Modern History

Jonathan
Modern History MA
I chose King’s because I’d had such a fantastic time here as an undergraduate. The History Department is one of the best in the country with some of the world’s leading experts in their fields and it has easy access to many libraries and archives, so why would I go anywhere else?

On top of this, there are a wide range of MA modules to choose from, and not only from within the Department. I am currently taking a module from the Institute of Contemporary History on British Political History; one might even do a module from the English or the War Studies Departments.

The tutors are all excellent. At MA the teaching is done in seminars; because of this, there’s a real sense of being treated as an academic equal, with the tutors there to help the discussion and add points, rather than simply lecture. Currently, my favourite seminars are Revolutions and Constitutions in Europe c.1790-1870 and Advanced Skills for Historians: the first because the history of the French Revolution and the nineteenth century in Europe created the foundations for the explosion of the First World War. Advanced Skills is fascinating because we look at how one actually goes about in-depth research in the archives, and how an historian should present those results.

Further, as an alumnus of King’s, the College awarded me an alumni bursary, which has meant I have a little bit left to fund my dissertation research into a new collection of papers on a Rear-Admiral in Nelson’s navy.

King’s has also given me the chance to play in the King’s Big Band. I play the trombone, and to be able to play jazz with some of the Music Department’s top players has been a huge bonus. We’ve played for BBC TV, the Royal Navy Association and various King’s Societies’ balls. Plus, it has meant meeting and working with people outside of my course and the Department, which is always a good experience.

London as a whole is such a vibrant place. There is so much to see and so much to do, and some of the top attractions are free! The great location of King’s on the Strand means that it is easy to wander up to the National Gallery or have lunch around Whitehall and the Houses of Parliament. King’s is therefore ideally situated to being able to just go and explore the capital.

Ludmilla Jordanova
Modern History MA
I've recently joined the History Department at King's and have rapidly become involved with a number of master's programmes. I am a cultural historian working across the early-modern and modern periods, and I use both images and objects in my research and teaching. It's thrilling to be located in a part of London where so many important collections are just a few minutes walk away. For example, I take my students to the National Portrait Gallery, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar Square and the Royal College of Surgeons, so that we are working with pictures, sculptures, objects and buildings right in front of us.
My special interest is portraiture, and especially the ways in which groups, such as occupationally-based institutions, use images of leading figures to form their identities. I am just as fascinated by individuals and the creation of heroic reputations. King's is a marvellous base for such research and teaching. I also love doing master's level teaching here because we offer stimulating core modules in which we think about historical practice - a vital part of any graduate training. The friendly informal atmosphere makes working with graduates a real joy, and especially through the dissertation we get to know our students well, and probably learn as much from them as they do from us!