Teaching method

The core courses in the master 120 give courses in research techniques, the scientific communication of historical knowledge and the epistemological approach to history, as well as interactive training from files covering the different historical periods in the field 'governance and societies'.

A wide range of options courses helps the student acquire more depth in the knowledge acquired on the bachelor and begin an interdisciplinary approach.

A special place is reserved for the seminar (10 credits) requiring a lot of research in libraries and in archiving centres, as well as a lot of work in documentary criticism and preparing oral and written summaries.

The masters dissertation must be personal work based on first hand sources, where the student uses the skills acquired in his training. This work is supported by the supervisor and evaluated, at the end of the first year, in terms of the detection and critical presentation of the sources and work, and the methodological approach to the subject.

In the professional focus 'History. Societies, economies and civilizations', the option is given to focus on case studies. The three other professional focuses include visits and internships in the world of work.

Finally, through its pedagogical options, the programme gives foreign students the chance to acquaint themselves with new research fields and methods, in close contact with the sources.

Written and oral exams aim to measure the level of acquisition and grasp of concepts, theories, basic data and know-how in the different disciplines concerned.
Exercises, seminars and internships (internal or external to UCL) are subject to continuous assessment.
At the end of the first year, an evaluation will assess the two preliminary stages of the dissertation (heuristic and methodological approaches to an academic subject). At the end of the level, the dissertation is marked by the supervisor and two readers.

Courses are evaluated according to current university regulations (see General Examination Regulations). Students may find further information on specific evaluation methods in the course descriptions.