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King's College London
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Postgraduate degree

Politics & Contemporary History MA

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Our MA in Politics & Contemporary History provides you with an advanced critical study of the government and politics of contemporary Britain, using history and historical methodologies. It develops the knowledge, techniques and skills relevant to your interests and research needs and equips you for independent research and analysis and for writing at an advanced level.

Key benefits

  • Study contemporary history and politics in the heart of London, with unrivalled access to archives and libraries.
  • Course tutors include renowned experts in the field of politics and contemporary history.
  • You attend regular research seminars in contemporary British history and have full access to other exciting activities, including seminars, conferences and other public events.

You are required to take modules on the Evolution of British Government and British Political History since 1945, as well as choosing from a range of optional modules. You are given the opportunity to experience the Department of Political Economy’s work with policymakers and politicians through History & Policy, as well as regular research seminars, conferences and other events which you can attend.

Base campuses

strand-quad
Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

waterloo-banner
Waterloo Campus

Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties

Regulating bodies

King's is regulated by the Office for Students

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Teaching methods - what to expect

Lectures
Seminars
Self-Study

Curious to find out more? Access on-demand content including taster lectures and talks, and meet our current staff and students on our subject hub page.

We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.

The following table will give you an idea of what a typical academic workload might look like as you progress through your studies:

Module Lectures, seminars and feedback Self-study
Per 15-credit module Typically 20 hours 130 hours
Dissertation module 8 hours of dissertation supervision 592 hours

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Assessment

  • Essays
  • Dissertation

Most 15-credit modules are assessed by a 3,500-word essay, however assessment types and patterns may vary across modules. The dissertation module is assessed by a 15,000-word dissertation.

Structure

Required modules

You are required to take the following modules:

British Political History since 1945 (15 credits)
The Evolution of British Government since 1945 (30 credits)
Contemporary History in Practice (15 credits)
Dissertation (60 Credits)

Optional modules

In addition, you are required to take 60 credits from a range of optional modules that may typically include:

Anglo-American Relations Since 1945
From Blair to Brexit: Britain since 1997 (15 credits)
The Blair Years (15 credits)
Democracy in the United Kingdom (15 credits)
Britain and Europe Since 1945 (15 credits)
Election Campaigning, Public Opinion & Politics in Britain (15 credits)
The Treasury and an Introduction to Economic History: In Partnership with HM Treasury (15 credits)
The Media & Public Policy (15 credits)
Media, Elections & Campaigning (15 credits)
The History of the Prime Minister 1945-1979 - in partnership with No10 Downing St (15 credits)
New Political Economy of the Media
London: History and Governance (15 credits) [Political Economy]

If you are taking the part-time programme, the Department generally advise that you take one 15 credit optional module in the first year of your programme and two 15 credit optional modules (30 credits total) in the second year of your programme, in order to balance your workload. Students may take a maximum of 30 out of the 60 optional credits from level 7 modules outside of their programme’s approved module list, subject to approval by the Programme Director. Students may take an additional non-assessed credit language module in addition to the required 180 credits.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

Employability

After studying this course you can go on to a career in journalism, the civil service, management consultancy, teaching and research.

Tuition Fees

UK:

Full time: £11,040 per year (2022/23)

Part time: £5,520 per year (2022/23)

International:

Full time: £24,660 per year (2022/23)

Part time: £12,330 per year (2022/23)

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

Deposit

When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment.

The UK deposit is £500.

The INTERNATIONAL deposit is £2,000.

  • If you receive an offer on or before 31 March, payment is due by 25 April 2022.
  • If you receive an offer between 1 April and 30 June, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 1 July and 31 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 1 August and 21 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer from 22 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer.

If you are a current King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

Additional Costs

In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

  • Books if you choose to buy your own copies
  • Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
  • Library fees and fines
  • Personal photocopies
  • Printing course handouts
  • Society membership fees
  • Stationery
  • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
  • Graduation costs

Funding

You are required to take modules on the Evolution of British Government and British Political History since 1945, as well as choosing from a range of optional modules. You are given the opportunity to experience the Department of Political Economy’s work with policymakers and politicians through History & Policy, as well as regular research seminars, conferences and other events which you can attend.

Base campuses

strand-quad
Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

waterloo-banner
Waterloo Campus

Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties

Regulating bodies

King's is regulated by the Office for Students

Loading...

Teaching methods - what to expect

Lectures
Seminars
Self-Study

Curious to find out more? Access on-demand content including taster lectures and talks, and meet our current staff and students on our subject hub page.

We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.

The following table will give you an idea of what a typical academic workload might look like as you progress through your studies:

Module Lectures, seminars and feedback Self-study
Per 15-credit module Typically 20 hours 130 hours
Dissertation module 8 hours of dissertation supervision 592 hours

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Assessment

  • Essays
  • Dissertation

Most 15-credit modules are assessed by a 3,500-word essay, however assessment types and patterns may vary across modules. The dissertation module is assessed by a 15,000-word dissertation.

Structure

Required modules

You are required to take the following modules:

British Political History since 1945 (15 credits)
The Evolution of British Government since 1945 (30 credits)
Contemporary History in Practice (15 credits)
Dissertation (60 Credits)

Optional modules

In addition, you are required to take 60 credits from a range of optional modules that may typically include:

Anglo-American Relations Since 1945
From Blair to Brexit: Britain since 1997 (15 credits)
The Blair Years (15 credits)
Democracy in the United Kingdom (15 credits)
Britain and Europe Since 1945 (15 credits)
Election Campaigning, Public Opinion & Politics in Britain (15 credits)
The Treasury and an Introduction to Economic History: In Partnership with HM Treasury (15 credits)
The Media & Public Policy (15 credits)
Media, Elections & Campaigning (15 credits)
The History of the Prime Minister 1945-1979 - in partnership with No10 Downing St (15 credits)
New Political Economy of the Media
London: History and Governance (15 credits) [Political Economy]

If you are taking the part-time programme, the Department generally advise that you take one 15 credit optional module in the first year of your programme and two 15 credit optional modules (30 credits total) in the second year of your programme, in order to balance your workload. Students may take a maximum of 30 out of the 60 optional credits from level 7 modules outside of their programme’s approved module list, subject to approval by the Programme Director. Students may take an additional non-assessed credit language module in addition to the required 180 credits.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

Employability

After studying this course you can go on to a career in journalism, the civil service, management consultancy, teaching and research.

Tuition Fees

UK:

Full time: £11,040 per year (2022/23)

Part time: £5,520 per year (2022/23)

International:

Full time: £24,660 per year (2022/23)

Part time: £12,330 per year (2022/23)

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

Deposit

When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment.

The UK deposit is £500.

The INTERNATIONAL deposit is £2,000.

  • If you receive an offer on or before 31 March, payment is due by 25 April 2022.
  • If you receive an offer between 1 April and 30 June, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 1 July and 31 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 1 August and 21 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer from 22 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer.

If you are a current King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

Additional Costs

In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

  • Books if you choose to buy your own copies
  • Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
  • Library fees and fines
  • Personal photocopies
  • Printing course handouts
  • Society membership fees
  • Stationery
  • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
  • Graduation costs

Funding

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