MILITARYHISTORYCanterbury

The UK’s European university

Undergraduatestudy

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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCEAND INSPIRATIONAL TEACHING

Taught by the School of History,the Military History programmeat Kent focuses primarily onhistorical perspectives on warfare.As well as looking at the causes andeffects of war, you also examine theoperational aspects of warfare. Theprogramme covers everything fromthe tactics used in modern tankwarfare to a study of wartimecinema.

All of the modules offered on theMilitary History programme arerooted in the research interestsof academics. As a result, module

options are incredibly wide-ranging,from the Vikings to a global historyof empires, Churchill’s army in theSecond World War and the rise ofthe United States.

The range of modules on offer isbroad, both in terms of chronologyand geography, with the possibilityof taking ‘wild modules’ with theSchool of Politics and InternationalRelations or the School of EuropeanCulture and Languages, to providealternative perspectives on war andcombat.

Many academics within the Schoolof History have a strong interestin military history and, as a result,new modules are frequently added.

Stimulating environmentThe School has a lively andengaging student body. For thepast eight years, our courses haveconsistently achieved over 90% forstudent satisfaction in the NationalStudent Survey. You learn within achallenging and inspiring academicenvironment, and are encouragedto study widely and formulate yourown opinions while being guidedand taught by our world-classacademics in a dynamic school.

Students are invited to attendregular talks from visiting speakers,and the student-led History Societyorganises lectures, social eventsand trips during each year.

Supportive academiccommunityWe want you to feel part of theacademic community at Kent.You are taught by top academicsyour opinions are welcomed inclass and you are invited to extra-curricular lectures and eventsthroughout the year.

All academics within the Schoolhave dedicated office hours andour students are assigned anadviser to support their academicdevelopment. We have a policy ofone-to-one feedback for the firstessay on every module and adedicated Student Support Officer,who can provide academic supportand help with pastoral issues.

Military History

What makes countries, ethnic groups or individuals goto war? How has warfare changed with the introductionof new technology? How has propaganda been used?Can we learn anything from history? These are justsome of the questions addressed by this programme.

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World-leading researchIn the most recent ResearchExcellence Framework, Kent wasranked 17th* for research intensity,outperforming 11 of the 24 RussellGroup universities.

Research in the School was ranked8th in the UK for research intensityin the Times Higher Education, with99% of our research judged to beof international quality. Academicswithin the School have a diverserange of expertise, ranging fromthe early Middle Ages to the 21stcentury, encompassing Europe,the United States, Africa and Russia,with disciplinary interests includingarchaeology, politics, science,warfare, medicine, literature andthe history of art.

A global outlookKent is known as the UK’s Europeanuniversity and has developedinternational partnerships with anumber of prestigious institutions.We have an international communityon campus, with 42% of ouracademic staff coming from outsidethe UK and students representing158 different nationalities.

The School of History hasestablished links with institutionsacross Europe as well as inCanada, North America and SouthAfrica, allowing for a truly globaloutlook and opportunities to studyabroad.

External partnerships Over the years, the School hasforged close relationships withseveral institutions, including thehistorians at the Joint ServicesCommand and Staff College,Shrivenham, the Royal MilitaryAcademy Sandhurst, and theCentre for First World War Studies,Birmingham.

We also have close links with theNational Army Museum and canprovide you with access to itsunique archive and informationabout the modern British Army,and the Royal Engineers MuseumLibrary & Archive in Chatham.These links mean you can gain afascinating insight into war and thecontemporary armed forces, andhave the option to undertake shortand long-term work placements ininstitutions at the forefront of militaryhistory. The School also arrangeslectures from military experts, visitsto archives and the chance tohandle historical weapons andmilitary artefacts.

A successful futureAs well as providing a first-rateacademic experience, we want you to be in a good position to facethe demands of a tough economicenvironment. During your studies,you develop key transferable skillsthat are considered to be essentialfor a successful career.

