MA History

Choose Kingston’s History MA

In today’s uncertain world knowledge of the past and of its influence on the present has become increasingly relevant. History is now a staple topic of public discussion, in the media and as a focus for leisure activities. The Kingston History MA presents a unique opportunity for students to combine academic study of the past with a practical focus on public history. Students at Kingston can pursue studies leading to a research degree, an academic career or to wider employment opportunities in the media, heritage and publishing industries.

Rich in local and nationally important heritage, Kingston has the added advantage of close proximity to London, with its unrivalled historical resources. The University similarly benefits from this advantage and it also has relationships with national research archives, libraries and museums. The History MA course is taught by specialist, research-active staff, leaders in their fields, who write and broadcast to the widest possible public. They are all dedicated to providing a stimulating learning environment in which students acquire both specialist knowledge and practical research and communication skills.

What will you study?

You will take a core module that introduces you to key debates about the theory and practice of different types of history. It provides a broad outline of a variety of research methods, and teaches you the documentary and archival skills necessary to pursue a research topic of your choice. You are encouraged to focus on a specific area of research early in the course and are linked with a subject supervisor who will stay with them through to the completion of their dissertation at the end. Module assignments can be tailored to fit individual your research interests.

You may choose two approaches to your study of the History MA:

• pursue your topic thematically through the Eighteenth Century and Modern Britain and Europe modules before taking your dissertation; or
• combine study of your chosen research topic in one of the above modules with the Presenting Public History module in order to discover how to communicate your research to a wider public audience. Choose this route and you can vary the format in which your dissertation is submitted.

This course includes work placements in and visits to research archives, museums and heritage sites.