MA Contemporary History  MA Contemporary History University of Sussex ../webroot/files/Institutions/cover_photo/1534153195University-of-Sussex.jpg

Sussex has a long-established reputation for cutting-edge historical research in contemporary history. The MA in Contemporary History is different in scope from those available at other universities. Its distinctiveness lies in the emphasis on social and cultural, economic as well as political history, and in providing opportunities to study important aspects of the contemporary history of Asia, Africa and north America, as well as Britain. It aims to provide you with the knowledge, understanding and conceptual, intellectual and subject-specific skills to analyse problems of importance in the contemporary world historically, ie in their long-run context as distinct from the necessarily shorter focus of the contemporary social sciences. There is a strong emphasis upon the comparative study of different countries or regions. A highly distinctive feature of this programme is the training it offers in making video documentaries relating to the recent past: in the spring term all students are offered the option of taking the course Video Documentary in Contemporary History. Former students have produced films of outstanding quality and have gained external acclaim for their work. This programme draws upon our expertise in modern British, north American, Asian and African history to offer a carefully constructed programme of study split into two pathways. Each pathway through the programme is linked to an interdisciplinary research centre. In this way you are integrated into the research culture of the University and encouraged to attend relevant seminars and symposia. The Centre for Colonial and Postcolonial Studies reflects significant interdisciplinary and cross-school interest in the histories and cultures of colonialism, and in postcolonial studies. It organises annual conferences, a seminar series and provides opportunities for more informal discussions of work in progress among its members. The Research Centre in War, Representation and Society has strong links with the Imperial War Museum and the internationally recognised Mass Observation Archive, a unique resource for the study of 20th-century Britain. The Centre also has close research links with the Centre for Life History and Life Writing Research. Funding History at Sussex has been successful in attracting research preparation Masters quota funding via the AHRC Block Grant Partnership Scheme. Programme structure The options listed below are an example of courses that may be available. You take four courses during the MA. Autumn term: Empire, Nation, State in the 20th Century Historical Skills and Methods and War, Gender and British Society, 1914-1945. Spring term: Imperialism, Nationalism and Popular Protest in Late Colonial India Segregated Societies: The American and South African South, 1860-1970 The Falklands American Labour History Video Documentary in Contemporary History and Vietnam War. You may substitute one of these options with an option chosen from other MA programmes, subject to the agreement of the convenor. Summer term and vacation: you undertake supervised work on the MA dissertation, which ? subject to agreement ? may involve research anywhere in Britain or another country, depending on the topic chosen. Assessment Historical Skills and Methods is assessed by a portfolio consisting of a group submission, an individual essay and a research proposal. Video Documentary is examined on the basis of the documentaries produced as group projects. Each other course is assessed by a 5,000-word term paper, each paper to be written in the vacation following the end of the course in question. All students write a 20,000-word dissertation, which is submitted towards the end of the summer vacation.

A first- or upper second-class undergraduate honours degree in history or another humanities or social science subject. IELTS 6.5 overall, with not less than 6.0 in each section. Pearson Test of English (Academic) 62 overall, with at least 56 in all four