Online war studies degree from King's College, London

King's offers online war studies degree

See also UKeU page on the program: MA War in the Modern World

 

Interesting degree

Who would be attracted to this type of degree? What could be examples of possible utility?

Steven King

 

Re: Interesting degree

People in the military who want to teach at West Point, the Army War College, Air Force and Navy Academies, etc.

 

UKeU does offer a rather eclectic set of Master's degrees. They don't seem to have much of a strategy with respect to content of their portfolio of programs. Here is what they list:

• MSc Bioinformatics
• MA War in the Modern World
• Masters in Biomedical Science
• Masters in Coastal Zone Management
• Masters in Energy Management
• Masters in Renewable Energy
• Masters in Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Monitoring
• MSc in Information Technology and Management
• Masters in Public Policy and Management

 

Re: Interesting degree

I think there are a large number of areas out there where this type of program would be useful -- I almost see it as a specialized area of National Security Studies or possibly even modern history. I believe the largest market for this type of degree would probably be for government organizations including the military (of course), congressional staff positions, the State Department and a whole list of other governmental agencies that analyze and project the threats and capabilities of the government's ability to prevent and wage war. In the private sector, RAND and ANSER may offer career possibilities for their analyst positions.

For myself (as a military member), it would probably more of a personal interest to supplement all the other professional schools in theory and doctrine.

 

I don't have the academic or military background to handle it, but it sounds absolutely fascinating.

 

No shortage of students

King's College, London (a constituent and distinguished college of the University of London) has developed a series of programmes in War Studies, both current, historical and emerging. It provides the core faculty for the Ministry of Defence Armed Services colleges, particularly the newly expanded location at Shrivenham Royal Military College (where incidentally, for three years I was an External Examiner for one of its Masters degrees).

King's College graduates about 40 senior military personnel (all arms) a year on its M.Phil/MA in war studies, plus many other similar programmes of which I less familiar.

It also provides the same courses for civilian students on its campus (fifteen minutes brisk walk from Whitehall departments, including the Ministry of defence, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, etc.,). Hence, a fair number of civiliservants will study at Kings at any one time. Plus, ordinary students, including foreign students, seeking careers in government, journalism/media, post-graduate academic careers, and so on.

There is no shortage of students applying.

 

Thanks for the inside perspective, Professor Kennedy. Although business is not my field, I always look forward to your well-informed contribution. I think we are fortunate to have professors from distance learning programs who post here. It offsets some of the self-styled "expert" noise.

Dave

 

Yes, I agree. As a beginning student enrolled with a UK university, it helps to get first-hand knowledge of how things are done there.
But back to the topic, I saw this before it made it to this board on a surf and thought it was very interesting. Perhaps this or the Sheffield Hallam 'Imperialism and Culture' Masters after finishing my MBA?

 

Re: Re: Interesting degree

A concern I have is that "War Studies" can include an awful lot of very different things, from military-science-type stuff, to historical analyses of wars in the distant past, to weird hard-left "post-modern" social/cultural theorizing.

I'm greatly reassured by Prof. Kennedy's remarks, but would still want to see a detailed prospectus for this thing.

 

They should change the nomenclature. "Master of the Arts of War" just sounds a lot more impressive than MA in War Studies. "Master of War" would be even better.

 

I think John Spies you will find that Sheffield Hallam 'Imperialism and Culture' Masters is more political sociology (with a 'leftist' leavening) than anything compared to the King's College MA in War Studies. While Sheffield Hallam is a perfectly respectable British university (Royal Charter, etc.,) it is not in the same division as King's College, London University (I do not think even facuty from Sheffield Hallam would pretend otherwise - nor I at Heriot-Watt).

During my time at the UK National Defence College I read many dissertations by UK senior officers in the Armed Services and they covered a wide range of topics - some purely war technical (mobile armour doctrine), others historical (War plans to invade the US 1923 was most unusual and informative!), many theoretical (force projection, battlefield strategy) a few political (appeasement, disarmament negotiations, marxist influence on the IRA) and others economic (my field: burden sharing, military-industrial complex, defence and development). I never found anything of a 'wild left' perspective but did find a great interest in the ideologies of NATO's enemies. I always felt that the dissertation would make excellent theses elements for an MA/M.Phil and said so many times. King's College has delivered this possibility.

 

I didn't look at Sheffield's program in that way-until now. When I looked at the curriculum, I did notice a lot of emphasis on economics and wondered about that; but with this new information, it seems to make sense.

BTW, Professor, do you have any insight or experience with Queen Margaret University College? We have discussed this before, but I am continuing to have problems getting started. First, the lost application; then, the confusion re: tuition, now it seems that they have lost my matriculation form. I have been assured that I am to start straight away (again) but am starting to lose interest.
Just wanted to see if you might be able to help in some way or perhaps just tell me to be patient although it has been 3 months now. thanks, John

 

Note that Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam are two different universities. The former more prestigious than the latter.

 

Ooops, sorry!

 

While the programs offered through UKeU look interesting (unusual?), I was hoping they would offer more humanities based degrees when I heard about the concept.

By the way, who was planning to invade the U.S. in 1923, Prof. Kennedy?

 

On the subject of studying war on the graduate level, here's the detailed course descriptions for the 2002-3 elective courses offered by the United States Naval War College.

http://www.nwc.navy.mil/electives/elec-dsc.htm

It's interesting to see what this institution is currently teaching the well-educated warrior, what course prerequisites are (often top-secret clearances, it seems) and what their class assignments are.

Courses become more historical and less military/technical as you scroll down (there are classes on Thucydides and Sun Tzu.)

This school has a DL masters program, but it seems to only be open to military officers and to selected federal civilian employees.

 

The Naval War College's nonresident graduate degree program is not truly a DL program, like those offered by UKeU or AMU/APUS.

To participate in the nonresident masters program, one must attend evening seminars at one of a few certified locations:

"The Naval War College has been accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges since 1 March 1984. Beginning in the fall of 2001, the Masters Degree Accreditation was extended to the fleet seminars in the National Capital Region (includes fleet seminars at USNA, Fort Meade, Dahlgren, Patuxent River plus all DC locations) and Newport. In the Spring of 2002, the fleet seminar sites at Monterey, Norfolk, San Diego and Pearl Harbor were certified. Assessment of additional sites is scheduled for the 2002-2003 academic year. Students at all certified sites will be able to earn a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies degree from the Naval War College. See the Nonresident Graduate Degree Program Guide."

http://cde.nwc.navy.mil/gdp/GDP.htm

On a side note, one of my more interesting AMU electives, UN Peacekeeping Logistics, was taught by a U.S. Army Colonel, who is also a Naval War College professor.