas in a persuasive, logical and scholarly fashion through written assignments
- Apply scholarly conventions in the citation of relevant literature or primary sources
Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
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Reading List
- "The Empire Project" by John Darwin ISBN: 9780521317894. Publisher: Cambridge University Press
- "Empire" by Stephen Howe ISBN: 9780192802231. Publisher: Oxford ; Oxford University Press, 2002.
- "The British Empire" by Philippa Levine ISBN: 0582472814. Publisher: Harlow, England ; Pearson Longman, 2007.
- "The lion's share" by Bernard Porter ISBN: 0582772524. Publisher: Harlow, Essex, England ; Pearson/Longman, 2004.
- "The Oxford history of the British Empire" by Wm. Roger Louis, editor-in-chief ISBN: 9780198205654. Publisher: Oxford University Press
- "The Oxford history of the British Empire" by Wm. Roger Louis, editor-in-chief ISBN: 9780198205647. Publisher: Oxford University Press
- "The Oxford history of the British Empire" by Wm. Roger Louis, editor-in-chief ISBN: 9780198205661. Publisher: Oxford University Press
- "British imperialism, 1750-1970" by Simon C. Smith ISBN: 052159930X. Publisher: Cambridge University Press
The above information outlines module HI546: "Studies In The History Of Colonialism And Imperialism I" and is valid from 2017 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Optional
HI160:
Studies in Local HistoryHI160: Studies in Local History
Semester 1 | Credits: 10
This module explores Irish and international approaches to local history; trains students in the uses and interpretation of local history sources and provides guidance in devising and carrying out a local history project.
(Language of instruction: English)Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
| EmailLecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module HI160: "Studies in Local History" and is valid from 2017 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Optional
EN6121:
Digital Editions and Digital ArchivesEN6121: Digital Editions and Digital Archives
12 months long | Credits: 10
Postgraduate introduction to the theory and practice of digital scholarly editing and digital archiving. Students will gain hands-on experience creating digital editors and archives, and understand the theoretical and practical issues involved in the creation and use of these digital forms. The course will be co-taught with staff from the James Hardiman Library digitisation and archives units.
(Language of instruction: English)Learning Outcomes
- Describe and critique various examples of digital scholarly editions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental debates in scholarly editing, and their implications for digital editions.
- Describe and evaluate the nature and scope of digital archives.
- Demonstrate knowledge of key principles and methods associated with the creation and curation of digital editions and archives.
- Create a digital edition or digital archive.
Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
| EmailLecturers / Tutors
Reading List
- "A New Companion to Digital Humanities" by Susan Schreibman ISBN: 1118680642. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
- "Digital Scholarly Editing: Theories, Models and Methods" by Elena Pierazzo ISBN: 1472412117. Publisher: Routledge
- "Digital Critical Editions" by Daniel Apollon ISBN: 0252082567. Publisher: University of Illinois Press
The above information outlines module EN6121: "Digital Editions and Digital Archives" and is valid from 2019 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Optional
HI588:
Studies in Regional IdentitiesHI588: Studies in Regional Identities
Semester 1 | Credits: 10
This module introduces students to concepts of regional identities and explores various interpretive approaches to regional identity. Students will examine the role of history, language and religion in the construction and perpetuation of regional identity and will consider the relationhip between regions and nation states. This is a team-taught module. While the content may varyording to the availability of staff from year to year, it will include Irish and European case studies.
(Language of instruction: English)Learning Outcomes
- Explain theoretical approaches to the history of regional identities
- Outline and discuss the factors leading to the emergence of regional identities in specific case studies
- Discuss the role of History in the construction and perpetuation of regional identities
- Examine the relationship between specific regions and nation states
- Identify and use critically appropriate primary sources for the study of regional identities
- Be able to able to relate case studies to appropriate conceptual frameworks
- Assess the relative merits of historians' arguments regarding specific case studies
- Discuss regional history in coherent essays presented in a scholarly manner
Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
| EmailLecturers / Tutors
Reading List
- "Imagined communities" by Benedict Anderson ISBN: 0860910598. Publisher: Verso
- "The Congested District Board Of Ireland, 1891-1923: Poverty and Development in the West of Ireland" by Ciara Breathnach ISBN: 1851829199. Publisher: Four Courts Pr Ltd
- "An Agenda for Regional History" by Lancaster, Bill, Newton, Diana and Vall, Natasha (eds.) Publisher: Newcastle
- "Frontiers, Regions nad Identities in Europe" by Ellis Steven G. and Esser, Raingard, with Hean-Francois Berdah, Jean-Francois and Reznik, Milos
- "The construction of nationhood" by Adrian Hastings ISBN: 9780521625449. Publisher: Cambridge ; Cambridge University Press, 1997.