For more information on the careershelp we provide at Kent, go to p8 orsee www.kent.ac.uk/ employability

www.kent.ac.uk/history

*of 122 universities, not includingspecialist institutions

National Student Survey(NSS) 2016• 1st in London and thesouth-east• 4th highest score for overallstudent satisfaction

The Guardian UniversityGuide 2018• 22nd in the UK

National Student Survey(NSS) 2016• 94% of History studentswere satisfied with theoverall quality of their course

The Complete UniversityGuide 2018• 14th for graduate prospects

The Guardian UniversityGuide 2018• Over 93% of History studentswere satisfied with theteaching on their course

Destination of Leavers fromHigher Education (DLHE)• Of History students whograduated from Kent in 2015,92% were in work or furtherstudy within six months

Independent rankings

University of Kent

School of History

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SUPERB STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Our Canterbury campusprovides a stunninglocation for your studies,within easy reach of sitesof military importance.

Kent’s historic settingCanterbury and Kent have alwaysbeen ‘front-line Britain’ and containsignificant military sites ranging fromRoman forts to Cold War nuclearbunkers. We also have easy accessto the battlefields of the First andSecond World Wars.

As well as being steeped in history,Canterbury has excellent transportlinks with both London andmainland Europe. The Schoolorganises frequent field trips to sitesof significance, with many of ourstudents touring the Second WorldWar battlefields, investigating theremnants of the Maginot Line, orvisiting a host of museums andarchives across the Channel.

Excellent study resourcesThe University library has a vastcollection of relevant material,including a rare, complete set ofBritish official histories of both worldwars, a complete run of SecondWorld War Ministry of Informationpamphlets on the armed services,and a comprehensive collection ofNazi, Soviet, American and Britishpropaganda films, all of whichare used in teaching and study.To help you work and study online,we provide student PCs and Wi-Fi-enabled study hubs acrosscampus.

International communityKent offers an incredibly diverseand cosmopolitan campus – 158nationalities are represented here.We also have strong links withuniversities and research centresaround the world.

Beautiful green campusOur campus has plenty of greenand tranquil spaces, lawns andwooded areas, and is set on ahill with a view of the city andCanterbury Cathedral.

Kent has a reputation for being avery friendly university with a livelyenvironment. For entertainment,the campus has its own cinema,theatre, concert hall and a studentnightclub. There are also manyrestaurants, cafés and bars oncampus, as well as a sportscentre and well-equipped gym.

Everything you need on campusis within walking distance, includinga general store, a bookshop, abank, a medical centre and apharmacy. From campus, it’s just a25-minute walk or a short bus-rideinto town.

Attractive locationCanterbury is a lovely city withmedieval buildings, lively bars andatmospheric pubs, and a thrivingshopping centre. The attractivecoastal town of Whitstable is closeby and there are sandy beachesfurther down the coast. London isless than an hour away by high-speed train.

www.kent.ac.uk/history

6 Military History

7www.kent.ac.uk/history

How would you describe yourfellow students?Everyone is really nice, especiallythe people you meet throughUniversity societies. There’s a verygood mix of people here, and onthe Military History course we tend to mix quite a bit with peoplestudying Politics and InternationalRelations – I suppose it’s a naturallink.

What do you do in your sparetime?I’m a member of the University ofLondon Officers’ Training Corps –there are about 60 of us from Kent –and we meet every Tuesday night,plus a monthly training weekend.In a funny way it helps with studyingMilitary History – when you’redoing battle drills, you can see howstrategy and offensives work, andimagine how things are done on aglobal level.

Any advice for students comingto Kent?It’s a great place to be, so if you’rethinking of coming, do it! It givesyou the best of city and countrysideand there’s more than enough goingon to make sure you’ll have fun – notjust the usual student activities butlots of niche things too, because ofall the different societies.

Jenny Kent is in thesecond year of herMilitary History degree.

Why did you choose Kent?I came to an Open Day and thelecturers seemed really good, veryenthusiastic about their subjects.Plus I love Canterbury and theUniversity, and the fact that it’s onlyminutes from the countryside. I’mnot really a city person and this isthe perfect balance.

How is your course going?It’s going really well, and I’m lovingthe people on the course too. It’squite a small group compared toother courses – there are onlyabout 50 of us – which is one of thereasons why I chose it; I love historyand knew classes would be smallerdoing this subject so you’d get moreone-to-one teaching. There’s anenormous amount of reading andmore pressure in the second year,but I’m enjoying it.

