Master of History
Leuven, Belgium
DURATION
1 Years
LANGUAGES
English, Dutch
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 4,591 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* non-EEA fee| EEA fee: EUR 1157
Introduction
About the programme
The comprehensive history program gives you the freedom to explore a variety of historical approaches and periods. Our internationally renowned staff will help you develop the skills and specialised knowledge needed to become a historian.
The Master of History consists of two parts:
- Several in-depth optional courses. Together with your supervisor, you choose a series of elective modules. You can choose to specialise in a particular period or historical theme such as cultural, religious, or global history.
- The master thesis; you shape your study program around the topic of your master thesis. As historical research at KU Leuven is organised into four different research groups and you will become part of the same research group as your thesis supervisor, the other available courses are presented according to each research group's focus.
Curriculum
As a (future) student, you can consult the official study programme in the KU Leuven programme guide. Find out about all course units, the weekly timetable, the course content, the name of the lecturer and more.
Please note that next academic year we will no longer offer the methodological module, but we will integrate methodological lectures in the Research Seminar - the course Media and Politics in Modern History will be put into the list of optional courses. The credits of the Research Seminar increase to 6 ECTS, and those of the Master Thesis increase to 24 ECTS. As a result, you have to choose five optional courses.
Ideal Students
Student Profile
- You have a solid academic background in history or a closely related field.
- You want to be able to independently plan execute and communicate historical research.
- You are eager to familiarise yourself with different approaches to history and the past.
Admissions
Program delivery
The courses are fully taught in English and also available in Dutch.
Program Outcome
- Credits: 60 ECTS
- Degree Type: Master
Program Tuition Fee
Why study at KU Leuven
What sets us apart as a university?
A highly ranked university
KU Leuven is among the best 100 universities in the world according to both Times Higher Education World Rankings and QS World University Rankings. All of KU Leuven’s disciplines proudly belong to the top 100 of their field. Furthermore, KU Leuven was ranked by Reuters as the most innovative university in Europe in 2016.
Research-based education
Education at KU Leuven is research-based, which means students will learn from the same professors who are performing the ground-breaking research you read about in the press. New insights are instantly integrated into classes and students are encouraged to perform their own research. In our FabLab, students can use a number of high-tech machines to create whatever they want – all free of charge.
Affordable tuition fees
Higher education is highly valued in Belgium and therefore subsidised by the government. This allows KU Leuven to keep tuition fees relatively low, which gives you a price/quality ratio very few top-100 universities can match. We take pride in keeping our programmes as accessible as possible to allow the brightest students from around the globe to join our courses.
International student life with respect for diversity
According to Times Higher Education, KU Leuven is in the top 50 of most international universities worldwide with staff and students from over 150 different nationalities. For all our international students, the Pangaea student centre is their home away from home. Our university also strives for diversity and inclusion and wants to work together on a pact for more respect.
Program Leaders
Scholarships and Funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please visit the university website for more information.
Info Sessions
KU Leuven combines the best of both worlds by hosting both online and live info sessions. You choose how, where and when to get your information in your search for the right program
Rankings
KU Leuven is among the best 100 universities in the world according to both Times Higher Education World Rankings and QS World University Rankings. All of KU Leuven’s disciplines proudly belong to the top 100 of their field.
Accreditations
Gallery
Career Opportunities
History is a well-rounded discipline. You will take all kinds of classes about historical periods, regions and domains. Through different exercises, you learn to think, analyse, offer criticism, interpret, debate, draw conclusions, and express them in writing. You also become familiar with many other disciplines, such as law, political science and economics.
You will develop skills that are invaluable to employers in a variety of sectors, including: government and politics, media and communications, heritage and cultural organisations, and a broad range of private companies.
Historians are therefore valued in a wide range of job sectors. The time when all historians became teachers or archivists has long past.