Intellectual History MSc

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: History

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

On campus

Full-time
  • MSc | 1 year | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

School of History, Classics and Archaeology

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Study location

Central Area

Accreditation

Not available

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About the degree programme

Ideas and patterns of thought always have been, and continue to be, subject to historical change. The ways in which they change, and the reasons why they do so, make for fascinating study.

This programme will allow you to engage with some of the principal methodologies of intellectual history, such as the ‘Cambridge School’ and global intellectual history. 

You will also have the opportunity to explore particular themes in intellectual history, such as the Enlightenment, the American Revolution, the religious thought of the Reformation, slavery in eighteenth-century Scotland, or the politics of history in the Arabic-speaking world since 1750, allowing you to develop a detailed understanding of the origins, historical circumstances, and implications of these phenomena.

Courses at the School, which can be complemented by a limited number of courses from other departments, can range from medieval patterns of thought to political analyses of 20th-century totalitarianism. 

Our courses can change from year to year, but in previous years, our courses included areas such as the Enlightenment, medieval debates about marriage, and modern African political culture.

By the end of the programme, you will have the tools you need to appreciate the interdependence of text and context and the importance of ideas in past and present, as well as the ability to research effectively and present your work with confidence.

Breadth of expertise

The School of History, Classics and Archaeology has particular strengths in the intellectual history of classical Greece and Rome, Early Modern Europe and the Enlightenment, and the modern intellectual history of Europe, America, Asia and Africa. 

The range of expertise available in the School and in the wider University gives this Intellectual History programme a rare combination of geographical as well as chronological breadth and depth. 

Students also benefit from the ability to take courses offered by other Schools and Departments in the University, notably Philosophy, Politics, Science Studies, Geography, Divinity and Law.

Study options

The full-time MSc lasts for 12 months from September to the end of August in the following year. To be awarded an MSc, you must complete the coursework and a dissertation.  

The taught courses are worth a total of 120 credit points and are assessed mainly by essays and written work. Provided you achieve the required standard, you will proceed to a period of individual research from May to August, resulting in a final dissertation worth a further 60 credits.

Programme benefits

  • Explore the principal methodologies of intellectual history
  • The School of History, Classics and Archaeology has particular strengths in the intellectual history of classical Greece and Rome, Early Modern Europe and the Enlightenment, and the modern intellectual history of Europe, America, Asia and Africa.
  • The University of Edinburgh has one of the largest groups of historians in any British university.

Having studied History for my undergraduate degree, I found that I had most enjoyed courses about political thought and philosophical ideas. It was by chance that I stumbled across the Intellectual History MSc at Edinburgh and this seemed perfectly aligned with my interests, giving me the chance to specialise in the aspects of history that had most interested me. It is also a very flexible course: you can take modules from other schools as long as they fall within the broad parameters of Intellectual History.

Finbar MSc Intellectual History, graduated 2017.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Full-time

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Deposit

You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme.

Costs

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that you might spend £1,167 to £2,330 per month if you are a single student.

Living costs include:

  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel, clothes, books and stationery
  • recreational costs (for example, TV subscriptions and social events)

Living costs

Accommodation costs depend on where you live while studying and the type of accommodation you choose.

University postgraduate accommodation options and costs

Funding opportunities

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

  • borrowing money
    • taking out a loan
    • family support
  • personal savings
  • income from work
  • employer sponsorship
  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Search for other funding opportunities

You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.

Postgraduate funding opportunities

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree, a minimum US 3.25 GPA or its international equivalent, in a subject related to this programme, normally History.

We will also consider honours degrees in other subjects such as Philosophy, Classics, Literature, or Politics if your personal statement demonstrates how you are equipped to undertake the programme.  
                                                           
Relevant experience, or professional or other qualifications will also be considered.

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 8 with at least 6 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 135 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

What you will study

You will complete two compulsory (core) courses and select a further four options from a wide range on offer, followed by independent research in the form of a supervised dissertation.

Compulsory courses

The compulsory (core) courses will provide a general introduction to graduate study in history and give you the opportunity to develop your research skills.

The compulsory courses are:

  • Historical Methodology
  • Developing Historical Research

Option courses

Option courses previously offered include those listed below: 

  • An uncertain world: the West since the 1970s
  • Books, Law and Lawyers in Scotland: From Humanism through Enlightenment
  • Capitalism and Slavery
  • Controversies in the Data Society
  • Creeds, Councils and Controversies: Patristic and Medieval
  • Creeds, Councils and Controversies: Reformation and Modern
  • Enlightenment and Romanticism 1688 - 1815
  • Global Legal Histories
  • History of English Private Law
  • Idolatry: Images and the Sacred in the Americas and Europe, 1400-1700.
  • Intellectual History of the American Revolution
  • Lords and Vassals in Medieval Scotland
  • Picturing Authority: Art and Politics at the Tudor and Stuart Courts
  • Religion and the Enlightenment: The Birth of the Modern
  • Science, Knowledge and Expertise
  • Slavery in Eighteenth-Century Scotland
  • The Global Renaissance
  • The Holocaust in History and Culture
  • The Politics of History in the Arabic-Speaking World (c.1750-Present)
  • Theology in the Long Reformation 1400-1600

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Full-time

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Disclaimer

Option courses change from year to year and those available when you start your studies may be different from those shown in the list.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

The courses are mostly taught in small-group seminars.

Assessment

Most courses are assessed by means of an extended piece of written work. 

