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Overview

Our Modern World History course offers you the chance to study modern world history in many dimensions: as global and transnational history, as the history of nations and empires, as the history of economies, cultures, politics, gender, and as the history of expertise and power. In fresh and exciting ways, our course covers the whole world, from Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States, to Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas.

King’s College London has become in recent decades a key international centre for Global and Transnational History, Modern British and European History, and the History of Science, Technology and Medicine. As well as providing training in historical research methods, and global and transnational history, our course offers you the opportunity to personalise your degree by choosing optional modules offered by any department at King’s or from available MA courses at our London partner institutions (which include UCL, Queen Mary and Royal Holloway). The course is an excellent preparation for careers in education, marketing, journalism, finance, politics, public relations, the charity sector and the cultural industries.

Key benefits

  • One of the best history departments in the world, ranked 3rd in the UK for Research Power (REF 2021) and 7th among history departments in Europe (QS World University Rankings 2026).
  • King’s graduates enjoy one of the best employment rates and starting salaries in the UK. The university ranks 6th in the UK for graduate employability (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026).
  • Comprehensive coverage of modern world history, including the United Kingdom, Western and Eastern Europe, as well as South Asia, Australia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
  • Comprehensive coverage of different approaches to modern history, including global, imperial and transnational history, political history, gender history, cultural history, social history, environmental history, economic history and the history of science, technology and medicine.
  • Offers an integrative approach to skills-teaching in historical methods and historiography.
  • Our central London location offers students unrivalled access to world-class museums, collections, archives and libraries as well as easy access to resources in Europe.

Application closing date guidance

Base campus

A quad courtyard, with people queuing at a van selling coffee, and chatting in conversation

Strand Campus

Strand Campus sits along the Thames at London's cultural heart. Alongside world-class teaching spaces, students enjoy access to the pedestrianised Strand Quad, with Somerset House and iconic landmarks just steps away.