MA Garden History at University of Buckingham

The University of Buckingham’s Master’s in Garden History (and associated PhD) is the only academic programme offered by a UK University focusing on research at Master’s level in a wide range of garden- and landscape- history related topics: from explorations of individual sites; their designers, gardeners and owners; to studies of the social and political use of gardens, or aspects of their heritage conservation and management.

Faculty: School of Humanities and Social Sciences  |  Duration: 1 year full-time; 2 years part-time  |  Study mode: full-time, part-time  |  Intake: September 2026  |  Location: Buckingham, England, United Kingdom

What you will study

The MA by research is ideal for members of the county-based Gardens Trusts as well as professionals in the arena of historic gardens, and anyone with an academic interest in history of designed gardens and landscapes. The University of Buckingham MA programmes are intended to impart all the skills necessary for the student to then undertake independent research and writing, but the MA can be undertaken just as fulfillingly as an exercise in the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, and as a means of exploring areas of enquiry that are of particular interest to the student.

Career pathways

Many of the University’s research students have gone on to publish their MA or PhD dissertations, either in book-form or as articles in learned journals. The skills of authorship are one of the numerous ‘transferable skills’ that students acquire through the programme.

Official programme page