War and Strategy MA

Our MA War and Strategy course will allow you to gain a thorough understanding of relevant methodological approaches and the questions and challenges of writing and researching military history. You’ll analyse the role of war in human history from its early beginnings to the present day in our core module. You can then choose to study optional modules about a broad range of topics in the history of war, from medieval and early modern times to today.

You’ll have opportunities to use internationally-renowned collections in your studies, including the Liddle Collection of artefacts and private papers from the First World War in our Brotherton Library, the holdings of the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, and material from the Imperial War museum North at Salford. The Second World War experience museum in nearby Wetherby provides a huge collection of private papers from the Second World War.

As well as the three compulsory modules, you also choose two optional modules from a selection, for example:

- Making History: Archive Collaborations

- Warfare in the Age of the Crusades

- Defending the Nation: Britain during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, 1793 to 1815

- Medicine and Warfare in the19th and 20th Centuries

- The War on Terror

- Insurgency and Counterinsurgency

- Guns and Global Security

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read War and Strategy MA Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read War and Strategy MA Part Time in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

We use a range of teaching and learning methods. The majority of your modules will be taught through weekly seminars, where you’ll discuss issues and themes in your chosen modules with a small group of students and your tutors. Independent study is also crucial to this degree, giving you the space to shape your own studies and develop your skills.

Assessment

Research Methodology in History requires a conference-style 'work-in-progress' presentation on a research project. You will also submit a detailed research proposal of 4,000 words.

A History of War is assessed through 2 book reviews, 2 presentations (of the book reviews in class) and an assessed essay of 4,000 words.

Optional modules are usually assessed through the submission of two written assignments.

The dissertation is of 15,000 words in length, to be submitted by the end of the academic year.

Entry requirements

For taught MA courses our entry requirements are a first class or upper second class honours degree (or equivalent) in History or a related subject.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in all components.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Arts and Humanities (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Arts and Humanities (10 weeks).

If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, read more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English course.

How to apply

Applications for study beginning in September must be submitted to the University by 15 August.

If you intend to apply for scholarships, please bear in mind that these usually have earlier deadlines and most require you to have already secured your place on a course therefore you may need to apply for your place earlier than the dates specified above.

We aim to process your application for a place on a course within 2-4 weeks of receipt. However, during our busiest times (April-June), this process can take up to 6 weeks.

Please especially bear these timescales in mind if you intend to apply for scholarships: you need to have received your offer of a place before scholarship panels meet. Ensuring you provide all relevant documents will help us process your application according to these timescales.

Once you have received your offer for a place, you can register online and choose your modules from August unless you are an international student. International students should register during International Week in September.

Apply (Full time)

Apply (Part time)

This link takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.
 
If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Fees

• UK/EU: £8,500 (total)
• International: £18,500 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Part-time fees are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Please view our Scholarships and Employment page for the latest information about School scholarships.

Careers support

We offer various employment opportunities which give you valuable work experience whatever your chosen career destination:

Induction week tutoring:

All postgraduate students are invited to provide "mock tutorials" for Level 1 undergraduates during Induction week, where you introduce students to the expectations and criteria of undergraduate learning. This employment is paid at the same hourly rate as module teaching, and gives you a chance to refine your teaching skills and ideas, as well as offer a valuable service to new students.

Mentoring final year undergraduate dissertations:

All postgraduate students are invited to become paid academic mentors within the school, offering advice to Level 3 undergraduates as they research and write their dissertations. Mentors will be paired with Level 3 mentees with similar research interests and asked to provide advice on primary research, archival and electronic resources, thesis planning and writing.

This employment is hourly-paid and flexible, depending on the number of mentees you wish to take on. It provides valuable training towards teaching, as well as more generic skills such as one-to-one communication and people management.

Internships:

We have several paid internships which run for a year or more and offer you the opportunity to learn skills such as marketing, group leadership, journalism, recruitment, careers, administration, newsletter production, events management and website development, all of which enhance your employability.

History Open Days and other school events provide opportunity for more casual employment throughout the year.

Our optional placement module "Making History" provides a fantastic opportunity to gain relevant experience in areas relating to History such as archiving and heritage. You will gain 50 hours work experience working on a project with a partner organisation. You will also develop your critical analysis skills through the completion of a critical essay and a project portfolio.