Course Info

From Marlborough to Montgomery and MacArthur

Established in 2009, this programme in Military History enables students to choose (with guidance) their own topic of research and to pursue this under expert one-to-one supervision. But in addition to developing their own specialist research, students also meet regularly to hear, and to dine and argue with, some of the most illustrious figures in the world of Military History: speakers including Sir Antony Beevor, Sir Hew Strachan, Simon Heffer, Richard Overy, James Holland, and Saul David, among others. Dinners are in the elegant and conveniently located surroundings of the Caledonian Club, off Belgrave Square, London SW1.

The Financial Times has reviewed the course enthusiastically, noting that “Intellectually curious professionals are signing up for a new course that gives them the opportunity to exchange thoughts on security, diplomacy and the armed forces over dinner with stellar historians and military top brass.

The programme is directed by Professor Gary Sheffield, one of Britain’s leading historians of the First World War and President of the Western Front Association, whose many books include his edition of the diaries of Field Marshal Haig, as well as biographies of Haig and Wellington, and studies of the leadership effectiveness of officers in the trenches during the Great War.

Teaching & Assessment

Teaching methods

The MA does not offer systematic instruction in the facts of history; instead, the emphasis is on independent research.

At the heart of the Buckingham MA is the close working relationship between student and supervisor. While the final thesis must be an independent work, it is the supervisor who offers advice on refining the topic (if necessary), on primary sources, on secondary reading, on research techniques and on writing the final text (which should be not less than 25,000 words). Supervisors and students will meet frequently throughout the year, and not less than twice a term; and the supervisor shall always be the student’s primary contact for academic advice and support.

After Your Course

The University’s Course Directors, students’ supervisors, and the Research Officer and Tutor for Graduate Students are available to discuss students’ post-graduation plans and how they may utilise most effectively the skills acquired during their studies.