Making Modern Britain: Pivotal Prime Ministerial Decisions

In this module, you will explore the pivotal moments of decision-making faced by Prime Ministers since 1945. It will explore issues such as:

• the decision to build an independent nuclear deterrent
• the Suez Crisis
• the withdrawal of the UK from ‘East of Suez’
• the decision to build Concorde
• the EEC referendum
• Callaghan and the vote of no confidence
• the Falklands War
• the Miners’ Strike
• the Good Friday Agreement
• Huawei and 5G security.

You will make full use of specially created case studies, putting forward the arguments for courses of action, having weighed the issues of the day. You will also prepare briefing papers. Based on the approach of Harvard Professors Richard E. Neustadt and Ernest R. May, the module seeks to help decision-makers become more attentive to the proper ‘uses of history’.

This module will provide you with:

• confidence in understanding pivotal moments of Prime Ministerial decision making
• a recognition of the complexities of decision making and the pressures on political leadership
• a background knowledge of crisis making and how different governments have approached crisis leadership
• a detailed knowledge of moments such as the Suez crisis and the EEC referendum in 1975
• a complex understanding of the personalities of the post-war Prime Ministers, their aspirations, motivations and backgrounds.

By the end of the module, you will have:

• a deepened understanding and knowledge of key 20^th and 21^st century moments and an understanding of prime ministerial studies by engaging critically with complex nebulous cross-governmental case studies
• expanded your familiarity and critical engagement with a range of primary and secondary sources in the relevant literature
• encouraged critical engagement with current research and advanced scholarship across the available literature
• via case studies, further developed key knowledge, intellectual, practical, and transferable skills
• a detailed understanding of the pressures of Prime Ministerial decision making
• a deep and informed understanding of the interaction between competing policies, economics and foreign policy objectives
• recognition of how crisis management works in government
• acquired a deep and evolving understanding of the constantly updating literature and ultra-contemporary historiography of these years
• gained experience of using primary and secondary sources as a means of analysing the history of government
• constructed arguments and developed oracy skills via in class debate
• undertaken a detailed investigation of at least one particular theme associated with this subject, using secondary and primary sources, to produce a finished piece of analysis.

T​he standard entry requirements comprise:

• A 2:2 honours degree or international equivalent 
• A CV and personal statement outlining reasons for study  
• English language at Band B (IELTS 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in each skill).

You will be assessed via the following:

• Coursework (4,500-word essay): 90%
• Participation: 10%.

This is an on-campus module so you will be expected to attend in-person for approximately 2 hours per week. Exact days and times will be provided upon enrolment.

This module is offered as part of our flexible master’s awards in Professional Development. The awards are one of the most flexible currently offered in the UK, providing the opportunity to study a range of modules from across King’s, both on-campus and online. Whether you are looking for a promotion or to retrain, you have come to the right place.   

Designed for mature professionals juggling life and work commitments, our postgraduate awards will enable you to study at your own pace. In challenging financial times, you are also able to fund your studies module-by-module. We will support you to select the right module diet that meets your objectives while ensuring that you are well prepared for success. We will also help you to build your professional network of peers from across our suite of CPD modules.  

We can’t wait for you to continue your lifelong learning journey here at King’s.