Do you have any favouritemodules?I particularly liked Blitzkrieg toBaghdad, about armoured warfare;it goes into the Cold War and theproblems in the Middle East – itpretty much takes you up to thepresent day which makes it all themore fascinating. And I’m lookingforward to Marvels, Monsters andFreaks, which studies changingattitudes to people seen as

‘different’. My father’s a doctorso when growing up there wasalways an element of medicinearound, and I think that’s whyI’ll find this so interesting.

What is the level of support likein your studies?The lectures are always really good and whenever you need anyhelp you can get it. If you email alecturer you get a prompt reply andthey’re always happy to help you.

What is the accommodation oncampus like?I lived in Turing for my first year, in a 12-bedroom house, and it wasperfect. I really liked the people Iwas sharing with, and there was abathroom for every two bedrooms,so you were never fighting to get inthere.

And what about the campusfacilities?The Library is brilliant; it has a verygood range of journals and books,and so many of them are onlinewhich makes things much easier –you can study anywhere. Andthere’s everything else you needhere too. The Gulbenkian isawesome and the amount of music,whether you want to listen or takepart, is wonderful – there’s alwaysso much going on. I was in theUniversity’s Cecilian Choir for myfirst year but sadly don’t have timefor it this year.

STUDENT PROFILE

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A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE

Kent equips you withessential skills to give youa competitive advantagewhen it comes to gettinga job.

Good career prospects According to recent employmentstatistics, Kent graduates are doingbetter than ever in the changeablejob market. More than 96% of our2016 graduates found a job orfurther study opportunity withinsix months of graduation.

A wide career choiceCareer possibilities for MilitaryHistory graduates are wide-rangingand include journalism and themedia, management andadministration, the civil serviceand local government, museumand heritage management,commerce and banking, the law,teaching and research, as well asthe armed services and defenceanalysis.

Graduates may find their skillsuseful in library and informationwork, in public, academic orspecialist libraries, managing library collections and assistinglibrary users. The Security Service –better known as MI5 – recruitsgraduates who can find themselvesinvestigating and countering threatsto national security, intelligence-gathering and advising onprotection.

Gain transferable skillsStudying Military History at Kent,you gain many of the valuable skillsdemanded by modern employment.Alongside developing precise andconcise writing skills, you honeverbal communication duringin-class discussion and debate.You also become adept at research,analysing large quantities ofinformation from what are oftenconflicting sources, assessingcomplex arguments and formingyour own ideas.

In addition, you gain a broadperspective on military history,understanding tactical, structuraland political facets of conflict –an ideal grounding for a careerin the armed forces or defence.

Careers adviceThe University’s award-winningCareers and Employability Serviceoffers advice on how to choose yourcareer, how to apply for jobs, how toproduce a good CV and performwell in interviews and at aptitudetests. It also provides informationon graduate opportunities beforeand after you graduate.

Further informationFor more information on thecareers help we provide at Kent,see www.kent.ac.uk/employability

Military History

9www.kent.ac.uk/history

How did you enjoy your time atKent in general? My years at Kent have been great.The university experience is aboutmuch more than just academic life –the life experience you gain fromliving and working independently,away from home, is really invaluable.Through University societies and thelocal community I’ve made friendsfrom a whole variety of backgroundsand there’s generally somethingavailable on campus to fit everyone’sacademic and social interests.

What are your plans for thefuture?My undergraduate degree helpedme progress to postgraduate studyboth by equipping me with thenecessary skills to continue studyingat a higher level and giving me thegenuine interest in the academicstudy of history which allows meto still really enjoy my work. I’m notsure what my long term plans areafter I complete my Master’s; I maycontinue my studies to PhD aftera short time out.

What would you recommendabout studying at Kent?By studying in the School ofHistory at Kent, you are part ofa department which seems togenuinely strive to improve itself inas many ways as possible – whetherthrough teaching, research, studentsupport or giving the opportunity forextra-curricular activities. Universityis a worthwhile and highly enjoyableexperience for those willing to applythemselves and engage with bothacademic study and universitysocial life.

