Overview
Introduction
This new and exciting two-year programme is taught by the National University of Singapore and the London School of Economics. It’s designed for students interested in studying Asia from an international perspective. The programme is also well-suited for those interested in decentering international history by studying it from an Asian perspective.
During your first year at NUS, you’ll be introduced to a wide range of contemporary historical methods, focusing on major historians, current debates about historical practice, theoretical history, and historical interpretation.
This is complemented by a choice of electives covering modern Southeast Asia, Singapore, modern East Asia, China, America, and modern Europe. You’ll also study topics like imperialism and empire, the Cold War, military history, cultural history, and oral history.
In your second year at LSE, you can choose from a wide selection of International History courses ranging from the Ottoman Empire to twentieth-century Southeast Asia. Thematically, courses cover everything from war and peace, to the history of race and gender. While you’ll have the option to study European, North American, South American, and African History, this degree allows you to centre your studies on Asian history in all its rich variety.
These Asian history courses can be further complemented by specialist options on Asia from the Departments of Economic History, Government, Anthropology, and Geography.
Throughout the programme, you’ll engage with the latest academic research in the field, and you’ll undertake your own research-based term papers and third term dissertation. The dissertation is one of the highlights of this degree, where you’ll pursue specialist research on a subject with an Asian focus under the supervision of a leading expert in the field.
Previous graduates of this double degree have gone on to work in academia and research, education and teaching, and the public sector in the UK or abroad. Others work for international organisations and NGOs, charities, as well as a wide range of other sectors, including journalism and media.
Preliminary readings
General reading
- Antony Best, Jussi Hanhimaki, Joe Maiolo, and Kirsten Schulze, International History of the Twentieth Century and Beyond (Routledge, 2014 3rd edition)
- Kristina Spohr, Post Wall, Post Square, How Bush, Gorbachev, Kohl, and Deng Shaped the World after 1989 (YUP, 2020)
- O. A. Westad, The Global Cold War: Third World Interventions and the Making of Our Times (2011)
- Mark Mazower, Dark Continent: Europe's Twentieth Century (1999)
Subject specific recommendations
- Jeremy Friedman, Shadow Cold War: The Sino-Soviet Competition for the Third World (2015)
- Elizabeth Economy, The Third Revolution: Xi Jinping and the New Chinese State (2019)
- Sunil S. Amrith, Unruly Waters: How Mountain Rivers and Monsoons have shaped South Asia’s History (Penguin 2018)
- Sunil S. Amrith, Crossing the Bay of Bengal: The Furies of Nature and the Fortunes of Migrants (Harvard University Press, 2015)
- Antony Reid, A History of Southeast Asia: Critical Crossroads (Wiley-Blackwell, 2015)
- M.C. Rikleffs (et al), A New History of Southeast Asia (Red Globe Press, 2010)
- C. Tsuzuki, The Pursuit of Power in Modern Japan 1825-1995 (Oxford, 2000)
- K.W. Larsen, Tradition, Treaties, and Trade: Qing Imperialism and Choson Korea, 1850-1910 (Cambridge, MA, 2008)
- Frederick W. Mote, Imperial China, 900-1800 (Harvard University Press, 1999).
- Frederic Wakeman, Jr. The Great Enterprise: The Manchu Reconstruction of Imperial Order in Seventeenth-Century China (University of California Press, 1985).
- J.D. Spence, The Search for Modern China (3rd edition, New York, 2013)
- CHEN Jian, Mao's China and the Cold War (University of North Carolina Press, 2001)
- Tongchai Winichakul, Siam Mapped: A History of the Geo-Body of a Nation (University of Hawaiʻi Press, 1994)
- Christopher Goscha, Vietnam: A New History (Basic Books, 2016)
Entry requirements
At NUS, the entry requirements are as follows:
- NUS honors degree (Merit/Second Class and above) or equivalent (eg, a four-year bachelor’s degree with at least an average grade of B) in relevant disciplines such as history and area studies, and disciplinary or interdisciplinary academic programmes in the humanities and social sciences that give the major a measure of competence in historical subject matters; or bachelor’s degree with a relevant Graduate Diploma with a minimum GPA of 3.00; or bachelor’s degree with a relevant Graduate Certificate with a minimum GPA of 3.00.
