Intro

This MA offers an alternative, critical and global perspective to war studies.

Instead of focusing on the usual themes of military history and conflict studies, our War: History and Politics MA is an interdisciplinary degree which examines the causes, modes, experience and memory of war through a combination of theories from critical history, politics, philosophy and cultural theory.

Adopting a critical stance against war-making, you will cover a variety of topics that are usually ignored in war-studies. You will learn about those dominant forces that take societies to war, but you will also study about resistance movements and anti-war activism. You will learn about how war has been conceptualised and ‘normalised’, and how you can critique these narratives.

This degree has a global outlook. Our case studies are drawn from across the world, from the start of the twentieth century to today. Yugoslavia, Colombia, Palestine, Algeria, Vietnam, Iraq, Libya, and Guantanamo Bay are some of the areas covered by the curriculum, along with more familiar histories from the two World Wars and the Cold War.

Find out about postgraduate events

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Full-time 1 year
Part-time 2 years

Apply online

Please review the entry requirements carefully and if you have any questions do get in touch with us.

Apply now for your place

Course content

Why study with us? 

You should take this degree if you want to move beyond the familiar themes of conflict studies, and if you want to learn instead:

  • the main ideologies and structural forces that have informed war-making since 1900 across the globe
  • the most recent scholar theories from a variety of disciplines from across the humanities on the causes, forms, experience, and memory of war
  • the ways in which war is promoted and normalised, and how you can challenge this.

Tuition

  • Tuition is in seminar groups from a team of specialist researchers and lecturers
  • Close supervision from your tutors.

The War: History and Politics MA is part of the Humanities Programme, giving you access to:

  • a variety of option modules and modes of assessment so that you can pick what suits your particular interests and intellectual trajectory best
  • an even greater number of open-access undergraduate lectures you might want to follow, to build up your knowledge in specific areas
  • the lively and welcoming research culture of our Centres for Memory, Narrative and Histories and for Applied Philosophy, Politics and Ethics
  • a vibrant postgraduate student community, active in organising workshops and reading groups.

This MA also offers:

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Areas of study

Core module

  • Causes of War and Forms of Conflict

The core module is split into two themes. Causes of war provides an advanced introduction to key theories in historical and political studies on the deep origins and short term causes and justifications of modern wars and violent conflicts, looking every week at a different case study.

Forms of conflict looks in particular on how military power is imposed and sustained, and how it is resisted, using as case studies some of the most significant examples of occupation, resistance and anti-war movements across the globe. You will examine theories on imperialism, nationalism, civil war, wartime resistance, anti-colonialism, just war, pacifism, the bio-politics of war, drone warfare, terrorism and other topics from the last hundred years of warfare.

Option modules
Options for the MA are chosen from across the Humanities MA programme, giving you a wide variety of subjects to choose from.

  • Professional Placements
  • Causes of War: Theories and Framings
  • Forms of Conflict: Domination and Resistance
  • Cultural Memory in the Irish Troubles: Peace-building and the conflicted past
  • Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
  • Globalisation and Global Politics
  • Conflict, Security and Human Rights
  • Extended Essay
  • Holocaust Memory
  • Cultural Memory: Concepts, Theories and Methods
  • ‘Race’ and Reparative Histories
  • Postcolonial Heritage and Transnational Histories
  • Constructing and Contesting Britishness: Histories, Cultures, Identities
  • Cultural and Critical Theory (Foundations of Critical Theory)
  • Cultural and Critical Theory (Traditions of Critical Theory)
  • Cultural and Critical Theory (Aesthetics)

Final dissertation
For your final dissertation you can take advantage of the wide variety of specialisms that we cover across the Humanities Programme. Our external examiners have persistently praised the variety of topics covered by our students’ research projects. Recent examples include: Croatian Nationalism and the Fall of Yugoslavia in 1991; The Role of the United States in the 1973 Coup in Chile; A Critique of the Arguments for Intervention in the Recent Syrian Civil War; Gendered Violence: the Holocaust’s female victims.

War in Bosnia

War damaged buildings after the conflict in the former Yugoslavia

Meet the team 

Dr German Primera Villamizer, course leader

German is a political philosopher with research and teaching experience in the areas of contemporary continental philosophy, biopolitics, political violence and modern political thought. His research interests include French and Italian contemporary philosophy and thought, Black studies, Biopolitics, the politics of War and violence and political theology. Read more about German Primera Villamizar.

Other staff on this course include:

Dr Jon Watson works on modern American history, especially from the Second World War onwards. His main areas of interest are race relations in the US, Cold War and Vietnam. He also teaches and researches on the history politics of African-American culture.

Dr Mark Abel teaches in the areas of history, global politics and international relations and is particularly interested in the world order in the post-Cold War period, and the resistance movements of the twenty-first century against corporate globalisation and neo-liberalism.

Dr Eugene Michail works on contemporary European histories of conflict, refugees, political radicalism, cross-cultural contacts, and memory. He focuses on Balkan and Greek history from the start of the twentieth century to today.

Dr Julia Hartviksen.

