In the master specialisation Applied History, you will learn the skills to analyse and tackle contemporary challenges from a historical perspective.
Applied History
The United Nations developed since 2015 an agenda of 17 goals to improve the living conditions for all on our planet. Although those 17 challenges might reveal contemporary problems, they are rooted in historical developments. Global warming, for instance, refers to a historical evolution on our planet and can only be understood from a long-term perspective, but this also applies to other challenges such as gender inequality or poverty.
In the master specialisation Applied History at Erasmus University Rotterdam you will learn how we need to use a long-term perspective if we want to come with sustainable solutions for global problems. You will also discover that nation states often use history to create narratives and identities that influence our daily lives. By studying the development of different global histories, you learn to understand how history is often a cultural, religious, social or political narrative created to legitimize nation states, conflicts, cultural identities or world domination.
At the end of your master, you will be able to answer the questions such as:
- how do you create a relevant exhibition about Rotterdam’s colonial past?
- in what ways can big data and digital humanities be used in collecting and presenting information?
- what are the major societal challenges in today's globalising society?
- how can the historical culture in a society be used by the government?
- what influence do historical games as call of duty have on the historical consciousness of young people?
Five reasons to study Applied History at the EUR
- this master specialisation offers you the opportunity to take a longer internship and solve a concrete problem in Applied History in your final project. Instead of writing a traditional research paper as your thesis, you can also write a documentary script or an outline for an exhibition.
- the interdisciplinary collaboration (where possible) with Arts and Culture and Media Studies makes you a desirable employee for a variety of organisations. Whether you want to become a journalist, ambition a career in politics, or as a scientist, this master will prepare you thoroughly.
- this master specialisation provides methodological skills to gather and analyse data in a critical way which prepares you for the labour market. Data mining, management, analysis and presentation are crucial skills on today’s labour market.
- you will benefit from the small-scale education and a dedicated team of lecturers.
- studying Applied History in Rotterdam means living in a city with an interesting past and a dynamic present.
