Program Overview

Why study Modern History at Kent?

• Learn from academics regarded as experts in their fields. Based on the most recent Research Excellence Framework, the School of History was ranked 1st in the UK for research the Times Higher Education
• Develop an advanced understanding of modern history, ranging from the sixteenth century to recent events of contemporary relevance
• Develop your capacity to think critically about past events, approach primary and secondary sources from a variety of perspectives and understand the complex issues surrounding context and significance
• Engage with the wider historiography and discourse associated with your studies, understanding the structure and nature of cultural, political and social forces in the modern period
• Tailor your degree by choosing specialist modules offered by leading experts in our areas of research strength, which include modern British and European history, military history, American history, imperial history, and medical and environmental history.
• Gain practical skills which are essential to your studies and open up an exciting range of career possibilities
• You'll have full access to the Centre for the Study of War, Media and Society, the Centre for the Study of Global Cultures and Encounters, and the Centre for the Study of Health, Science and the Environment which provide an active programme of seminars, conferences and reading groups involving both academic staff and postgraduates.

About the School of History

The School of History offers a great environment in which to research and study. Situated in a beautiful cathedral city with its own dynamic history, the University is within easy reach of the main London archives and is convenient for travelling to mainland Europe.

We are lively, research-led department where postgraduate students are given the opportunity to work alongside academics recognised as experts in their respective fields. You'll be part of a lively postgraduate community which includes regular social meetings, seminars and a comprehensive training programme with the full involvement of academic staff. 

Thanks to the wide range of teaching and research interests in the School, we offer equally wide scope for research supervision covering British, European, African and American history, and there are particularly strong groupings of research students in British and European medieval and early modern history; imperial and colonial history; the history of science, technology, medicine and the environment; American history; and military history, including the history of propaganda, war and the media, and social and cultural aspects of the subject.

The School of History has achieved outstanding results in the Research Excellence Framework 2021. The School is the only History department in the UK to achieve a perfect score of 100% ‘world leading’ for both the impact of its research and its research environment. This extraordinary achievement has resulted in the Times Higher Education ranking History at Kent 1st in the UK.