MA Programs for Prospective Students

The Department offers a range of internationally competitive master's programs, designed to cater to students with diverse research interests and study backgrounds. Students may design their curriculum from a broad range of topics ranging from late antiquity to the present or specialize in  late antique, medieval and early modern studies, defined broadly geographically and chronology. We offer a vibrant intellectual environment that encourages an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the past. Students take our MAs to put themselves on the path to doctoral studies or to prepare themselves for careers in museums, cultural heritage, or jobs in the public and private sectors.

Master’s Degrees that focus on an individual research project: 

One-year MA in Historical Studies 

This program is best suited to students who have a clear idea for a research-based thesis. The one-year MA allows you to anchor your project in a specific research field, while offering a broad range of courses across historical periods and approaches to the past. Students may apply to the “History” or the “Late Antique and Medieval” track. Many students take this one-year degree to prepare themselves for a PhD program. 

Two-year MA in Historical Studies 

This program is for students who prefer a more flexible timeline for identifying and carrying out a research project. Students choose from a wide variety of courses. They also have the flexibility to study source languages, and acquire a deeper understanding of the methods and theories that have shaped the study of the past. Students may apply to the “History” or the “Late Antique and Medieval” track. 

MA in Women's and Gender History, “MATILDA” (two years) 

Offered jointly with the Department of Gender Studies, this program provides expertise in women’s and gender history. It is operated by a consortium of universities in Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, and Italy. 

MA History in the Public Sphere "HIPS" Dual Degree (Two year)

History in the Public Sphere is a two-year masters program, run by Central European University and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. It focuses on the ways the past is represented, contested, and negotiated in the public sphere, exploring various contexts from the early modern period to the present in a comparative and transnational way.

Students may also pursue an MA degree that offers public-facing historical education across different professional fields: 

MA in Museum Studies (two years) 

The MA in Museum Studies is offered jointly by Central European University and the Wien Museum, Vienna. It teaches the essentials of the profession in the museum field. This degree is for students who seek a career in the museum world and want to combine hands-on, practical education with a rigorous study program in the critical humanities dedicated to the study of the past. With local training opportunities in Vienna’s rich museum scene, as well as international internships, the program provides students with the skills, experience, and professional knowledge to engage diverse museum audiences.  

In order to foster a critical spirit of inquiry, students receive solid training in methodology and theory and are invited to take courses beyond their specialization, including training in practical skills for the job market.  

Our MA programs are graduate programs. Students are expected to develop familiarity with, and experience in, the basic skills of independent research. Faculty members offer guidance, assistance, and supervision in students' own creative work. Students regularly participate in discussions of scholarship beyond their own specialization, primarily by selecting courses that broaden their thematic, geographic and chronological perspectives.  

Advanced Certificate Programs and Specializations