Masters Degrees (Military History)

About the course

This Military History MA offers an in-depth study of warfare on land, sea and air across a range of periods and continents, from the Classical Age to the present.

The core modules on the course examine:

- the Royal Navy in the twentieth century.
- warfare in ancient and medieval times.
- the impact of the French and Industrial Revolutions on warfare in the age of 'total war'

Optional modules give students the opportunity to study the Second World War, warfare in modern Africa and, additionally, the programme draws on Brunel’s expertise in intelligence studies. Students have the chance to take an optional module in this area with Brunel's Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies (BCISS).

Students will also complete a 15,000 dissertation on any military history topic, drawing on the wide expertise of staff in the department.

Aims

The MA in Military History will provide students with a systematic understanding and critical awareness of debates and interpretations of military history.

Students will gain a comprehensive and practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in specific subject areas.

Students will be encouraged to extend and develop their analytical, evaluative and critical capacities, and increase their ability to reflect on their own learning and intellectual development.

The MA in Military History will give students transferable skills in writing, discussion, analysis, and independent judgement.

Students will also work independently, thus demonstrating initiative and the ability to organise their time and work through their research project (a dissertation) of 15,000 words.

Course Content

The MA consists of both compulsory and optional modules, a typical selection can be found below. Modules can vary from year to year, but these offer a good idea of what we teach.

Compulsory modules:

Dissertation
War in History, 1789 to present
The Royal Navy in the Twentieth Century
European Warfare in the Age of Muscle.

Optional modules:

Intelligence History: Failure and Success
The Second World War
War and the Military in Modern African History
International Security

Special Features

Taught by internationally recognised academics in the field of Military History, Naval History, War Studies, Intelligence History and Security/Intelligence Studies.

Situated in London, the MA Military History has established links to world-renowned archives and libraries based in and close to London including the Caird Library (National Maritime Museum), The National Archives and the Imperial War Museum, among others.

Students on the MA Military History can automatically receive membership to the Royal Institute for International Affairs.

Students have access to the Specialist Angus Boulton Military History library held at Brunel University.

The MA in Military History regularly invites guest speakers to lecture on specialist subjects. Previous speakers have included, Professor Ilan Pappe (University of Exeter), Emeritus Professor Avi Shlaim (Oxford University), Sir Tony Brenton (Cambridge University), and Professor Brian Holden-Reid (KCL).

Research at Brunel

The Isambard Centre for Historical Research
The Isambard Centre for Historical Research brings together scholars at Brunel whose work examines the tensions inherent in the transnational connections that have shaped the modern world. The Centre takes its title from the University’s namesake, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. During the nineteenth century, the dockyards, steamships and railways that he built, revolutionised transportation and communication, helping to create the infrastructure that underpinned increasing global trade. People, products, ideas and cultural artefacts were all transmitted along these routes, producing transnational exchanges that stretched across traditional political, cultural and geographic divides. But such processes helped to make borders as well as transcend them. They stimulated anxieties that led to new efforts to control, define and regulate ownership, identity and exchange. Attending to these dual impulses is crucial if we are to understand the social, cultural and political landscapes of the modern world.

Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies
Brunel's Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies (BCISS) is a University Inter-Disciplinary Research Centre, taking in members from the School of Engineering and Design, School of Law, and from the Department of Economics and Finance from the School of Social Sciences, as well as core members from the Department of Politics and History. BCISS is the first academic Centre established in the UK to deal specifically with intelligence issues, policy and institutions. Established in November 2003 the Centre aims to promote and develop social science and policy-oriented approaches to intelligence.

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Are you interested in exploring military history? Do you want to study a whole series of different aspects of war?

Our two-year MA in Military History by distance learning programme offers you the opportunity to explore military history, drawing in particular on Birmingham's expertise in the history of the two World Wars and air power. Subjects to be studied include command and leadership; tactics, operations and the use of technology; ethics and war; and the individual's experience of war. You will complete the MA with a 15,000-word dissertation on a topic of your choice.

From the walls of Troy to the streets of Sangin, warfare has been at the centre of human life and death.

Those who know nothing of war can understand neither the past nor the present, for, as Trotsky famously said, ‘war is the locomotive of history’. Modern military history does more than re-fight old battles, however. It can, for example, teach us much about the cultures and societies that find themselves at war, and indeed about the souls of the men and women who do the fighting.

This course will stimulate and challenge you to think about the history of warfare in all its aspects, building a skill set over two years of part-time study which will equip you for further research in the field and/or broaden and deepen your understanding of the cruel, complex but endlessly fascinating phenomenon that is war.

