Research programmes are best suited to students who have a clear idea of a topic they would like to investigate in detail.
The MA by Research entails producing a 30,000-word thesis.
We welcome research applications across the range of expertise within the School. We run regular seminars in medieval and Tudor studies, modern history, the history and cultural studies of science, and the study of propaganda.
Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/89/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, military history, war and the media, and the history of Kent.
All first-year research students attend a Methodologies and Research Skills seminar, which is split between components run by the School and others provided by the Faculty of Humanities. This training improves your knowledge of both historical theory and methods of using primary material, and can assist in funding applications.
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.
Researcher Development Programme
Kent's Graduate School co-ordinates the Researcher Development Programme (http://www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/skills/programmes/tstindex.html) for research students, which includes workshops focused on research, specialist and transferable skills. The programme is mapped to the national Researcher Development Framework and covers a diverse range of topics, including subjectspecific research skills, research management, personal effectiveness, communication skills, networking and teamworking, and career management skills
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.
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/
This programme introduces you to the advanced study of the history of medicine and health in the modern period and equips you with the conceptual and practical skills to carry out independent historical research in this field.
You learn from experts working in the field and examine how different societies, cultures and races have conceptualised disease, reacted to changes in environment and created different technological artefacts and scientific knowledge. The programme covers a range of concepts, placing developments within medical theory and practice in a broad social and cultural framework.
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.
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.
Students take four modules including two compulsory modules (HI835 - Modern Medicine and Health, 1850 to the Present and HI878 - Methods and Interpretations in Historical Research) and two additional specialist modules (to be chosen from a choice of variable yearly options).
60 further credits are earned through a final 15,000-word-long dissertation.
HI878 - Methods and Interpretations of Historical Research (30 credits)
HI835 - Modern Medicine and Health, 1850 to the Present (30 credits)
HI857 - Geiger Counter at Ground Zero: Explorations of Nuclear America (30 credits)
HI817 - Deformed, Deranged and Deviant (30 credits)
HI881 - Museums, Material Culture and the History of Science (30 credits)
HI883 - Work Placement (30 credits)
HI887 - Knowledge in the Real World (30 credits)
HI888 - Money and Medicine in Britain and America since 1750 (30 credits)
HI993 - History Dissertation (60 credits)
This programme aims to:
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 War, Media and Society 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
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.
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/
The MA in Cultural Policy, Relations and Diplomacy is a trans-disciplinary programme that addresses the theory and practice of cultural policy, cultural relations, and cultural and public diplomacy.
This broad area of study and the terminology applied to it is fluid and expanding. Having culture as the underlying thread, the programme explores areas such as:
This will provide a unique perspective into this field of study, and will examine topics such as mobility of cultural practitioners, cultural identity, intercultural dialogue, mutuality, propaganda, soft power, hegemony, influence and perceptions.
Goldsmiths' location provides you with a unique experience of living in a multicultural world city, which is of great relevance to the study of cultural policy, relations and diplomacy.
You'll study in the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship (ICCE). ICCE's individual and institutional links with an extensive network of organisations, policy advisors and cultural practitioners in those areas in London and in Europe allow you to experience exceptional research and study resources.
ICCE’s established organisational links include, for example, the British Council, Visiting Arts, EUNIC London Hub and Demos. ICCE is also a member of ENCATC (the leading European network on Cultural Management and Cultural Policy education). The Institute is also responsible for fostering the sharing of information and discussion of issues related to international cultural relations across disciplines on the JISCMail list cultural-relations-diplomacy.
Our staff and invited academic and professional experts will enhance your learning. They'll discuss relevant literature and will present case studies and practical examples with local, national and global dimensions involving a range of individuals and organisations, including corporations, governments, international bodies and NGOs.
This MA is a 180-credit programme consisting of four 30-credit modules and a 60-credit dissertation.
The three main modules of the programme, Cultural Policy and Practice, Cultural Relations and Diplomacy I: Foundations and Cultural Relations and Diplomacy II: Explorations provide a strong basis to explore the complexity of this area of study, which is complemented by a varied module offer from across College that brings to the fore related and intersecting themes.
