Cities, Migration and Global Interdependence (research) (MA)
In the research master Cities, Migration and Global Interdependence at Leiden University you will study processes of migration, urbanisation, economic development and global interaction over time.
Part of
Please note: From 1 September 2026 all History Research Master specialisations will be discontinued. However, you can still study the same topics in the new History Research Master which will also offer you a great freedom to specialise and pursue your own field of interest. Instead of applying for the specialisation, you will just need to apply for the History Research Master programme.
If you want to enrol in February 2026, you will still need to apply for one of the specialisations. Check the application deadlines to make sure you apply in time.
A top-ranking programme
According to the QS World University Rankings 2025, History at Leiden University is rated 1st in the Netherlands and 18th in the world.
Why Leiden University?
You will be part of a research master's programme in which you will focus on processes that are subjects of heated current societal and political debates. You will study them from a comparative and historical perspective (covering the period 1500 until today) and place them in the wider frameworks of the development of trade networks, the emergence of multinationals, economic growth and stagnation, and regional unification.
Learn more about the study programme
Learn from leading academics
Leiden University has a long tradition of studying migration and ethnicity and you will benefit from the expertise of a large team of enthusiastic and very diverse teachers. You will learn to understand and contribute to current debates about migration, urbanisation, globalisation, economic growth and inequality from a historical and comparative perspective. You will also analyse urban and state institutions and their effects on inclusion and exclusion, urban crime and criminal behaviour, and the development of freedoms and un-freedoms (including slavery).
Admission and Application
Do you want to find out if you are eligible for this Master's programme?
Topics you may study include:
- The (gendered) interaction between migration and membership regimes in different parts of the world and the effects of societal categorisation in making distinctions between migrants and non-migrants;
- Urban and state institutions and their effects on inclusion and exclusion;
- Social engineering, criminality and urban subcultures;
- Changing labour relations in capitalist institutions and their relations to economic development;
- Economic history of Europe and the EU, economic policy, the welfare state, and economic co-operation between countries.
- Development of freedoms and unfreedoms;
- Cross-cultural commercial networks, cultural exchanges and comparative socio
Is this programme for you?
If you are interested in dedicating more time to in-depth research, or are thinking of a future in academic or non-academic research, you should consider choosing the Research MA over the MA. A love for reading and discussing intensively with your fellow students, as well as conducting your own research, is essential. If, moreover, you are ambitious and not averse to hard intellectual work, you have what it takes to complete this programme successfully.
Chat with a student
Do you have a question about student life in Leiden, studying at Leiden University, or do you want more information about the History master's programme? Chat with a current student for answers to your questions!