About the School of History and Culture

The programmes in the School of History and Cultures offer students enquiry based learning within a rich and diverse environment to stimulate debate and challenge conventional thinking.
The programmes derive from departments which are all excellently rated by the QAA both in teaching and research terms (Medieval History 5, Modern History 5 and African Studies 5*). Our staff publish widely, and we are developing and consolidating a strong, supportive research culture in the School.
We are extremely proud to announce in June 2016, that History at Birmingham was ranked the top research department in the country by the Research Excellence Framework (REF). The national REF exercise assessed research publications and the public impact of research carried out in all universities in the UK between 2008-2014. Our department had an impressive 45% of its research judged to be ‘world-leading’.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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Course outline

With military history one of the fastest-growing areas of academic study, the University of Buckingham introduced a one-year MA in Military History, by research, in 2009. This is a groundbreaking programme: the first one-year Research MA in Military History, and the first with an integral course of seminars by visiting lecturers of international repute. The programme was enthusiastically reviewed by The Financial Times, which noted that “Intellectually curious professionals are signing up for a new course that gives them the opportunity to exchange thoughts on security, diplomacy and the armed forces over dinner with stellar historians and military top brass.”

The programme is London-based and directed by one of the country’s finest military historians, Professor Saul David. The lectures offered by the Course Director will be supplemented by a series of ten guest seminars by some of the most eminent scholars and authors in the field, including Professors N.A.M. Rodger, Hew Strachan, Richard Overy, Tim Blanning and Gary Sheffield, Antony Beevor and Sir Max Hastings.

The programme will run from October to September, with thirteen research seminars – three on research techniques and ten by guest lecturers.

Find out more about our School of Humanities on http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/humanities.

Teaching methods

The MA does not offer systematic instruction in the facts of history; instead, the emphasis is on independent research.

At the heart of the Buckingham MA is the close working relationship between student and supervisor. While the final thesis must be an independent work, it is the supervisor who offers advice on refining the topic (if necessary), on primary sources, on secondary reading, on research techniques and on writing the final text (which should be not less than 20,000 words). Supervisors and students will meet frequently throughout the year, and not less than twice a term; and the supervisor shall always be the student’s primary contact for academic advice and support.

This is a London-based course. The seminars in 2016-17 will be held at Caledonian Club, 9 Halkin Street, London SW1X 7DR (http://www.caledonianclub.com). The nearest London Underground stations are Hyde Park (Piccadilly Line) or Victoria (Victoria, District and Circle Lines). The introductory classes will be at the University’s London headquarters in Gower Street (details below).

Each seminar (approximately 90 minutes, 18:45-20:15) is followed by a post-seminar dinner, also at the Cavalry and Guards Club, for those who wish to attend, where there will be an opportunity to continue the seminar discussion in an informal environment. Attendance at these dinners is entirely at the choice of the student, and their cost is not covered by the tuition fee.

Associate students

For those wishing to attend the evening research seminar programme, but unable to devote the time to the coursework or to register for the MA degree, there is the option of becoming an Associate Student. This status will enable the student to attend the ten research seminars and to meet the guest lecturers, in the first six months of the programme, but does not require the submission of written work. Associate Students are not registered for, and do not receive, the MA degree.

Apply here http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/humanities/ma/militaryhistory.

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This fully-online MA in Military History offers potential graduate students from around the world a chance to engage with reputable military historians and leading academics, also from around the world, through 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ongoing lectures and discussion seminars in state-of-the-art learning environments.

This is military history like never before; universally-accessible, affordable and dynamic. Students will be offered a wide range of fascinating topics to explore, from classic 'war theorists' to military technologies to counter-insurgency tactics. You will then be able to combine your research with skills-based analysis, under the personal supervision of a qualified expert in the field.

Successful completion of this course will enhance your career prospects, whether studied at PGCert, PGDip or MA level . It will be particularly relevant to archivists and curators, researchers, journalists, political and central government professionals, civil servants, military professionals, conflict resolution and NGO workers, charity and campaign workers. Attainment of the MA degree could also lead to doctoral research.

Typical modules include:

The Discipline of Military History
The Rise of Air Power
The Evolution of Modern Sea Power
War Media & Propaganda
The American Civil War
The Second World War
The Art of War to the Age of Napoleon

All of our modules can be easily accessed and feature exciting ‘virtual classrooms’ where lectures and seminar discussions are conducted on a weekly basis, making the most of a variety of multi-media formats. Furthermore, our online platform gives you access to unlimited course materials and University-supported learning resources at no extra cost.

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Taught at the University Centre Shrewsbury, this course aims to provide you with the opportunity to explore specific military themes in depth, to contribute to the wider academic debate on the relationship between the military and society, and to conduct original research.

In principally addressing the study of British military history, both within the European context and the wider world, the course seeks to explain why wars occur, highlight how warfare has changed through the ages, and to show how the military interacts with wider human society

The County of Shropshire and the town of Shrewsbury have a long association with the British military, and there is a wide range of relevant and accessible source material relating to the study of British military history deposited locally and regionally.