The fourth module of the programme is an option from a selection of modules covering arts engagement, media, business, languages and politics - this is designed to allow you to tailor the programme to your own particular skills and/or interests.
The teaching methodologies used in these modules will be conducive to creative and independent in-depth and collaborative learning. They'll culminate in the production of a final dissertation in which you will explore in detail a topic building on your interests and knowledge.
The programme allows and encourages you to engage in work placements while attending the modules. These are not a formal part of the programme, but some support will be provided building on ICCE’s extensive experience of internship management and network of contacts.
Core modules
Option modules
Graduates of this programme develop a wide range of skills and competencies.
Knowledge and understanding
You'll be able to:
Cognitive and thinking skills
You'll be able to:
Practical skills
You'll be able to:
Key transferable skills
You'll be able to:
Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.
This programme explores how conflict occurs across a variety of countries and landscapes in the late 19th and 20th centuries, and how such conflict is managed and presented through media and propaganda.
Visit the website: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/84/war-media-and-society
This course takes in different types of conflict, from conventional trench warfare and geopolitical stand-offs to guerrilla tactics and civil defense initiatives. It also examines the application of technology, the impact of the media on public opinion, along with the increasing importance of the home front in 20th-century warfare. The core module provides a strong interpretative and conceptual backbone and introduces you to the demands of postgraduate study in history.
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:
- Methods and Interpretations of Historical Research (30 credits)
- War, Propaganda and the Media (30 credits)
- Testimonies of War: Oral History in Theory and Practice (30 credits)
- Ireland and the First World War (30 credits)
- Landscapes of the Great War: Interpretations and Representations (30 credits)
- Landscapes of the Great War: Public Histories (30 credits)
- Work Placement (30 credits)
- Geiger Counter at Ground Zero: Explorations of Nuclear America (30 credits)
- The British Army and the Great War (30 credits)
- Home Front Britain, 1914-18 (30 credits)
All courses are assessed by coursework, and the dissertation counts for half the final grade (comprising one third assessed preparation, two thirds actual dissertation).
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.
How to apply: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/
We have a scholarship fund of over £9 million to support our taught and research students with their tuition fees and living costs. Find out more: https://www.kent.ac.uk/scholarships/postgraduate/
If you need to improve your English before and during your postgraduate studies, Kent offers a range of modules and programmes in English for Academic Purposes (EAP). Find out more here: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/international/english.html
This new MA programme explores the military, cultural, political and social history of the First World War, introducing you to advanced concepts of historiography and cultural theory.
Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/765/first-world-war-studies
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, military history, war and the media, and the history of Kent.
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.
HI915 - Landscapes of the Great War: Interpretations and Representations (30 credits)
HI932 - Landscapes of the Great War: Public Histories (30 credits)
HI823 - Testimonies of War: Oral History in Theory and Practice (30 credits)
HI828 - Ireland and the First World War (30 credits)
HI860 - The British Army and the Great War (30 credits)
HI827 - Home Front Britain, 1914-18 (30 credits)
HI883 - Work Placement (30 credits)
HI815 - War, Propaganda and the Media (30 credits)
Assessment is dependent on module choice, but is typically by coursework and a dissertation of 15-18,000 words.
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.
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/
This course is designed to produce the future leaders of the Public Relations Industry. You will not only learn the practical skills required to embark on a career in PR but also the research and analysis skills that will help you get ahead. You will create campaigns, pitch to clients, stage a press conference and create videos and blogs, as well as write research reports, essays and a dissertation. You will also explore issues affecting the industry, such as professional ethics and the impact of digital media.
The course has close links to the London-based PR industry, and is one of a select few chosen by the UK’s professional PR bodies, the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) and the Chartered Institute of PR (CIPR) for their University partnership initiatives. These connections with leading PR practitioners help you gain the practical knowledge and understanding you need to work in PR.
