Medieval History MSc

You will take a variety of seminar-style courses in small groups. We assess most courses by means of an extended piece of written work, while some courses may also assess non-written skills.

You will complete two compulsory courses and select a further four options from a wide range of subjects on offer.

You will then be assigned a supervisor and complete an independent research dissertation.

Compulsory courses

The compulsory courses are:

• Historical Methodology
• Developing Historical Research

Option courses

You will be able to choose from two sets of optional courses, subject to availability, and must choose at least one course from each set.

One set will allow you to study a language relevant to the degree (Latin, Arabic or Persian). The other set contains courses that reflect the research specialism of our medieval historians. There is also an opportunity to select up to two courses from all available postgraduate history courses.

Option courses previously offered include those listed below. Option courses change from year to year and those available when you start your studies may be different from those shown in the list.

• Elementary Latin (PG) 1
• Elementary Latin (PG) 2
• Intermediate Latin (PG) 1
• Intermediate Latin (PG) 2
• Arabic 1a for PG Credit
• Arabic 1b for PG Credit
• Persian 1A for PG Credit
• Persian 1B for PG Credit
• Body and soul in early medieval thought
• Nepotism and Venality: Corruption and Accountability in the Middle Ages
• Queens, Heiresses and Lords: Women Making Medieval Scotland
• Scottish Palaeography 12th-16th centuries
• The Crusades: Thirteenth Century Crossroads
• Medieval Men and Masculinities
• Literature and History in Early Medieval Britain and Ireland
• Debating Marriage between Antiquity and the Middle Ages
• Studying Women in Late Medieval England: Sources and Approaches
• Constantinople: The History of a Medieval Megalopolis from Constantine the Great to Suleyman the Magnificent
• Saints Cults, Pilgrimage and Piety in Scotland
• Medieval Travellers in the Mediterranean, Africa and Asia

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

This programme is designed to:

• provide you with a grounding in the principal categories of surviving evidence
• give you the technical skills needed to read them, namely linguistic knowledge (generally Latin)
• demonstrate the value of an interdisciplinary approach to medieval research
• deepen your knowledge and understanding of selected themes and topics
• enable you to select and execute an independent piece of research

Our students view the programme and a graduate degree from Edinburgh as an advanced qualification valued and respected by many employers. Others are interested in pursuing long-term academic careers and therefore consider the MSc as preparation for a PhD. The combination of specialised skills, training courses and research seminars, as well as independent research, will provide you with transferable skills that will be beneficial whatever path you choose.

Graduates pursue work in related areas such as:

• museums
• policy think tanks
• national and international civil services
• non-governmental organisations
• galleries
• libraries and historic trusts

Others build on the transferable skills gained and enter areas as diverse as business, media, public administration and marketing.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, a minimum US 3.25 GPA or international equivalent, in a subject related to this programme.

You must demonstrate a background in Medieval History and/or relevant language skills in your transcript. If this cannot be demonstrated your personal statement must clearly show you are equipped to undertake this programme.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan

  • family support

• personal savings

• income from work

• employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

• UK students: School of History, Classics & Archaeology funding opportunities
• International students: School of History, Classics & Archaeology funding schemes

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK government loan schemes.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your residency status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

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