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Course outline

With Britain having recently been more heavily involved in overseas wars than at any point in the last half century, the University of Buckingham has launched a Master’s degree in Modern War Studies and Contemporary Military History based at a central London Club. The course commences in October with a ‘Research Skills Study Day’ and after a year of supervised independent research, culminates with the student’s submission of a dissertation. During the first six months, candidates are encouraged to attend a series of guest seminars and dinners (set out in detail under Teaching & Assessment) at which some of the most eminent names in the field present papers. This series of talks examines why and how modern wars are fought, and the principal influences that will affect the conduct of war – and Britain’s role – in the future. This seminar programme will also be attended by Associate Students who are not degree candidates but wish to attend the talks and enjoy the ensuing discussion.

Find out more about our School of Humanities on http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/humanities.

Teaching methods

For Master’s degree candidates the core of the programme is the writing, under supervision, of the dissertation on a subject chosen by the student in the field of Modern War Studies. Subject to approval by the Course Director, the topic to be examined in the dissertation can address any aspect of warfare since 1945, and the precise topic is usually formulated in a process of discussion with the Course Director and/or the student’s supervisor. The length of the dissertation is not more than 40,000 words and usually not less than 20,000. Research does not have to be confined to British-related subjects. Some of the themes which students may wish to examine include: political decision making; alliances; warfare and faith; the impact of critical strategic thinkers; intelligence gathering; the impact of technology on the battlefield; the development of doctrine; military-media relations; leadership; command and control; the application of force at the strategic, operational and tactical levels of war on land, sea and air; and the influence of war on non-combatants, politics, society, economies and cultures.

Where will you study?

This is a London-based course. The seminars will be held at a central London Club. Seminars begin at 19:00 and are followed by a formal post-seminar dinner at which students can engage in a general discussion with the speaker.

Seminars

There will be a programme of three research skills sessions and ten guest seminars, directed by Professor Lloyd Clark. Running approximately every other week from October ]to March, seminar speakers will include recently serving generals and some of the most distinguished scholars and commentators in the field of modern war studies.

How is the programme assessed?

Examination is by a research dissertation on an approved topic of not less than 20,000 words.

Associate students

For those who wish to attend the seminars and dinners, but do not have time to complete the coursework involved in the MA programme, it is possible to register for the course as an Associate Student. This status enables Associate Students to attend the seminars and to meet the guest lecturers, but not to proceed to the MA degree.

Apply here http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/humanities/ma/warstudies.

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Minimum English language requirements: please visit Maynooth University International Office website for information about English language tests accepted and required scores. The requirements specified are applicable for both EU and non-EU applicants.
Maynooth University’s TOEFL code is 8850.

Overview

This course provides an authoritative introduction to the disciplines of military history and strategic studies.

The course introduces the key concepts, theories, debates and issues within the field and will equip students with the knowledge and skills required to develop a sophisticated understanding of the history and conduct of war, of contemporary strategy and of current Irish and European security policies.

The course will appeal to those interested in history, international relations, security studies and war studies. However, no specialist prior knowledge is required.

Course Structure

The course will be delivered through a variety of lectures, seminars and tutorials. Students must take two core courses and two thesis related modules (HY678 & HY679) in addition to two modules chosen from a list of electives available that year. Modules include the Irish revolution 1913-1923, the development of modern warfare 1789-1918, strategic studies, research skills and thesis preparation. Field trips to battlefield sites may also be included as optional over the course of the academic year.

Career Options

Students who have completed the MA in History and Strategic Students have gone on to a variety of different careers including, teaching, journalism, retail and work in the service industry. A number of students have chosen to pursue careers in the Defence Forces in Ireland and overseas.

How To Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC code
MHP59 Part-time

The following information should be forwarded to PAC, 1 Courthouse Square, Galway or uploaded to your online application form:

Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed. Non-Maynooth University students are asked to provide two academic references and a copy of birth certificate or valid passport.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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Minimum English language requirements: please visit Maynooth University International Office website for information about English language tests accepted and required scores. The requirements specified are applicable for both EU and non-EU applicants.
Maynooth University’s TOEFL code is 8850.

Overview

This course provides an authoritative introduction to the disciplines of military history and strategic studies.

The course introduces the key concepts, theories, debates and issues within the field and will equip students with the knowledge and skills required to develop a sophisticated understanding of the history and conduct of war, of contemporary strategy and of current Irish and European security policies.

The course will appeal to those interested in history, international relations, security studies and war studies. However, no specialist prior knowledge is required.

Course Structure

The course will be delivered through a variety of lectures, seminars and tutorials. Students must take two core courses and two thesis related modules (HY678 & HY679) in addition to two modules chosen from a list of electives available that year. Modules include the Irish revolution 1913-1923, the development of modern warfare 1789-1918, strategic studies, research skills and thesis preparation. Field trips to battlefield sites may also be included as optional over the course of the academic year.

Career Options

Students who have completed the MA in History and Strategic Students have gone on to a variety of different careers including, teaching, journalism, retail and work in the service industry. A number of students have chosen to pursue careers in the Defence Forces in Ireland and overseas.