- Bachelor’s degree in relevant disciplines such as history and area studies, and disciplinary or interdisciplinary academic programs in the humanities and social sciences that give the major a measure of competence in historical subject matters, with at least two years of relevant work experience.
- Candidates with other qualifications and experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to approval by the BGS.
- Applicants whose native tongue and medium of university instruction is not English must complete the TOEFL or IELTS and obtain the results set by the particular programme. Exceptions may be allowed on an individual basis. CELC’s Diagnostic English Test and the taking of English Proficiency courses remain as a provision to help establish a student’s level of English and improve his/her language ability.
At LSE, the entry requirements are as follows:
- Upper second class honors degree (2:1) or equivalent in any discipline. Please select your country from the dropdown list below to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.
Overseas
English language requirements
The English language requirement for this programme is Higher. Read more about our English language requirements.
Competition for places at LSE is strong. So, even if you meet the minimum entry requirements, this doesn't guarantee you an offer of a place.
However, please don’t feel deterred from applying – we want to hear from all suitably qualified students. Think carefully about how you can put together the strongest possible application to help you stand out.
Programme content
The NUS-LSE double degree MA Asian and International History is a two-year master’s degree. The first year is spent in Singapore at NUS where students will take a core course on historiography followed by nine electives or seven electives and a dissertation chosen from a broad range of courses covering Asian history, international history, and historical methods. The second year is spent in London at LSE where students will write a 10,000 word dissertation on a topic with an Asian focus as well as taking one international history course, one course on Asia, and a course of the students’ choice from any of the departments across LSE.
Year 1
First year, at National University of Singapore
Students must take the mandatory core course, "Historiography: Theory and Archive", and either nine elective courses or seven elective courses plus a 10,000-word thesis. Only candidates with an average 4.0 and above GPA (A- & above) at the end of the first semester are permitted to write the thesis.
Year 2
Second year, at LSE
At LSE, you'll complete three full units in addition to the dissertation.
At least two of these three units must be chosen from the wide range of "international history" and "Asian history, politics, and society" course offerings. You may complete a third unit in another department at LSE, provided that both the academic tutor at LSE and the teacher responsible for the course approve.
Watch our HY course videos
Dissertation
You'll also take the year-long Dissertation course which is designed to help you research and write your dissertation and to think about where you would like to take your career after your time at LSE has finished. It provides a specialised forum for discussion and debate on what it means to write history and to be an historian.
The dissertation is an exercise in using primary sources to write on a precise topic in International and Asian History. The only formal limit on the choice of subject is that it must fall within the syllabus, ie, it has to be a topic in International History with an Asian angle, and the dissertation has to be a study in the discipline of history.
Students must pass the dissertation to receive a degree.
While in London, students preparing dissertations can take advantage of numerous world-class research libraries and archives. These include the National Archives (formerly the Public Record Office), the British Library, the libraries of specialised schools of the University of London such as the Institute for Historical Research, the School of Oriental and African Studies, and the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, and the LSE's own library, the British Library of Political and Economic Sciences. The LSE's archive also contains much valuable research material, as do the collections of the Imperial War Museum, the Warburg Institute and many others.
Optional courses to the value of three units
For the latest list of courses, please go to the relevant School Calendar page.
A few important points you’ll need to know:
We may need to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees due to unforeseen circumstances. We’ll always notify you as early as possible and recommend alternatives where we can.
The School is not liable for changes to published information or for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study, due to developments in teaching practice, regulatory requirements that require us to comply, lack of demand, financial unviability of a course, or due to circumstances beyond our control, such as the loss of a key member of staff or where a location or building becomes unavailable for use.
Places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements so we cannot therefore guarantee you a place.
Changes to programmes and courses may be made after you’ve accepted your offer of a place – normally due to developments in the discipline or as a consequence of student feedback. We may also make changes to course content, teaching formats or assessment methods but these are made to improve the learning experience.
For full details about the availability or content of courses and programmes, please take a look at the School’s Calendar, or contact the relevant academic department.
Some major changes to programmes/courses are posted on our updated graduate course and programme information page.
Why study with us
Discover more about our students and department.
