History

specialisatie Ancient History

The postgraduate programme in Ancient History at Leiden University will provide you with a thorough grounding in several instrumental periods of ancient history, including the complex history of the Roman Republic; Civic life in Italy, Asia Minor and Egypt; Graeco-Roman religion; and the rise of early Judaism.

You will be able to collaborate with the outstanding scholars of the ancient history department as well as scholars active in other fields of History or the related fields of Classics, Ancient Philosophy, Classical Archaeology, Religious Studies and Near Eastern Cultures.

You will be able to pursue your interest in documentary texts as an additional option, where you can access Greek inscriptions and work alongside papyrologists at the Leiden Papyrological Institute.

• Leiden University's History department was recently ranked 19th in the QS worldwide ranking.

specialisatie Europaeum programme European History and Civilisation: Leiden-Oxford-Paris Programme

The Europaeum Master programme European History and Civilisation at Oxford, Paris and Leiden will learn you to focus on exploring the processes, values and ideas that shaped Europe from medieval to modern times.

You will spend a trimester at each of our three prestigious academic partner institutions, receiving specialist courses, lectures, seminars, and individual tutorials. There you will develop the specific research skills and knowledge to produce a significant piece of your own quality research in this field. You are able to tailor the programme to match your specific interests or research requirements.

You will graduate with a certificate from the Europaeum, an association of Europe's top ten universities, in addition to your MA in History degree from Leiden University.

• Leiden University's History department was recently ranked 20th in the QS worldwide ranking.

specialisatie Cities, Migration and Global Interdependence

You will be part of a 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 1350 until 2000) and place them in the wider frameworks of the development of trade networks, the emergence of multinationals, economic growth and stagnation, and world unification.

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).

• Leiden University's History department was recently ranked 19th in the QS worldwide ranking.

specialisatie Europe 1000-1800

You will join a Master's programme at Leiden University in which you will study areas of history who are unique in the Netherlands, including British, Iberian and Central European history as well as the political and cultural history of the Netherlands.

You will learn how to think comparatively about the transformations in politics, culture and religion that occurred during this era. You will engage closely in current scholarly debates, honing your ability to analyse and critique the latest academic ideas and theories.

The programme is taught by inspired academics currently engaged in large-scale research projects on issues directly related to the MA, including feuds and factions, the Burgundian nobility, war memories and identity formation.

During your studies you will also be able to benefit from easy access to the excellent library and archival resources available in Leiden and The Hague, where you can study many primary sources and secondary studies.

• Leiden University's History department was recently ranked 20th in the QS worldwide ranking.

specialisatie Political Culture and National Identities

You will be part of a Master's programme that takes a broad, comparative approach to the study of the political and national identities of a number of European countries spanning the period 1800 to 2010. The programme takes an international perspective by looking at the relations between different European countries instead of the more usual nationalistic historiography.

You will examine the evolution of the political culture and national identities of countries such as the Netherlands, Great Britain, Germany or Russia – and how these countries influenced each other through 'cultural transfer': the adoption of examples from other countries and the inspiration they engender.

You will be at the forefront of a new way of thinking about European history and giving you the room to make a valuable research contribution.

• Leiden University's History department was recently ranked 20th in the QS worldwide ranking.

specialisatie Archival Studies

During your studies, your primary focus will be on learning how to appraise, select and acquire archives based on their societal and cultural context, to make archives accessible from their historical context, and to understand the context within which the archives have been compiled.

• You will apply theory in practice as you learn thanks to the programme's structural collaboration with the National Archive in The Hague.
• Learn how to manage archives created in a colonial context both during class and through your own research, including how to make them accessible for historical research.
• Study the relationship between institutions and the archives left behind – i.e. the underlying reasons why the archives were compiled including the societal context within which the institutions were founded and operated, and the reasons particular records were kept.
• Acquire the skills needed by archivists today. Your master's education will prepare you for a future career as an archivist unlike any other programme in the Netherlands.
• Leiden University's History department was recently ranked 19th in the QS worldwide ranking.

specialisatie Colonial and Global History

You will join a Master's programme in which you will explore how political, economic, cultural and religious contacts led to the development of regional identities and states - all in a highly stimulating and international academic environment.

You will gain an understanding of the importance of a comparative perspective for understanding transnational processes such as imperialism, colonialism, islamisation, modernisation and globalisation.

During your studies you will have access to unique documentation centres and libraries specialising in Asia and Africa within easy reach of Leiden University – at the National Archives and the Royal Library in The Hague. You will also be part of an international cohort of students who have chosen Leiden University and the Colonial and Global History Research MA on the basis of the department's internationally acclaimed research and its Cosmopolis scholarship programme.

honours-/excellence program Leiden Leadership Programme

The Leiden Leadership Programme (LLP) is an honours programme of 15 ECs on top of the regular master's curriculum. The programme consists of training courses, seminars and a practical assignment.

Are you looking for an extra challenge in addition to your Leiden master's programme? Are you adventurous enough to look beyond the borders of your own master's programme? The Leiden Leadership Programme may be just what you are looking for. The programme gives you the opportunity to develop your leadership skills. You will follow seminars and courses, as well as carrying out a practical assignment for a company or organisation as part of a small, multidisciplinary team. Your lecturers will be leading academics and experienced professionals from the business sector.

Students can apply who have:

• Good study results in the bachelor's programme;
• The ambition and motivation to develop leadership qualities;
• A broad and interdisciplinary span of interest.