About History: Imperialism and Culture, MA, PG Dip, Postgraduate Certificate - at Sheffield Hallam University
Academic interest in imperialism has focused on economic and political issues. Imperial history has now expanded to include the relationship between culture and colonialism, cultural and national identities in the post-colonial age and the nature of globalisation.
These new areas of research are the main focus of this course. You study imperialism as an economic, political and cultural phenomenon from the period of European expansion and colonialism to the post-colonial era.
This course builds on the success of our unique distance-learning MA History; Imperialism and Culture. Our department rated 5 for excellence in the 2001 national Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).
You study two evenings a week over one year (full-time) or one evening a week over a minimum of two years (part-time). As a full-time student you complete your dissertation between May and September.
The course conforms to Arts and Humanities Research Board guidelines and provides rigorous research training for potential PhD students. You gain advanced critical and academic skills that enhance your current or future career prospects.
Historical research skills are developed through advanced research methods and a 15, 000 word research dissertation. Over fifty percent of the award is devoted to research skills and independent research.
Associated careersYou can go on to do a PhD or find a career teaching and researching in Higher education. You may also find research posts in the public and private sector.
You may also find a career in areas such as:
historical journalism (visual and written media)
media production and management
museums and heritage industry
management and administration in the public and private sector.
AssessmentEach module will be assessed by coursework, normally in the form of extended essays
Course contentCore modulestheories of imperialism
advanced research methods
research dissertation
Optionspopular culture, nation and empire 1870–1945
the free trade economy: industry and empire in the nineteenth century
the power of the powerless: Czech responses to Soviet imperialism
Orientalism and postcolonialism
the empire at home: Britain 1770–1850
Marlowe, Shakespeare and the British empire
Entry requirementsYou should normally hold a good honours degree in history or a related field in the arts, humanities or social sciences. However, strongly committed applicants with different qualifications should not be discouraged from applying.
Credit exemptionsYou may be given credit towards your studies for modules successfully completed on other MA programmes if the content of the modules are compatible.
Overseas studentsStudents from overseas need certified competence in English language in one of the following forms
British Council IELTS test band 6.5 overall, 8.0 for speaking;
UCLES (Cambridge Exams Board) pass at CPE (Proficiency) or CAE (Certificate in Advanced English) or an A or B grade pass at FCE (First Certificate in English) plus a further year’s English study;
TOEFL (an American test) score of 550, plus some independent assessment of speaking (there is no direct test of speaking ability in TOEFL).
