Course information
UK fee £9,550
International fee £18,950
Taught by History
Admissions enquiries
+44 (0)116 252 5281
Submit a course enquiry
Course enquiries
+44 (0)116 252 2587
hypirpg@le.ac.uk
Course description
Course description
This course is run by our internationally acclaimed Centre for Regional and Local History, established in 1948. Our research centre advances the study of academic local history across England and Wales. You will study in-depth the interaction between society, families and landscape and use comparative methods to test hypotheses and interpretations, which might include comparisons with places outside of the British Isles. Studying this pathway will allow you to explore a variety of topics including regional identities, society and landscape, historical ecology, family and community history, and cultural regions.
The course will allow you to expand and deepen your historical knowledge and develop advanced research skills. We have a very strong tradition of pioneering fresh approaches in History from the local to the global. With over thirty research historians working in various fields, we offer expert supervision and a wealth of options.
If you choose the Local History specialist pathway of our History MA, your degree certificate will read 'MA History (Local History)'. Alternatively you can opt for one of the other pathways or the standard History MA:
The MA degree will enhance your attractiveness to employers and equip you with the necessary training and experience to continue research at doctoral level. You will be encouraged to develop an independent approach to research and critical reflection.
The course can also be studied part-time over two years.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
2:1 degree in history or another relevant discipline.
We also welcome applicants who do not have a degree but who can show enthusiasm and competence by having attended relevant certificated courses, by submitting published work or by writing qualifying essays to a first degree standard.
English Language Requirements
IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.
International Qualifications
Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.
Countries listFees and funding
Fees and funding
UK Students
Starting in September 2025
- MA: £9,550
If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.
Scholarships
We regularly offer fee bursaries for our MA degrees. The Friends of the Centre for Regional and Local History offer a number of bursaries each year. Local History students can also apply to the Hoskins Duffield fund for assistance with their expenses while studying.
Len Garrison MA Scholarship in Black British History
Three studentships are available for eligible students studying on the History (Local History) MA, starting in 2024. Each scholarship covers student tuition fees in full and includes a small bursary to cover travel and subsistence costs for a semester-long placement at Black Cultural Archives in London.
Find out more about scholarships and funding.
Did you know you can apply for a Government Postgraduate Loan? Find out if you’re eligible.
International Students
Starting in September 2025
- MA: £18,950
If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.
Scholarships
We regularly offer fee bursaries for our MA degrees. The Friends of the Centre for Regional and Local History offer a number of bursaries each year. Local History students can also apply to the Hoskins Duffield fund for assistance with their expenses while studying.
Find out more about scholarships and funding.
Careers and employability
Careers and employability
Our MA course will offer you a strong competitive advantage and career choices and your future salary can be considerably enhanced by postgraduate qualifications.
A postgraduate degree in history provides you with a wide range of skills including:
- critical analysis of textual, visual, and material evidence
- statistical analysis and database design
- advanced written and oral presentation skills
- time management and independent working on a significant research project.
As a postgraduate student in the department, you will also have the opportunity to plan meetings and conferences, as well as possible opportunities for teaching and demonstrating to undergraduate students.
Our Career Development Service is here to support you, with advice on interviews, CVs, work experience, volunteering and more. From Freshers’ Week to Graduation and beyond, they are here to help you reach your professional goals.
Related courses
Course structure
Core modules
Core modules
- Historical Research, Historical Writing
- Families and Communities in England and Wales, c. 1600-1900
- Landscapes and Identities in Medieval and Early Modern England
Plus your Dissertation
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Option modules
Option modules
Choose one option module from:
- Global Cities: the View from Asia
- The City in History
- The Holocaust
- After The Holocaust
- How Buildings Work: Architectural History and Structural Engineering
- Conservation, Heritage and the Urban Environment
- Conservation in Practice
- Mastering Medieval Sources
- American Freedoms
- Victorian Society
- Global History: comparative and connected approaches
- Landscapes and Identities in Medieval and Early Modern England
- Doctors, Disease and Pandemics: Patients and Practitioners
- Heritage in the Workplace
- Directed Reading Module
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Why Leicester?
History at Leicester is home to three highly regarded postgraduate research centres - the Centre for Regional and Local History, the Centre for Urban History and the Stanley Burton Centre for Holocaust and Genocide Studies - which deliver our specialist pathway MAs.
Our Masters programmes offer a great deal of flexibility as all courses are available on a full- or part- time basis.
We are home to the HyPIR Lab, a dynamic initiative set up by postgraduates for postgraduates to provide an interactive forum to discuss history and share ideas. We have a wealth of dedicated postgraduate facilities, including audio suites, a map room, and specialist libraries covering local and urban history.
We have dedicated postgraduate facilities, including audio suites, a map room, and specialist libraries covering local and urban history.
Teaching and learning
You will be taught through a wide range of lecture classes, seminars, practical classes, tutorials, day-trips in the field, a one-week residential field course, and a 15,000 word dissertation of your own choosing which will be supervised by a member of staff.
Assessment is by essays, assignments and projects, and your dissertation.
Key dates
September 2025 start
- Application deadline: 8 September 2025 (Please note if you require a visa to study you will be required to submit your course application by 25 July 2025)
- Deposit payment deadline: 8 August 2025
- CAS request deadline: 5 September 2025
- 70% tuition payment deadline: 5 September 2025
Apply now
| Course | Qualification | Duration | Start Dates | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course History (Local History) | Qualification MA | Duration 1 year full-time | Start Dates September each year | Availability Apply Now |
| Course History (Local History) | Qualification MA | Duration 2 years part-time | Start Dates September each year | Availability Apply Now |
My course has enabled me to study a wide range of core topics whilst also specialising in my favoured area. I feel that I have a more in-depth and rounded knowledge – the skills that I have gained have put me in a good position for a diverse range of careers.