The course combines practice skills with analytical tools and is highly participative. You will take part in workshops, debates, seminars, presentations and group exercises including making pitches and presenting creative campaign ideas.
There are no formal examinations on this course. You are assessed on course work including essays, presentations, blogs, group work and your participation in class exercises.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Core modules
Optional modules
The course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA).
Our graduates come from all over the world. Many return to their home countries to pursue their careers, while others work all in Asia, Europe, Australasia, the US and the Middle East. Many of our alumni work in major international PR agencies including H + K Strategies and Edelman, while others work in-house at organisations as diverse as Lego and the United Nations.
It is not unusual for our students to have started careers in PR even before they have formally graduated. We work closely with the PR industry, offering our students a range of study visits to agencies and in-house departments in addition to a wide variety of guest speakers. We offer details of PR industry graduate schemes, and assist our students in applying. We maintain the relevance of the course curriculum through regular consultation with people working within the PR industry.
This comprehensive programme provides the platform to pursue studies in everything from medieval Scotland to revolutionary America, the Cold War, Renaissance Italy, modern China, Japan, India or postcolonial Africa. We’ll help you to develop a specialised knowledge and understanding of history and its central issues, examine historical sources, evaluate existing research, and work towards a specialised research project of your own.
Taught by one of the largest groups of historians in any British university,you will encounter a stimulating environment in which to further your interest in practically any era of history and many regions of the world.By joining this programme you’ll also take part in a rich programme of events featuring our renowned academic staff and distinguished visitors from all over the world.
You will take a variety of seminar-style courses in small groups. Most courses are assessed by means of an extended piece of written work, while some courses may also assess non-written skills. You will complete two compulsory courses and select a further four options from a wide range on offer. You will then complete an independent research dissertation and will be assigned a supervisor from the outset.
The compulsory courses are
Option courses previously offered include those listed below. Option courses change from year to year and those available when you start your studies may be different from those shown in the list:
Our students view the programme and a graduate degree from Edinburgh as an advanced qualification valued and respected by many employers, others are interested in pursuing long-term academic careers and therefore consider the MSc as preparation for a PhD. The combination of skills training courses, specialised seminars, and independent research provides you with transferable skills that will be beneficial whatever path you choose.
Graduates pursue work in related areas such as museums, policy think-tanks, national and international civil services, non-governmental organisations, galleries, libraries and historic trusts whilst others build on the transferable skills gained and enter areas as diverse as business, media, public administration and marketing.
This programme offers an unrivalled range of courses that explore Scotland’s past across a broad chronological period – from the early medieval period to contemporary developments – and Scotland’s place in a comparative and global context. The examination of Scotland’s past has been at the centre of history teaching at the University of Edinburgh since the prestigious Sir William Fraser Chair of Scottish History and Palaeography was established in 1901.
You’ll have access to some of the most impressive archival collections in the UK, both within the University and nearby. Taught by one of the largest groups of specialist Scottish historians found at any UK university, Edinburgh’s Scottish History programme is world leading.
You will take a variety of seminar-style courses in small groups. Most courses are assessed by means of an extended piece of written work, while some courses may also assess non-written skills. You will complete two compulsory courses and select a further four options from a wide range of subjects on offer. You will then complete an independent research dissertation and will be assigned a supervisor from the outset.
The compulsory courses are:
Option courses previously offered include those listed below (Option courses change from year to year and those available when you start your studies may be different from those shown in the list).
On successful completion of this programme, you will have gained:
Our students view the programme and a graduate degree from Edinburgh as an advanced qualification valued and respected by many employers. Those students interested in long-term academic careers consider the MSc as preparation for a PhD. The combination of specialised skills training courses and seminars, and the opportunity for independent research provides you with transferable skills that will be beneficial whatever path you choose.
Graduates pursue work in related areas such as museums, policy think-tanks, national and international civil services, non-governmental organisations, galleries, libraries and historic trusts whilst others build on the transferable skills gained and enter areas as diverse as business, media, public administration and marketing.
