International History (M.Phil. / P.Grad.Dip.)

Overview

Course Overview

The M.Phil in international history offers students the chance to pursue historical research outside the bounds of the nation state. The program allows students to immerse themselves in the questions of the past, develop research skills and become familiar with scholarship in the fields of transnational, comparative, and global history. Students can choose courses from a variety of geographic specialties in modern history, especially including European, Chinese, Japanese, U.S., Ottoman and Middle Eastern, and environmental history. Topics of interest could include the movement of culture, people, ideas, or trade across national borders, or issues such as imperialism, globalisation, transnational social movements, human rights, and the history of war and conflict.

Is This Course For Me?

The course is designed for students who want to immerse themselves in research questions in preparation for a PhD, undertake or deepen study of foreign cultures, develop new areas of interest, or understand the historical roots of current international events. They will usually already have a potential field of study in which they hope to write their dissertation, an independent research project developed together with a supervisor.
Please note that students wishing to come to Trinity primarily to study Irish history should not apply to this M.Phil but to the M.Phil in Modern Irish History

Career Opportunities

The M.Phil. helps prepare graduates for a wide variety of careers, including in the museum and heritage sectors, politics, libraries and archives, public policy and administration, teaching, and the media. It also provides invaluable training in research for those planning to pursue a doctorate and / or career in research.

Course Structure

Taken as a full-time course, the M.Phil. lasts for 12 months starting in September. Teaching will be spread over two terms, beginning in September and concluding the following April. EU/UK/EEA students can also take the course on a part-time basis over two years.

An M.Phil. degree within the School of Histories and Humanities consists of 90 ECTS.

Course Content

The course consists of six modules. The two mandatory modules are a year-long, core module on International History: Methods and Themes and an International History Skills Seminar. Three elective modules can be selected from a range of specialties depending on staff availability, including continental European, Chinese, U.S., Middle Eastern and environmental history. The final module is the capstone project, a dissertation based on students’ own independent research on a topic in international history, individually supervised by a member of staff. See the Course handbook here for more details.