Why study this course?
- You will acquire the technical skills required for rare book scholarship and curatorship.
- The programme provides a deep understanding of key issues and methods in book history and familiarises you with the invention, development, spread and transformation of printing.
- Circumstances allowing, you will be introduced to a range of libraries and rare book collections, members of the antiquarian book trade and digital techniques.
- You will take part in our annual international book history conference, now in its 16th year.
- You can undertake skills training in palaeography and either Latin or a modern foreign language.
Teaching
Delivered through fortnightly seminars and practical classes.
Class sizes
Range from individual supervision up to eight students.
Dissertation
A 15,000-word project with regular support.
Assessment
Coursework only with no final exam.
Modules
Each module typically comprises of seminars held every two weeks or weekly two-hour seminars. Students can choose either four optional modules or two optional modules along with the Directed Reading module.
For more details, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the module catalogue. The modules are examples from previous academic years and may be subject to change before you start your course.
-
- The Book in Early Modern Europe 1 and 2: provide students with a good understanding of key issues and methods in book history from 1445 to 1830.
- Material Bibliography 1 and 2: cover the use of the book as historical evidence, and practical aspects of cataloguing and Special Collections work.
-
- Directed Reading in Modern History: designed to encourage the development of skills of historical analysis through concentrated study of a topic chosen by the student prior to the dissertation.
- Early Modern Documents and Sources: provides a wide-ranging introduction to the types of source material which researchers on the early modern period may encounter.
- Latin for Early Modern History 1: provides three tiers of Latin teaching (beginners, intermediate, and advanced) for students with earlier or no experience.
- Cataloguing Project: offers an independent book cataloguing project designed to encourage the development of skills related to bibliographical data gathering and analysis.
- Paleography and Manuscript Studies: provides a wide-ranging introduction to reading and handling original source material of all types which researchers of the early modern period may encounter. The course will trace the development of mainstream European handwriting styles from the late 15th to the 18th centuries.
-
Student dissertations will be supervised by members of the teaching staff who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process. The completed dissertation of not more than 15,000 words must be submitted by a date specified in August.
If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MLitt, there is an exit award available that allows suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PGDip instead of an MLitt.
What it will lead to
Careers
History postgraduates go on to pursue careers in a range of sectors including:
- librarianship
- rare book trade
- journalism
- publishing
- think tanks
- government
- law
- teaching
Further study
Many graduates continue their education by enrolling in PhD programmes at St Andrews or elsewhere.
Why St Andrews?
Those taking this MLitt will automatically be enrolled in the St Andrews annual international book history conference.
The School of History also hosts an early modern history seminar which meets regularly throughout the teaching period from September to April. Papers are given by both St Andrews historians and invited guests.
Alumni
When you graduate you become a member of the University's worldwide alumni community. Benefit from access to alumni clubs, the Saint Connect networking and mentoring platform, and careers support.
“Highlights were learning about the history of the book trade and print in the early modern period while also analysing the books themselves. The people are wonderful and I can honestly say that everyone I’ve worked with has been invested in my journey and cared about my success.”
- Massachusetts, USA
Ask a student
If you are interested in learning what it's like to be a student at St Andrews you can speak to one of our student ambassadors. They'll let you know about their top tips, best study spots, favourite traditions and more.
Entry requirements
- A 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree in a subject-related area. If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
- English language proficiency. See English language tests and qualifications.
The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.
Application requirements
- CV that includes your personal details with a history of your education and employment to date
- personal statement (optional)
- sample of your own, single-authored academic written work (2,000 words)
- two original signed academic references
- academic transcripts and degree certificates
For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.
English language proficiency
If English is not your first language, you may need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. See approved English language tests and scores for this course.
Fees and funding
- UK: £12,030
- Rest of the world: £25,900
Before we can begin processing your application, a payment of an application fee of £50 is required. In some instances, you may be eligible for an application fee waiver. Details of this, along with information on our tuition fees, can be found on the postgraduate fees and funding page.
Scholarships and funding
We are committed to supporting you through your studies, regardless of your financial circumstances. You may be eligible for scholarships, discounts or other support:
Contact us
Start your journey
Legal notices
Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our Admissions policy
Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the course archive.
Curriculum development
As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online.
Tuition fees
The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online.
Page last updated: 17 March 2025