 1.svg)
Program Overview
War Studies Research MPhil/PhD
Key information
Award:
MPhil
PhD
Study mode:
Distance Learning
Full time
Part time
Campus:
Strand Campus
Duration:
Expected to be: MPhil, two years FT, four years PT; PhD. three years FT, six years PT.
Overview
The Department is proud of its thriving community of research students. A recent HEFCE study found that King's College London is the most successful university in Britain in terms of PhD completion rate. The Department of War Studies is recognised by the British Academy, the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and the Economic and Social Research Council.
Nearly 200 students are currently undertaking doctoral research in the Department. Every year, about 60 new students join our MPhil/PhD programme. They work under the supervision of faculty members from the Department of War Studies and also from the Department of Defence Studies. The Department is especially interested in receiving applications from students planning research projects in fields that will enhance the quality and impact of the Department's research groups, programmes and centres. Students are encouraged to contribute fully to our research units, enhancing our research culture and contributing to Department of War Studies' research strategy.
It is College policy to review the progress of full and part-time students within three months of initial registration and again after a period of nine months' registration. Thereafter, the progress of all students will be reviewed every six months.
Students receive support from their supervisors in the following areas relating to their PhD:
- Research Design
- Direction & Training
- Progress Monitoring
- Advice & Guidance
- Pastoral Care
- Career Guidance
Course Detail
All MPhil/PhD candidates undertake a tailored programme of researcher training and development across all three years of study. A comprehensive programme of individual research training ensures that students develop the skills necessary to complete their research programme and fulfil their career goals. In Year One, students will draw up a programme of research training and personal development in consultation with their supervisors. The Department provides an introduction to research methods and also provides training in skills related to career development. Throughout their programme, students also have access to extensive research methods, skills and career training in the King's Doctoral College, London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership, and in the London Arts and Humanities Partnership.
The department is especially interested in receiving applications from students planning their research projects in fields that will enhance the strength of the department's research groups, centres and programmes. Details of these can be found on the War Studies website, as well as a full list of staff and their research interests. The Department assumes that research students will normally be attached to one or more of these, which in all cases will enhance research culture and be consistent with the Department of War Studies' research strategy. In addition to the War Studies staff listed, academic staff based at the Defence Studies Department (DSD) at the Joint Services Command and Staff College may also be available for research supervision.
Joint PhD programme Exciting opportunities are now available to undertake a joint PhD programme with the National University of Singapore or Hong Kong University. The joint programme fosters links across a range of subject areas including: history of warfare; international relations; strategic studies; counterinsurgency; post- conflict reconstruction and development; intelligence studies; conflict, peace and development; and war and psychiatry.
Research degrees by Blended Distance Learning
War Studies also offers a distance learning War Studies MPhil/PhD programme. This pathway is intended for well-qualified students whose professional commitments prevent their fulfilling the normal residency requirement of the MPhil/PhD programme at King’s. Supervision will normally be at a distance, and students will be expected to participate in the six-monthly formal progress reviews which manage study on the programme. The programme will be supported by the online learning resources of the Doctoral Training Programme. If it is necessary for a student's progress, they may also audit modules from the War Studies Online MA programmes.
Attendance
It is expected that most students will study the distance learning programme on a part-time basis. Minimum attendance requirements on this pathway require the student to attend in London at three key points:
- Enrolment and Induction (late September or mid-January, depending on start date). All students must enrol (register) in person at the start of their course and attend the programme induction. This is a good opportunity to meet other students on your course and to arrange a meeting with your supervisor(s).
- Formal upgrade from MPhil to PhD status (after around two years part-time registration or one year of full-time). As with other PhD programmes within in the department, the upgrade to a PhD degree from an MPhil is not automatic: students who wish to be considered for the PhD go through a formal upgrade. This is to ensure that all students have an appropriate research project which can be completed within the allotted timescale.
- Final Examination for the degree (at the end of your course). Students are also encouraged and expected to participate in the academic activity of the department as their other commitments allow, although there is no formal period of residency required to gain the degree.
Most facilities on campus for postgraduate research students remain at the disposal of distance-learning students visiting London. Beyond the formal attendance requirements of the programme set out above students are welcome to visit King's and engage personally with supervisors and other research students as often as their schedule permits (international students should note the student visa information below for requirements of their visits to London).
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet the same academic entry requirements as for the standard MPhil/PhD programme. Further to those requirements, please note that the Blended Distance Learning option is intended for mid-career professionals whose work commitments prevent them from fulfilling the normal residency requirement of the MPhil/PhD programme at King’s. Students will usually be working in an area relevant to this area of study and be based outside the UK. As this is a distance learning programme requiring only short visits to the UK, many of our students need to enter the UK as a ‘Student Visitor’. Find out about VISA requirements.
How to apply
1. Application Procedure
A College online application form must be completed along with one academic reference and copies of supporting documents. Applications should include a research proposal, outlining the intended area of research. Guidelines for applicants (including guidance about how to write a research proposal) are available on the department's website. Admission requires a supervisor willing to oversee your research. All applicants are urged to familiarise themselves with our faculty - names and specialisations are on the department website - and contact possible supervisors. Please do not apply until you have found a faculty member willing to supervise your research.
2. Personal Statement and Supporting Information
Please include the name of your proposed supervisor at King's.
