MA in the History of Freemasonry and Fraternalism
This distance learning course is currently under consideration with a view to applications being accepted for 2010 entry onwards
Work Placement | Course Structure
Since at least the middle ages, fraternal bodies ranging from guilds to friendly societies have provided a social framework for local, regional and national life. They have contributed to the establishment of networks crossing cultural and political borders in Europe and throughout the world and their members have been exposed to elaborate rituals of initiation. These associations share an emphasis on mutual aid and a general ideology of brother- and sisterhood. Freemasonry is one of the largest and best-documented of these organisations and its history is a primary focus of this programme.
Fraternal organisations have often influenced the nature and structure of civil society. Studying their history provides insight into the structures underpinning past societies, such as forms of networking and trans-national contact and also sheds light on major themes of social history such as gender, ethnicity, public space and the emergence of functional elites. Studying a wide range of fraternal organisations provides you with an awareness of the development over time of different values, systems and societies.
University of Sheffield has a strong tradition of academic research into freemasonry. Professor Douglas Knoop (1883-1948) contributed substantially to new scholarly approaches in the area and the Centre for Research into Freemasonry—the first Centre devoted to the academic study of freemasonry in the UK—is situated in new premises named in honour of Knoop. The MA in the History of Freemasonry and Fraternalism draws on the Centre's research programme and will provide you with a range of historical skills, allowing you to pursue independent research. The MA also provides an introduction to the bibliographical, archival and other skills relevant to this field of study. Taught within the Department of History, the MA is designed to develop a range of generic skills as you follow up your core interest in the history of fraternalism. These skills will be transferable both to other fields of historical research and to non-academic endeavours.
During the academic year of 2008-2009 the programme will be taught in Sheffield with a distance learning MA planned for 2009-2010 or 2010-2011.
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.
Within this MA there may be opportunities to work in the Library and Museum of Freemasonry in London, or other local or international archives on freemasonry, public and private.
Student profile
I was a secondary school history teacher and wanted to make a move into museum-based education. I applied for a few jobs straight from teaching but was told that without specific museum experience I was unlikely to be successful. I soon realised I would need help to find a volunteer opportunity that would give me the experience I was looking for, so when I saw that the MA at Sheffield had a work placement module, I realised it was perfect for me because it allowed me to get experience, whilst gaining a higher qualification in Twentieth Century History.
I was placed with English Heritage at Brodsworth Hall and worked on a range of projects that gave me museum experience I would never have been able to get by myself, including a project of my own that involved researching and writing the stewards' reference file for the newly opened Aga Kitchen. I was also able to make other useful contacts in the wider English Heritage organisation who gave me additional volunteer opportunities, the largest of which involved me designing and producing educational materials for an entire English Heritage site.
I am about to start a new job at the Imperial War Museum as an Education Officer in their formal learning department, something I would never have been able to achieve without the experience I gained through the work placement module at Sheffield. I am really glad I decided to do my MA at Sheffield!
Eleanor Macdonald, MA in Twentieth Century History
In line with our policy for continuous improvement, courses within the Department are continually being reviewed. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information above but the University can not accept any responsibility for any errors or omissions.
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