Europe 1000-1800 (MA)

About the programme

During the Europe 1000-1800 programme you will learn from inspired academics. Find out more about the programme below.

Programme structure

Literature Seminar, 10 EC
Research Seminar, 10 EC
Research Workshop, 5 EC
Academic Skills and Thesis Seminar, 5 EC
Optional Courses, 10 EC
Thesis and Exam, 20 EC

Literature and research seminars

In our literature seminar, you will learn how to work with comparative approaches, comparing and contrasting historical experiences across the globe. You contextualise and test hypotheses drawn from these comparative approaches in research seminars dedicated to conducting original historical research, working on armies and navies, diplomats and rulers, religious and mercantile networks, local and transregional communities in and across Europe, the Baltic and Black Sea regions and the Mediterranean.

Research workshop

Our research workshop takes a hands-on approach, teaching you to identify and interpret primary sources, discuss relevant historiography and design new research questions. In your master’s thesis you apply the insights you have gained, by developing a research project of your own choice. Such theses frequently lead to publications.

Claire Weeda

Researcher and University Lecturer

"Europe 1000-1800 offers multi-faceted research-based seminars in which collective identities are explored in relation to networks of commerce and communication, negotiations between rulers and subjects, and the transfer of knowledge and ideas. This dynamic approach, connecting the regional to global, allows us to unravel complex processes tapping a broad range of primary sources from local to international archives and libraries."

Friendly atmosphere

"One of the great benefits of the Europe 1000-1800 program is the friendly and informal atmosphere. We frequently organize extracurricular seminars and drinks afterwards, which are attended by students and faculty members and where ideas and plans can be discussed. Many seminars are based on own research and this is stimulating to both students and staff."

Career

"Researching European or global history requires a certain set of skills, which in general often seems to be acknowledged by employers in and beyond academia. Some students will go on to write obtain a PhD. Many pursue careers working in journalism, at museums and cultural institutions, publishing houses, as policy advisors or in diplomacy. They often hold intellectually engaging positions that demand analytical, organizational and good writing skills. Students of premodern and early modern history are generally highly regarded for their language skills, their specific and often detailed knowledge and their ability to apply abstract concepts."

Following individual paths

"Past experience has learned that internships in particular motivate students as well as offering them valuable contacts and insights into how to use their skills and knowledge outside of the university. Together we try to find internships that are individually tailored to students’ interests. Researching topics of individual interest is also encouraged in the thesis seminar. I think this is one of the most important aspects of the programme: students are encouraged to follow their individual academic paths, yet are offered a broad itinerary on their way."

Detailed programme

Europe 1000-1800
Course	EC
Current Debates in Medieval and Early Modern History I	10
Current Debates in Medieval and Early Modern History II	10
Thrones, Families, and Power: Dynastic Rule in Medieval and Early Modern Worlds.	10
Premodern Political Culture in Europe	10
Research Workshop: Historical Sources and Questions in the Urban Arena	5
Research Workshop: Historical Sources and Questions in the Urban Arena	5
Academic Skills and Thesis Seminar	5
Academic Skills and Thesis Seminar	5
Research Workshop: Greek and Latin Epigraphy (10 EC)	10
MA Thesis History & Final Exam	20

Electives
Course	EC
Navigating History: New Perspectives on Maritime History	10
Essential Readings in Economic History	10
Current Debates in Medieval and Early Modern History I	10
Politics, Culture and National Identities, 1789 to the present	10
Objects of Heritage, Archives and Knowledge. Critical Approaches	10
Literature Seminar Social History	10
Circulation of People, Commodities and Ideas in the Indian Ocean World (1500-1800)	10
Maritime treasures: diving into maritime history	10
The Business of Empire: Colonial and Imperial Entrepreneurship, 1415-1974	10
In or Out? History of Inclusion and Exclusion since 1900	10
Political Eloquence in the Netherlands	10
Surinamese Political History: A Special Case of Shared History?	10
Empire and Diversity in the Roman World	10
Global Peace Movements in the Era of Decolonization	10
On the Hippie Trail. Colonial Knowledge, Local Agency, and the Countercultural Imagination of Asia	10
Thrones, Families, and Power: Dynastic Rule in Medieval and Early Modern Worlds.	10
Gender, Sexuality, Migration Since 1960	10
New Approaches to the Holocaust in Central and Eastern Europe	10
Dangerous Cities? The Risks of the Urban Environment (1750-2000)	10
The Irish Revolution, 1912-1923	10
Research Workshop: Primary Sources from the Third Reich and its Aftermath	5
Research Workshop: The Atlantic World: Knowledge, Power and Entrepreneurship	5
Writing History in the Age of Mechanically Reproduced Art: The Photographer as Historian	5
Material Culture of Ancient Religion	5
Research Workshop: Sources in Global History	5
Research Workshop: Newspapers, Public Opinion and the Emergence of Mass Politics	5
Stuff: Histories of Material Culture	5
Research Workshop: Historical Sources and Questions in the Urban Arena	5
Debating Ancient Slavery	10
Current Debates in Medieval and Early Modern History II	10
Politics, Culture and National Identities, 1789 to the present	10
Colonial Citizenship and Empire in Asia, 1780-1900	10
Literature Seminar Social History	10
Premodern Political Culture in Europe	10
Culture and Conquest: the Impact of the Mongols and their Descendants	10
Arsenal of Democracy?: The United States and the World since 1945	10
Religions of the North: Impact of the Roman Empire on Religion in the Northwestern Provinces	10
Asian Events in Early Modern European Sources	10
A Life of Crime? Poverty, Illegality, and Making Do in the City, 1800-1930	10
Russia Revisited in War and Revolution (1914-1921)	10
Addressing Authority. The Politics of Petitioning	10
Global Memory Practices Since 1945	10
Research Workshop: Greek and Latin Epigraphy (5 EC)	5
Sources in Intellectual History: Intellectuals and the State in Contemporary Culture Wars	5
Research Workshop: Historical Sources and Questions in the Urban Arena	5
Research Workshop: Sources in Global History	5

Electives

During this programme you can also select an optional course from a wide range of possibilities. For an overview of all or our electives, please check the prospectus.

Please note that this guide applies to the current academic year, which means that the curriculum for next year may slightly differ.

Latest knowledge

All courses are taught by academics who are active researchers. The curriculum is regularly updated to reflect contemporary academic debates and the very latest insights. Regular seminars are held presenting students with our researchers' latest findings. Your research thesis is often linked to one of the research projects of our faculty members, who play an active role in every individual's education, acting as mentors and community builders.