Go to…
Our course offers you the chance to study Contemporary British History at an advanced level in one of the top ranked History departments in Europe.
You can choose from a wide range of options taught by experts in the field, covering British economic, social, cultural, political, military, imperial, and diplomatic history, as well as the history of British science, technology and medicine.
Our course leads to careers in research, journalism, the civil service, politics, teaching and finance.
Application status Open
Duration 1 year FT / 2 years PT, September to September
Study mode Full-time, Part-time
Credit value UK 180 / ECTS 90
Course intake Variable
Course leaders Professor David Edgerton
Course contact for further information Postgraduate Admissions Team, Admissions Officetel: +44 (0)20 7848 7000 fax: +44 (0)20 7848 7200 https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/enquiry-form.aspx
Postgraduate Admissions Team, Admissions Officetel: +44 (0)20 7848 7000 fax: +44 (0)20 7848 7200
Course contact form Postgraduate admissions
Awarding institution King's College London
Faculty Faculty of Arts & Humanities
Department Department of History
Explore campuses
Discover the advantages of studying at one of the top 25 universities in the world and take a look at our central London campuses.
Watch more videos
Our Contemporary British History course will provide you with training in and experience of the historical analysis of issues that are central to understanding contemporary Britain. While we focus on the study of British history over the past century, we also recognise that you can’t understand British history without reference to other countries and regions, in particular the Empire/Commonwealth, Europe and North America.Alongside teaching you the techniques, skills and knowledge relevant to your interests and research needs, we will equip you for both independent research and analysis in primary and secondary material, and train you to write at an advanced level. We will foster your intellectual development and independent learning ability, which you will need to continue your own professional and personal development.
Teaching
If you are a full-time student, we will provide you with six hours of teaching each week through lectures and seminars. We will expect you to undertake 34 hours of independent study alongside this.
If you are a part-time student, we will provide you with two to four hours a week of teaching through lectures and seminars in your first year, and two to four hours in your second year. Alongside this we will expect you to undertake 12-24 hours a week of independent study.
For your dissertation, we will give you six hours of one-to-one supervision, and we will expect you to undertake 574 hours of self-study.
Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.
AssessmentYour performance will be assessed through a combination of essays and a dissertation.
LocationThis course is primarily taught at King’s College London Strand Campus. We are located in the heart of London, the centre of British administration, which offers you unrivalled access to library and archival resources and easy access to resources in Europe. You will also benefit from the range of expertise within our Department and the extensive resources and facilities here at King’s.
Regulating bodyKing’s College London is regulated by the Office for Students.
You are required to take:
Part-time students typically take the required taught modules and one optional module in Year 1 and two optional modules and the dissertation in Year 2.
In addition, you are required to take three modules (totalling 60 credits) from a range that typically includes the following from History and other departments.
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant courses of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
2:1 undergraduate degree in history, politics or a relevant discipline, eg public policy, law or social science.Evidence of achievement of an academic level comparable to at least 2:1 honours standard through past studies, and where previous study, work or experience (eg in government or NGO service) has made the applicant a suitable candidate, will also be considered.
In order to meet the academic entry requirements for this programme you should have a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree with a final mark of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme. If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme.
Applications must be made online using King’s online application portal apply.kcl.ac.uk and a non-refundable application fee of £70 applies.
We may wish to interview applicants, either in person or over the phone if they are normally resident overseas. Once references and transcripts are received, we aim to process all applications within four to six weeks although this may take longer in February, March and over holiday periods.
You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:
A personal statement is required. This can be entered directly into the online application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or uploaded as an attachment to the online application form (maximum 2 pages). Please explain why you wish to apply for this programme and why you feel it matches your interests, academic background and, if relevant, your career plans.
We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible. Our first application deadline is the 31 March 2020. After this date, applications will remain open if places are available, but programmes will be closed as soon as they are full. For programmes with spaces remaining, no further applications will be accepted from non-EU (Overseas) nationals after 31July 2020 or from UK/EU nationals after 28 August 2020.
Please note you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if you apply after the first application deadline and places are filled before the final deadlines above and we are unable to process more offers.
If you don't have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, or if English isn't your first language, our academic preparation courses can help you get ready for study in the UK.
Students starting their programme in 2020/21 who are eligible to pay EU fees will pay the same rate of tuition fees as UK students. This will apply for the duration of their programme, but may be subject to change by the UK Government for subsequent cohorts from 2021/22.
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/EU deposit is £500.
The INTERNATIONAL deposit is £2,000.
Additional costs/expenses
In addition to your tuition fees, you can also expect to pay for:
Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.
Visit the fees and funding webpages to find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans and other financial help available at King's.
I chose King's College London because I wanted to study at a top university. It offers a world-class education as you are taught by renowned teachers in fantastic facilities and this explains its international reputation.
Full list of student events
Learn more about postgraduate degree programmes at King's. Download our guide in PDF format or order a copy.
Download guide
Order guide
Receive email updates about our courses, events, fees and funding, studying in London, how to apply and more.
Sign up
Browser does not support script.