Core Modules

You will study six core modules:

Research Skills: Methodology and Sources

The module will introduce you to the historiography of warfare as well as to a variety of different research methodologies and research sources. A series of case studies will focus on key research sources (published and unpublished) for the experience of war, including official histories; the diaries, memoirs, letters, and autobiographies of contemporary actors; archival sources, including the National Archives of the United Kingdom; as well as non-documentary kinds of evidence.

Tactics and Operational Art

The module will introduce you to how technological and conceptual change has driven the development of tactics and operational art since the 1500s, examining how armies from different cultural backgrounds have managed these issues and the relationship between innovation and military success. A series of case studies will focus on key examples of tactics and operational art in warfare.

Command and Leadership in War

Questions of command and leadership are central to the history of warfare. The module will introduce you to the evolution of command styles and the role of the leader over time, assessing the importance of the individual’s contribution to military history and placing this in the context of broader structural change. A series of case studies will focus on key debates about command and leadership in wartime.

Ethics of War

The module will introduce you to concepts of Ius ad Bellum and Ius in Bello (“ justice of war” and “ justice in war”) and explore how they have been applied in various conflicts over time, addressing issues such as proportionality and the status of non-combatants. It will analyze attempts to impose legal, ethical, and moral constraints on warfare and the successes and failures of these attempts.

Experience of War

The module will introduce you to ‘war from the bottom up’: how individuals have experienced warfare. It will analyze coping strategies, the construction, and maintenance of morale both military and civilian, and explore why these have sometimes broken down. Finally, it will introduce you to individuals’ responses to war as expressed in art, from poetry to moving pictures.

Dissertation Preparation

This module will also equip you with the skills necessary to both plan and undertake a specialist piece of research at the Masters level. It will provide detailed guidance on the techniques necessary for the location of primary and secondary sources relevant to your dissertation research. You will become familiar with advanced bibliographical aids and with how to search in relevant libraries, archives, and data sources. You will also undertake a detailed analytical survey of the secondary literature relevant to your dissertation topic.

Dissertation

In addition to your taught modules, you will conduct a piece of independent research with the support of a supervisor, culminating in a 12,000-word dissertation.

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for your future career, but this can also be enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University and the College of Arts and Law.

The University's Careers Network provides expert guidance and activities, especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team that offers tailored advice and a programme of College-specific career events.

You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:

• Receive one-to-one career advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
• Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
• Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
• Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV

What's more, you will be able to access our full range of career support for up to 2 years after graduation.

Postgraduate Employability: History

Our History postgraduates 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 or in museums. Others use their transferable skills in a range of occupations including finance, marketing, teaching and publishing. Employers that graduates have gone on to work for include the Royal Air Force, the Ministry of Defence, the University of Birmingham, the Royal Air Force Museum and the University of Oxford.

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.

Course Delivery

As a part-time student, you will typically take three modules each year, followed by your dissertation. Each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.