Meet the department
History is a wide ranging and challenging subject to study. It seeks to understand the past and to make sense of the present, adding an important dimension to the understanding of many aspects of human society. The department is world renowned in its field, offering a unique perspective on the history of relations between states, peoples and cultures. We pride ourselves on giving students the benefit of ground-breaking research throughout our teaching programmes.
Our degrees will give you a broad international perspective on the past. We give attention both to domestic and international issues and many of the courses we offer deal with major events in the history of international relations.
Since the behaviour of countries in the international arena cannot be understood without a knowledge of their distinct social, political, economic and cultural characteristics, we provide courses covering major aspects of the history of ideas and mentalities.
LSE was founded in 1895 originally as an institute of higher education for graduate students. The department reflects this tradition and takes its responsibility for undergraduate teaching and supervision very seriously. We admit nearly as many undergraduate students as master's students. We have one of the most cosmopolitan undergraduate communities in London and one of the most vibrant and dynamic.
Learn more about our programmes, research, public events and people.
Who's who
Why LSE
University of the Year 2025 and 1st in the UK in 2025 and 2026
Times and The Sunday Times - Good University Guide 2025 and 20261st in London for the 14th year running
The Complete University Guide - University League Tables 20265th in the world for the study of social sciences and management
QS World University Rankings by Subject 20266th in the world for leading the way in social and environmental sustainability
QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026Your application
Overview
We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students. At LSE, we want to recruit students with the best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of background.
We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your application form, such as your:
- academic achievement (including predicted and achieved grades)
- statement of academic purpose
- two academic references
- CV.
See further information on supporting documents.
You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements.
Applications are reviewed by both universities, however you apply via the LSE.
Data sharing
Double degrees and certain other degrees and scholarships require that LSE shares personal data with another university or partner. In our agreements we will use the School’s standard data sharing template for universities and partners in the EU and EEA and in an adequate country. Standard contract clauses will be used for any other country. If you have any questions about this or how your personal data will be treated by LSE, please contact the Data Protection Officer, Rachael Maguire, via glpd.info.rights@lse.ac.uk or check our Student Privacy Notice.
Programme and admissions enquiries
For questions related to your application or the admissions process, please check our admissions frequently asked questions page.
If you have any queries which aren't answered on the website, please contact the department's Graduate Admissions Advisor.
Who attends
The NUS-LSE double degree MA Asian and International History aims to cater to:
- students from Europe, the United States and elsewhere who are interested in specialising in all areas of Asia for future employment prospects in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office or diplomatic services of other countries, think tanks or private enterprises with interests and involvement in Asia
- students from Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia but also South Korea, Japan and China who would like to study Asia in combination with Global History, and from a global history perspective.
You'll develop knowledge of historical events and debates, engage in critical reflection, learn to devise their own research questions and conduct independent research. You'll develop skills in formal academic writing, oral presentations, time-management and work-planning as well as hone their ability to work effectively with others.
Fees and funding
The table of fees shows the latest tuition fees for all programmes.
You're charged a fee for your programme. At LSE, your tuition fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It doesn't cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.
At LSE, your tuition fees, and eligibility for any financial support, will depend on whether you’re classified as a home or overseas student (known as your fee status). We assess your fee status using The Higher education (Fee Limit Condition) (England) Regulations 2017.
Fee reduction
Students who have completed and passed an undergraduate degree at LSE and are beginning taught graduate study at the School are eligible for a 10 per cent tuition fee reduction.
Students who have completed and passed two or more Summer School courses are eligible for a five per cent reduction.
If you meet the eligibility criteria for both discounts, the higher 10 per cent discount rate will apply.
Find out more about the LSE alumni discount.
Funding for the first year, at NUS
There is currently no funding available for the first year at NUS.
Funding for the second year, at LSE
We recognise that the cost of living in London may be higher than in your home town/city or country and we provide generous scholarships to help both home and overseas students.
We offer some needs-based awards for this programme, including the Graduate Support Scheme. Competition for these awards and scholarships is strong. To apply for an award, you must have an offer of a place and submit a Graduate Financial Support application before the funding deadline during your first year at NUS.
In addition to our needs-based awards, we offer scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for certain subjects.
