Master programme in History
120 ECTS credits
Study programme
Are you interested in deeper and more expansive knowledge about a dynamic, exciting and socially relevant subject? Then the master programme in History is the right choice for you!
History has never been more relevant. We are surrounded by fake news and a multitude of media outlets that engage in the contemporary trend of using historical perspectives to legitimise everything from genocide and insurrection to the crafting of individual identities. The need for historical knowledge and the ability to critically evaluate sources will likely increase in several professions.
To study history is to go on an intellectual adventure. The History department at Kau is home to diverse competence within use of history and cultural heritage issues, and master's students will be part of the subject's research environment. To become part of the active research environment, you are encouraged to attend seminars and join the mentorship programme, which are not formally part of the master programme. The master's thesis that concludes the programme goes through final review at the History research seminar.
Master-level studies offer a high degree of independent work. The need for on-campus attendance is subsequently lower than at the bachelor level. In both on-campus and distance courses, our ambition is to help students who do not live in Karlstad complete the master programme. Many programme courses are also offered as freestanding courses, providing more opportunity to connect with fellow students.
History has never been more relevant. We are surrounded by fake news and a multitude of media outlets that engage in the contemporary trend of using historical perspectives to legitimise everything from genocide and insurrection to the crafting of individual identities. The need for historical knowledge and the ability to critically evaluate sources will likely increase in several professions.
To study history is to go on an intellectual adventure. The History department at Kau is home to diverse competence within use of history and cultural heritage issues, and master's students will be part of the subject's research environment. To become part of the active research environment, you are encouraged to attend seminars and join the mentorship programme, which are not formally part of the master programme. The master's thesis that concludes the programme goes through final review at the History research seminar.
Master-level studies offer a high degree of independent work. The need for on-campus attendance is subsequently lower than at the bachelor level. In both on-campus and distance courses, our ambition is to help students who do not live in Karlstad complete the master programme. Many programme courses are also offered as freestanding courses, providing more opportunity to connect with fellow students.
Education level:
Master's level
Prerequisites
A Degree of Bachelor of at least 180 credits with History, History of Ideas, Cultural Studies, Religious Studies, Political Science, Ethnology or Archaeology as the main field of study. An independent project of at least 15 credits at G2E level must be included. Upper secondary school level Swedish 3 and English 6/A. Equivalence assessment may be made.
While studying
Education
The programme includes compulsory and optional courses. Semester 3 consists entirely of optional courses, allowing you to choose courses that complement your profile. Below are examples of optional courses at Kau. Optional courses may also be taken at a different university. A master's degree may include no more than 30 ECTS credits at the bachelor level.History with a specialisation in use of history and cultural heritage
The master programme allows you to study history with a specialisation in use of history and cultural heritage.
The specialisation provides in-depth theoretical and methodological knowledge in cultural history and studies an international and ever-changing multidisciplinary area of knowledge, in which individual and collective forms of action and conceptions provide further perspectives on identity and interculturality. The studies enhance the understanding of how historical perspectives interact with our interpretation of the contemporary world and our collective horizons of expectation. There is strong emphasis on practical placements, project work and mentorship focused on the use of history and cultural heritage field. This opens the door to a range of professional paths in an expansive area where issues of identity and intercultural perspectives are key. There is emphasis on critical analysis and judgement as well as the independent planning, execution and presentation of an academic project that is firmly rooted in the discipline's theory and methodology.
Form of Instruction
Instruction complies with the course syllabus of each individual course. Most courses are at 50% pace, which means that students take two courses simultaneously for full-time studies. That means you can easily study at 50% pace if you so choose. The programme offers two possible outcomes. The student can pursue a Degree of Master (60 ECTS credits), or a Degree of Master (120 ECTS credits). Some courses are also offered as freestanding distance learning courses. This and the fact that master-level studies generally require less on-campus attendance increases the possibility to complete the programme even if you do not live in Karlstad.Since the programme structure is flexible, students have to plan their study paths carefully, preferably in consultation with the programme's study counsellor.
