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University College Cork

History - Medieval History

The MA in Medieval History is a taught, one-year course that gives you the research skills to investigate and interpret the literary and artistic culture of the Middle Ages, particularly of early Ireland and Britain.

You will encounter medieval sources that are being radically reinterpreted in the light of exciting new research by course lecturers. The course is designed to give you a thorough grounding in research skills while providing maximum freedom to follow your own research interests.

You will have the opportunity to demonstrate your own ability to engage with historical sources in writing your research dissertation, and to apply your knowledge in the working environment of a museum. You will also adapt your research and analytical skills to a variety of non-academic contexts or, alternatively, to undertaking further research.

In the Autumn and Spring teaching periods, you will take a number of modules (including instruction in Latin) that explore major themes in western medieval culture and are intended to equip you with the key skills of the medieval historian. Teaching is research-led; classes focus on a range of sources, both literary and visual.

The MA offers modules which concentrate on historical themes, and others which are intended to develop key research skills and methodologies. In the Autumn semester, you will take Historical contexts for medievalists (Hi6088), an intensive introduction to key turning points and transformations in the history and culture of medieval Western Europe from Late Antiquity to the High Middle Ages. You will take The Insular world in text and image (Hi6090) and, through a close analysis of selected literary and visual sources, come to understand the history and culture of early Ireland and Britain.

In the Spring semester, you will explore actual and virtual Insular encounters with real and imagined peoples and places in Hi6089 Insular encounters with the wider world. You will also take Skills for medieval historians (Hi6091), where you will explore, evaluate and employ the variety of sources, techniques and strategies available to historians. This module will also give you the opportunity to employ your skills and knowledge in the working environment of a museum or field of applied historical research.

All students will take an introductory Latin module (LT6001) offered by the Department of Classics.

For more current details of the programme and module descriptions, see the Postgraduate College Calendar

Entry requirements

To be considered for registration an applicant will normally have a primary degree of at least Second Class Honours Grade I level in a suitable subject or the equivalent. Applications from students with a Second Class Honours Grade II degree in a suitable subject may also be considered. These applicants may be requested to submit a proposal and/or attend an interview.

All candidates must satisfy a Selection Committee who may request applicants to provide letters of reference.

If you are applying with Qualifications obtained outside Ireland and you wish to verify if you meet the minimum academic and English language requirements for this programme please click here to view the grades comparison table by country and for details of recognised English language tests.

Non-EU Candidates

Non-EU candidates are expected to have educational qualifications of a standard equivalent to Irish university primary degree level. In addition, where such candidates are non-native speakers of the English language they must satisfy the university of their competency in the English language. To verify if you meet the minimum academic requirements for this programme please visit our qualification comparison pages.

For more detailed entry requirement information please refer to the International website .

Duration

1 year Full-time; 2 years Part-time

The part-time option will be taught during weekday working hours over 2 years.

Careers or further progression

The course will equip you with the essential skills that enable you to understand and interpret the history and culture (written and visual) of the past. It will introduce new and innovative methodologies that bring fresh insights into medieval times, and that allow us to reconstruct in considerable detail how people understood their world, and how they lived their lives. There are modules that explore and apply research methods, and also modules that train you in how these methods and skills can be used by graduates in their employment. Work experience is an integral part of the course giving you the opportunity to apply your knowledge and interpretative skills in the working environment of a museum. You will also be guided in how to develop your ability to present your findings both orally and in writing.

Occupations associated with the MA in Medieval History
MA in Medieval History students have gone on to pursue doctorates with scholarship support; work in financial services; in university lecturing posts; in curatorial and museum posts.

What are our graduates doing?

doctoral study with scholarship support
work in financial services
university lecturing
teaching
project management
the heritage sector

Further enquiries

Contact details for this course
Dr. Damian Bracken
d.bracken@ucc.ie
+ 353 21 4902950

Deirdre O'Sullivan/Geraldine McAllister,
deirdre@ucc.ie
+353 (0)21 4902755

Subjects taught

The taught modules in the MA are evenly spread across both the Autumn and Spring semesters, enabling you to balance your work commitments across the academic year, and to leave Semester Three for your research and the writing of your thesis.

The introductory module, Historical contexts for medievalists (Hi6088), is a module in which all the MA in Medieval History lecturers collaborate to provide you with a solid grounding in the field, and to give you foundation for the more specialised modules to follow.

Skills for medieval historians (Hi6091) is taught as a lecture/workshop series. This module involves field trips to different repositories, where you will experience the management and interpretation of the textual and material culture of the Middle Ages. The module includes work placement as well as design of an online exhibition.

Introduction to Latin (Lt6001) is taught in three one-hour classes per week throughout both semesters and is offered by the Department of Classics.

Why Choose This Course

The programme is designed to give students a thorough grounding in research skills while providing maximum freedom to follow their own research interests.

This course will appeal to students wishing to deepen their understanding and appreciation of the culture of the medieval West, and especially of early Ireland and Britain.

Students will encounter medieval sources that are being radically reinterpreted in the light of exciting new research by programme lecturers.

Students will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the period and their interpretative skills in the working environment of a museum.

Placement or Study Abroad Information

Work experience is an integral part of the course giving students the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the period and interpretative skills in the working environment of a museum, or through the creation of online digital corpora and databases.

Assessment method

In the taught History modules, you are assessed by coursework involving the writing of an essay and the delivery of oral presentations. The Latin module is examined by continuous assessment and by end-of-year exam. You will also complete a minor dissertation (20,000 words maximum) based on your own research of a topic of particular interest to you. The MA in Medieval History has a credit weighting of 90 credits, divided equally between coursework (45 credits) and minor dissertation (45 credits).

Application date

Closing dates

Closing Dates for Application

Applications for 2018 start dates will open on November 1st 2017.

EU Applicants: UCC operates a rounds closing date system for the majority of postgraduate taught programmes (detailed below).

Some programmes have a specific closing date. Applicants are advised to consult with the postgraduate prospectus for programmes with a specific closing date.

The UCC rounds EU application system closing dates for Postgraduate Taught courses are detailed below. However, we would advise applicants to apply as soon as possible.

Deadline for receipt of Applications: Offers will be made:
For all completed applications received by January 15th 2018 Offers will be made by January 29th 2018

For all completed applications received by March 1st 2018 Offers will be made by March 15th 2018

For all completed applications received by May 1st 2018
Offers will be made by May 15th 2018

For all completed applications received by July 2nd 2018
Offers will be made by July 16th 2018

Late applications may be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for any courses that have remaining capacity for places.

While there is no official closing date for Research courses applicants are advised to submit their application at least two months ahead of their proposed start date. There are four official Research start dates September/October, January, April and July.

Non-EU Applicants:

Please visit the following page for further information for Non EU applicants http://www.ucc.ie/en/international/studyatucc/postgraduateprogrammes/tau...