Jonathan Stebbingcompleted his WarStudies* degree in 2016;he is now studying foranMA in Modern History.

What attracted you to thiscourse? The main attraction for me was thatKent offered a specific programmein military history. I consideredtaking a generic history degree;however the opportunity to domilitary history ensured that Iwould be able to focus more onmy specific historical interest thanwould have been possible with ageneral history course.

How were your studies? I very much enjoyed the experienceof studying, particularly conductingmy own original research for my finalyear dissertation. Formulating myquestion, researching and writingthe dissertation almost entirely onmy own, was an interesting andultimately rewarding process. Interms of actual course content,I have been greatly interested bythe study of the First World War,something which the School ofHistory at Kent possesses aparticular expertise in, and havecontinued to focus on this specificperiod.

What did you think of theteaching at Kent?My experience has been verypositive. Academic staff have aclear passion for their chosen fieldsand are very happy to share their

knowledge with students. Mylecturers and seminar leaderswere very accessible, either throughemail or face-to-face meetings, withthe majority being able to make timefor you when needed. With a coursesuch as military history, you arelikely be taught by the same peoplethroughout your degree and classsizes may be slightly smaller, soover time you establish a goodrapport and get to know staff well.

Was the course flexible enoughto allow you to pursue your ownpassions? The modules fitted well withmy existing interests, while alsoproviding scope to explore newareas and develop new fieldsof interest. We covered a basicunderstanding in first year, afterwhich I had the opportunity to focuson specific areas of interest in thefollowing years. The final-yeardissertation project is the mainopportunity to really pursue yourown passion, and the fact that themilitary history dissertation projectis longer than the general historyone, gives you even more scope toinvestigate a subject of your ownchoosing.

What did you gain from thecourse? Through my course I feel I greatlydeveloped my skills of researchand analysis, as well as extendedwriting. Alongside that, I believe mycritical thinking skills grew, as didmy confidence in my own abilityto undertake work and completeit to a high standard.

GRADUATE PROFILE

*Programme now titled Military History

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CHOOSING YOUR PROGRAMME

Not sure whichprogramme to choose?Here’s a quick guide tothe degrees on offer withinthe School of History.

Military Historywww.kent.ac.uk/ug/90Our single honours Military Historyprogramme allows you to tackle oneof the most significant aspects ofhuman behaviour – conflict andorganised aggression. It examineswar from a historical perspectiveand seeks to understand theinfluence of war on the developmentof human societies. You explore themoral and philosophical judgementson war, its operational art andconduct, and its political, socialand cultural implications. On thisprogramme, it is also possible tochoose from modules availableon our single honours Historyprogramme.

Historywww.kent.ac.uk/ug/85This single honours degree is athree-year programme and, withinit, you can choose to specialisein a range of historical periodsor subjects. Its modular structureallows you to tailor your degree toyour own interests. For example, youcould choose to focus on Americanhistory. Introduced through first-yearmodules, such a route takes youthrough second-year modulescovering the American West and onto third-year special subjects suchas The Rights Revolution: The CivilRights Movement and the Law.

Other popular combinations includewar and history, history in film andmedieval studies (drawing onCanterbury’s rich medieval andTudor remains and associations).

History joint honours It is possible to study History as partof a joint honours programme, withthe following subjects:• Ancient, Medieval and ModernHistory (V190)

• Archaeological Studies (VV14)• Art History (VV13)• Comparative Literature (QV21)• Drama (VW14)• English and American Literature(QV31)

• English, American andPostcolonial Literature (VQ13)

• English Language andLinguistics (VQ1H)

• Film (VW16)• French (RV11)• German (RV21)• Hispanic Studies (RV41)• History & Philosophy of Art(VV31)

• Italian (RV31)• Law (VM1C)• Philosophy (VVC5)• Politics (LV21)• Religious Studies (VV61)• Social Anthropology (LVP1).

To download a leaflet on yourchosen joint honours subject,go to www.kent.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/leaflets

Placement Year The Placement Year provides youwith the opportunity to spend ayear in the workplace as part ofyour degree. It takes place betweenyour second and final years ofstudy, giving you work experienceand the chance to acquire new skillsand develop your confidence.

