Royal Holloway’s History Department has enjoyed a prominent global position in Crusader Studies for almost fifty years and in 2022 the college hosted the most recent quadrennial international conference for crusade scholars. This specialised pathway within the MA History provides an engaging and original course for those looking to pursue further study in the crusades. We have a strong track record in producing doctoral students, and we welcome students looking to enhance their knowledge beyond BA level or who simply want to immerse themselves in the subject for its own interest. This pathway offers a unique and fascinating examination of the ideas, impact and personalities of this compelling subject from the medieval age to the present day. Options cover a range of themes, including Women and the Crusades and the Byzantine Empire and the Crusades. That on Louis IX, Mongols and Mamluks takes the study of the crusades beyond the usual remit of BA courses and into the thirteenth century. The option on the Memory and Legacy of the Crusades is unique in the world and provides huge flexibility in its approach, covering topics from nineteenth century colonialism, through World War I, Arab Nationalism and al-Qaeda and ranging across materials that include romantic literature, plays, films and video games. Taken together, this combination allows you to look at the world of the crusades from a variety of perspectives and, in conjunction with your tutors, to formulate and hone a topic for the dissertation that you will write in the last phase of the course.
Students take this MA first and foremost out of a passion for the subject and then, either to extend their undergraduate interest in the Crusades, or to return to the academic field after time in the workplace.
For some, the MA is a springboard to further research and we have a really strong record in providing the impetus, the intellectual development, the environment and the training to undertake doctoral work. To date, 15 former students on the module have, or are in the process of, completing PhDs. No less than 11 academic monographs have been published by these individuals.
For others, the MA is where they complete their studies and afterwards they wish to enter, or re-enter, the world of work, having hopefully enjoyed the module, learned more about the world of the crusades and enhanced their skills as communicators, researchers, analysts and listeners. While Crusader Studies may sound a little niche, the tremendous variety of career paths followed by its former students suggest that all options are open. Graduates from the MA have entered:
Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £12,000
EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £27,000
Other essential costs***: You will need to purchase two essential text books costing approximately £25
How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries.
and ** These tuition fees apply to students starting their course on a full-time basis in the academic year 2027/28. Students studying on the standard part-time course structure over two years are charged 50% of the full-time applicable fee for each study year.
Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually. For further information, see fees and funding.