War Studies & History

The rationale for this joint honours degree programme in the heart of London is that key elements of the War Studies curriculum can be augmented and reinforced by studying history as war touches every aspect of human existence.
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_113'); KEY BENEFITS

War Studies:

• The leading department in the UK and one of very few in the world devoted exclusively to the multidisciplinary study of war as a phenomenon, providing a forum in which students can study all aspects of the impact of war on society.
• Students are taught by leading experts who bring with them not only a wealth of knowledge and ideas but an extensive and continually growing network of links with influential external organisations.
• The department hosts a number of lectures throughout the year featuring high-profile guest speakers.
• Central location gives easy access to major libraries and links to the seat of government, the Imperial War Museum and the National Maritime Museum.
• Graduates pursue careers in a range of fields including government, academia, journalism, banking, policy development, and humanitarian organisations.

History:

• One of the best history departments in the world, ranked 2nd in the UK byThe Sunday Times newspaper (2011).• Excellent graduate prospects, amongst the top five in the country (Times Good University Guide, 2010).
• Graduates get top jobs in a wide range of sectors, including law, business, government, heritage, finance and teaching.
• A wider range of periods and places than most history degrees, from medieval Europe to modern India.
• Students are taught in a friendly and supportive environment by expert historians.
• The central London location offers students easy access to world-class museums, collections and libraries.

Follow King's history on facebook.

PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

The underlying rationale for each joint honours programme is that the key elements of the War Studies curriculum (and the modules which reflect them) can be augmented and reinforced by the study of other subject areas and disciplines, given the way in which war touches every aspect of human existence.

A joint honours degree is comprised of a total 360 credits studied over three years. Usually students complete half of their modules in the Department of War Studies and half in the Department of History. Students take modules worth 120 credits each year, usually they choose War Studies modules worth 60 credits and modules worth 60 credits from the History department.

Joint honours students must choose their modules for each year with the guidance of their personal tutor, taking into account timetabling factors for each department (eg avoiding clashes in timetables) and the requirements of each programme.

In War Studies, it is compulsory to take the modules in 'The Art of War Studies' and 'Contemporary Security Issues' in year one. Although there are no compulsory modules in Year 2, all joint honours students are required to ensure that at least one of their two optional module choices for the year is either Intelligence in War Studies or War in International Order or World War II in Europe. The final year dissertation is compulsory, but may be written with either department.

The War Studies elements provide students with a sophisticated understanding of war, both as a subject worthy of study and as an intellectual preparation for the widest possible range of career choices. These skills include the ability to handle a wide range of evidence, analyse complex issues and present conclusions in a clear and effective manner.

The History element of the degree develops critical thinking and independence of thought about the past. In the first year students take a core module in historical sources, skills and approaches and choose one optional module, either in Medieval, Early Modern or Modern History. In the second and third years, students select from a wide range of modules which reflect the research interests of the department, from medieval Europe to modern India.

Click here to read about the Department of History
ABOUT THE Department of History
CAREERS

The career prospects for King's history graduates are excellent, and our location in the heart of London provides outstanding access to leading employers in many fields. Students develop skills which give them a critical edge in the job market, in particular the ability to process information quickly, think independently and present their ideas in pressure situations. Former King's history students work for national newspapers, in top law firms, in the civil service, in state and private schools, in heritage, banking and business sectors and in many different universities across the globe. Noted King's history graduates include Ronan Bennett (novelist and screenwriter), Janice Hadlow (Controller of BBC Two) and Georgina Henry (Executive comment editor of the Guardian newspaper).

Recent graduates have found employment as…

• Academic Historian
• Dealers’ Assistant, Bonhams
• Research Analyst, Ministry of Defence
• Junior Accounts Executive, Chelgate
• Project Assistant, Heron Evidence Development
• Trusts & Statutory Fundraiser, Crisis UK
• Support Worker, Sense
• Departmental Runner, BBC

TEACHING STYLE You will have regular and varied contact with staff and other students in lectures, seminars and supervisions. Most teaching takes place in seminars, which usually have between 10 and 20 participants and are a forum for discussion in which students have the opportunity to hone their discussion and presentation skills. Our first-year introductory module is taught in small supervision groups of 5 or 6 students, allowing for close discussion of historical texts and sources, and detailed feedback on your written work. If you choose to write a independent piece of historical research in your final year, which can be on any topic, this will also be taught on a one-to-one basis with a tutor. From the beginning of the degree, you will analyse primary sources as well as the writings of historians. We ensure undergraduate students are exposed to many different approaches to history, and encourage you to adopt a comparative approach, looking at the connections and contrasts between different periods and places throughout the degree. The discipline of research and writing is essential to the development of the skills of the historian. At King's, therefore, we require an extensive amount of written work and independent study.
STRUCTURE OF PROGRAMMES & ASSESSMENT The King’s History degree lasts three years and is assessed through a combination of essays, examinations, presentations and dissertations. Students choose from a wide range of modules, which cover historical topics from Medieval times (c400AD onwards) through to the present day. Optional modules in Ancient History are also available through the Department of Classics. In the first year, students choose modules that span Medieval, Early Modern and Modern History as well as taking ‘Historical Skills, Sources & Approaches’, which is taught in small groups.