Previous students have found thatthe experience has enhanced theirCVs and provided a valuable insightinto their career potential. Someeven end up working for theirplacement provider aftergraduation.

Kent’s Q-Step CentreYou can benefit from Kent’s Q-StepCentre, which provides advancedtraining in quantitative methodsin the social sciences to enhanceyour degree and your employability.For more information, seewww.kent.ac.uk/qstep

International studentsIf you are applying from outsidethe UK without the necessaryEnglish language qualifications,you may be able to take the KentInternational Foundation Programme(IFP). The Kent IFP can provideprogression to School of Historydegree programmes. For moredetails, see www.kent.ac.uk/ifp

Military History

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www.kent.ac.uk/ug for the mostup-to-date information.

To read a full description ofany of the modules listed, go towww.kent.ac.uk/courses/modulesand search for the module code.

Stage 1Compulsory modules are:• Introduction to Military History(Part 1) (HI423)

• Introduction to Military History(Part 2) (HI424).

It is also recommended that MilitaryHistory students take: • War and Society in Europe,c1779-1990 (HI428).

Optional modules may include:• Britain and the Second WorldWar: The Home Front (HI353)

• Early Medieval Europe (HI410)• Later Medieval Europe (HI411)• The Emergence of America:From European Settlement to1880 (HI390)

• The Rise of the United Statessince 1880 (HI391)

• A Global History of Empires1500-1850 (HI435)

• A Global History of Empires1850-1960 (HI436)

• Revolutionary Europe 1700-1850(HI425)

• Victorian Britain: Politics, Societyand Culture (HI416)

• The Vikings (HI438).

Your studies are dividedinto three stages: Stage 1,Stage 2 and Stage 3. Ifyou are spending a yearon a work placement, youdo this between Stages 2and 3.

In Stage 1, you take the compulsorymodules Introduction to MilitaryHistory (Parts 1 and 2) and chooseadditional modules from a selectionin the School, some of which areexclusively for Military Historystudents.

You usually take four modules atStage 2, selected from modules onthe History programme as well asthose on the Military History course.

During Stage 3, you complete adissertation on a Military Historysubject of your choice, with aseminar programme to guide you.This gives you the opportunity toindependently design a project andfollow through with research, underthe supervision of a member of ouracademic staff.

Teaching and assessmentTeaching is by a combination oflectures and seminars. Modulesare assessed by either 100%coursework (essays, classparticipation) or a combinationof coursework and examination.

Module informationPlease note: the module lists beloware not fixed as new modules arealways in development and choicesare updated yearly. Please see

www.kent.ac.uk/history

YOUR STUDY PROGRAMME

CONTINUED OVERLEAF

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13www.kent.ac.uk/history

YOUR STUDY PROGRAMME (CONT)

Stages 2 and 3Modules may include:• After Stalin: The Decline and Fallof the Soviet Union (HI6060)

• Anglo-French Relations 1904-1945(HI6035)

• Armies at War 1914-1918(HI5092)

• The British Army and Empirec1750-1920 (HI6002)

• Churchill’s Army: The British Armyin the Second World War (HI767)

• The Crusades (HI5028)• From Crisis to Revolution: France1774-1779 (HI6011)

• How the West was Won (or Lost):The American West in the 19thCentury (HI763)

• Napoleon and Europe, 1799-1815 (HI6024)

• Origins of the Second World War(HI6045)

• Persecution, Repression andResistance (HI6033)

• Work Experience at the RoyalEngineers Museum (HI6017)

“There was a good selection ofmodules which allowed you tochoose from a variety of topicsand ages. We were also ableto select modules from theHistory programme, whichgave us an even greaterdiversity of options.”

Adam HuseWar Studies* graduate

*Programme now titled Military History

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VISIT THE UNIVERSITY

Come along for an OpenDay or an Applicant Dayand see what it is like tobe a student at Kent.

