Masters degree in Military History offer advanced study of the development of armed forces across the globe, and their deployment in warfare, particularly during significant wartime events.
Related subjects include World History and Social History. Entry requirements normally include an appropriate undergraduate degree such as History or Politics.
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.
Times Higher Education ranked the Department of History first in the country for its performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework exercise.
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.
You will study six core modules (full descriptions available below):
Assessment
Each module is assessed by written assignment. You will also complete a 15,000-word dissertation. Your dissertation will be based on a substantial and sustained investigation of an historical problem – of your choice – relating to military history, undertaken in the light of current knowledge and after an analysis of available primary material.
This programme is delivered through our Centre for War Studies, so you’ll be taught by academics who are experts in their field.
Although much of the course is delivered through our ‘virtual learning environment,’ support is always available. You will have a personal tutor and dissertation supervisor to guide you and answer any questions, and you have access to a wide range of online resources too.
You also have the opportunity to meet other students and academic staff through online chats and discussion forums.
For more information on distance learning including answers to frequently asked questions, student experiences and funding opportunities, please see our distance learning website.
Your degree will provide excellent preparation for employment and this will be further enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University.
The University's Careers Network provides advice and information specifically for postgraduates that will help you to develop an effective career and skills development strategy, and to make the most of your time with us at the University. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team to deliver tailored programmes of careers events and local support.
You will have opportunities to: meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs; attend employer presentations and skills workshops; receive individual guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique; and access to comprehensive listings of hundreds of graduate jobs and work experience opportunities.
You will also be able to access our full range of careers support for up to two years after graduation.
Postgraduate employability: History
Birmingham’s History graduates develop a broad range of transferable skills that are highly valued by a range of employers. These skills include: familiarity with research methods; the ability to manage large quantities of information from diverse sources; the ability to organise information in a logical and coherent manner; the expertise to write clearly and concisely and to tight deadlines; critical and analytical ability; the capacity for argument, debate and speculation; and the ability to base conclusions on statistical research.
Some of our History postgraduates go on to use their studies directly, for example in heritage, museums or the armed forces; others use their transferable skills in a range of occupations from finance, to publishing, to fundraising. Employers that graduates have gone on to work for include: Royal Air Force; Ministry of Defence; University of Birmingham; Big Lottery Fund; Royal Air Force Museum; and University of Oxford.
As one of the largest History Departments in the UK we are able to offer a depth of subject expertise rarely matched by other institutions. This means that we can offer a breadth of study with a large chronological range from medieval to modern covering global history from Britain, Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia. Our students have excellent access to top academics in specialist fields, including one to one supervision sessions.
Within the department we have experts in topics including economic and social history, political history and religious and cultural history, which link to our six dedicated research centres. There are distinct opportunities on this course including, a supervised independent study module to enable you to follow your own interests.
The University library has extensive holdings, audio-visual collections and medieval manuscripts in our Special Collections. Exeter Cathedral Library Archives and the Devon Heritage Centre contain further significant medieval manuscripts, documents and early printed books.
Exeter Historians have a diverse range of interests and we pride ourselves on our flexible approach to learning that includes part-time options and plenty of interdisciplinary collaboration such as with Classics, Theology, and Archaeology. You might for instance choose a Latin module or a module on Medieval Archaeology to complement your main path of study.
You will be taught mostly in small group seminars as we believe this is the best way to allow our students access and interaction with academic staff. In your seminars you will contribute to discussions and debates as well as present findings, research and interpretations of readings.
At the end of your programme you will complete a dissertation up to 25,000 words long on a topic of your choosing, something which may later form part of a PhD research proposal. Some of the topics our students have covered in the past include:
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.
- 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 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:
As well as our History specific research centres you are also welcome to get involved in of the other research centres across the College of Humanities or the University. You can find out more about our Academic Staff and their research interests on our Research pages.
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.
Read more about History at the University of Wolverhampton.
This is the only MA degree of its kind available in the U.K., and one of only a handful worldwide. It is also one of the most competitively-priced online MA degrees anywhere.
Building upon years of proven experience in online delivery, this new 180 credit hour-programme offers you the convenience of choosing where (anywhere with internet access) and when to study (anytime: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). No more trips to campus, parking hassles, queues in the library while you juggle work & family.
The University of Wolverhampton boasts the longest-running BA Honours Degree in War Studies in the U.K. We have resident strengths in many aspects of military history, taught by a critically-acclaimed team of international scholars. Our degree also draws in reputable experts from across the world. Now, you will be able to discuss topics like the Battle of Waterloo or the Blitz with military historians you may already be familiar with.
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.
At the end of this course you will be able to:
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/
The centenary of the outbreak of the First World War has seen interest in the Great War reach unprecedented heights, and the University of Wolverhampton is very pleased to announce a new Part Time Masters programme exploring the History of Britain and the First World War.
This is an exciting new programme delivered by a truly world-class team of scholars. Led by Professor Gary Sheffield, it includes Professor Stephen Badsey and Dr Spencer Jones, Professor Peter Simkins, Dr John Bourne, Professor John Buckley and Dr Laura Ugolini. This is the strongest cluster of scholars specialising in the military history of the First World War to be found in any conventional UK university, and the team will be supported by a number of prestigious guest speakers. A particular strength of the programme is the quality of the teaching. You can watch lectures on aspects of the First World War given by some of the team here: Aspects of the history of the First World War
University of Wolverhampton's cluster of First World War historians have excellent links within the wider historical community at home and overseas. Links with the military are very strong.