In the second and third years, students select more focused options, choosing from around 30 topics, which have recently included:

• Alexander the Great
• British Imperial Policy & Decolonisation, 1938-1964
• Caribbean Intellectual History, c1800 to the present
• The French Civil War, 1934-1970
• The History of Australia since 1788
• History of Political Ideas
• The Norman Conquest
• The Northern Ireland Troubles
• The Origins of Reformation in England
• Political Bonds in Late Medieval and Renaissance Italy
• The Soviet Union and Russia, 1945-2000
• Women and Gender in Early Modern England
• Romans & Barbarians: The Transformation of the Roman West
• Themes in the study of Contemporary Africa.

All our modules are designed by the lecturers in the department and reflect their own scholarly research specialisms.

In the final year, students have the opportunity to undertake a research dissertation on a topic of their choice, working under the one-to-one supervision of a member of staff who is a specialist in the field. As King’s is part of the University of London, second-and final-year students have the option of taking history courses at other institutions (such as UCL, and Royal Holloway), which means our students have an unrivalled choice of modules to choose from. The King’s History programme is unique in its pair of compulsory second-year ‘History and Memory’ modules, where students consider the role of history in the present day, from its social and public uses to the conflicts and controversies it can generate and do so by using London as a real, living source. Field trip teaching on these modules is delivered through downloadable podcasts. Examples of podcasts can be downloaded from our website http://www.kcl.ac.uk/history/podcasts

LOCATION The Department of History at King’s is centrally located on our Strand campus, and is within walking distance of the capital’s famous landmarks, such as the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, the River Thames and the South Bank. London offers unparalleled historical resources, including the British Museum, British Library, Imperial War Museum and National Gallery.
SPECIAL NOTES All students are offered the opportunity to study abroad as part of their History degree at King's and recent popular destinations include The University of North Carolina Chapel, The University of Auckland and The University of Hong Kong.
Click here to read about the Department of War Studies
ABOUT THE Department of War Studies
CAREERS War studies students come from a variety of countries and backgrounds and go on to work in a range of fields including government (most commonly in Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs in the UK and abroad), academia, journalism, banking (often in emerging markets or risk analysis), research and policy think-tanks, humanitarian organisations and international organisations. Recent graduates have found employment as: • Account Executive, IT re-seller • Accounts Assistance, IJS Global • Army Officer, British Army • Consultant, Ernst & Young • Creative Writer, Groupon • Defence Analyst, Vision Gain • Parliamentary Assistant, House of Commons • Special Constable, Metropolitan Police • Trainee Accountant, a legal practice

For more information about career prospects and employability please see: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/warstudies/employability.aspx
TEACHING STYLE Most of the department's academic staff play a full part in teaching at BA, MA and research level to ensure the maximum cross-fertilisation between teaching and research. A range of teaching methods are used including lectures, seminars and tutorials. The 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.
STRUCTURE OF PROGRAMMES & ASSESSMENT The department offers single and joint honours programmes. The assessment method is a combination of essays, examinations, oral presentations and a dissertation.
LOCATION The prime, central position beside the River Thames brings outstanding advantages, and as a student you will enjoy the excellent social and cultural opportunities of the capital. The department is close to the seat of government, the City, the Royal Courts of Justice and the Inns of Court, the Imperial War Museum and the National Maritime Museum.

ABOUT THE Department of War Studies
CAREERS War studies students come from a variety of countries and backgrounds and go on to work in a range of fields including government (most commonly in Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs in the UK and abroad), academia, journalism, banking (often in emerging markets or risk analysis), research and policy think-tanks, humanitarian organisations and international organisations. Recent graduates have found employment as: • Account Executive, IT re-seller • Accounts Assistance, IJS Global • Army Officer, British Army • Consultant, Ernst & Young • Creative Writer, Groupon • Defence Analyst, Vision Gain • Parliamentary Assistant, House of Commons • Special Constable, Metropolitan Police • Trainee Accountant, a legal practice

For more information about career prospects and employability please see: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/warstudies/employability.aspx
TEACHING STYLE Most of the department's academic staff play a full part in teaching at BA, MA and research level to ensure the maximum cross-fertilisation between teaching and research. A range of teaching methods are used including lectures, seminars and tutorials. The 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.
STRUCTURE OF PROGRAMMES & ASSESSMENT The department offers single and joint honours programmes. The assessment method is a combination of essays, examinations, oral presentations and a dissertation.
LOCATION The prime, central position beside the River Thames brings outstanding advantages, and as a student you will enjoy the excellent social and cultural opportunities of the capital. The department is close to the seat of government, the City, the Royal Courts of Justice and the Inns of Court, the Imperial War Museum and the National Maritime Museum.