History of Warfare

Based in the Department of War Studies, the MA History of Warfare examines the social, cultural and operational aspects of war from broad historiographical and interdisciplinary perspectives. With close links to the Department of History and the Institute of Contemporary British History, students can study most aspects of the history of armed conflict and society from the late medieval period to the present day.

Watch the video here, or access the 'interactive' tab to view at a larger size and see any alternative films playOverviewVideo('/prospectus/images/home.jpg','http://podcast.ulcc.ac.uk/accounts/kings/KCL_Marketing/War_Studies.flv','true','details_22'); KEY BENEFITS

• The Department of War Studies is internationally recognised as a global centre of excellence and is highly regarded by the British Academy, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Economic and Social Research council as a high calibre training institution.
• It is one of the only university departments in the world devoted exclusively to the study of war as a human phenomenon. A remarkable diversity of research interests, disciplinary approaches, opinion and background exists in the department among both staff and students, reflecting the variety and complexity of the issues raised by war and the study of war.
• Students are taught by the best; experts and pioneers in their fields who are often at the forefront of world events as they happen. Our stellar academic cohort bring not only a wealth of knowledge but also an extensive and continually growing network of links with other departments, think-tanks, organisations, policy-making bodies and institutions.
• Situated close to the seat of Government, the City, the Imperial War Museum, the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Courts of Justice and the Inns of Court students have unique opportunities to network with key high profile visitors, from academics to government ministers, ambassadors and generals.
• The MA programmes in the Department of War Studies are designed to enhance your analytical, conceptual, research and critical thinking skills which will increase your employability and aid professional career development.
  

PURPOSEThis programme offers students the opportunity to engage critically with the methods, materials and debates inherent in the study of the history of warfare.

DESCRIPTIONThis programme challenges students to examine war from broad historiographical and interdisciplinary perspectives, taking, as given that the history of warfare cannot be isolated from the study of general history. It encompasses more than what usually falls into the category of military history to include war from the viewpoint of combatants, societies, economies and cultures across the landscape of modern history, and in the spirit of War Studies draws on the literature and methodology of other academic disciplines where appropriate.

The programme aims to equip graduates with the knowledge, understanding and skills they require to progress to advanced research in the field. To that end, it has been created with a compulsory module focused on research and analytical skills, supported by a range of optional modules addressing individual aspects of the history of warfare over time and across a wide geographical and thematic range. The programme prepares interested students for future doctoral research into the history of warfare and related fields. The programme can also be taken as a free- standing masters degree by those interested in warfare in the past and the intellectual, methodological and practical skills essential to its study.