- "The Invention of Tradition" by Eric Hobsbawm (Editor), Terence Ranger (Editor) ISBN: 1107604672. Publisher: Cambridge University Press
- "Rodney Hilton's Middle Ages" by [edited by Christopher Dyer, Peter Coss, and Chris Wickham] ISBN: 9780199542109. Publisher: Oxford ; Oxford Journals, Oxford University Press, c2007.
- "Occasional Paper: The Development of the Gaeltaht as a Bilingual Entity" by Ó Tuathaigh, Gearóid
- "Religion and national identity" by edited by Robert Pope ISBN: 070831662X. Publisher: University of Wales Press
- "Nineteenth-century Britain" by Keith Robbins ISBN: 0192851225. Publisher: Oxford ; Oxford University Press, 1989.
The above information outlines module HI588: "Studies in Regional Identities" and is valid from 2016 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Optional
HI6103:
Friends, Family, and Foes: The Relationships that Shape Technological CreativityHI6103: Friends, Family, and Foes: The Relationships that Shape Technological Creativity
Semester 1 | Credits: 10
While we often think of technological invention largely as undertaken by a single individual [the heroic inventor], the reality is that most inventors do their best work while interacting with others. In some cases, it's assistants or patrons [friends], sometimes it's wives or siblings [family], and other times it is rival inventors [foes]. The purpose of this class would be to look at a variety of inventions to understand the social and emotional dynamics that shape technological creativity, and ultimately, how we can 'write back into history' the wives, assistants, and investors who played critical roles in technological change. Students need not have any background in science or engineering, only a keen curiosity to understand how creativity happens.
(Language of instruction: English)Learning Outcomes
- Understand theoretical approaches to the history of invention and innovation.
- Analyse how personal relationships shape the creative process
- Interrogate both secondary and primary source materials.
- Understand the importance of class, gender, geography, and ethnicity in shaping technological creativity.
- Develop an appreciation for how material culture can contribute to history.
- Carry out a short independent research project resulting in an essay or website.
- Present written work which is well-organised, well-argued and well-presented
- Participate in a student-led class
Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
| EmailLecturers / Tutors
Reading List
- "Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical Age" by W. Bernard Carlson ISBN: 978-069116561. Publisher: Princeton
- "The Wright Brothers" by David McCullough ISBN: 978-147672875. Publisher: Simon & Schuster
- "The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another " by Ainissa Ramirez, ISBN: 978-02625422. Publisher: MIT Press
- "The Last Lone Inventor: A Tale of Genius, Deceit, and the Birth of Television" by Evan I. Schwartz ISBN: 978-006093559. Publisher: Harper Perennial,
- "Powers Of Two: How Relationships Drive Creativity" by Joshua Wolf Shenk, ISBN: 978-054433446. Publisher: HarperOne
The above information outlines module HI6103: "Friends, Family, and Foes: The Relationships that Shape Technological Creativity" and is valid from 2022 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Optional
SP6120:
Irish Politics, North and SouthSP6120: Irish Politics, North and South
Semester 2 | Credits: 10
The course examines government structures, political ideologies, party politics and political conflict in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The island of Ireland, divided between two political jurisdictions and shared by two competing national projects, provides a richly distinctive context in which to examine the changing character of political action and the contemporary power of nationalism and the nation-state in a post-crisis, globalised, and culturally diverse Europe.
(Language of instruction: English)Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate familiarity with political contexts and government structures in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
- Discuss political ideologies and party politics in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland party.
- Critically analyse scholarship on Irish politics.
- Apply theories of peace and conflict to Irish politics.
- Complete projects that are well presented, correctly referenced, and cogently argued.
Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
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Reading List
- "Politics in the Republic of Ireland" by Coakley and Gallagher Publisher: Routledge
- "Northern Ireland Politics" by Aughey and Morrow Publisher: Routledge
- "Dynamics of political change in Ireland" by O Dochartaigh, Hayward, Meehan Publisher: Routledge
The above information outlines module SP6120: "Irish Politics, North and South" and is valid from 2022 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Optional
HI6101:
Youth in transition: 1870-1970HI6101: Youth in transition: 1870-1970
Semester 2 | Credits: 10
This module will address the history and experience of youth in Ireland, Europe and the wider world from 1870-1970. Adopting a transnational approach, it will investigate the history of work, school, popular culture, teenage culture and changes to the concept of childhood and youth. With regard to the State, the importance of 'moral' concerns will be addressed - most critically at turning points like the First and Second World Wars. Class, gender, ethnicity, and religion will also be addressed.