You can’t apply for a Graduate Support Scheme or LSE scholarship once you’ve joined the School.
Please note: we do expect students who register for a programme to have sufficient funds for the duration.
Government tuition fee loans and external funding
The UK Government offers a postgraduate loan for eligible students studying for a first master’s programme. This is designed to help with fees and living costs. Some other governments and organisations also offer tuition fee loan schemes.
Find out more about tuition fee loans.
Further information
Learn more about fees and funding opportunities.
Learning and assessment
How you learn
At NUS, the graduate curriculum is based on the modular system. Workloads are expressed in terms of units, and academic performance is measured by grade points on a 5-point scale. Candidates read one core and nine elective courses to earn a total of 40 units, and obtain the degree. Each module is worth four units and generally requires 10 hours of work a week, including participating in lectures, seminars, and workshops, and completing assignments and readings. Those who obtain a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 and above after the first semester of study can opt to take two less elective courses and write the 10,000-word thesis, which is worth eight units. The programme is taught by a combination of full-time and adjunct members of the faculty. From time to time, the department may also engage guest lecturers, retired policymakers, visiting professors, and working professionals to instruct classes.
Contact hours and independent study
At LSE you'll take a number of courses, often including half unit courses and full unit courses. In half unit courses, on average, you can expect 20-30 contact hours in total and for full unit courses, on average, you can expect 40-60 contact hours in total. This includes sessions such as lectures, classes, seminars or workshops. Hours vary according to courses and you can view indicative details in the Calendar within the Teaching section of each course guide.
You're also expected to complete independent study outside of class time. This varies depending on the programme, but requires you to manage the majority of your study time yourself, by engaging in activities such as reading, note-taking, thinking and research.
Teaching methods
LSE is internationally recognised for its teaching and research and therefore employs a rich variety of teaching staff with a range of experience and status. Courses may be taught by individual members of faculty, such as lecturers, senior lecturers, readers, associate professors and professors. Many departments now also employ guest teachers and visiting members of staff, LSE teaching fellows and graduate teaching assistants who are usually doctoral research students and in the majority of cases, teach on undergraduate courses only. You can view indicative details for the teacher responsible for each course in the relevant course guide.
The programme will be delivered largely through a two-hour seminar in which all students will be expected to contribute to discussion of the weekly topics and readings. Small group work will also be undertaken in seminars, the material allocated for that week will be examined and views fed back to the wider class. The seminar presentations offer a chance to ask questions and clarify issues suggested by reading, or for students to disagree over and debate particular points and interpretations. The stress throughout will be on participation and inquiry. Engagement in such seminar-based discussion is a way for students to develop the critical thinking skills that are important to the learning outcomes, as well as to accumulate a knowledge base in the major historiographical arguments. The small group will help students to learn from each other's insights and will foster the engagement with primary sources which is also one of the key learning outcomes. The dissertation project will provide the opportunity for students to develop skills in planning and implementing independent research.
Candidates can approach the department’s graduate or programme coordinator if they need assistance on academic or personal matters while they are at NUS. They can also contact the module instructors or thesis supervisors for guidance. Finally, they may seek the help of the staff at the Graduate Studies Division, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, to address any issues they may encounter.
You'll be assigned an academic mentor who will be available for guidance and advice on academic or personal concerns. You'll meet the mentor at least twice a term - as many times as need be - to discuss any aspect of your life at the LSE. The mentor is the first point of contact if you have any worries about your time in London and at LSE.
The department also has a Master's Programme Tutor, who oversees the graduate programme and is also available to meet students.
Graduates can also approach the Postgraduate and Research Programme Manager, Mrs Nayna Bhatti.
Finally, there are graduate representatives on School committees and the Graduate Staff-Student Committee and we value their input.
The department is committed to the idea that graduate teaching should be done in small groups. In order to meet this commitment, and to ensure that students can work with their teachers in an environment where real dialogue and interchange is possible, the number taking some courses does have to be controlled. This means that it becomes very important to indicate in advance to the department what options the incoming students wish to take.
Other academic support: at LSE, we offer lots of opportunities to extend your learning outside the classroom.
The Learning Lab is the place to discover and develop the skills you’ll need to reach your academic goals at LSE.
