Medieval History MSc
Awards: MSc
Study modes: Full-time, Part-time
Funding opportunities
Programme website: Medieval History
This programme will provide you with what you need to pursue advanced research in medieval history. It will help you to expand your own research interests through small, seminar-based classes.
Resources
You will have access to world-class resources, most notably the impressive combined collections of the National Library of Scotland and the University of Edinburgh Main Library.
In addition to this, you will belong to a thriving community of scholars by becoming a member of the highly cross-disciplinary Edinburgh Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (CMRS), which organises regular research seminars as well as a range of other academic and social events.
Core courses
You will take two compulsory courses, which will provide a general introduction to graduate study in history and give you the opportunity to develop your research skills.
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 further expand your research skills. We encourage students to study Latin, although other skills courses may be taken if particularly appropriate for your research needs. The other set contains courses that reflect the research specialism of our medieval historians.
You can also choose up to two courses from the courses on offer to all students studying postgraduate history.
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.
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSc | Medieval History | 1 Year | Full-time | Programme structure 2024/25 |
MSc | Medieval History | 2 Years | Part-time | Programme structure 2024/25 |
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.
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
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:
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).
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:
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSc | Medieval History | 1 Year | Full-time | Tuition fees |
MSc | Medieval History | 2 Years | Part-time | Tuition fees |
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.
Other funding opportunities
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 6693
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Programme Director, Dr Jeremy Dell
- Contact: Jeremy.Dell@ed.ac.uk
- School of History, Classics & Archaeology
- William Robertson Wing
- Teviot Place
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9AG
- Programme: Medieval History
- School: History, Classics & Archaeology
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Applying
Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.
MSc Medieval History - 1 Year (Full-time)
MSc Medieval History - 2 Years (Part-time)
Due to high demand, this programme operates a gathered field approach to admissions, with two application deadlines as noted below.
Each application round has a decision deadline, also listed below, but note that we may make offers to the strongest candidates on an ongoing basis, in advance of the published decision deadline.
We strongly recommend that you apply as early as possible, especially if you intend to apply for funding. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand. If you are considering applying for our pre-sessional English Language programme, please make sure you apply in Round 1.
Please note that for an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including references and transcripts. English language documentation can be submitted later but if you have already met the English language entry requirements for your programme at the time of application, your application may be considered more competitive in selection than applications where an English language test still needs to be taken.
Selection deadlines
Round | Application deadline | Places awarded by |
---|---|---|
1 | 13 January 2025 | 17 April 2025 |
2 | 29 May 2025 | 30 June 2025 |
Deadlines for UK/Scotland fee status
After Round 2, if there are still places available, applications will remain open only to applicants who are eligible for the UK/Scotland fee rate, including the EU/EEA Pre-settled Scotland fee status. Applications will remain open no later than 30 June 2025 and may close earlier than this if the programme becomes full, so we strongly recommend you apply as soon as possible.
If you apply with another fee status after 29 May 2025, your application will be rejected.
(Revised 18 October 2024 to add application deadlines and selection process information)
You must submit one reference with your application.
Please read the application guidance for more information:
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
Further information
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 6693
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Programme Director, Dr Jeremy Dell
- Contact: Jeremy.Dell@ed.ac.uk
- School of History, Classics & Archaeology
- William Robertson Wing
- Teviot Place
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9AG
- Programme: Medieval History
- School: History, Classics & Archaeology
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences