MA Early Modern History Programme Specification 2023-24

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1	ACADEMIC QUALITY TEAM
2	Programme Specifications 2023-24
3	Revised February 2023
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6	Programme Title			MA Early Modern History
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8	This document applies to students who commenced the programme(s) in:			September 2023		Award type			MA
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10	What level is this qualification?			7		Length of programme			12 months
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12	Mode of study (Full / Part Time)			PT and FT
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14	Will the programme use standard University semester dates?			yes		For York Online programmes, will standard dates for such programmes be used?			n/a
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16	Awarding institution			University of York		Board of Studies for the programme			History
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18	Lead department			History		Other contributing departments			None
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20	Language of study and assessment			English		Language(s) of assessment			English
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22	Is this a campus-based or online programme?			campus
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24	Partner organisations
25	If there are any partner organisations involved in the delivery of the programme, please outline the nature of their involvement. You may wish to refer to the Policy on Collaborative Provision
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27	N/A
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29	Reference points
30	Please state relevant reference points consulted in the design of this programme (for example, relevant documentation setting out PSRB requirements; the University's Frameworks for Programme Design (UG or PGT); QAA Subject Benchmark Statements; QAA Qualifications and Credit Frameworks).
31	Using standard frameworks, UoY, and QAA.
32	Using standard frameworks, UoY, and QAA.
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34	Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
35	Will this programme involve any exemptions from the University Policy and Procedures on Credit Transfer and the Recognition of Prior Learning? If so, please specify and give a rationale
36	No.
37	No.
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39	Exceptions to Regulations
40	Please detail any exceptions to University Award Regulations and Frameworks that need to be approved (or are already approved) for this programme. This should include any that have been approved for related programmes and should be extended to this programme.
41	None
42	None
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44	Internal Transfers
45	Please use the boxes below to specify if transfers into / out of the programme from / to other programmes within the University are possible by indicating yes or no and listing any restrictions. These boxes can also be used to highlight any common transfer routes which it would be useful for students to know.
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47		Transfers in:	Yes, if fulfill entry requirements and there are places on the programme.			Transfers out:	Yes.
48							Yes.
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50	Statement of Purpose
51	Please briefly outline the overall aims of the programme. This should clarify to a prospective student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
52	In the MA in Early Modern History you will engage with the complex and diverse history of the early modern period. This distinctive and ambitious programme is delivered by a large group of early modern historians working on Europe and overseas empires. The programme will teach you about continuity and change across the early modern period and introduce you to the key concepts, methods and practices of the study of early modern history. You will engage with a variety of innovative approaches to a range of topics including the Reformation, early modern globalisation, gender in early modern Europe, the scientific revolution and material culture. You will be introduced to a wide range of sources and approaches drawn from the entire span of the early modern period, and thereby gain an unusual breadth of vision which transcends more conventional boundaries, not only between British and European history but also between Europe and the differing cultures encountered on Europe's frontiers and overseas. You will study option modules in history, and possibly in neighbouring departments, which offer a wealth of different disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to a wide range of early modern topics. You will also have the opportunity to develop specialist skills training such as early modern palaeography. The programme centres on skills of independent learning: for every module you will, with the guidance of your tutors, have to establish your own research agenda and find ways to address the questions you wish to answer. You will critically reflect upon and further enhance the intrinsic skills of historians: these include an ability to read extensively and intensively. You will navigate the abundant materials available to early modern historians at York (including the rich holdings of the Borthwick Institute for Archives and the York Minster Library) to contextualise your findings and develop arguments. Your presentation skills will improve considerably via practice at seminars and workshops, and by the writing of research-led essays and a dissertation. Throughout your programme you will be guided by internationally recognised historians. You will be encouraged to participate in the lively scholarly community of the department's active graduate school through attendance at relevant seminars, research training sessions and the weekly departmental research seminar. You will also have full access to the interdisciplinary Centre for Renaissance and Early Modern Studies which provides an active programme of academic seminars, small conferences and reading groups involving both the academic staff and graduate students. The MA opens up possibilities for progression to a research degree or for further professional development.