For further information, please contact Professor Gary Sheffield, [email protected] or [email protected]
University of Wolverhampton's cluster of First World War historians have excellent links within the wider historical community at home and overseas. Links with the military are very strong. The emphasis of the programme is on the military and political history of Britain and the British Empire in the 1914-18 war.
Members of the team:
Professor Gary Sheffield is one of the UK’s highest profile scholars of the First World War. He has published extensively in the field, including Forgotten Victory: The First World War – Myths and Realities (2001), and The Chief: Douglas Haig and the British Army (2011). Sheffield regularly appears on television and radio, writes in the national press. He is President of the International Guild of Battlefield Guides and a Vice-President of the Western Front Association and is advising the government and the Army on their respective commemorative programmes.
Professor Stephen Badsey is one of the world's leading military historians of the First World War, and is a particular authority on propaganda in 1914-18. His publications include Doctrine and Reform in the British Cavalry 1880-1918 (2008) and The British Army in Battle and Its Image 1914-18 (2009). He has made over 50 media appearances, and acted as a consultant to numerous TV programmes.
Professor Peter Simkins MBE is an extremely well-respected historian with an international reputation for excellence. Formerly Senior Historian at the Imperial War Museum, he is President of the Western Front Association. His publications include the seminal Kitchener's Army: The Raising of the New Armies 1914-16 (1988) and The Somme and Beyond: The BEF on the Western Front, 1916-18 (forthcoming in 2014).
Dr Spencer Jones is one of the leading scholars of the emerging generation of British military historians. His books include From Boer War to World War: Tactical Reform of the British Army, 1902-14 (2012) and, as editor and contributor, Stemming the Tide: Officers and Leadership in the British Expeditionary Force, 1914 (2013). In 2013 he was appointed to the prestigious position of Historian of the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
Successful completion of this course will enhance your career prospects. It will be particularly relevant to 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.
At the end of this course you will be able to:
This course provides an in-depth introduction into the disciplines of military history and strategic studies. It aims to immerse students in the study of conflict from the late 1700s to the present-day, providing them with an overview of the development of modern warfare and also the skills necessary to analyse modern conflicts.
The course is taught through a series of modules including “The evolution of modern warfare, 1789-1918”, “Modern Warfare, 1918-present” and “Strategic Studies”. These modules provide an introduction to the key concepts, theories and debates in this field. No specialist knowledge is required and this MA course will appeal to anyone interested in history, international relations, security studies and war studies.
There are a number of site visits associated with this course including a trip to the “Soldiers and Chiefs” exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland. In recent years, the course has also included field trips to the D-Day landing sites in Normandy and the battlefields of “Operation Market-Garden” in the Netherlands.
The course has attracted international students and significant links have been forged with military academies in the USA, the UK and the Netherlands.
Assessment is through a mix of written assignments and in-class presentations. Students also develop a 15,000 word thesis on a subject of their choice. There is much emphasis on independent study. Classes for this course currently run on Monday and Wednesdays, 4pm-6pm.
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.
Duration: 2-3 years Part-time
This course provides an in-depth introduction into the disciplines of military history and strategic studies. It aims to immerse students in the study of conflict from the late 1700s to the present-day, providing them with an overview of the development of modern warfare and also the skills necessary to analyse modern conflicts.
The course is taught through a series of modules including “The evolution of modern warfare, 1789-1918”, “Modern Warfare, 1918-present” and “Strategic Studies”. These modules provide an introduction to the key concepts, theories and debates in this field. No specialist knowledge is required and this MA course will appeal to anyone interested in history, international relations, security studies and war studies.
There are a number of site visits associated with this course including a trip to the “Soldiers and Chiefs” exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland. In recent years, the course has also included field trips to the D-Day landing sites in Normandy and the battlefields of “Operation Market-Garden” in the Netherlands.
The course has attracted international students and significant links have been forged with military academies in the USA, the UK and the Netherlands.
Assessment is through a mix of written assignments and in-class presentations. Students also develop a 15,000 word thesis on a subject of their choice. There is much emphasis on independent study. Classes for this course currently run on Monday and Wednesdays, 4pm-6pm..
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.
Duration: 1 year Full-time
An understanding of war, for good or ill, is of vital importance. This programme offers the opportunity to study the theory and practice of war in a wide range of aspects, from the Middle Ages to the present day, and from causes to consequences.
You will spend the first semester studying on the degree’s core course which covers both the major thinkers on warfare and the practice and conduct of war.
In the second semester, you will take three optional courses which delve in greater detail into a particular aspect of military or strategic history.
You will complete the programme by writing a dissertation based on your own research. This requires you to engage in original research guided by an expert in the field.
The programme provides an excellent platform for you to move onto PhD studies and an academic career.
Positions held by recent graduates include Development Director, Professor, Correspondent, and Freelance Journalist.
Understanding the sources, nature and consequences of human conflict has never been more vital for societies.