Examination
Examinations and forms of examination are listed in the individual course syllabuses. As a whole, the programme includes various types of oral, written and sometimes presentation-based forms of examinations that all help you develop different skills and prepare you for master's thesis, which is the final examination.Study Abroad
The programme offers the chance to study abroad. Semester 3 is a free semester where all courses are optional. This gives you the opportunity to plan a longer stay abroad to study relevant subjects that are eligible for inclusion in a master's degree.Professional Contact
The programme offers several clear opportunities for in-depth professional contact, practical placement, mentorship, and one-on-one career coaching.Semester 3 includes the option of a practical placement module of 15 ECTS credits. The placement structure is based on the needs and possibilities of the employer and the student, and the student has every opportunity to influence where to have their placement. Another option is to select an area for the final thesis based on experiences gained and work done in the placement course.
As a student in this programme, you are also eligible for the Karlstad University mentorship programme where you will be matched with a mentor in your field. The one-year mentorship starts in February each year.
The aim of a mentorship is to support a less experienced mentoree in their personal development. The mentor helps the mentoree find answers and make choices that form a path forward in their career and life. Mentors also share their own experiences, knowledge and stories.
You will also be offered one-on-one career coaching between your first and second year.
Course of study
| Semester 1 | ECTS credits |
|---|---|
| Introduction to historical studies (Obligatory)
Introduktionskurs till ämnesstudier på masternivå. Nationella och internationella perspektiv, historiografi och metoddiskussioner behandlas liksom olika typer av maktstrukturer, exempelvis hur genus, klass och etnicitet påverkat historieskrivningen.
|
7.5 |
| Use of history (Obligatory)
Kursen sätter in begreppet historiebruk i en nationell och internationell forskningskontext där studenten tillägnar sig fördjupad vetenskaplig förståelse för historiebruk och möjligheter för tillämpning i undervisning och kulturförmedling.
|
7.5 |
| Historical methods (Obligatory)
Kursen ger fördjupade kunskaper i historisk forskningsmetodik och insikt i metodernas vetenskapsteoretiska kontext. Under kursen identifieras hur historievetenskapligt relevanta frågor kan ställas och operationaliseras i förhållande till olika källor
|
7.5 |
| Historiography (Obligatory)
I denna kurs behandlas den svenska och den europeiska historiografiska utvecklingen med tyngdpunkt på efterkrigstiden med fokus på exempelvis socialhistoria, den kulturella vändningen och den allt starkare betoningen på marginaliserade grupper.
|
7.5 |
Total ECTS credits:
30
| Semester 2 | ECTS credits |
|---|---|
| The New Political History (Obligatory)
I denna kurs behandlas hur den nya politiska historien vuxit fram som ett forskningsfält i mötet med andra discipliner. Studenten erbjuds möjlighet att förvärva perspektiv och metodologiska kunskaper som kan användas för olika typer av fördjupningar.
|
7.5 |
| Research methods in cultural history (Obligatory)
Kursen ger fördjupade kunskaper forskningsmetodik utifrån kulturhistoriskt källmaterial. Studenten handleds att skriva kvalificerad målgruppsanpassad text och ge andra återkoppling. Även forskningens och publiceringens etiska aspekter behandlas.
|
7.5 |
| Independent Project in History I
(Elective)
Uppsatskurs magisterexamen
|
15 |
| Archives as cultural heritage (Obligatory)
När information snabbt blir digital och förgänglig blir arkivens betydelse avgörande. Kursen fokuserar både på hur dokument bevaras och hur berättelser, röster och erfarenheter från olika tider och platser tas tillvara.
|
7.5 |
| The Multifaceted Cultural Heritage (Obligatory)
Denna kurs syftar till att fördjupa förståelsen för historiens, kulturarvens och minnens betydelse för människan och samhället genom att undersöka och problematisera hur de produceras, reproduceras, sprids och används.
|
7.5 |
| Independent Project in History I (Obligatory)
Inom kursen genomförs en historievetenskaplig undersökning som presenteras i form av en magisteruppsats i enlighet med gällande krav. (endast för utgång magister)
|
15 |
Total ECTS credits:
30*
| Semester 3 | ECTS credits |
|---|---|
| Practical Placement 1 History (Optional)
Kursen utgörs av praktikarbete genom aktivt deltagande i förekommande arbetsuppgifter vid en relevant arbetsplats. Praktikens uppläggning anpassas efter arbetsplatsens och studentens behov och förutsättningar. Handledningssamtal sker fortlöpande.
