School of Arts and Humanities

The School is situated in the geographic, political and cultural heart of London, and our links with the capital’s premier cultural institutions enable us to provide new perspectives on the arts and humanities. Our traditional disciplinary roots provide the bedrock of knowledge which allows us to think about interdisciplinarity in pioneering ways; for example, we are an international leader in the use of digital tools for the study of the humanities. And our deep awareness of the complexities of global cultural interaction allows us to shed new light on conflict and political instability in many different areas of the world, from Europe and Latin America to South Asia and the Middle East.

The School of Arts & Humanities has the most prestigious and diverse cluster of subjects of its kind in London, and one of the best globally. Ranked 26th among all faculties of Arts and Humanities globally (QS World University Rankings 2010), the Guardian Good University Guide 2010 ranked all of the School’s departments and interdisciplinary programmes in the top ten nationally. Our global and national reputation for research and teaching, and our thriving links to leading academic and cultural institutions in London and around the globe ensure that our students have excellent career prospects. Universities and employers worldwide recognise our students as individuals who are able to analyse complex problems with particular vision, clarity and creativity.

Owing to our reputation, and to our central location in the heart of a major capital city, we attract speakers from the most prestigious academic institutions, from governments, from cultural institutions, and the world of art and literature. We also host a range of research centres, from the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence to the Centre for the Humanities and Health, which host ground-breaking interdisciplinary lectures, workshops and public events. In addition to a thriving intellectual environment in which we encourage participation by our postgraduate students. During the year, the School offers a variety of workshops including research methods, preparing studentship applications, writing skills, completing your thesis, and applying for jobs. We also provide specialist training in a wide variety of areas, from bibliography and palaeography to the most advanced aspects of information technology. Most departments offer teaching opportunities and a full programme of training and support is provided by King’s for those considering an academic career. We also provide full language support – in academic English for those for whom English is not their native tongue, and in foreign languages as part of a wider commitment to foster an international outlook amongst students and staff. This support will assist your academic work, and it also provides invaluable transferable skills.

There are dedicated postgraduate facilities at the College’s Maughan Library and Information Services Centre at Chancery Lane. The collections at the Maughan Library are particularly strong in the humanities, and these are complemented by outstanding special collections, for instance in Holocaust Studies, the history of the Cold War, and the rich collections of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office library. We provide a growing number of dedicated study and social spaces for research students within the School. With one of the country’s largest populations of research students, we do everything we can to integrate them into the wider College community both intellectually and socially, to facilitate interaction and collaboration with fellow students and academic staff.

Beyond the range of scholarships available through the Graduate School (see http://www.kcl.ac.uk/gradfunding), we have been particularly successful in recent years at securing awards from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), through the individual studentships and through collaborative doctoral awards. Students in the School of Arts & Humanities are the main beneficiaries of the College’s successful Block Grant Partnership award of around 36 awards for doctoral and research master’s students per year for the next three years. Our international students have also been extremely successful at securing funding and at receiving distinguished scholarships from their countries of citizenship. In addition, we offer a number of humanities studentships, open to all applicants for postgraduate degrees within the School. Full details of how to apply are published annually on our website. We also offer many opportunities for students to hold teaching fellowships during their period of study.