What should be done with statues related to Europe's colonial past? How can historians help tackle problems within organizations? How do societies historically cope with crises, such as flooding or warfare?
All these questions apply historical knowledge and methods to present-day challenges, which is the core aim of the Master’s programme History at the University of Groningen: to provide insight into current issues from a historical perspective with an emphasis on practical historical applications at an academic level.
The Master History consists of three tracks:
By choosing these tracks, you will be trained to curate a historical exhibition or to apply digital techniques in the field of heritage management, you can learn how to interpret and evaluate cross-border historical phenomena and to formulate policy advice, or you can acquire the historical methods to analyse the consequences of processes of change in organizations and companies. The expertise of our experienced staff and experts from the field is reflected in (guest) lectures, internships and practical assignments that bring historical knowledge and theory to life. By completing one of the tracks, you will be awarded a Master of Arts degree in History.
Students wishing to pursue an academic career may also be interested in the two-year Research Masters Classical, Medieval and Early Modern Studies or Modern History and International Relations, while those wishing to become a secondary school teacher can combine the Master’s programme History with an Educational Master (in Dutch).
Each Master's track is characterized by a flagship course and matching methodological courses that train you both in acquiring and applying historical knowledge. Another unique course in which you will participate is the Masterclass, which instructs you in various professional skills that enhance your employability. You will take research seminars to gain in-depth knowledge of specific historical themes, regions, periods and methods. Apart from writing a Master's thesis, it is possible to gradua
Programme options |
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History and Heritage Consultancy (specialization) How does Ukraine protect its monuments in the current war? Which policies should Dutch authorities develop concerning art stolen during the Second World War? What should done with disputed statues related to Europe's colonial past?.These types of questions are pressing in our changing world, in which conflict and inequality necessitate us to rethink our attitudes towards the past and its cultural and material heritage. The Master’s track History and Heritage Consultancy at the University of Groningen teaches you how to expertly approach questions about the meaning and uses of (contested) heritage. The track is unique in its dual focus on historical analysis of heritage and professional skills—such as effective communication, grant writing and project management—required for working in the heritage and public sectors.History and Heritage Consultancy offers a broad range of methodological and research courses, which allows for a specialization in your personal field of interest and flexibility in your planning. You learn to interrogate the complexities of history and heritage present in buildings, objects, practices, customs and opinions of the past. You also develop relevant professional skills—for example, by completing assignments for public or heritage institutions, such as the Groninger Museum—which prepare you for immediate employment in the field of history and heritage. |
Politics, Organizations and Learning Histories (specialization) How can historians help tackle problems within organizations? How can historical knowledge and skills detect blind spots in organizations and thereby improve their effectiveness and social impact? The Master’s track Politics, Organizations and Learning Histories at the University of Groningen prepares you to answer these types of questions about the inner workings of organizations. You are taught how to gain historical insight in long-term problems within organizations and how to solve these, after which you become an expert in using the past to solve current issues. The track is unique in its implementation of historical thinking to all kinds of organizations.The track focuses on the interconnection of politics and policy, democracy and legitimacy, and on the implementation and legal aspects of policy. You will contribute to solving societal problems by implementing historical knowledge and research by developing Learning Histories. This theory-based but practically applicable method requires the writing of a narrative that reveals certain blind spots within an organization’s past by analysing sources and conducting interviews. During your studies, you will be assigned to an organization to develop and practise these skills in a practical manner. |
Un/sustainable societies: Past, Present and Future (specialization) Could climate change have impacted the fall of the Roman Empire? How do societies historically cope with crises, such as flooding or warfare? How can we understand wealth disparities from a historical perspective?.The Master’s track Un/sustainable Societies: Past, Present and Future at the University of Groningen teaches you to utilize historical knowledge and methods to address contemporary developments regarding the (un)sustainability of societies, thereby making you an expert in this field. The track is unique in its focus to learn historians to comprehend societal challenges and to contribute to related public debates from a historical perspective.Issues such as global inequality, environmental changes and democracy all have a long history. Knowledge of their history contributes to a better-informed public, concrete solutions and more sustainable policies. Therefore, you learn to identify, situate and analyse historical trends, to acquire in-depth historical knowledge as well as advanced skills and methods to conduct historical research, and to interrogate the complex interrelation of the past and present. With the aim of learning how to ask relevant questions and to formulate historical arguments in current debates, you will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for connecting the past to current issues and how to conduct debates on future challenges. |
A study period abroad can be combined with the placement and/or the Master's final assignment. You could also follow a seminar at a university abroad.
