Between c.1500 and c.1800, economic, political, social and cultural change was broad in reach and profound in effects. The Reformation and Counter-Reformation, the British civil wars, the settling of the 'New World', the early stages of industrialisation and the Enlightenment, and the French Revolution, were a series of ruptures that transformed the way people thought and lived. From the leadership of state and church down to the body and the self, contemporaries challenged and rethought the conditions of their existence.

Sheffield's long and distinguished tradition in early-modern history continues today with a group of internationally-renowned scholars working at the cutting-edge of their fields. The MA in Early Modern History draws on that expertise to provide a fascinating examination of the early-modern world, and the opportunity to rethink some key narratives of change.

You take a core module (Early Modernities) where we ask questions about the very notion of 'early modernity' across Britain, continental Europe and North America. This module gives you the opportunity to re-examine assumptions about 'pre-modern' and 'modern' cultures, and introduces you to the key skills needed to work with early modern sources. You then select from a wide range of optional modules taught by experts actively researching in their fields, covering topics including sex, space, crime, communities, the state, political cultures and religious toleration. You then build on this work in your dissertation, for which you will receive the regular and supportive supervision needed to help you define your topic and pursue it through to a successful conclusion. You will also have access to a mass of rich and well-supported resources and if you are interested in going on to doctoral research, you will receive guidance on how to put together a PhD proposal.

This MA serves as a firm foundation for further research in this area but is also appropriate for those with a more general enthusiasm for early modern history. The analytical skills you acquire together with an advanced knowledge of early modern history will equip you for careers in business, government, the civil service and public administration as well as for further study in your chosen field.

If you are planning to pursue doctoral study after your MA, an optional module, PhD proposal, allows you to devise and refine a research proposal, following the guidelines and advice set out by the funding councils, particularly the AHRC. Another distinctive module on this programme is the Work Placement scheme.

Work Placement Scheme

This opportunity to acquire vocational experience is a unique feature of the Sheffield MA. A taught module entitled Work Placement provides an opportunity to develop history-specific vocational skills in a working environment. Examples of recent placements include archive work for a local archaeological consultancy company, exhibition research and design for English Heritage, working with teachers in Sheffield schools, cataloguing small collections in the Sheffield Archives, working in the Humanities Research Institute on Old Bailey criminal records, devising a publicity strategy, analysing digitised material, and designing online learning environments for school children studying history.