Master in Historical Sociology

The aim of Historical Sociological research is the study of issues of long-term social processes and trends that have a significant impact on contemporary societies and phenomena. The M.A. Historical Sociology cultivates research activities and the education of experts with an emphasis on the specialization of these processes.

Above all, historical sociology deals with problems of modernisation and social change, globalisation trends and influences, integration and disintegration processes, the relationship of continuity and discontinuity, religious and cultural pluralism, linking the global to the local, the identification of the chances and risks of social development, the analysis of conflict situations and the possibility of overcoming them.

The need for an understanding of all of these issues invokes the need for the development of adequate theoretical and methodological approaches, and also of the specific training of university students, which is possible through the study of Historical Sociology.

Description of verification and evaluation criteria

1. Submit a motivation letter, structured CV (curriculum vitae) and an academic paper in English before the application deadline. The paper should be no less than 15 pages in length and prove the applicant's knowledge, skills, and talent for study in the program which the applicant applies for. The paper can be the applicant's defended bachelor’s thesis or its summary, an article published in an academic journal or any new essay that the applicant chooses to represent them and their academic knowledge.
   There is a list of topics the applicant can base their essay on:
   • Theoretical conceptions of Historical Sociology and its main representatives.
   • Problems of social change and long-term developmental processes in various areas of social life.
   • Modernization, globalization and their role in contemporary society.
   • Changes in everyday life, religion, and culture.
   • Nations and nationalism then and today.
   Dean of the faculty decides whether the applicant's papers meet the requirements.
   
   
2. Submit a notarized copy of the applicant's bachelor or master diploma. Those applicants who graduated abroad/ from foreign schools are required to provide recognition of their foreign diploma. The applicant submits one of the following documents: a certificate of recognition of the foreign school report in the Czech Republic (the so-called „nostrification document“), or a European Baccalaureate diploma, or a foreign diploma which can be recognized under foreign states’ mutual agreement of recognition (high school diploma from Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Slovenia), or a foreign high school diploma which the applicant submits directly to the faculty for the purpose of recognition (at the faculty, the applicant is charged an administration fee of 690 CZK). More information on the requirement of high school diploma submission is available on the faculty’s website. The applicant should send the required documents to the faculty’s address: U Kříže 8, 158 00 Praha, no later than August 19, 2019. The applicant should cover the fee together with the application fee, or later when they submit the documents to the faculty for the purpose of recognition.

Conditions for admission

Admission to Master's studies is conditioned by completed BA education confirmed by a diploma.

Submitting online application before deadline (July 31st 2019)

Graduate Profile

The graduate of the Historical Sociology program possesses a wide range of knowledge of the social and cultural aspects of society. S/He is acquainted with archive research approaches, as well as quantitative and qualitative methodologies, enabling her/him to participate in teamwork, compile and guide professional projects and analytical works, collect and evaluate specialized knowledge, analyse data of both quantitative and qualitative nature, and generate reports, expertise, testimonials and expert studies.

Career Prospect

Throughout their study of M.A. Historical Sociology, graduates will have covered both theoretical topics as well as practical and research-based topics.

Regarding theory, graduates will have acquired historical-sociological knowledge from the social, cultural, religious, political and economic spheres. Practical and research-based skills acquired throughout the study of this course include professional skills based on managing the basic approaches of quantitative and qualitative historical-sociological research methodology.

This combination of both theoretical and practical fields qualifies graduates for employment both in the academic sphere, i.e., at universities and research institutions, and in the non-academic sphere, i.e. in state administration, NGO’s, agencies, consultancy firms, educational institutions, cultural organizations and in the media.

A Word from our Students:

The Historical Sociology master’s program is a stimulating, enriching, and rewarding program. When I got to Prague six years ago I was looking for a master’s program in history in English. I found several programs, one of which was the Historical Sociology program at Charles University. I didn’t know what historical sociology was, so I wrote to the chief of the department and we met for a consultation. Professor told me about the general background of historical sociology, explained the program’s structure and purpose, and provided me with reading materials for further information. I was intrigued by the field’s hybrid character, which seeks to enrich both sociological and historical thinking by adopting a broader, interdisciplinary perspective. The program’s structure, which includes both historical and theoretical lessons, as well as sociological training, also appealed to me, because when I began my studies I still did not know whether I wanted to continue on an academic career, or work for a sociological research institute. Coming from a historical background, the program provided me with sociological tools and perspectives which I previously lacked, such as quantitative and qualitative methodologies and data analysis software, as well as practical research experience. The historical and theoretical lessons, on the other hand, covered a broad array of subjects, thinkers, and time periods, including the emergence of nationalism, political science, postcolonial studies, economic theory, and theories of social change. Given this variety, I was able to choose to focus on whichever topics I found most appealing, without losing touch with other fields and approaches which could enrich my own research and point of view. The combination of theoretical context and practical experience enhanced my research perspective, which was initially historical, and enabled me to study and raise broader questions. In addition to the varied courses and teaching staff, who hail from different fields and support diverse perspectives, the program also offered seminars and lectures given by academics and professionals from around the world, who initiated us further into the possibilities of historical sociology.

Following the successful completion of my master’s studies, I decided to continue for a doctorate at the same department, where my research would benefit from a professional and interdisciplinary environment.

Adam Coman, M.A.