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
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Teacher Education in History | All Universities of applied sciences | Via a pre-master with a maximum of |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
History | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
Philosophy | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Middle Eastern Studies | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Minorities & Multilingualism | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Archaeology | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Dutch Language and Culture | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Media Studies | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Human Geography and Planning | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Classics (part-time) | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Information Science | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Arts, Culture and Media | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Linguistics | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
English Language and Culture | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Communication and Information Studies | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
American Studies | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
European Languages and Cultures | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
International Relations and International Organization | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Theology | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Art History | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Religious Studies | University of Groningen | Pre-master at previous program
with a maximum of |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
History (part-time) | All Research universities | No additional requirements |
Specific requirements | More information |
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previous education |
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language test |
Additional requirements English: Minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 90 (with a minimum of 21 on all items), or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 180. Students who gained a bachelor's degree certificate from an English-taught degree programme, will automatically meet the language requirements. |
Please use this step-by-step guide for more information regarding your eligibility and your specific application procedure.
Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
---|---|---|
Dutch students | 15 January 2024 | 01 February 2024 |
01 May 2024 | 01 September 2024 | |
EU/EEA students | 15 October 2023 | 01 February 2024 |
01 May 2024 | 01 September 2024 | |
15 October 2024 | 01 February 2025 | |
non-EU/EEA students | 15 October 2023 | 01 February 2024 |
01 May 2024 | 01 September 2024 | |
15 October 2024 | 01 February 2025 |
Specific requirements | More information |
---|---|
previous education |
|
language test |
Additional requirements English: Minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 90 (with a minimum of 21 on all items), or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 180. Students who gained a bachelor's degree certificate from an English-taught degree programme, will automatically meet the language requirements. |
Please use this step-by-step guide for more information regarding your eligibility and your specific application procedure.
Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
---|---|---|
Dutch students | 15 January 2024 | 01 February 2024 |
01 May 2024 | 01 September 2024 | |
EU/EEA students | 15 October 2023 | 01 February 2024 |
01 May 2024 | 01 September 2024 | |
15 October 2024 | 01 February 2025 | |
non-EU/EEA students | 15 October 2023 | 01 February 2024 |
01 May 2024 | 01 September 2024 | |
15 October 2024 | 01 February 2025 |
Nationality | Year | Fee | Programme form |
---|---|---|---|
EU/EEA | 2023-2024 | € 2314 | full-time |
non-EU/EEA | 2023-2024 | € 16000 | full-time |
Practical information for:
After completing the Master's programme, you are able to think in a critical and problem-oriented way. You can process a large amount of information and present the outcomes with great clarity. Many historians find work in journalism, museums, at cultural organizations or in publishing. They can go into politics as well, or find jobs in governmental organizations or in business. Our Master's tracks have proven themselves for providing graduates the tools to find employment as:
Our international teaching staff are members of the Centre for Historical Studies, which is devoted to research on a wide range of aspects of historical investigation, spanning from Classical Antiquity to our own time. Research interests are mainly focused on the cultural, social, political and economic diversity of Western societies, but also expand to the non-western world (notably South East Asia and Africa) and cover issues such as post-colonialism and transnationalism.
Three research groups facilitate interdisciplinary research on themes which are at the heart of current debates in historical disciplines and the wider society. Researchers operate interdisciplinary and internationally.
• ‘Sustainable societies: past and present’ studies forms and practices, arrangements, cultures and institutions which explain and contribute to the social coherence and sustainability of societies from antiquity to the present. It is unique in its endeavour to lay bare the historical and cultural roots of the present-day relationship between politics, state and society. It addresses explicitly the role of literary, artistic and religious culture in these processes alongside that of the more familiar political institutions.
• ‘Regions, Networks, Mobility.’ Research in this theme group is based on the idea that money, goods, news, knowledge and beliefs function and become meaningful in networks of exchange within or crossing borders. The complexity of the historical processes involved is addressed interdisciplinary, thereby challenging economic, social, cultural and political historians as well as other researchers in the arts and humanities and beyond to cooperate and develop new and exciting insights and interpretations. The theme is embedded in Groningen’s research strength in the history of regions and in the evolving new research area of the circulation of knowledge.