How To Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC code
MHP58 Full-time

The following information should be forwarded to PAC, 1 Courthouse Square, Galway or uploaded to your online application form:
Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed. Non-Maynooth University students are asked to provide two academic references and a copy of birth certificate or valid passport.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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Take advantage of one of our 100 Master’s Scholarships to study History at Swansea University, the Times Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year 2017. Postgraduate loans are also available to English and Welsh domiciled students. For more information on fees and funding please visit our website.

The MA by Research in History is a research degree pursued over one year full-time or two years part-time. Students on the History research programme undertake research under the supervision of History staff, and produce a thesis that makes an original contribution to knowledge and understanding of some aspect of the past.

Key Features of the MA by Research in History

The expertise of the Department of History and Classics spans from the ancient cultures and languages of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome to the history of late twentieth- and early twenty-first-century Europe. The research of our staff and postgraduates is integral to the life of the Department of History and Classics, and it means that Swansea is a dynamic, exciting, and stimulating place to study.

History and Classics is part of the Research Institute for the Arts and Humanities (RIAH: http://www.swansea.ac.uk/riah/), which organises a large number of seminars, conferences, and other research activities. There are also a number of research groups which act as focal points for staff and postgraduates, including: the Richard Burton Centre for the Study of Wales, Centre for Ancient Narrative Literature (KYKNOS), Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Research (MEMO), and the Centre for research into Gender in Culture and Society (GENCAS).

As a student of the History research programme you have access to skills and training programmes offered by the College of Arts and Humanities and the University.

The MA by Research in History is ideal for those who would like to do an initial research degree, either as a stand-alone culmination to their studies or with a view to further, subsequent research, e.g. in form of a PhD. Research proposals are invited on any topic in medieval, early modern, or modern history for which staff can provide supervision.

For informal enquiries regarding the MA by research in History programme please contact: Dr Fritz-Gregor Herrmann ([email protected]).

Research Interests

Research interests in the Department of History and Classics include:

Medieval History

• The Anglo-Norman ‘Realm’ and the Angevin Empire
• Capetian France, especially the monarchy, aristocracy, and religious orders
• The Cathars and the Albigensian Crusade
• Charters and the documentary records of medieval France and England
• The Mediterranean world, especially the Crusades, later medieval Italian society and politics, and the Italian Renaissance, including art history
• England and Wales in the central and late Middle Ages, including the aristocracy and gentry, the Welsh Marches, urban history, law and crime, women and the law, religious belief and practice, and education and literacy
• Gender and the life cycle in late medieval Europe
• Medieval frontier societies and borderlands, and concepts of frontiers from the late Roman Empire to the present day

Early Modern History

• Most aspects of British history between 1500 and 1800, especially religious, scientific, cultural and gender history
• The history of health and medicine in early modern Britain
• History of Disabilities
• The Portuguese Empire
• The Reformation and Counter-Reformation
• Science, intellectual life, collecting and museums in early modern Europe
• The social history of early modern sex and marriage
• Crime and witchcraft
• The Enlightenment, republicanism and international relations in the eighteenth century

Modern History

• Most aspects of Welsh history, especially industrial society
• The cultural, intellectual and urban history of nineteenth-century and twentieth-century Britain
• Modern international history
• The United States since 1750, in particular slavery, the South and the Civil War
• The economic and imperial history of Britain in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
• Emigration and urbanisation in the British Isles between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries
• The political history of the UK since 1800
• Military and society in Europe between 1750 and 1815
• Austrian and German history in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
• Austrian, German and Central European history, especially in the fields of urban, labour and post-1945 history
• Modern economic history
• Quantitative aspects of British economic growth from the sixteenth to the twenty-first centuries
• Anti-capitalist and socialist political economy
• Policing and police forces in twentieth-century Europe
• Italian fascism
• Allied Occupation of Italy
• Contemporary French and Italian social an d cultural history
• Memory studies and oral history of twentieth-century Europe
• History of protest and activism in the 1960s and 1970s

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Gain a detailed knowledge and understanding of historical methodology as you explore a range of subjects within British, European and world history, from the 15th century to the present day. Benefit from the history team’s specialist knowledge and links across the global historical community and develop the deep and systematic understanding of historical research to excel in further studies, or begin your career with confidence thanks to the professional-experience opportunities offered.

Key features

-Join a community of student-historians from a variety of backgrounds with a programme designed to appeal to a range of audiences, including recent graduates, teachers looking to enhance their professional qualifications and those in the local community with a long-standing passion for history.
-Explore history through a variety of means – with a combination of taught and self-led learning, regular research seminars run by -Plymouth University’s Centre for Research in Humanities and Performing Arts, and access to Peninsula Art’s history lecture series featuring world-leading academics.
-Work alongside internationally recognised researchers* and experienced professionals as you develop the skills that will allow you to choose how you progress upon graduation: take your studies further with a PhD, or enter the workplace with the confidence and skills to fast-track your career.
-Plot your own course through the centuries as you take the lead in your masters dissertation research project, and choose areas of study from the history team’s range of research specialisms.
-Explore history with your friends and colleagues by joining the History Society, a lively and supportive community hosting educational and social events.
-Discover the most up-to-date ways of studying history through our online resources including a vast eBook library. Build links with local record offices and archives, accessing opportunities to develop your expertise in the local and regional history of Plymouth and the South West.

