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The MA (Hons) in Modern History equips students to examine historical events from the last five centuries through a contemporary lens. You'll select from diverse optional courses spanning broad chronological, geographic, and thematic scopes. Covering the period from approximately 1450 to the present day, the program offers modules focusing on various nations and regions such as Britain, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and parts of Africa and the Americas. Available specializations include intellectual, political, cultural, military, religious, gender, social, and economic history. This four-year program, administered by the School of History, trains students to evaluate primary sources critically, analyze materials systematically, and hone academic skills. In your first year, you'll study two supplementary subjects alongside modern history, typically continuing with at least one into your second year. The analytical skills developed through examining both primary and secondary sources will prepare you for advanced historical study in your third and fourth years, when you can explore global modern histories more extensively. Your final year includes the opportunity to specialize in a particular area of interest. The curriculum emphasizes broad intellectual perspectives, requiring all sub-honours students to take complementary modules in disciplines like English, art history, or geography. St Andrews modern history graduates emerge with comprehensive historical understanding and the ability to draw connections across eras and cultures.