Early Modern Studies — Northern Europe 1450-1850

The goal of the master’s programme is that students should acquire knowledge and understanding of how northern Europe developed socially, politically, economically and culturally in the early modern period (c. 1450-1850). Of particular interest are the causes and consequences of the long term and diverse lines of development within the region.

Central importance rests upon comparative perspectives and methods. The geographical areas of Scandinavia, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Russia, Poland, and the German-speaking area provide an ample basis for questions about similarities and differences. For instance, England and the Netherlands are often described as the first modern economies while Russia is described as radically different with its residual serfdom and other traces of a feudal economy. Positioned between the two, Scandinavia takes on particular comparative interest.

Degree

The programme leads to a Master of Arts (120 credits) with History as the main field of study.

Career

Graduates with a Master’s degree in histo­ry will be employable in a wide variety of occupations. It provides you with a good basis for advanced positions in secondary and higher education, civil service on local, regional and national levels, personnel management, journalism, international organisations, tourism, as well as in enhancing cultural herit­age in its various manifestations including archives, museums and libraries. A Master’s degree in history is a prerequisite for a successful career in historical research.

Instruction

The programme is structured so that both thesis work and course work take place simultaneously, focusing on courses the first year and thesis writing the second year. A more detailed programme structure will be drawn up in your individual study­ plan, which you will discuss with the programme coordinator.

The teaching methods include seminars, lectures and individual and group tutorials. Apart from other students of the programme and the teachers involved, you will have the opportunity to meet students enrolled in other Master’s programmes. The language of instruction is English.

The programme consists of a degree pro­ject (60 credits) and eight courses. Seven of the courses are mandatory and one is elective.

The first year ends with a workshop where you present a research proposal for your thesis in the presence of other programme students and researchers within the early modern field. The second year also ends with a workshop open to the public, where you will present and defend your Master’s thesis. During the first year you will take five courses based on various topics.

Courses within the programme

Year 1

• Introduction to Early Modern Studies
• War, Power, Resistance: The Rise of the State in Northern Europe, 1500-1800
• Survival: Institutions and Strategies in the Early Modern World
• Consumption and Material Culture in Early Modern Europe
• Cultures of Inequality: Order, Visuality and Tension in the Societies of Estates of Early Modernity
• Early Modern Gunpowder Empires in Global Perspective

Year 2

• Workshop in Early Modern Studies
• Master thesis in early modern studies
• One elective course

A Bachelor’s degree, equivalent to a Swedish degree of at least 180 credits, with a major in history studies (90 credits).Proof of skills in English to a level corresponding to English B in the Swedish secondary school. This is normally attested by means of an internationally recognised test with the following minimum scores:IELTS: an overall mark of 6.5 and no section below 5.5TOEFL: Paper-based: Score of 4.5 (scale 1-6) in written test and a total score of 575. Internet-based: Score of 20 (scale 0-30) in written test and a total score of 90Cambridge: CAE, CPE English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 575 TOEFL iBT® test: 90

---

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Uppsala University provides several different scholarships for students. The scholarships cover exclusively the tuition fees for courses within the programme, i e 30 credits per semester.
Read more about scholarships on www.uu.se/scholarships.