|
15 |
| Historical inquiry, problems and questions (Optional)
Med utgångspunkt i ett urval texter kring skilda epoker och teman tränas studenten att kritiskt granska och värdera olika sätt att formulera historievetenskapligt relevanta problem och frågeställningar.
|
7.5 |
| Cultural heritage: Transnational perspectives
(Optional)
Kursen är praktiskt inriktad på internationell interaktivitet mellan studenter i Sverige och i Indien. Särskilt vikt läggs vid konfliktytor mellan tradition/nyskapande, nationalism/kolonialism/internationalism, krig/fred samt genus- och miljöfrågor
|
7.5 |
| Scandinavian history (Optional)
Kursen ger breda kunskaper gällande Skandinaviens politik, demografi, religion, ekonomi och kultur och fokuserar statsbyggnad, konflikter och konfliktlösning, migration och minoriteter samt kulturell utveckling i de nordiska länderna.
|
7.5 |
| Deindustrialisation (Optional)
This course examines deindustrialisation as a transnational historical transformation process with ongoing local consequences, where workplace closures, job losses, and relocation affect social cohesion and collective identities.
|
7.5 |
| History as Social Therapy and Trauma Recovery (Optional)
The course explores the extent to which history can serve as a tool for processing collective trauma, potentially functioning as a form of social therapy. The course moves across an interdisciplinary landscape.
|
7.5 |
| Cultural policy in a historical perspective
(Optional)
Kursen behandlar kulturpolitikens framväxt under senare delen av 1900-talet, dels som ett statligt politikområde som inkluderar folkbildningen, dels som en dynamisk arena för olika typer av estetiska uttrycksformer och kulturarvssträvanden.
|
7.5 |
Total ECTS credits:
30*
| Semester 4 | ECTS credits |
|---|---|
| Master Thesis in History (Obligatory)
Programmet avslutas med en större historievetenskaplig undersökning. Tema, ämne samt teoretiska och metodologisk ansats väljs av studenten i samråd med utsedd handledare. Masteruppsatsen ventileras inom historikernas högre seminarium och publiceras.
|
30 |
Total ECTS credits:
30
*Full-time study always equals 30 ECTS credits per semester (20 weeks).
Program evaluations
Start semester Autumn 2022
Future prospects
Employment Market
A master's degree in History increases your appeal to employers, albeit not always as clearly defined as in the other social sciences. In-depth knowledge of cultural history and a well-developed ability to manage, analyse and prioritise in large datasets make it possible for the students to pursue many different professions in a broad range of careers. Any sector that strongly values independence and the ability for critical analysis is a potential employment market for degree-holding historians. Examples include work within sectors such as education, media, library and archives, politics, and public management at municipal, regional and national levels, or the traditionally identified sectors for historians that do not work as teachers, namely the culture and cultural heritage sector (e.g. museums, exhibitions, and information). As the level of education rises steadily across all sectors, the employment market for students with a master-level degree will be more favourable. The programme also makes you eligible for doctoral studies to earn a PhD.Conquering knowledge of history breeds humility and empathy. The more you know, the less likely you are to be arrogant in your statements. With in-depth knowledge comes the ability to distinguish nuances and grasp how things are connected. We need more historians in today's society.
Degree
Degree of Master of Arts (60 credits) Main field of study: HistoryDegree of Master of Arts (120 credits) Main field of study: History
Further Studies
When you have completed the programme, you are eligible for doctoral studies in the main field of your degree.Tuition fees
- Total fee: 192,000 SEK
- Per semester / First payment: 48,000 SEK
You do not have to pay tuition fees if you are an exchange student or a citizen of a country within the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland.
Choose occasion
Distance with on-campus meetings (Karlstad), 50%
Options
- Start Autumn 2027
- Mode of study Distance with on-campus meetings (Karlstad)
- On-Campus Meetings 2 mandatory
- Language Swedish
- Application code KAU-80942
- Study pace 50% (Day)