Master in Historical Studies (1 year)

The MA in Historical Studies at Central European University is a research-oriented master's programme taught entirely in English. It is offered as a one-year (60 ECTS) or two-year (120 ECTS) degree, and you choose between two specialisation tracks: History (MAHISU) and Late Antique and Medieval Studies (MALAMS).

What you study

Both tracks introduce you to the theories, methods and skills needed for independent historical inquiry. The History track is broad: you pick courses from across the department's curriculum, from antiquity to the present, with language learning at beginner and intermediate levels, methodological training and practical skills courses. The Late Antique and Medieval Studies track focuses on that era through interdisciplinary lenses such as politics, economics, society, culture, archaeology, philosophy and art history. In the two-year version you first build regional perspectives on late antiquity and the Middle Ages, then focus on concepts for your own research project. Source languages are emphasised.

Mandatory electives include Approaches to Late Antique and Medieval Studies (required for LAMS), Archival Practice (Blinken OSA Archivum), Digital Humanities Lab, Grand Debates in Central European History, Grand Debates in Eastern Mediterranean History, Grand Debates in Global History, Grand Debates in Russian and Eurasian History, Introduction to Digital Humanities, and Introduction to Publishing (CEU Press). The elective list is long and covers source languages (Latin, Ancient Greek, Arabic, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, Modern Hebrew, Ottoman Turkish, Persian, Russian, Syriac), plus topics from Byzantine life to documentary filmmaking and geospatial data visualisation.

How the programme is organised

The one-year option (60 ECTS, 30 US credits) is for students with a clear thesis idea. Fall term: Academic Writing for Historical Studies, Thesis Seminar I, mandatory electives and electives. Winter: Thesis Seminar II, more electives. Spring: electives. You can add an Advanced Certificate along the way.

The two-year option (120 ECTS, 60 US credits) gives more time to find a topic. Year one: Academic Writing, Thesis Planning Seminar, Prospectus Workshop, plus electives. Year two: Thesis Seminar 1: Research Chapter, Thesis Seminar 2: Framework Chapter, Thesis Workshop, and electives. Exact courses vary by year; check the TimeEdit overviews for the current offering.

Advanced Certificates available to MA students include Central European Studies, Cultural Heritage Studies, Digital Humanities, Eastern Mediterranean Studies, Political Thought, Religious Studies, Romani Studies, and Visual Theory and Practice. There are also specialisations in Archives and Evidentiary Practices and in Jewish Studies.

Who it suits

This programme is for students with an undergraduate degree in the humanities or social sciences who want advanced training in historical analysis and research. The one-year route suits those who already know their thesis topic and may want to fast-track to a PhD. The two-year route suits those who want to explore different disciplines before settling on a topic. The department is deliberately multidisciplinary, covering history and culture from antiquity to the present.

Admission, language and next steps

Teaching is in English. You need a completed undergraduate degree in the humanities or social sciences. Applications go directly to CEU; the programme page gives the application period and process. The current admissions round closes on February 2, 2027. Merit-based tuition awards and stipends are available. The degree is registered with the New York State Education Department and accredited by AQ Austria; CEU is accredited in the US by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. As a private university, CEU sets its own fees, shown on the programme page.

This research-oriented program is tailored to students who have already identified a research area that they are passionate about. Since the program is short and intense, it is best suited for students who have a clear idea for a thesis topic. The international faculty and student body strives to think about the past not only within but also across historical periods, world regions, national boundaries, and academic disciplines in order to avoid academic insularity and to keep in mind both the distinctiveness and interconnectedness of historical trajectories. The program features two distinct tracks. Students can apply to: History Track and Late Antique and Medieval Studies Track.

Program accredited in the United States and in Austria

There is no central application portal in Austria: you apply to the institution, here Central European University. Private institutions set their own application periods, admission procedures and fees, so read them on the programme page. Entrance examination, as the register states it: Admission procedure. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, the student residence permit and housing.