Through the Learning Lab, you can:
- attend practical workshops and one-to-one sessions on essay writing, conducting research, and on managing your reading lists, workloads, and deadlines
- develop your academic writing, reading, and critical-thinking skills to meet degree-level expectations
- work in study groups to strengthen collaboration, cross-cultural communication, and teamwork skills in a supportive environment.
Disability and Mental Health Service: we want all LSE students to achieve their full potential. Students can access free, confidential advice through our Disability and Mental Health Service. This is the first point of contact for students.
How you're assessed
The majority of the taught courses at NUS adopt the continuous assessment method to assess the progress of the candidates. Instructors may require candidates to craft research essays, deliver seminar presentations, participate actively in class discussions, submit book reviews or opinion pieces, or take quizzes. These assignments will be graded and the scores will add up to 100 percent of the final grade of the course. In some classes, instructors may require candidates to sit for a final examination. The score obtained at the finals is worth a percentage of the overall grade. Finally, candidates writing the MA thesis will need to complete and submit their projects by the end of the second semester for examination.
All taught courses are required to include formative coursework which is unassessed. It's designed to help prepare you for summative assessment which counts towards the course mark and to the degree award. LSE uses a range of formative assessment, such as essays, problem sets, case studies, reports, quizzes, mock exams and many others. Summative assessment may be conducted during the course or by final examination at the end of the course. An indication of the formative coursework and summative assessment for each course can be found in the relevant course guide.
Essays provide the opportunity for students to demonstrate that they have grasped the range of intellectual issues raised by the course and can express sophisticated arguments relating to the topics in writing. Presentations allow students to demonstrate that they have grasped the complex issues raised by their topic, to prioritise the most important information to cover and arguments to make, and to express themselves eloquently and with confidence in front of an audience.
Exams are held between mid-May and late June. Exams assess a student's ability to assemble an argument and support it through the use of evidence under timed conditions.
For this programme, dissertations are submitted in September and assessed in accordance with LSE’s MSc criterion.
Graduate destinations
Overview
Through an MA History degree, you'll develop highly transferable skills that are valued by employers and can be used and put in practice in numerous roles and sectors, and listed below:
- research skills and different research methods, intellectual rigour and independence
- ability to select and organise information, critical reasoning and analytical skills, including the capacity for solving problems and thinking creatively
- communication skills including writing skills and presentation skills, the ability to construct an argument and communicate findings in a clear and persuasive manner
- ability to discuss ideas in groups, and to negotiate, question and summarise
- capacity to think objectively and approach problems and new situations with an open mind
- manage large quantities of information, different expert options.
LSE International History postgraduate destinations are broad and include the following sectors: academia and research, education and teaching, public sector in the UK or abroad, interest groups, international organisations and NGOs, charities, public affairs, as well as a wide range of other sectors, including journalism and media, museum, heritage and archive, consultancy, environment, creative arts, HR, retail, business, investment banking.
LSE history students continue to have one of the best rate of employability and earnings after graduation in the UK. The Complete University Guide 2020 places History at LSE 6th overall for job prospects. Guardian's University 2021 League Tables placed History at LSE in 2nd place for percentage of graduates who find graduate-level jobs, or are in further study at professional or HE level, within fifteen months of graduation. The 2019 report on Graduate Outcomes Subject by Provider from the Department for Education places History at LSE top of the table with earnings superior to any other university in the UK with 2010-11 LSE graduates' median salary at £43,200 5 years after graduating.
A report on relative labour market returns, also from the Department for Education, which calculated the difference in earnings by subject and university choice throughout Britain five years after graduation, ranked History at LSE number 1 in June 2018. The report illustrates the average impact the different universities and subjects would have on the future income of an individual. History at LSE averaged a lifetime earnings boost of £14,000 for men and £15,000 for women when compared with studying history at any other university in the UK, including Oxford, St Andrews, Cambridge, KCL and UCL.
Further information on graduate destinations for this programme
Career support
We're committed to supporting students' options after graduation in the world of work or futher studies by organising a careers programme tailored specifically to International History students with the help of LSE Careers. Also, many leading organisations give careers presentations at the School during the year, and LSE Careers has a wide range of resources available to assist students in their job search.
Find out more about the support available to students through LSE Careers.
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