Welcome to the student handbook for Arts & Humanities
We are delighted to welcome you as a part of a truly international academic community right in the heart of London. Most of you who return will find your departments transformed, as the departments of English, Philosophy, History, Comparative Literature, European and International Studies, German, Film Studies, CMCI and Music have seen substantial expansion in staff numbers, which has allowed us to broaden the range of subjects we are able to offer in our modules.
This is a time of fundamental change in many other ways; it will be the first year that the East Wing of Somerset House is in full operation, as we look to acquire further space near the Strand to cater for the growth of the College. We are continuing our transition to e-learning, moving to full electronic submission – and feedback – of coursework for all our BA courses this year. Finally, we have also worked hard to improve channels of communication between staff and students, and these are outlined in this handbook. If you have any thoughts about how we can improve, please let us know.
Most of all, I hope that you will use this next year to avail yourself of everything King’s has to offer. Do go to some of the research seminars that the department puts on, or the many workshops put on by postgraduate students; do visit events outside departments, to engage with discussions ranging from life in the creative industries, to the wonders of Byzantium and our Ancient Civilization, to the future of the Middle East after the Arab Spring. And finally, keep your eye out for big events like the
Arts and Humanities Festival, which has become a key forum for discussing some of the key questions that move us not only as academics, but that are also core to our culture and society. Do use the opportunity to get involved in whatever capacity works for you, as we look forward to thinking through complex issues together.
We teach because we feel passionate about our subjects, and the research that drives them. Our goal is to engage you in this knowledge, and to help you achieve your own intellectual potential. I hope you will find that this year at King’s enriches you, stimulates you, and changes the way you think about your subject, about human culture, and about yourself.
Simon Gaunt
Head of School of Arts & Humanities