MA in Contemporary British History and Politics
London, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 up to 2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
09 Mar 2025*
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 30,000 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* first application deadline
** UK students: £13,500 per year | International students: £30,000 per year
Introduction
Our course offers you the chance to study Contemporary British History and Politics at an advanced level in one of the top-ranked History departments in Europe. You can choose from a wide range of options taught by experts in the field, covering British economic, social, cultural, political, military, imperial, and diplomatic history, as well as the history of British science, technology and medicine. Our course leads to careers in research, journalism, the civil service, politics, teaching and finance.
Key benefits
- One of the best history departments in the world ranked in the top ten in Europe (QS World University Rankings 2023)
- King’s graduates enjoy one of the best employment rates and starting salaries in the UK. Ranked 6th in the UK for graduate employability (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022)
- The central London location offers students unrivalled access to world-class museums, collections, archives and libraries as well as easy access to resources in Europe
- You will be taught by scholars who have shaped our understanding of contemporary British history and who are active participants not only in historical research but also in writing for the press and appearing on television and radio
- Unique course ranging widely across contemporary history, historiography, and research methods
Course essentials
Our Contemporary British History course will provide you with training in and experience of the historical analysis of issues that are central to understanding contemporary Britain. While we focus on the study of British history over the past century, we also recognise that you can’t understand British history without reference to other countries and regions, in particular the Empire/Commonwealth, Europe, and North America.
Duration: One year full-time, two years part-time, September to September
Admissions
Curriculum
Structure
Required modules
You are required to take:
- Advanced Skills for Historians (30 credits)
- Britain Since 1900 (30 credits)
- Dissertation (60 credits)
Optional modules
In addition, you are required to take four modules (totalling 60 credits) from a range that typically includes the following from History and other departments.
History Department Modules
- Britain & Decolonisation (15 credits) (History)
- The British Empire (15 credits) (History)
- Gender & British Society (15 credits) (History)
- Science, War & the Nation: Britain 1900–2000 (15 credits) (History)
- English Exceptions since 1918 (15 credits)
- Britain and the World Economy—c. 1850-1914 (15 credits)
- Patriotism and National Identities in Britain, 1870-1914 (15 credits)
Strand Group
- The Treasury and an Introduction to Economic History: In Partnership with HM Treasury (15 credits)
- The Blair Years (15 credits)
- The History of the Prime Minister 1945 – 1979 – in partnership with No. 10 Downing St (15 Credits)
- The History of the Prime Minister 1979 – 2019 – in partnership with No. 10 Downing St (15 credits)
Part-time students typically take Advanced Skills for Historians and two optional modules in Year 1. They would take Britain Since 1900, two further optional modules, and the dissertation in Year 2.
You may take up to 30 credits from outside the History department, including approved modules in other departments in King's or via the Intercollegiate scheme of the University of London, subject to the course convenor's approval
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Our graduates develop the skills and knowledge to pursue further research in our Department or transfer them to careers elsewhere, such as the civil service, teaching, in journalism and politics.