The MSc by Research in History allows students to develop a research project on an aspect of history. Supported by courses on approaches to and methods in history, students create a substantial project of original research across a number of pieces of written work, culminating with a dissertation. The MSc by Research is suitable both for students who plan to pursue doctoral work and for students who are interested in a stand-alone postgraduate degree and research project. It takes a year to complete the MSc. Successful students who complete their studies at the end of the academic session and who do not write the final dissertation qualify for the Postgraduate Diploma by Research in History.
The PhD and MPhil in History are degrees in advanced study and research. Research students have normally completed with success an MSc degree at Edinburgh or a similar degree elsewhere. Students undertake a major project of original research, writing a thesis that makes a substantial contribution to our understanding of a historical problem. It usually takes three years to write a PhD thesis and two years to write an MPhil thesis.
