Master of History

The Master of History covers three distinct areas:

discipline knowledge, a choice of area studies and writing history.

The MHist suits students coming to the study of history for the first time as well as those who want to extend their knowledge in particular areas or upgrade their professional qualifications.

The area studies cover both Ancient and Modern History, including Ancient Greece and Rome, the Ancient Near East, Early Modern and Medieval History, American History, Australian History, Asian History, European History and Public History.

The course progresses from exploring the nature of history as a discipline through to specialised studies of historical periods and problems, and it ends with the opportunity to undertake substantial historical research projects including writing for publication.

Course Aims

This course covers three distinct areas: discipline knowledge, a choice of area studies and writing history. It suits those students coming to the study of history for the first time as well as those who want to extend their knowledge or upgrade their professional qualifications. Covering Ancient, Medieval and Modern History, the course aims to explore the nature of history as a discipline through specialised studies of historical periods and problems. It concludes with the opportunity to undertake substantial historical research projects including writing for publication.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: exhibit and apply an advanced body of historical knowledge across a range of periods and themes, and understand the nature and development of historical inquiry and thought from ancient times to the most recent developments of the modern age; understand and apply the various principles and methods used in historical inquiry and practice, including the evaluation, synthesising, interpretation and application of both historical evidence and historical thinking; apply higher-level writing and communication skills, as well as an advanced level of creative and theoretical thinking; apply the range of critical, reflective and technical skills used by historians to a range of public and professional areas such as journalism, media work, public relations, policy development, government and administration; and demonstrate and apply advanced knowledge of research principles and methods, and themes applicable to the discipline.

Graduate Attributes

Knowledge of a Discipline Graduates will have advanced knowledge of history, historical thought and historiography. This will include an appreciation of the processes through which historical knowledge has evolved. This is taught through unit materials, online discussions, guided readings, and directed learning activities. It is assessed through different forms of assessment appropriate to the history discipline such as the written and extended research essay. Communication Skills Graduates will have advanced skills to communicate and substantiate the results of historical thinking and research in a variety of written and multi-media formats. These skills are taught through written and oral feedback on assessment tasks and through online participation and engagement, both with academic staff and their peers and assessed through a range of different types of assignments. Problem Solving Graduates will have a deep knowledge of key problem-solving strategies and interrogations used in history and will be able to expertly apply this knowledge to develop their own responses to particular problems in different environments and on different topics and issues. This is taught, assessed and practised through a detailed analysis of a variety of historical and historiographical problems, as well as through online discussions between academic staff and their peers, and through written and multi-media assessment tasks. Information Literacy Graduates will have a wide range of higher-level research skills utilised by historians such as locating, collecting, referencing and evaluating relevant sources, both primary and secondary, including the skills to assess different types of historical information, identify the most useful sources and critically examine the evidence they offer. Ethical Conduct and Social Responsibility Graduates will have an advanced understanding of their professional responsibilities as historians to provide balanced and accurate research; their social responsibility to question and challenge some 'facts'; their ethical responsibilities towards the people and organisations whose histories they research and present. They will also be taught about the value of historical knowledge and its value to contemporary life. Lifelong Learning Graduates will have the skills and knowledge to continue to research, evaluate, discuss and present historical issues in a variety of professional and community settings. Independence and Collaboration Graduates will be able to exercise responsibility and accountability for their own learning and professional practice as well as the ability to work collaboratively with others. Graduates will have in-depth knowledge of the ways in which historians are increasingly working collaboratively together on projects in community settings and of the impact of historians and teamwork with communities, families, government, corporate and voluntary organisations. This involves combining an understanding of social responsibility with the skills of teamwork. These skills and knowledge are practised through requiring students to work collaboratively and network effectively to solve problems and present results. This is achieved through the online discussions and the sharing of information and findings and developing a historical collegiality. In this environment students are required to take the initiative as well as assert their own values and opinions while respecting the values and contributions of others.