* In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, 85% of History’s research outputs (primarily books and journal articles) were considered to be internationally recognised in terms of significance, originality and rigour.

Course details

You can study MA History full time over one year, or part time split across two years. Your studies will consist of four modules, two of which are core modules: key debates and research methods in history - an assessment of current trends and methodologies in the discipline of history, and the public history module - an examination of the theory and practice of how the past is presented to public audiences. You’ll supplement these with two option modules, where you select the areas of history that interest you the most as you select from the research specialisms of history team. The group’s areas of expertise include: imperialism, colonialism and de-colonisation in the modern period; the political and social history of 19th century Britain; Ireland since 1900; British military and diplomatic history during the 20th century; European integration; politics and society in the USA since 1900; amongst others. The programme culminates in an independently researched MA History dissertation.

Core modules
-MAHI700 Key Debates and Research Methods in History
-MAHI701 Public History
-MAHI702 MA History Dissertation

Optional modules
-MAHI703 Britain in the Sixties
-MAHI710 The Irish Revolution 1912-37
-MAHI718 Independent Research Project in History
-MAHI704 Piracy and Privateering, 1560-1816
-MAHI706 The Civil Rights Movement
-MAHI712 Empire of Law. Ruling the British Empire 1760-1960
-MAHI705 The African American Experience
-MAHI709 The French Wars of Religion 1558-1598
-MAHI714 Culture and Society. Britain c 1760-1914
-MAHI716 America and the United Nations 1945 to the present
-MAHI720 Key Debates in Post War Japanese History
-MAHI721 From Unification to Reunification: Key Themes in Modern German History

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

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Our MA in Contemporary British History offers you the chance to study twentieth-century British history at an advanced level in an outstanding research environment, located in central London. You can choose from a wide range of options taught by well-known experts in the field. Our course is wide-ranging and includes British economic, social, cultural, political, military, imperial, and diplomatic history, as well as the history of British science, technology and medicine.

Key benefits

•One of the best history departments in the world, ranked 5th in the UK (REF 2014) and 17th in the world (QS 2016) for History
•Wide-ranging and multi-faceted approach to contemporary British history, working across and between disciplines, with leading practitioners
•Our unique location in the heart of the British administrative centre with unrivalled access to library and archival resources and easy access to resources in Europe, as well as a wide range of experts (within and beyond the university) in contemporary history and politics
•Opportunity to attend regular research seminars in contemporary British history within the Department and at the Institute of Historical Research, and engage with other public-facing initiatives such as History & Policy, Historians in Residence, and the Strand Group
•Our specialist historiography and methodology course for MA students, including oral history and archival training, and access to an extensive range of expert dissertation supervision in an unrivalled range of topics


-Visit the website: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-courses/contemporary-british-history-ma.aspx

Course detail

- Description -
Our programme provides training in and experience of historical analysis of issues of importance for the understanding of contemporary Britain. It focuses upon the study of British history across the twentieth century, but assumes that British history must be understood in relation to other countries and regions, and in many dimensions.

Alongside the development of techniques, skills and knowledge relevant to your interests and research needs, the programme aims to equip you for both independent research and analysis in primary and secondary material, and writing at an advanced level, thus fostering your intellectual development and independent learning ability required for your continuing professional and personal development.

It is principally taught by staff within Department of History and includes teaching staff who between them offer expertise in political history, social and cultural history, gender history, religious history, the history of warfare, economic history, imperial history and the history of science, technology and medicine. Students can also apply to take relevant modules from other King’s MA programmes, for example from English, Political Economy, and War Studies, drawing on more specialised approaches to understanding British politics and society in the twentieth century.


- Course purpose -
To provide you with a distinctive programme with which to proceed on to a PhD and to study contemporary British history at an advanced level, preparing you for a career both in academia and/or in journalism, the civil service, consultancy, teaching, publishing and elsewhere.

- Course format and assessment -

Teaching

If you are a full-time student, you will have six hours of teaching each week through seminars, where you will contribute to the discussion and deliver presentations, and we will expect you to undertake c.34 hours of self-study.

If you are a part-time student, you will have two to four hours of teaching each week through seminars, where you will contribute to the discussion and deliver presentations, and we will expect you to undertake 12 to 24 hours of self-study.

For your dissertation, you will have six hours of one-to-one supervision, and we will expect you to undertake between 500 and 600 hours of self-study.

Assessment

We will assess you mostly through coursework, although some optional modules may differ. For your dissertation you will write a 15,000-word essay on a research a topic of your choice, working one-to-one with an academic supervisor.

