European Expansion and Globalisation

Specialisation of: History
Degree: Master of Arts in History
Mode of Study: Full-time and part-time
Duration: 1 year (full-time); 1,5 years (part-time)
Start date: September, February
Language of instruction: English
Location: Leiden
Croho/isat code: 66034
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If you opt for a Master of Arts in History and value a truly open international academic atmosphere, you should consider the History of European Expansion and Globalisation specialisation. This programme explores the dynamic interaction between civilisations in global history. We explore the question of how worldwide political, economic, cultural and religious contacts have shaped the processes that lead to the development of regional identity and the formation of states.. The programme yields a strong comparative and connective perspective on transnational processes such as imperialism, colonialism, Islamisation, modernisation and globalisation.


Apart from this global, panoramic perspective, this specialisation offers intensive practical and in-depth training in how to investigate primary sources, given by the best scholars in the field. Due to the international appeal of the Leiden research and scholarship programme Cosmopolis, you will be part of a truly international community of students and scholars.

With unique documentation centres and libraries on Asia and Africa within reach, as well as easy access to the National Archives and the Royal Library in The Hague, the programme is able to offer you one of the most in-depth and complete studies on the history of European expansion and globalisation currently available in Europe.

In this specialisation you can also opt for a further focus on Maritime History or for a combination with elements from the kindred specialisation of Archival Studies.

Maritime History

Leiden University is the only university within the Netherlands with its own chair in maritime history. Maritime history covers the history of shipping across the early-modern, modern and present time in the Netherlands and in other countries with a sea-faring tradition.

Prof. Henk te Velde

Henk te Velde

“Historians in Leiden use the riches of the University in order to give their students a good education.”

“Over a period of a few years, a whole new generation of professors has been appointed at the History Department in Leiden; the department is bustling with energy in a friendly and professional atmosphere. All sections of the department have their own attractions and strengths.

Our strong section of Ancient History, for instance, benefits from the presence in Leiden of the largest department of Classics in the Netherlands; Medieval History has a strong tradition of research in the later Middle Ages and is now joining forces with the specialists in the early modern period, who have a strong and promising research team working on public and private memory of the Dutch Revolt.

Historians of European expansion and globalisation are working together with specialists on non-European culture and history in other parts of the Faculty of Humanities, which has always been famous for its expertise in this field. They also co-operate with the specialists of the history of migration, which has rapidly developed into one of the new strengths of the department. One of the professors working in this area is based at the Campus The Hague of Leiden University.

In my own field of study, the history of political culture, we are working together with colleagues studying politics in such fields as political science and constitutional law. This combination also makes it easier to work together with government agencies, who are just around the corner, in The Hague. For classes on the history of political debate I myself benefit from the expertise of the colleagues of the Dutch department.

This again is just one example of the many ways historians in Leiden use the riches of Leiden University in order to give their students a good education and an exciting period of study.”