Some courses also assess non-written skills. 

Research dissertation

During the late spring and summer you will write a dissertation, which will be an advanced and original research project.

You will choose your research topic with the aid of the Programme Director and/or other tutors. Many students opt to pursue an interest that previously took shape during one of their taught courses, with the course tutor acting as their supervisor.

The dissertation is your chance to apply your independent research skills and be creative. Our breadth of historical expertise means that we're open to almost any feasible area of interest.

The dissertation is submitted in mid-August, and is worth 60 credits (one-third of the assessment for the degree).

Example dissertation topics

Past dissertation topics have included:

  • "Erinnerungsstreit?" The perception of the Holocaust and Holocaust memory after the death of the eyewitness
  • Italian Influences on the study and teaching of history and the development of polite education in Edinburgh, 1708 - 1750
  • Spinoza, Schlegel, and Novelis: The Spinozism of the German Romantic Novel
  • A Tale of Two Pneumatologists: Jean Fernel and William Harvey on the Concept of the Soul and Theories of Generation
  • The Concept of Divine Providence in the Boyle Lectures (1692-1725)
  • Thomas Carlyle's Philosophy of History as Meaning: The Case of 'Sir Walter Scott'
  • How significant were the influences of Eastern mysticism and German philosophy in Edward Carpenter's critique of modern civilisation?
  • Sources of the Superfluous: Concepts and Experiences of the Redundant in [Hannah Arendt’s] Elemente und Ursprunge totaler Herrschaft

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.  

How we support you

Where you will study

Study location

The majority of teaching will take place in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology.

The School of History, Classics and Archaeology is located in the heart of the city, in the University's Central Area. The Central Area is located on the edge of Edinburgh's historic Old Town, surrounded by lots of green space.

Our building, the William Robertson Wing of the Old Medical School, is Grade A-listed. The building is in the Northern Italian Renaissance style, incorporating design influences from Venice and Bologna, including red-tiled roofs, a corbelled stair turret and palazzo frontages.

Academic facilities

Postgraduate students have access to a wide range of resources and facilities both within the William Robertson Wing of the historic Old Medical School, and nearby in the vibrant heart of the city of Edinburgh. 

Study spaces

Our location, right in the heart of Edinburgh, means you will be based close to the city’s cultural attractions and facilities, including a wealth of libraries, archives, museums and galleries, which provide uniquely rich support for the disciplines we teach.

A tour of our postgraduate spaces:
Scottish History Collection - Room 3.07

This small library houses the Scottish History Collection. While the library itself is available for use by all students, the desk space within the room is reserved for the use of  PhD students.

Postgraduate Study Room - Room 2.35

This room is available to all postgraduate students and is intended to provide students with a quiet working environment. It is a dedicated study and computing lab with printing, copying and scanning facilities, overlooking the Meadows, one of the city’s best-loved green spaces.

Computer Teaching Lab - Room 2.36

Room 2.36 is a 24-seater computer lab on the second floor, which is available to HCA students at postgraduate and undergraduate Honours level when it isn't booked for teaching.  The computers in this room are of a high specification and are particularly suitable for work requiring intensive computation or graphical manipulation. They also have some specialist software and may be particularly useful to students who have lab sessions in the room, using specific pieces of software.

Student Research Room - Room 2M.25

The Student Reading Room (2M.25) is a quiet study facility and houses some of the School's book collections. The room also contains a small number of PCs, and printing facilities are available. Please note that these rooms are not exclusively postgraduate resources, and access is shared with our Undergraduate student community. The Student Research Room contains nine collections of books from previous class libraries and special collections donated to the School over many years.

Career opportunities

Many students are attracted to the MSc in Intellectual History as an advanced qualification that may be valued by a range of employers; a more specialised supplement to their undergraduate degrees that could set them apart in a crowded job market. 

Others are interested in pursuing academic careers and see the MSc as preparation for a PhD, while some are considering an academic career as a possibility and use the MSc to establish whether it is the right career choice.

The combination of skills training courses, specialised seminars, and independent research provides you with transferable skills that will be beneficial whatever path you choose.

Graduates pursue work in related areas, such as:

  • museums
  • policy think-tanks
  • national and international civil services
  • non-governmental organisations
  • galleries
  • libraries
  • historic trusts

Others build on the transferable skills gained and enter areas as diverse as:

  • business
  • media
  • public administration
  • marketing

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

Visit the Careers Service website 

How to apply

You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.

If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 5 applications from the same applicant.

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
14 September 2026 30 July 2026

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. This is particularly important if you are also applying for funding or will require a visa. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including your transcripts.

If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements, such as via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, we will still review your application and issue a decision providing it is otherwise complete.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

References

You do not need to provide a reference when you submit your application for this programme.

There may be certain circumstances when a reference will be required, for example if we need to verify work experience. If that is the case, we will contact you after we have reviewed your application to request a reference.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single postgraduate taught students from outside the UK and new, single postgraduate research (typically PhD) students who:

  • apply for accommodation by 31 July in the year when you start your programme
  • accept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 July
  • study at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in September

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

We also offer accommodation options for couples and families.

Accommodation for couples and families

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sport Clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life. 

Find out more about living in Edinburgh

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include: 

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustments

Health and wellbeing support services 

Disability and Learning Support

General enquiries

Have a question about postgraduate study?

Postgraduate enquiries

Academic contact

Dr Adam Budd (PhD, FRHistS, SFHEA)

Programme Director

Contact details

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