Career prospects

Research in our department or elsewhere; civil service; teaching, journalism and politics.

How to apply: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/taught-courses.aspx

About Postgraduate Study at King’s College London:

To study for a postgraduate degree at King’s College London is to study at the city’s most central university and at one of the top 21 universities worldwide (2016 QS World University Rankings). Graduates will benefit from close connections with the UK’s professional, political, legal, commercial, scientific and cultural life, while the excellent reputation of our MA and MRes programmes ensures our postgraduate alumni are highly sought after by some of the world’s most prestigious employers. We provide graduates with skills that are highly valued in business, government, academia and the professions.

Scholarships & Funding:

All current PGT offer-holders and new PGT applicants are welcome to apply for the scholarships. For more information and to learn how to apply visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/funding/sources

Free language tuition with the Modern Language Centre:

If you are studying for any postgraduate taught degree at King’s you can take a module from a choice of over 25 languages without any additional cost. Visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/mlc

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The Cultural History pathway encourages you to investigate artefacts and ideas, material objects and mentalities, medical documents and museums, photographs and films and explore key themes that have shaped the past, including national identity, gender, race, sexuality and modernity.

On this absorbing MA programme you’ll study one of the most exciting fields of historical inquiry; cultural history examines the culture of the time in order to understand how people made sense of the world they inhabited.

It will introduce you to the specialist research methods used by cultural historians, to ongoing historiographical and theoretical debates and to related disciplines such as cultural studies, literary studies, history of art and sociology. You will also get the opportunity to explore the area of cultural history that interests you most in your dissertation.

The MA draws together case studies from across Britain and continental Europe, the European Empires and North America from the 18th century to the present day. Taking the Cultural History MA will:

- Deepen your understanding of the cultural history of Britain and its Empire, continental Europe and North America since the 18th century
- Encourage you to think about a broad range of questions and debates in cultural history
- Allow you to engage with current debates on such themes as gender, modernity, national identity, sexuality and the politics of culture
- Give you the chance to work closely with a dynamic group of young historians and established scholars who themselves research and write about the cultural history of Britain, continental Europe and North America.

Students study two 30-credit core modules and four 15-credit research training modules, culminating in a 60-credit dissertation.

Why History?

Breadth of expertise

The interests of our staff and PhD students are extremely diverse and span the medieval, early modern and modern periods.

Their work encompasses political, social, cultural, economic, military and diplomatic history, across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas.

Active seminar programmes, linked to our research centres and MA programmes, enable staff and postgraduates to present their work and listen to eminent visiting speakers.

These are our on-going seminar series:

Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Eighteenth-Century Worlds
Contemporary Cultural and Social
History
International Slavery
Contemporary History and Policy
New Research (run by our postgraduate students)
Recent conferences and workshops have addressed ‘Religion in the Spanish Baroque’, ‘Text and Place in Medieval and Early Modern Europe’, ‘Re-thinking Post- Slavery’ and ‘British Nuclear Culture’.

Taught programmes that prepare you for future research

By pursuing our programmes you’ll gain the skills and knowledge you need to carry out further research towards a PhD.

Our MA programmes are taught by research-active experts who bring their knowledge of, and passion for, their subjects into the seminar room.

Teaching takes place in small-group seminars or workshops and through one-to-one tutorials, as we believe this leads to the best collaboration between students and staff.

We offer programmes in:-

Cultural History
Eighteenth-Century Worlds
International Slavery Studies
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Twentieth-Century History
You can also pursue an MRes in History or a vocational Masters in Archives and Records Management.

Support and skills training for PhD students

As a postgraduate research student you’ll receive comprehensive skills from the Graduate School, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and History Department.

This will equip you with the research skills you need to successfully complete your PhD.

Our PhD programmes place a strong emphasis on independent research and study, culminating in a 100,000-word dissertation. Two supervisors (normally experts in your chosen field) who will advise and support you through the process.

Our commitment to postgraduate students

We welcome enquiries from all postgraduate students interested in studying here and will give you all the academic, practical and pastoral support we can.

Students have a voice here and are represented on the School Postgraduate Committee. There’s also a dedicated staff – student liaison committee to oversee our MA and PhD programmes.

Postgraduate studentships and bursaries are often available.

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Our History MLitt course offers you detailed investigation into the periods of history that interest you the most, together with thorough research training. You will gain skills in various historical approaches as well as practical skills in areas such as oral history or historical databases.

Why study History at Dundee?

This degree offers flexible study, either full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years), in wide areas of the history of Britain, Scotland, Europe, Russia and North America. Themes range across political, cultural, military, religious, economic and social history, taught within a department of research specialists. You will also have the opportunity to gain research skills in areas such as palaeography, historical data basing, historical statistics and oral history.

The dissertation will provide an opportunity for you to develop and demonstrate advanced research skills, particularly important if you are interested in doctoral study.

