Are you a talented student and interested in modern history and international relations? Is a career in research something you aspire to? Then this track is exactly what you are looking for.
You can take the Master's track in Modern History and
International Relations as a track within the Research Master's
degree programme in International Relations.
The two-year Master's track in Modern History and International
Relations teaches you to carry out independent academic research in
the fields of modern history and international relations. You will
explore recent developments in these fields and study relevant
theoretical and methodological backgrounds. You will learn about
subjects such as international political economy, the history of
cultural identity and European cooperation and integration.
As a student of this programme you work in small groups and are
supervised by highly qualified researchers. The programme is
closely related to the research carried out at the Groningen
Research Institute for the Study of Culture (ICOG) and the N.W.
Posthumus Institute.
| Semesters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoursesCourse Catalog > | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b |
| Methodology Modern Hist. and Intern. Rel. (5 EC) | ||||
| Research Seminar I (10 EC) | ||||
| Theory of Modern History and Int. Rel. (10 EC) | ||||
| Advanced Methodology IR (5 EC, optional) | ||||
| Advanced Methodology Modern History (5 EC, optional) | ||||
| Research Seminar II (10 EC) | ||||
| Research Seminar III (10 EC) | ||||
| Themes, Trends & Topics (10 EC) | ||||
| Semesters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoursesCourse Catalog > | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b |
| MHIR: Specialization 1 (10 EC) | ||||
| MHIR: Specialization 2 (10 EC) | ||||
| Bridging Horizons Class (5 EC) | ||||
| Thesis Preparation Class (5 EC) | ||||
| Research Master's Thesis MHIR (30 EC) | ||||
Research Seminars I-III can be chosen from the range of research seminars offered by the master programmes in History, International Relations, American Studies en Media Studies (in consultation with the Director of Studies). MHIR Specialization 1-2 can be fulfilled by choosing research seminars (at the RUG or at another (Dutch or foreign) university), by following individual tutorials and/or by doing a research placement.
| Programme options |
|---|
Modern History (specialization)
|
International Relations (specialization)
|
| Master's placement (specialization) During this Master's track, you can follow a placement for ECTS credit points. It is your responsibility to find a placement yourself, but the Office for Student Affairs can offer help with this where necessary. |
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
BA degree in:
|
| grade list |
An excellent academic record: An overview of the results achieved so far within the Bachelor's degree programme and/or other university degree programmes is required |
| Curriculum Vitae (CV) |
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) |
| language test |
Additional English language requirement: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 100 (with a minimum score for speaking and writing of 25 (each)), or an IELTS score of 7 (with a minimum of 6.5 on all items) or Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 185. |
| reference letter |
Two personal letters of recommendation from staff members who can comment on the students' affinity with and capacities for research. |
| (motivation-) letter |
A letter outlining the prospective student's motivation for selecting the programme and Research Master's track, including their expectations and interests. |
| other admission requirements |
Furthermore, the selection procedure is also based on an evaluation of degree certificates, individual results and the thesis or paper. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| American Studies | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| International Relations and International Organization | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| History (part-time) | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| Political Science | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| International Development Studies | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| International Studies | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| 15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
| EU/EEA students | 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| 15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
| non-EU/EEA students | 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| 15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 |
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
Prospective students are required to have knowledge at Bachelor's level of modern history and/ or international relations. Examples of these types of Bachelor's programmes are:
|
| grade list |
An excellent academic record: An overview of the results achieved so far within the Bachelor's degree programme and/or other university degree programmes is required. |
| Curriculum Vitae (CV) |
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) |
| language test |
Additional English language requirement: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 100 (with a minimum score for speaking and writing of 25 (each)), or an IELTS score of 7 (with a minimum of 6.5 on all items) or Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 185. |
| reference letter |
Two personal letters of recommendation from staff members who can comment on the students' affinity with and capacities for research. |
| (motivation-) letter |
A letter outlining the prospective student's motivation for selecting the programme and Research Master's track, including their expectations and interests. |
| other admission requirements |
Furthermore, the selection procedure is also based on an evaluation of degree certificates, individual results and the thesis or paper. |
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| 15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
| EU/EEA students | 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| 15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
| non-EU/EEA students | 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| 15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 |
After graduation you are well prepared for a career in research at a university or a private or governmental research institute. You can pursue jobs at international organizations and government institutions as well. You can apply for a PhD-position.
Students in the Research Master Modern History and International Relations (MHIR) have started analyzing journals relevant to their disciplines in 2010, and their successors continue to do so each year. This website aims to collect their reviews, and offer interested scholars access to our research, while at the same time showcasing the quality of the work of the students in the Research Master MHIR .
Students have analyzed journals both qualitatively and quantitatively, delving into several issues of academic journals dealing with the subjects of History and International Relations. Reviews generally offer an introduction of the journal’s history, followed by an analysis of the themes and topics dealt with by the journal, and also an analysis of the background of the authors.
This project also offers interested parties and prospective students an example of the extent to which the University of Groningen succeeds in making research results easily available, showcasing that the work done by students does not need to gather dust in the archives of our professors.
The overview below lists all the analysed journals alphabetically.
Clicking on the name of the journal will take you to the individual review. Please take note of the different volumes analyzed.
Interested parties are invited to first read two introductory articles.
The Faculty of Arts also offers one year master’s degree programmes in History and International Relations.
