Could climate change have impacted the fall of the Roman Empire? How do societies historically cope with crises, such as flooding or warfare? How can we understand wealth disparities from a historical perspective?
The Master’s track Un/sustainable Societies: Past, Present and Future at the University of Groningen teaches you to utilize historical knowledge and methods to address contemporary developments regarding the (un)sustainability of societies, thereby making you an expert in this field. The track is unique in its focus to learn historians to comprehend societal challenges and to contribute to related public debates from a historical perspective.
Issues such as global inequality, environmental changes and democracy all have a long history. Knowledge of their history contributes to a better-informed public, concrete solutions and more sustainable policies. Therefore, you learn to identify, situate and analyse historical trends, to acquire in-depth historical knowledge as well as advanced skills and methods to conduct historical research, and to interrogate the complex interrelation of the past and present. With the aim of learning how to ask relevant questions and to formulate historical arguments in current debates, you will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for connecting the past to current issues and how to conduct debates on future challenges.
You can follow this programme both full-time and part-time. If you wish to start this programme on 1 February, please contact the study advisers.- Een track in Un/Sustainable Societies: Past, Present and
Future met een duidelijke professionele en maatschappelijke
relevantie
- Een uitstekende track die een groot aantal verschillende
keuzevakken biedt met de flexibiliteit om je eigen specialisme te
ontwikkelen
- Een duidelijke focus op de historische bronnen van hedendaagse
ontwikkelingen met betrekking tot (gebrek aan) duurzaamheid en de
praktische implementatie van academische historische kennis en
methoden
- Een unieke focus op inzetbaarheid door vakken met betrekking tot
methoden en professionele vaardigheden, plus praktische ervaring
via speciale projecten en stages
- Een internationale en aantrekkelijke studie-omgeving met veel
middelen om onderzoek te doen
The core of the track is the course The History of (Un)Sustainability, which introduces you to the key concepts, theories and methods relating to five key themes: politics, economic inequality, migration, conflict and environmental change. You will also be instructed on how to debate about these themes from a historical perspective.
Semesters | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
CoursesCourse Catalog > | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b |
Masterclass (5 EC, optional) | ||||
Research Seminar History (10 EC) | ||||
The History of (Un)Sustainability (10 EC) | ||||
Historical Methods: Archives (5 EC, optional) | ||||
Historical Methods: Oral History (5 EC, optional) | ||||
Historical Methods: Quantitative Analysis (5 EC, optional) | ||||
Historische Methoden: Working with Visual and Material Sources (5 EC, optional) | ||||
Historical Methods: Digital Story (5 EC, optional) | ||||
MA thesis History (20 EC) | ||||
MA workplacement History (10 EC, optional) | ||||
Research Seminar History (10 EC, optional) | ||||
Historische Methoden: Methods for Historical Sustainability Research (5 EC, optional) |
Programme options |
---|
Master's placement (specialization) During this Master's track, you can do a placement–as an extra course–for 10 ECTS credit points. This placement offers you the opportunity to gain work experience and provides insight into the labour market. You can do a placement at an institution, organization or company in or outside the Netherlands. It is your responsibility to find a placement yourself, but the placement coordinators can help with this where possible. |
A study period abroad can be combined with the placement and/or the Master's final assignment. You could also follow a seminar at a university abroad.
Specific requirements | More information |
---|---|
previous education |
Students with the following academic background are admissible to this Master's track:
|
language test |
Additional requirements English: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 90 (with a minimum of 21 on all items), or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency. Students who gained a Bachelor's degree certificate from an English-taught degree programme, will automatically meet the language requirements. |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
History (part-time) | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
American Studies | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
Archaeology | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
Communication and Information Studies | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
English Language and Culture | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
Classical Studies | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
Information Science | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
International Relations and International Organization | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
Arts, Culture and Media | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
Art History | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
Media Studies | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
Middle Eastern Studies | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
Minorities & Multilingualism | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
Dutch Language and Culture | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
Linguistics | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
European Languages and Cultures | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:Aangevuld met een facultaire minor Geschiedenis van 30 ECTS (aan de RUG) |
Study programme | Organization | Transition |
---|---|---|
History (part-time) | All Research universities | No additional requirements |
Please use this step-by-step guide for more information regarding your eligibility and your specific application procedure.
Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
---|---|---|
Dutch students | 15 August 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
15 January 2026 | 01 February 2026 | |
15 August 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 |
Specific requirements | More information |
---|---|
previous education |
Students with the following academic background are admissible to this Master's track:
|
language test |
Additional requirements English: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 90 (with a minimum of 21 on all items), or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency. Students who gained a Bachelor's degree certificate from an English-taught degree programme, will automatically meet the language requirements. |
Please use this step-by-step guide for more information regarding your eligibility and your specific application procedure.
Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
---|---|---|
Dutch students | 15 August 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
15 January 2026 | 01 February 2026 | |
15 August 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 | |
non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
15 October 2026 | 01 February 2027 |
On completing the Master's track Un/sustainable Societies: Past, Present and Future, you are equipped with the academic and professional knowledge and skills that are required to work for (non) profit organisations, as you will be able to translate complex problems into accessible information and to analyse these problems from a historical perspective. Our graduates are able to interpret and to reflect on the meaning of the past itself, but also in relation to the present and future. You will learn to structure projects and policy documents, and to negotiate and adopt a diplomatic position. By doing a placement, you will get to know people from relevant fields and build a strong professional network. This Master's track provides you the expertize and tools to find general and specialist positions within a broad array of (non) profit organizations, giving you a clear advantage on the job market.
Research in the Department of History covers the earliest of human history to the present, focusing on regions from a global perspective. Th e internationally-renowned expertise of our staff teaching the Master’s track Un/sustainable Societies: Past, Present and Future, allows our students to specialize in a wide range of topics and methods, and to choose their own thesis subjects. Some examples of the topics of students’ theses are : political deliberation in Ancient Athens ; German forestry practices in early twentieth-century Tanzania ; mental health problems of Dutch housewives in the 1960s; and the restitution of Jewish victims of the Shoah by Dutch municipalities.
You can find more information on the webpages about staff members and their research and about the research activities of the Research Centre for Historical Studies .
Are you interested in a research oriented career? Please also check
our Research Master's Programme of History.