(Language of instruction: English)Learning Outcomes
- Understand the changes to youth and youth culture in Ireland, Europe and the wider world from 1870-1970
- Adopt a transnational approach to the history of youth
- Utilise a wide range of primary and secondary materials
- Complete a range of continuous assessment
Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
| EmailLecturers / Tutors
Reading List
- "Transnational Histories of Youth in the Twentieth Century" by Richard Ivan Jobs, David M. Pomfret (eds) Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
- "Youth and history" by [by] John R. Gillis ISBN: 0127852646. Publisher: Academic Press
- "Adolescence in Modern Irish History" by Catherine Cox and Susannah Riordan (eds), Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
The above information outlines module HI6101: "Youth in transition: 1870-1970" and is valid from 2016 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Optional
HI6102:
Researching, Presenting and Writing History at Post-Graduate LevelHI6102: Researching, Presenting and Writing History at Post-Graduate Level
Semester 2 | Credits: 10
by which historians reconstruct the past. It will consider the nature and variety of primary sources, scrutinise the ways in which historians use them to write historical narratives and analyses, examine how the reconstruction of historical events is advanced by dialogue between historians, and provide opportunities for students to create original historical narratives by engaging with primary and secondary sources. The specific topic of this module is decided by the convenor of the module in any particular academic year. Information on the topic currently running under this module number is available on the History web pages
(Language of instruction: English)Learning Outcomes
- On completion of the module, successful participants will be able to Analyse critically the principal political developments in the period covered by the module
- Analyse critically the principal social trends in the period covered by the module
- Engage in a critical fashion with the different views in the historiography of the period covered by the module
- Utilise relevant primary documents of the period covered by the module
- Demonstrate an advanced capacity to discuss, orally and in writing, a variety of topics relating to the period covered by the module
Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
| EmailThe above information outlines module HI6102: "Researching, Presenting and Writing History at Post-Graduate Level" and is valid from 2021 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Optional
DJ6125:
Investigating Miscarriages of JusticeDJ6125: Investigating Miscarriages of Justice
Semester 2 | Credits: 10
This module will give students an introduction to the wrongful treatment of people by the state and powerful institutions and the investigative journalism techniques that can be used to highlight and report on gross injustices in Ireland and internationally.
(Language of instruction: English)Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental causes of miscarriages of justice.
- Showcase applied investigative journalism skills.
- Employ research and investigative skills and communicate effectively.
- Display an understanding of the complex nature of working independently and as part of a team on a multifaceted long-form investigation.
- Demonstrate awareness of critical failings in the justice system.
- Display knowledge of how advanced DNA testing can unearth and potentially prevent miscarriages.
Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
| EmailLecturers / Tutors
Reading List
- "Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church" by Investigative Staff of the Boston Blobe ISBN: 978031627153. Publisher: Back Bay Books
- "The Framing of Harry Gleeson" by Kieran Fagan ISBN: 9781848892460. Publisher: The Collins Press
- "Convicting the innocent: where criminal prosecutions go wrong" by n/a ISBN: 978067406611. Publisher: Harvard University Press
- "Maamtrasna" by Jarlath Waldron ISBN: 9780946130078. Publisher: Edmund Burke Publisher
The above information outlines module DJ6125: "Investigating Miscarriages of Justice" and is valid from 2020 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Optional
HI6100:
NGOs and the Making of the 20th Century WorldHI6100: NGOs and the Making of the 20th Century World
Semester 2 | Credits: 10
In the 20th century NGO's emerged as one of the key building blocks of the contemporary world. This module introduces the historiography, key concepts and methodologies in the study of transnational action. How did NGOs operate? How should we study them? What can they tell us about the growing inter-connectedness of the modern world? The second part of the module puts these concepts into practice through a series of focused case studies, from Amnesty INternational to the Ante-Apartheid Movement.
(Language of instruction: English)Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge and informed understanding of the historiography, key concepts and methodologies involved in the study of NGOs in the twentieth century
- Show familiarity with a range of primary source documents relevant to the course, and develop skills allowing them to analyse documents of this type in depth.
- Give an oral presentation based on their reading and research.
- Develop a discreet project and write an accompanying scholarly essay appropriate to an MA student.
Assessments
This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.
Module Director
Research Profile
| EmailLecturers / Tutors
Reading List
- "The politics of expertise: how NGOs shaped modern Britain" by Matthew Hilton, James McKay, Nicholas Crowson and Jean-François Mouhot
- "Global Community: the role of international organisations in the making of the contemporary world" by Akira Iriye
- "Activists beyond borders: advocacy networks in international politics" by Margaret Keck and Kathryn Sikkink
The above information outlines module HI6100: "NGOs and the Making of the 20th Century World" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.Why Choose This Course?
Career Opportunities
The MA provides an excellent foundation for doctoral studies in History, and also for those intent on pursuing independent research. Graduates of the programme have found employment in areas such as teaching, public administration, research, library and archives services, cultural and heritage development, tourism, print and electonic media, and party politics. Career benefits from the programme should accrue to those already employed in such areas.
About University of Galway
Founded in 1845, we've been inspiring students for 178 years. University of Galway has earned international recognition as a research-led university with a commitment to top quality teaching.