• ‘Thinking about History and Historical Culture.’ The University of Groningen has a long and internationally recognized expertise in the metahistorical reflection of history and culture. The aim of this research group is twofold: to surpass the limits of one single historiographical perspective and to analyse human memory as it manifests itself in (auto-)biographical writing, historical products of individuals or groups that collect, record or write ‘their own’ history such as game designers, historical novelists and film producers.
Read moreConsultant at ECP Platform for the Information Society
Studying history was a conscious decision. I was drawn to media and culture and keen to study the lesser known subjects and stories, so I chose Media, Culture and Heritage as my specialist subject.
Studying history was a conscious decision. I was drawn to media and culture and keen to study the lesser known subjects and stories, so I chose Media, Culture and Heritage as my specialist subject.
I was particularly intrigued by the course units in Visual Culture and Documentation Techniques, which examine the power of imagery and explain how you can tell a visual story. The knowledge I acquired was very useful later on in the programme, while I was researching up-and-coming film culture in North Korea.
At the moment, I am working as an advisor at ECP Platform for the Information Society, where I mainly concentrate on communication tasks and project management. On graduating, I worked as a researcher at the VPRO television company for a while, preparing various programmes and documentaries behind the scenes.
The Master's programme teaches you how to deal with huge volumes of information. You also develop your capacities for analytical thinking and your writing skills to a very high standard. You learn to think critically, as this is an essential aspect of History. The small scale of Groningen and the friendly atmosphere in the city are what particularly appealed to me. But there's a lot more to it if you study History. I really enjoyed student life and had a terrific time in Groningen!
Read moreJunior Research Consultant - Meines Holla & Partners
In August 2013, I started a practical placement at Meines Holla & Partners in The Hague, a lobbying and public affairs office that provides a range of public and private parties with advice and support in setting agendas and representing interests. Both parties were happy with the placement and so after a traineeship lasting a year, I stayed on as a Junior Research Consultant.
My job involves assisting consultants in various lobbying and public affairs processes, acting as a junior advisor on several accounts and conducting research (e.g. political feasibility studies and stakeholder analyses) for current and potential clients.
I started considering my career options while doing my Bachelor's degree in History. I wanted politics to be part of my career, so I chose the specialization Policy, Administration and Politics as part of my History Today Master's track. I decided to stay in Groningen on account of the broad range of subjects and the possibility of gaining practical experience during a placement.
The research and writing skills I developed during the Master's track now form the basis of my current duties. In addition, the methodology course units in quantitative policy analysis and interviewing now stand me in good stead during my day-to-day work in the political world of The Hague.
I work on the cutting edge of politics and industry and for the time being I'm in exactly the right place. The lobbying and public affairs sector suits me down to the ground and I'm very ambitious – I hope to realise my ambitions within this company in the years to come.
Read moreInternational Programmes Officer
The practical Master's track History Today gives you a realistic idea of your options with a degree later on. This was a great help to me. The University of Groningen was a great place to do a Bachelor's degree in History so I decided to stay there for my Master's degree.
One of the electives in this programme is the methodology course unit Life stories. You learn how to conduct an in-depth interview and write a compelling biography. The lectures are extremely useful as you have practical assignments and a lot of attention is paid to feedback. This was a great help in terms of my own personal development. In addition to this course unit, I also took the 'Dutch Travellers in Europe' research course unit, which was very interesting. It's all about how Dutch travellers saw other countries and populations, and what they wrote about them. The course unit dovetailed nicely with the subject of my thesis, 'Dutch travellers in Scotland in the nineteenth century.'
On graduating, I worked at the Huygens Institute for Dutch History as a research assistant. I then took a job as a teacher, tutoring school pupils in history in the run-up to their final exams. At the moment, I'm working as an International Programmes Officer at Leiden University. I work in the Admissions department, where one of my tasks is to assess applications from international students.
Are you a non-EU/EEA student from Russia, India or Indonesia, starting a Master's programme at the Faculty of Arts? If so, you could qualify for the University of Groningen OTS/Talent Grant, Faculty of Arts, a partial scholarship which helps you to finance your studies.
Read more about the OTS/Talent Grant Faculty of Arts.
Are you interested in a research oriented career? Please also check our Research Master's Programme of History.
Each Master's degree programme has a study advisor whom you can contact if you have questions or need advice about your degree programme and other study-related matters. Everything you discuss will be treated confidentially. If you have a more complex problem, for example study delay, a performance disability or if you are ill for a long time, you should contact a student counsellor.
In addition, you can also follow various courses at the Study Support section of the Student Service Centre (SSC), for example on study stress and holding presentations.
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