MA in Historical Studies (Two Year)

Central European University – Department of Historical Studies

Central European University is a small, research intensive university in Vienna, with a multinational student body and degrees accredited in Austria and the US. In the Department of Historical Studies, students and faculty from more than 30 countries study the past from antiquity to the present day, with a particular focus on Central and Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean World.

We invite applications for funded places on the two-year MA in Historical Studies. Students can choose between two tracks. The focused Late Antique and Medieval Track gives an interdisciplinary grounding in the historiographies, methodologies, and sources necessary for the study of the premodern world. The History Track encourages students to take courses and learn languages that contribute to their research interests and thesis topic. Over two years, we encourage our students to learn new languages, participate in field trips across Central Europe, and integrate into the academic communities of CEU and Vienna. Many of our graduates go onto doctoral study at prestigious universities, or careers in the heritage and museums sector.

In addition to the regular program of their degree, students can specialize in a range of non-degree subject areas and obtain certificates in:

• Central European Studies
• Cultural Heritage Studies
• Digital Humanities
• Eastern Mediterranean Studies
• Political Thought
• Religious Studies
• Romani Studies
• Visual Theory and Practice

And specializations in:

• Archives and Evidentiary Practices
• Jewish Studies

We award tuition-waivers and monthly stipends on the basis of academic merit. Most MA students receive a monthly stipend between 350 and 1000 Euros, and receive a tuition waiver of 9,000-10,000 Euros. We also offer a fully-funded merit scholarship in our one-year MA in Historical Studies: the Gerd Bucerius History Scholarship, and the Bak Award in the one- or two-year MA for students working on medieval Central and Eastern Europe. The deadline to apply for admission and financial aid for the 2026-27 academic year is February 4, 2026 (23:59 CET).

For further information, please go to the webpage of the CEU Department of Historical Studies or write to Jessica Knowles (historicalstudies@ceu.edu).