Book cover German Primera

Our latest news

Dr Sophie Lewis workshop and lecture on new book Abolish the Family (Fri 7 Oct)

Dr Sophie Lewis workshop and lecture on new book Abolish the Family (Fri 7 Oct)

Dr Lewis of the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research teaches courses on feminist, trans and queer politics and philosophy – join us at the University of Brighton for an afternoon workshop with her (2-5pm), followed by a lecture at 6pm.
Join lecturer Annebella Pollen tonight for Naked and Unashamed? talk

Join lecturer Annebella Pollen tonight for Naked and Unashamed? talk

This talk at The Bevy (5 Oct, 6pm) outlines nudist campaigns for bodily visibility in Britain, from the formation of the movement in the 1920s through to the legal battles of its photographers against obscenity law in the 1950s and 1960s.
Black History Month events

Black History Month events

University of Brighton lecturers including Dr Dwight Turner who teaches psychotherapy and Dr Yaa Asare whose research is in the field of race, ethnicity and identity are among academics from across the country giving a series of talks recognising and celebrating Black history.
The politics of national mourning left no space for dissenting voices by Dr Deborah Madden

The politics of national mourning left no space for dissenting voices by Dr Deborah Madden

Dr Deborah Madden, course leader of Globalisation: History, Politics, Culture examines the narrative around mourning the monarch.

Read more from our blog

Careers

The interdisciplinary approach that is particular to our MA allows you to open up to a wide range of disciplines and employment sectors.

At the end of your studies you will have a degree that covers the two major disciplines of history and politics, and, most crucially, it will testify to your capacity to be a flexible learner across different fields of research.

Our graduates are particularly well equipped to follow career paths in sectors that deal with violent conflicts, their consequences and resolution, such as a variety of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), particular sections of the civil service, and international bodies.

More broadly our degree opens up to sectors that value critical research skills and a good knowledge of modern history and politics, such as media, journalism, law, politics, government, museums, archives, and publishing.

Many of our students go on to teach in primary and further education or they continue their postgraduate studies doing doctorates.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2022. They should be used as a general guide. 

Degree and experience
Normally a 2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject. Candidates with a 2:2 or lower or who do not have a degree will still be considered for admission if they can demonstrate suitable professional experience or substantial experience of the subject area. 

Interview
You will normally be interviewed so that we can assess your potential to study at masters level.

English language requirements
IELTS 7.0 overall and 6.5 in writing.

International students whose language skills do not match the IELTS scores set out here should consider applying for this course through our Extended Masters programme.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Fees

Course fees

UK (full-time) 7,866 GBP

International (full-time) 15,462 GBP

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Humanities and Social Science in the 2022–23 academic year are listed here.

  • For some assessments you may be required to print large format posters for presentations at a cost of £5–£10 per poster.
  • Most coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget up to £100 for printing.
  • Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £200 to buy your own copies.
  • Some courses include an optional placement module for which students will need to cover the costs of travel to and from the placement and DBS checks as required.
  • For the Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counselling PGDip and Psychotherapeutic Psychodynamic Counselling PGDip, the following course-related costs are not included in the tuition fee:
    • Supervision fees: £1,170 for each full year. Estimated based on £45 per hour with fortnightly meetings. In some agencies, supervision will be provided at no cost. Where students have to pay, the cost will only begin when supervision begins.
    • Personal counselling/therapy: £2,000–£2,800 over the course. Estimated based on £40 per hour.
  • For a number of courses you will have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits. These are optional and are not required to pass your course but under normal circumstances we would expect a budget of approximately £150 per year will cover the costs of particular trips. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2022–23.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

City campus

City campus is located at the heart of central Brighton.

The facilities for making and designing, the theatre, galleries, workshops, studios, archives and the independent arts organisations based on site provide a unique and inspiring environment where creativity thrives.

St Peter’s House library and Phoenix halls of residence are close to the exhibition and learning facilities in the Grand Parade main building where you will also find the student centre with careers, counselling, student advice service and disability and dyslexia support. Edward Street provides extensive teaching and gallery space for media, photography and film.

Also on site are Screen Archive South East and University of Brighton Design Archives.

Brighton Pavilion, Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, the iconic pier and beach are a very short walk away. The independent shops and businesses of the North Laine and Kemptown, and Brighton main line station, with frequent express services to London, are 10 minutes walk.

Grand Parade exhibition space

Accommodation

Brighton: City campus

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer. All rooms are self-catered.

  • You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
  • City campus is linked to Phoenix halls, Mithras halls and Moulsecoomb Place.
    • Phoenix halls are a short walk from City campus in the centre of Brighton.
    • Mithras hall and Moulsecoomb Place are located on the Moulsecoomb campus, around two miles from City campus. Public transport in the city is excellent.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting.

Phoenix Brewery Halls Accommodation

Accommodation for City campus is in the nearby Phoenix Halls

Student kitchen in Phoenix Halls

Student kitchen in Phoenix Halls

Relaxing in nearby Pavilion Gardens

Relaxing in nearby Pavilion Gardens

Local area

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city’s reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year. Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements, live briefs and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

We provide support and venues for key events in the city’s arts calendar including the Brighton Festival, the Festival Fringe, the Great Escape, the Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Photo Biennial and the CineCity Brighton Film Festival. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate Show transforms our campus into the largest exhibition space in the South East as we celebrate the outstanding talent and creativity of our students.

As a student you’ll get lots of opportunities to experience these events at first hand and to develop your skills through the volunteering and other opportunities they offer.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

City campus map

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more.

Students talking in a social area

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Students playing frisbee

Stay in touch

Find out about postgraduate events

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

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