You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:
- Personal Statement: A personal statement is required. This can be entered directly into the online application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or uploaded as an attachment to the online application form (maximum 2 pages).
- Research Proposal: The proposal should explain in some detail precisely the field of study that you want to contribute to, current research gaps, what you want to do and how you propose to do it. For advice on how to write a winning application, please visit the research courses page.
- Previous Academic Study: A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents.
- References: One academic reference is required. A professional reference will be accepted if you have completed your academic qualifications over five years ago.
- Writing Sample: Please include a sample of your previous written work (typically, your MA dissertation or equivalent) as part of your application.
- Travel Plan: If applying for the joint programme, please include the names of your supervisors from both institutions and include a completed travel plan form.
- Other: You may also wish to include a CV (résumé) or evidence of professional registration as part of your application.
3. Course Intake
Varies.
4. Joint PhDs - Application advice
Applicants for the Joint PhD programme must contact the relevant departments at both universities before submitting an application in order to discuss the suitability of their topic for the joint programme and to identify potential supervisors. Applications should initially be submitted to the proposed home institution only, i.e., where the student will start and finish their programme. Students should note that acceptance onto the programme may take slightly longer than for single-institution PhDs because of the additional steps involved. Further details, including FAQs, can be found on the King’s Worldwide web pages.
Applicants who choose King’s as their home institution should apply through King's Apply, selecting the appropriate Joint PhD option from the drop-down list. In addition to the standard supporting documentation, applicants should submit a Travel Plan form indicating how they intend to divide their time between the two partner institutions. Students must spend a specified amount of time in each institution, details of which can be found in the ‘Notes’ section of the Travel plan form.
It is recommended that students submit applications for the Joint PhD programme by the end of March to begin the following September.
5. Application Closing Date
We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed. We may need to request further information from you during the application process.
The final application deadlines are detailed below; on these dates, the programme will close at 23:59 (UK time) and we will open for the corresponding intake in 2026 soon after the same intake has passed in 2025.
- February 2025 entry – 20 October 2024 for Overseas fee status and 20 November 2024 for Home fee status
- October 2025 entry – 25 July 2025 for Overseas fee status and 25 August 2025 for Home fee status
- February 2026 entry – 20 October 2025 for Overseas fee status and 20 November 2025 for Home fee status
Please note that funding deadlines may be earlier than the application deadlines listed above.
Fees or Funding
UK Tuition Fees 2024/25
- Full time tuition fees:
- £6,936 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies)
- £6,936 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies via Distance Learning)
- £6,936 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies with National University of Singapore or University of Hong Kong)
- Part time tuition fees:
- £3,468 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies)
- £3,468 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies via Distance Learning)
- £3,468 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies with National University of Singapore)
International Tuition Fees 2024/25
- Full time tuition fees:
- £26,070 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies)
- £26,070 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies via Distance Learning)
- £26,070 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies with National University of Singapore or University of Hong Kong)
- Part time tuition fees:
- £13,035 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies)
- £13,035 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies via Distance Learning)
- £13,035 per year (MPhil/PhD War Studies with National University of Singapore)
UK Tuition Fees 2025/26
- Full time tuition fees:
- £7,500 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies)
- £7,500 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies via Distance Learning)
- £7,500 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies with National University of Singapore or University of Hong Kong)
- Part time tuition fees:
- £3,750 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies)
- £3,750 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies via Distance Learning)
- £3,750 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies with National University of Singapore)
International Tuition Fees 2025/26
- Full time tuition fees:
- £28,000 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies)
- £28,000 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies via Distance Learning)
- £28,000 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies with National University of Singapore or University of Hong Kong)
- Part time tuition fees:
- £14,000 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies)
- £14,000 per year (MPhil/PhD, War Studies via Distance Learning)
- £14,000 per year (MPhil/PhD War Studies with National University of Singapore)
These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.
Study environment
Base campus
Strand Campus
Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.
Study Environment
MPhil/PhD students are allocated a primary and secondary supervisor. Research students have access to a small workspace in the Department of War Studies, this workspace contains PCs with internet connections and printers. Students have access to the collections in the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives and at IISS, RUSI, Chatham House, and RCDS. There is a programme of research training workshop attended by years one to three. Students organise occasional informal research colloquiums and there are frequent departmental public lectures and seminars.
Postgraduate Training
The following research training is offered to ensure that students develop the skills necessary to complete their research programme and fulfil their career goals. In Year one, students will draw up a programme of research training and personal development in consultation with their supervisors. Ongoing research training needs are assessed in years two and three. The department offer additional training as required.
Student Destinations
War Studies graduates have built careers in: academic research, NGOs, Civil Service, NATO, UN, media and publishing, finance and investment, teaching, and the armed forces.
Entry requirements
UK requirements
- A Master's degree with high merit, and a 2.1 honours degree at the bachelor's level.
It is not essential to have taken courses in this field at postgraduate level but we advise students to consider taking our MA or a similar course elsewhere before undertaking research work in the Department of War Studies.
Extensive practical experience in the relevant field (e.g. military, diplomatic, journalistic, humanitarian or developmental) may be taken into account when evaluating an application.
Equivalent International qualifications
Select a country to view the equivalent qualifications.
English language requirements
English language band: B
To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.
Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.
For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
