Program Overview

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MA 20th-Century British History by Research

Course Overview

This London-based programme enables students to examine Britain’s history in the 20th century, focusing on the period from 1914 to 1990.

Start and Duration

• Sep, 1 year
• Sep, 2 years

Level

• Research
• Research

Qualification

• Master of Arts by Research
• Master of Arts by Research

UK Fees

• £10,300
• From £5,150 per year*

International Fees

• £16,480
• From £8,240 per year*

Campus

• London
• London

School

• School of Humanities and Social Sciences

About the Course

Master’s in Twentieth-Century British History

This London-based programme enables students to examine Britain’s history in the twentieth century, focusing on the period from the death of Queen Victoria to Margaret Thatcher’s resignation in 1990. It is led by Simon Heffer, Professor of Modern British History in the University and a leading authority on the period.

The course includes a series of seminars (see below), given by a range of eminent guest speakers, to supplement students’ private research. These will provide a broad chronological survey of the period and an introduction to major themes in the political and social history of 20th century Britain, and are intended to stimulate ideas for research by students.

Seminar Programme

The academic year begins in September and Professor Heffer, as Course Director, will be available to all students before the seminar programme gets under way to discuss dissertation topics and independent research. A full bibliography will be issued to all students in September so that the autumn can also be used for essential background reading.

Seminars and Dinners

Each guest speaker seminar begins at 6.30pm and is followed by a dinner. The cost of all post-seminar dinners is included in the tuition fees.

All the seminars (apart from Dr Harris’s, which will be online) are to be held at the Reform Club, 104 Pall Mall, London SW1.

• 26 September: Professor Jane Ridley on the Edwardians
• 3 October: Professor Simon Heffer on the Great War
• 17 October: Dr Geraint Thomas on the Roaring Twenties
• 31 October: Professor David Dilks on the Great Depression and Appeasement
• 14 November: Professor Dan Todman on politics and society in the Second World War
• 28 November: Professor Sir Vernon Bogdanor on the Post-War decade
• 12 December: Dr David Kynaston on ‘Never had it so good’
• 9 January (provisional date): Professor Sir David Cannadine on the end of the British empire
• 23 January: Dr Dominic Sandbrook on the Wilson and Heath years
• 13 February (Online, 7pm): Dr Robin Harris on Thatcherism
• 6 March: Professor Michael Bentley on the historiography of the British 20th Century

Seminar Subjects

The Edwardians

A divided society of rapid change.

When King Edward VII ascended the Throne in January 1901 Britain still had a claim to be the world’s leading power, with the largest empire on earth, serviced by the world’s greatest Navy and a formidable regular Army. Yet the United Kingdom before the Great War experienced excessive tensions, and this seminar will focus on four great causes: militant women’s suffragism; chronic industrial unrest; demands for Irish Home Rule; and the House of Lords triggering the worst constitutional crisis in living memory.

The Politics of the Great War and the coup d’état of 1916

This seminar discusses the political considerations that led to Britain’s declaration of war on Germany in August 1914, and how the Liberal tradition gave way to a politics suited to total war.

‘The Impact of Labour’, the breaking of the Coalition and the first Baldwin administration

This seminar will look at the debate about economic and social policy in the decade between Versailles and the Wall Street Crash, highlighting the process that led to Churchill putting Britain back on the Gold Standard and the causes of the General Strike.

‘The Hungry Thirties?’ The slump, National Government and the Politics of Appeasement

After Ramsay MacDonald’s ‘betrayal’ of his party in 1931 by entering into a coalition government because of the national emergency, society witnessed the growth of fascism in Britain.

Churchill’s Dictatorship

How far did Churchill model his style of war leadership on that of Lloyd George, in creating a quasi-dictatorship to mobilise the national war effort?

Rebuilding Britain The Attlee Administration and the Building of the Post-War Consensus

This seminar will discuss the Attlee government’s social reforms – the creation of the NHS and a wider welfare state, the modernisation of the penal system through the 1948 Criminal Justice Act, reform of the franchise and further reform of the House of Lords.

‘Never had it so good’ From Suez to Scandal – the Era of ‘Tory misrule’

Suez precipitated the end not just of Empire, but of Britain’s self-estimation as a great world power: and the political rhetoric becomes that of ‘managing decline’.

The Wilson/Heath Consensus From White Heat to the Winter of Discontent

Harold Wilson, catapulted to power after Gaitskell’s sudden death in 1963, promised a technological revolution to transform Britain: but forms a pact with the trades unions, who resist such change and bring down the Heath government in 1974.

The Eighties Revolution The Impact of Thatcher

This seminar, conducted by one of Mrs Thatcher’s closest former advisers and biographers, will examine the social and economic revolution her policies wrought.

The Historiography of 20th century British history

This seminar will review the nature of the writing of the history of the country between the Great War and the fall of Mrs Thatcher – in terms of the methods and the motivations and aims of historians – and will highlight areas that would benefit from further research and exploration, or where existing accounts require revision.

Dismantling the British Empire, from Ireland to Hong Kong

Starting with the victory of Sinn Féin in Ireland at the 1918 General Election, the seminar will study how throughout the period from 1920 to 1980 Britain had broker the independence of its former possessions.

Entry Requirements

• a first or upper second-class honours degree from a recognised university or,
• a recognised professional qualification with relevant work experience.

In cases where candidates are applying on the basis of work experience, they may be asked to complete a short written assignment and/or attend an interview as part of the applications process.

Mature students

Age is no barrier to learning and we welcome all applications from suitably qualified students.

International students

We are happy to consider all international applications and if you are an international student, you may find it useful to visit our international pages for details of entry requirements from your home country.

The University is a UKVI Student Sponsor.

English levels

If English is not your first language, please check our postgraduate English language requirements. If your English levels don’t meet our minimum requirements, you may be interested in applying for our Pre-sessional English Language Foundation Programmes.

Selection process

Candidates apply online, sending in their supporting documents, and will be assessed on this basis by the Programme Director.

Teaching & Assessment

The MA does not offer systematic instruction in the facts; instead, the emphasis is on independent thought and 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).

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.

Course Fees

The fees for this course are:

• Sep 2025 Full-time (6 Months) Associate: UK £3,433, INT £5,493
• Sep 2025 Full-time (1 Year): UK £10,300, INT £16,480
• Sep 2025 Part-time (2 Years): UK £5,150, INT £8,240

The University reserves the right to increase course fees annually in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI).

Scholarships and bursaries

We have bursaries and scholarships available for both home and international students at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and these are awarded based on location, merit or financial need.

Funded scholarships and bursaries may be awarded across all schools of study, and represent a partial remission from tuition fees. Bursaries are means-tested and are intended for those who need a contribution towards their fees in order to study at Buckingham.

Students applying for this course may be eligible for the following:

UK Students

• Postgraduate First-Class Scholarship
• Royal Charter 40th Anniversary Scholarship

International Students

• Postgraduate First-Class Scholarship
• Royal Charter 40th Anniversary Scholarship
• Sheikh / Mubarak Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah Scholarship (Postgraduate)