Open DaysKent runs Open Days during thesummer and autumn. These providean excellent opportunity for you todiscover what it is like to live andstudy at the University. You canmeet academic staff and currentstudents, find out about our coursesand attend subject displays,workshops and informal lectures.We also offer tours around thecampus to view our sportsfacilities, the library and Universityaccommodation. For furtherinformation and details ofhow to book your place, seewww.kent.ac.uk/opendays

Applicant DaysIf you apply to study at Kent andwe offer you a place (or invite you toattend an interview), you will usuallybe sent an invitation to one of ourApplicant Days. You can book toattend through your online KentApplicant Portal. The ApplicantDay includes presentations inyour subject area, guided tours ofthe campus, including Universityaccommodation, and theopportunity to speak with bothacademic staff and with currentstudents about your chosen subject.For further information, seewww.kent.ac.uk/visit

Informal visitsYou are also welcome to makean informal visit to our campusesat any time. The University runs

Military History14

tours of the Canterbury andMedway campuses throughoutthe year for anyone who is unableto attend an Open Day or ApplicantDay. It may also be possible toarrange meetings with academicstaff, although we cannotguarantee this. For moredetails and to book your place,see www.kent.ac.uk/informal

Self-guided toursYou can explore the Canterburycampus in person or from thecomfort of your home. Our self-guided audio tour gives you a realflavour of the campus and you willhear from people who help makeKent such an inspiring place tostudy – our staff and students.Go to www.kent.ac.uk.courses/visit/informal/audio-tour.html toget started.

Tim Crocker

LocationCanterbury

AwardBA (Hons)

Degree programme

Single honours• Military History (V391)

Joint honours• Ancient, Medieval and ModernHistory (V190)• Archaeological Studies (VV14)• Art History (VV13)• Comparative Literature (QV21)• Drama (VW14)• English and American Literature(QV31)• English, American andPostcolonial Literature (VQ13)• English Language andLinguistics (VQ1H)• Film (VW16)• French (RV11)• German (RV21)• Hispanic Studies (RV41)• History & Philosophy of Art(VV31)• Italian (RV31)• Law (VM1C)• Philosophy (VVC5)• Politics (LV21)• Religious Studies (VV61)• Social Anthropology (LVP1)

Programme typeFull-time and part-time.

Taking this course on a part-timebasis means taking two years tocomplete each stage of theprogramme.

Offer levelsABB at A level; IB Diploma 34points overall or 16 at HL incHistory 5 at HL or 6 at SL.

Required subjectsA level History, Classics-AncientHistory or Classics-Classical-Civilisation grade B (or grade 6).

Scholarships and bursariesFor details of scholarshipsand bursaries at Kent, see:www.kent.ac.uk/ugfunding

Offer levels and entryrequirements are subjectto change. For the latestinformation, see:www.kent.ac.uk/ug

This brochure was produced in June 2017.The University of Kent makes every effort toensure that the information contained in itspublicity materials is fair and accurateand to provide educational services asdescribed. However, the courses, servicesand other matters may be subject tochange. For the most up-to-dateinformation, see www.kent.ac.uk/ug and forfull details of our terms and conditions, seewww.kent.ac.uk/termsandconditions

For the University to operate efficiently, itneeds to process information about you foradministrative, academic and health andsafety reasons. Any offer we make to you issubject to your consent to process suchinformation and is a requirement in orderfor you to be registered as a student.All students must agree to abide bythe University rules and regulations at:www.kent.ac.uk/regulations

15www.kent.ac.uk/history

Alternatively, we can provide youwith a self-guided tour leaflet, whichincludes the main points of interest.For more details and to downloada self-guided tour, go towww.kent.ac.uk/informal

More informationIf you would like more informationon Kent’s courses, facilities orservices, please contact us on:T: +44 (0)1227 768896www.kent.ac.uk/ug

To download another subject leaflet,go to www.kent.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/leaflets

For the latest departmentalinformation, please see:www.kent.ac.uk/history

COME ANDVISIT US

University of Kent, The Registry, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ T: +44 (0)1227 764000 www.kent.ac.uk/ug

To find out more about visiting theUniversity, see our website:

www.kent.ac.uk/visit

DPC 12445206/17PUB904