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63	If there are additional awards associated with the programme upon which students can register, please specify the Statement of Purpose for that programme. This will be most relevant for PGT programmes with exit awards that are also available as entry points. Use additional rows to include more than one additional award. Do not include years in industry / abroad (for which there are separate boxes).
64	Exit Award Title			Is the exit award also available as an entry point?	Outcomes: what will the student be able to do on exit with this award?			Specify the module diet that the student will need to complete to obtain this exit award
65	Postgraduate Certificate in Early Modern History			exit award only				any 60 credits
66	Postgraduate Diploma in Early Modern History			exit award only				any 120 credits including 'Research Project'
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68	Programme Learning Outcomes
69	What are the programme learning outcomes (PLOs) for the programme? (Normally a minimum of 6, maximum of 8). Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme and represent the outcomes that students progressively develop in the programme and achieve at graduation. PLOs should be worded to follow the stem 'Graduates will be able to...'
70	1	Understand and give illuminating accounts of key changes and continuities in the religious, social, political, economic and cultural histories of the early modern period (c. 1450-c. 1750) by deploying an in-depth and extensive knowledge of relevant scholarship.
71	2	Engage critically with historical scholarship and select relevant scholarly contexts in which to situate research findings.
72	3	Design and pursue high quality research questions for essays and a dissertation, demonstrating a capacity for independent thought and action.
73	4	Formulate and defend historical arguments grounded in the interpretation of sources.
74	5	Reflect critically on how historians handle a wide variety of sources for the study of the early modern period including printed materials, manuscripts, and visual sources and choose appropriate sources and methods for independent research.
75	6	Respond responsibly and resourcefully to the ethical and practical issues that arise during advanced historical research, including disciplinary differences between historical methods and those deployed by cognate disciplines and be alert to the value of working across these boundaries.
76	7	Communicate research findings imaginatively, lucidly and succinctly using a variety of media forms including short reports, oral presentations and extended pieces of writing.
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78	Diverse entry routes
79	Detail how you would support students from diverse entry routes to transition into the programme. For example, disciplinary knowledge and conventions of the discipline, language skills, academic and writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity.
80	The core module caters for students with a diverse background in History, the teaching of which varies across HEI in the UK, and overseas. All modules have formative essays which are revised for the summative work supported by tutors all of whom have twice weekly office hours. The Research Training module provide generic training in project design, finding sources, in ethics and in academic writing (ie how to construct an argument) and is undertaken before students commence their ISM.
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85	Inclusion
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87	Please confirm by ticking the box on the right that the design, content and delivery of the programme will support students from all backgrounds to succeed. This refers to the University's duties under the Equality Act 2010. You may wish to refer to the optional Inclusive Learning self-assessment tools to support reflection on this issue.
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89	Employability
90	Please give a brief overview - no more than 5 sentences - of how the programmes helps develop students' employability. Your Faculty Employability Manager can help reflection on this issue. This statement will be used by Marketing as the basis for external content with respect to employability.
91	The programme provides an opportunity for learning advanced transferrable skills in project management—via especially the independent study module, a nine-month sets of activities to be planned and executed; in lucid and succinct report writing to a deadline; in collecting information from a diverse range of sources; in storing and analysing qualitative and quantitative data; in working collaboratively and inclusively with colleagues to debate contestable claims; in thinking critically about the advantages and disadvantages of group think (confirmation bias) which all organisations are prone to; in preparing detailed pre-meeting briefs; in conducting inclusive discussions; and in communicating in person clearly and confidently—both in one-to-one situations and in front of a large group of people.
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98	[For Undergraduate and Integrated Masters Programmes Only]
99	Are you offering any variations of this programme, such as additional years abroad or industry?
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