Students can choose either a generic MLitt in History, or named pathways in:
Global Empires
Greater Britain in the Twentieth Century
Scottish History

The MLitt in History is also a pathway on the MLitt in Humanities with Specialisation programme.

What's so good about History at Dundee?

As the leading History department in Scotland for research output at international standard (RAE2008 results), we offer students an unparalleled opportunity to experience teaching at the sharp end of current research scholarship. Postgraduate students participate in many aspects of our programme including our regular research seminars.

"Study at Dundee was a rewarding experience in a welcoming academic community"
Blair Smith, postgraduate student.

Who should study this course?

As well as being a research preparation degree for students who intend to proceed to a PhD, this course also caters directly for students who wish to take their first degree to a higher level of advanced study, for either career development or merely general interest.

How you will be taught

The course starts in September each year and lasts for 12 months on a full time basis or 24 months on a part time basis. All the core teaching is conducted 5.30-7.30pm to allow attendance by part-time and full-time students alike. Other classes are scheduled for the mutual convenience of staff and students. Due to this a variety of teaching methods will be used, including: small group teaching, supervised study, seminars and presentations.

Learning methods will include oral and written presentations, as well as research essays and a dissertation. One-to-one supervision of a dissertation is designed to promote continuity in the learning experiences provided and students with the opportunity to work on a topic of their own choosing (subject to approval by the tutor).

What you will study

All our History MLitt degrees have a common core module (40 credits):

History Skills and Sources (semesters 1 & 2)
If you are enrolled on the general History degree, you then choose two further modules, either specialist modules:

Global Empires (semester 1)
Approaches to the Study of Twentieth Century Britain (semester 1)
Interpretations in Scottish History (semester 1)
History of the Book (semester 2)
or one or two of our flexible modules, where you choose the topic:

Taught History MLitt module, (semester 1)
Taught History MLitt module, (semester 2)
All students then complete a History dissertation (summer).

If you are enrolled on a specialist degree, then you replace the semester 1 flexible module with the relevant specialist module. Visit the course webpage for full details:

Global Empires
Greater Britain in the Twentieth Century
Scottish History

How you will be assessed

Assessment includes essays, skills tests, a presentation and a dissertation. Students whose dissertation fails to satisfy the examiners will be awarded the PG Diploma, provided that the taught elements of the course have been successfully completed.

Careers

Students who take this course will gain a solid foundation from which they can proceed to doctoral research.

However, due to the non-vocational nature of a History degree many students also enter jobs unrelated to their course of study. For these students this course provides them with an opportunity to further develop their written presentation skills, as well as the ability to work independently and plan independent research and study.

For those wishing to use their studies more directly, for example in heritage, museum or archivist work, the job market is competitive, and the MLitt will provide students with a chance to further their knowledge and understanding of History and to demonstrate advanced research skills necessary for work in archives or heritage.

Learn more about careers related to the Humanities on our Careers Service website.

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This programme is unique in teaching the collective history of science, medicine, environment and technology. It is also unique as it offers modules that combine imperial, ethical, and military history with general areas of history of science and medicine.

You learn from experts working in these diverse fields, being taught how different societies, cultures, and races have conceptualised disease, reacted to changes in environment and created different technological artefacts and scientific knowledge. You are introduced to the major and recent historiographical and methodological approaches, become familiar with the main archives in the UK and encouraged to approach the history of medicine, science, environment and technology from past as well as contemporary concerns.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/83/history-of-science-medicine-environment-and-technology

About the School of History

The School of History at the University of Kent offers a great environment in which to research and study. Situated in a beautiful cathedral city with its own dynamic history, the University is within easy reach of the main London archives and is convenient for travelling to mainland Europe.

The School of History is a lively, research-led department where postgraduate students are given the opportunity to work alongside academics recognised as experts in their respective fields. The School was placed eighth nationally for research intensity in the most recent Research Excellence Framework, and consistently scores highly in the National Student Survey.

There is a good community spirit within the School, which includes regular postgraduate social meetings, weekly seminars and a comprehensive training programme with the full involvement of the School’s academic staff. Thanks to the wide range of teaching and research interests in the School, we can offer equally wide scope for research supervision covering British, European, African and American history.

At present, there are particularly strong groupings of research students in medieval and early modern cultural and social history, early modern religious history, the history and cultural studies of science and medicine, the medicine, the history of propaganda, military history, war and the media, and the history of Kent.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take modules from other programmes so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.

HI878 - Methods and Interpretations of Historical Research (30 credits)
HI866 - Science and Medicine in Context (30 credits)
HI817 - Deformed, Deranged and Deviant (30 credits)
HI827 - Home Front Britain, 1914-18 (30 credits)
HI857 - Geiger Counter at Ground Zero: Explorations of Nuclear America (30 credits)
HI881 - Museums, Material Culture and the History of Science (30 credits)
HI883 - Work Placement (30 credits)

Assessment

All courses are assessed by coursework, and the dissertation counts for half the final grade (comprising one third assessed preparation, two thirds actual dissertation).

