History

With internationally renowned teaching staff, and surrounded by national cultural institutions, ANU is a historian's dream.

Studying history at ANU you can draw upon our prize-winning teaching and research in Australian, North American, early modern and modern European, and British history, and the expertise of our leading centres for Indigenous history, environmental history, and biography.

The resources of the National Library of Australia, the National Archives of Australia, the National Museum of Australia, and the National Gallery of Australia are also all at your fingertips.

The Master of History provides the theoretical grounding and practical skills you need for the advanced study of history, plus the opportunity to tailor a program according to your interests. If you're a secondary school teacher, you are able to focus on areas in the national curriculum for history.

Career Options

Employment Opportunities

A Master of History will advance your career in government, industry, finance, politics, public relations, the services sector, teaching, the arts or in any profession requiring good management of diverse information, analytical and writing skills.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the skills and knowledge to:

1. Review, analyse, and synthesise historical materials, knowledge and theory;
2. Exercise critical thinking in historical theory while developing understanding of historical interpretations and debates;
3. Learn the technical skills needed to undertake independent historical research;
4. Present a clear and coherent exposition of historical ideas and materials to a variety of audiences, and
5. Undertake an independent research project.

The Master of History requires completion of 96 units, which must consist of:

12 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

HIST6007 Making History

HIST6110 Approaches to History

24 units from completion of introductory courses from the following list:

HIST6022 Indigenous Australian History

HIST6107 American Voices: Aspects of Social Thought in the United States, 1900-1990

HIST6121 Electric Citizens: The Rise of the Modern Media in the United States, 1865-2000

HIST6126 American Sixties

HIST6128 Convicts and Emigrants: Australia, 1770s to 1870s

HIST6133 Human Variations and Racism in Western Culture, c. 1450-1950

HIST6136 World At War, 1939-1945

HIST6205 Europe and the Atlantic World, c.1492-1776

HIST6213 Real Men: Manhood and Identity in the Western World

HIST6214 The Great War, 1914-1919

HIST6221 The Birth of Modernity: Britain 1688-1848

HIST6223 The French Revolution and Napoleonic Europe

HIST6226 Nazi Germany

HIST6228 Enlightenment Worlds

HIST6229 Sexuality in Australian History

HIST6236 Debating Anzac

HIST6237 Digital History, Digital Heritage

HIST6509 Tudor-Stuart England c.1485-1714: Politics, Society, Culture

36 units from the completion of courses on the following list:

HIST8010 Biographical Practices

HIST8011 Writing Biography

HIST8015 Colonial Australia in an Imperial World

HIST8016 Settler Societies and Indigenous Encounters

HIST8017 Australia and the World at War

HIST8018 A Globalising World

HIST8021 Readings in History

HIST8022 History, Human Rights, and Globalisation

HUMN8009 Biography and Society

24 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU

A Bachelor degree or international equivalent with an average mark of at least 65 per cent

All applicants must meet the University's English Language Admission Requirements for Students

Applicants with a Bachelor Degree or Graduate Certificate in a cognate discipline may be eligible for 24 units (one semester) of credit.

Applicants with a Graduate Diploma or Honours in a cognate discipline may be eligible for 48 units (one year) of credit.

Cognate disciplines

Ancient History, Archaeology, History, Journalism, Museum Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Sociology, Social Sciences

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

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.