The course

The Royal Holloway MA in Holocaust Studies is unique; not only are we the only university in the UK to run an MA course solely dedicated to the field of Holocaust Studies but the Royal Holloway Holocaust Research Institute is the leading academic centre of its kind in Europe. We are internationally recognised for our research, teaching, public advocacy and creative work. This is an ideal MA if you are pursuing an advanced interest in the Holocaust, it will provide you with a further set of skills and a qualification, it also has a highly successful track record as a springboard to doctoral research.

The Research Institute's mission is to promote research into the Holocaust, its origins and aftermath, and to examine the extent to which genocide, war and dictatorship can be understood as defining elements in the history of the twentieth century. It is an international forum bringing together researchers working on different aspects of the Holocaust in a range of disciplines, including history, literary and language studies, film and media studies, philosophy and sociology.

Teaching & assessment

Assessment is carried out by coursework and a dissertation.

The dissertation must be between 14,000 - 16,000 words and is mainly written in the third term and the summer (with a deadline in early September). Students are expected to develop a topic together with their supervisor(s) during the Spring Term. Topics can be taken from various areas, such as the history and representation of the Holocaust or its impact on literatures in different countries, public and visual culture, mass media and digital narratives, and film.

On completion of the course, graduates will have advanced knowledge and understanding of:

• the most important aspects of the history and historiography of the Holocaust
• significant intellectual trends in cultural though, philosophy, and representation arising from the Holocaust
• methods and concepts of various disciplines (historical, literary, philosophical and others).

Your future career

On completion of your MA in Holocaust Studies at Royal Holloway you will have developed and finessed skills, such as research, analysis and presenting, which will appeal to future employers. Your degree also demonstrates that you enjoy being challenged and that you understand complex issues. On graduation you will be ideally placed to develop your career in areas relating to the Holocaust and have a solid foundation for PhD studies.

• Our Careers team will work with you to enhance your employability and prepare you for the choices ahead. Their support doesn’t end when you graduate; you can access the service for up to two years after graduation.
• Our graduates are highly employable and, in recent years, have entered many different areas, including careers in academia, charities (such as the Holocaust Educational Trust), museums and the media.