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

- place the study of texts, images and documentaries in their historical contexts, at the centre of student learning and analysis

- ensure that students of the history of science, medicine, environment and technology acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the historical modes of theory and analysis

- enable you to understand and use concepts, approaches and methods of the history of science, medicine, environment and technology in different academic contexts and develop an understanding of the differing and contested aspects between, and within, the relevant disciplines

- develop your capacities to think critically about past events and experiences

- encourage you to relate the academic study of the history of science, medicine, environment and technology to questions of public debate and concern

- promote a curriculum supported by scholarship, staff development and a research culture that promotes breadth and depth of intellectual enquiry and debate

- assist you to develop cognitive and transferable skills relevant to your vocational and personal development.

Study support

Postgraduate resources
The resources for historical research at Kent are led by the University’s Templeman Library: a designated European Documentation Centre which holds specialised collections on slavery and antislavery, and on medical science. The Library has a substantial collection of secondary materials to back-up an excellent collection of primary sources including the British Cartoon Archive, newspapers, a large audio-visual library, and a complete set of British Second World War Ministry of Information propaganda pamphlets.

The School has a dedicated Centre for the Study of Propaganda and War, which has a distinctive archive of written, audio and visual propaganda materials, particularly in film, video and DVD. Locally, you have access to: the Canterbury Cathedral Library and Archive (a major collection for the study of medieval and early modern religious and social history); the Centre for Kentish Studies at Maidstone; and the National Maritime Collection at Greenwich. Kent is also within easy reach of the country’s premier research collections in London and the national libraries in Paris and Brussels.

Dynamic publishing culture
Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Among others, they have recently contributed to: Journal of Contemporary History; English Historical Review; British Journal for the History of Science; Technology and Culture; and War and Society.

Global Skills Award
All students registered for a taught Master's programme are eligible to apply for a place on our Global Skills Award Programme (http://www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/skills/programmes/gsa.html). The programme is designed to broaden your understanding of global issues and current affairs as well as to develop personal skills which will enhance your employability

Research areas

Medieval and early modern history
Covering c400–c1500, incorporating such themes as Anglo-Saxon England, early-modern France, palaeography, British and European politics and society, religion and papacy.

Modern history
Covering c1500–present, incorporating such themes as modern British, European and American history, British military history, and 20th-century conflict and propaganda.

History of science, technology and medicine
Incorporating such themes as colonial science and medicine, Nazi medicine, eugenics, science and technology in 19th-century Britain.

Careers

As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, postgraduate qualifications are becoming more attractive to employers seeking individuals who have finely tuned skills and abilities, which our programmes encourage you to hone. As a result of the valuable transferable skills developed during your course of study, career prospects for history graduates are wide ranging. Our graduates go on to a variety of careers, from research within the government to teaching, politics to records management and journalism, to working within museums and galleries – to name but a few.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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The MA History will allow you to focus on a particular period or geographical area, or to study a specific theme such as economic and social history, international history, religious and cultural history, political history, naval and maritime, or gender history. Students also have the option of following one of our specialist pathways or select from our full range of modules by following our open pathway.

Specialist pathways

Early Modern History; Maritime History; Medical History and War and Society

Modules

A wide range of optional modules are available which reflect the varied research interests of academic staff. These interests range widely from the early medieval period to the twentieth century and cover Britain, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. All aspects of the discipline are represented, from social, religious, cultural and gender history to the study of politics, economic development, international relations, and military conflict in a variety of contexts and eras. Particular areas of strength include early modern history, naval and maritime history, medical history, and the history of the connections between war, state and society.
Your choice of optional modules may include subjects as diverse as ritual in the Middle Ages; witchcraft and the supernatural in the 16th and 17th centuries; maritime and naval history; sexuality; health, medicine; gender and the body; party politics and international diplomacy; and the impact of modern wars on culture, economy, society and memory.

The programme

- offers an excellent education in a very wide range of historical subjects and geographical locations over a broad time-span from Anglo-Saxon England to modern Western and Eastern Europe, some parts of Asia, North and South America, and Africa;
- produces graduates who are highly competent in subject-specific, core academic, and personal and key skills that are both relevant and transferable to employment;
- draws on the expertise of a number of highly respected research centres which are at the forefront of their respective disciplines;
- participation in joint seminar programmes offering insights into a very wide range of research cultures and specialisms;
- excellent preparation for students intending to continue on to doctoral-level research with a good track record in obtaining funding for further study.

Research Areas

Research is at the heart of History and our students are encouraged to come to Departmental Research Seminars and become an active part of wider research community. Our research centres regularly hold seminars and other research events which MA students are welcome to attend. Our current research centres include:
• Centre for Early Modern Studies
• Centre for Imperial and Global History
• Centre for Maritime Historical Studies
• Centre for War, State and Society
• Centre for Medical History
• Centre for Medieval Studies
• Institute of Cornish Studies

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