Economic and Social History MSc

This one-year specialist course offers a unique framework for research training in economic and social history. It offers a wide range of options and allows you to specialise in economic and/or social history, or historical demography, although the boundaries between these areas are deliberately permeable.

This course is intended to introduce you to the wide variety of methods used in the study of economic and social history, as well as to the subject itself. The core qualifying papers provide an opportunity to evaluate a range of different qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches; they impart a common language, and create a close and friendly community, in which ideas are shared, and strong personal ties are forged, developing a community that provides a base from which to venture out and experience the intellectual, social and cultural rewards of Oxford.

The advanced course in quantitative methods is intended for students who have already been introduced to some form of quantitative methods, with the first few sessions serving as a refresher course in elementary quantitative methods. The course aims to ensure that you are aware of the range of quantitative techniques available for analysing problems in economic and social history. You will be taught how to use a number of popular statistical and econometric packages. Teaching sessions will involve computer classwork. Under certain circumstances, very accomplished students may undertake a more advanced statistics paper from elsewhere in the University, such as the MPhil in Economics.

If you wish to apply for the DPhil you will be encouraged to develop your doctoral proposal during the first few months of the course, so that you will be well placed to make doctoral applications. The MPhil in Economic and Social History provides an alternative route to the DPhil, which would allow for entry to the doctoral programme at the beginning of students’ third academic year in Oxford.

You should not apply to both the MSc and MPhil in Economic and Social History. Both courses have the same entry requirements and it is possible to transfer from one to the other while on course.