European History

Do you wonder why “Brexit” happened or how Napoleon felt about the defeat at Waterloo? Do you have a special interest in European History? Would you like to gather experience, perspectives and knowledge at different universities in Europe? The Joint Master in European History programme allows you to pursue all of this and gain a profound international education.

The master`s programme offers a unique opportunity to study European History in Oslo and at several leading universities in Europe. If you have a special interest in European history, and would like to gather experience, perspectives and knowledge from several scholars and different universities, this programme would be a great choice for you.

The programme consists of 90 credits of elective courses and a master`s thesis of 30 credits. At least one semester will be spent on exchange at one of the partner universities, but students will be offered the option to spend up to two semesters abroad at one or more of our partner universities.

Find the complete list of partner universities on the programme`s official website.

You will gain relevant, broad competence on different topics within the field of modern European history, but also in-depth knowledge about a topic of your choice.

Read more about the programme structure on the webpage

The history department at the University of Oslo is one of the largest in the Nordics. The lecturers and supervisors in the master’s program study a variety of historical periods and explore topics that range from human rights, women`s history, and social inequality to racial thinking, technological development, political power, and climate history.

You can find out more about potential thesis supervisors in the master`s catalogue.

The department has many research groups engaged in both national and international research, addressing themes from antiquity to the present day. As a master’s student here, you will be part of the research community, providing you with opportunities for academic specialization with significant thematic and chronological diversity.

Read more about our research here.

As a European History student, you get to participate in the annual summer school. The partner universities take turns hosting the summer school. The summer school serves to strengthen the programme`s networking effect and to provide exchange on cutting edge research.

Read more about the previous events here.

Master`s students in history have access to their own reading room and lounge on the third floor of Niels Treschows hus. The reading room and lounge serve as a meeting point for master`s students, fostering a supportive academic and social environment.

Fortid, the history students` own academic journal, organizes release parties and debates, in addition to producing one of the most interesting academic journals on history in the Nordic countries. As a history student, you are welcome to participate in the editorial work, both for the online version of the journal and for the printed edition. You can also contribute as an author by submitting articles or book reviews. You can follow Fortid on Facebook and Instagram and read it in full at fortid.no.

Historisk Studentforening (Historical student association) is a social and academically focused community and serves as the history students` own association at the University of Oslo. HSF aims to represent the interests of students and promote students` viewpoints to the department. HSF has representatives in the history program councils and the department`s teaching council.

HSF also organizes social activities to maintain a good social environment among students, including study trips, academic events, and parties. Follow HSF on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on what’s happening in the student community.

• A broad teaching and research competence at 11 universities in 10 European capitals
• A flexibility in the study programme: the choice between 1 or 2 semesters of exchange
• Chronological, geographical and thematic variation in the lectures and seminars on offer
• A critical understanding and deep insight into the continuous change of Europe`s politics, society, economy and culture
• You will gain knowledge of European history both as an example of international and transnational contexts and as part of larger global processes
• New perspectives on familiar topics through meeting international peers, lecturers and supervisors
• Opportunities to gain competencies and experience that are relevant in subsequent careers
• Students who aspire to an academic career will benefit from contacts to research environments outside Norway
• The opportunity to attend summer schools as an integral part of the study programme