War Studies & History

War studies and history is a combination that takes seriously one of the most persistent and devastating features of human experience while placing it in its richest possible context. War is not only a military phenomenon: it is shaped by political ambitions, economic pressures, ideological commitments, technological capabilities, and social structures, and its consequences touch virtually every aspect of human life. Studying war through both a dedicated war studies framework and the methods of historical inquiry gives you a genuinely multi-dimensional understanding of conflict that neither discipline alone provides.

At King's College London this three-year full-time programme includes a year abroad and is led by the Department of War Studies, one of the world's leading centres for the academic study of conflict, enriched by one of the UK's most internationally focused history departments. You will develop a broad and sophisticated understanding of conflict and international relations, examining the causes and conduct of wars across different periods and contexts, the strategies and technologies through which they are fought, the experiences of combatants and civilians, and the political settlements and legacies that follow. The historical dimension gives you the depth and contextual richness needed to understand why conflicts unfold as they do, while war studies provides the analytical frameworks for examining strategy, security, and the international order.

Graduates of this programme are well prepared for careers in government, the civil service, international organisations, defence policy, intelligence, diplomacy, journalism, think tanks, and academic research. The combination of historical depth and strategic analysis is particularly valued by organisations working on security and foreign policy. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in war studies, international relations, history, or strategic studies, or pursue professional careers where the analytical and research skills the degree develops are directly applicable.