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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Kings College London - War Studies

65 replies

CatherineCawood · 05/03/2021 18:55

Anyone else got a DC applied for War Studies at KCL?

Kind of an unusual choice! DD's other applications are for biology/anthropology/human sciences.

Alumni seem to often go into the forces which she really isn't interested in. Seems a bizarre choice.

Anyone got any thoughts on it or experience?

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Delphigirl · 05/03/2021 19:26

I think it is even more common that students doing it are already in the forces actually. She may find a lot of mature students in the form of Army and RN officers....
I know it is well respected in the services but I don’t know whether it is also considered a good degree for those who are not making a career in the military. I would also be interested in the answer as my DS has expressed interest.

tangoboxing · 05/03/2021 20:18

one of dd's best friends is in her second year. As non-forces as you can imagine (4ft 11, 6 stone!), she's doing it because she really likes history (20th C primarily), she pretty much exclusively studies Korea/China/Japan & there's a lot of scope for narrow focus like that. It's quite male dominated but modules are taught with history & that's weighted the other way so balanced overall. She's got no career plans other than Move to Korea (!). She also applied for human sciences at Oxford & UCL.

To quote dd - there are a few boys who really like WW1, aeroplanes & prototype tanks but most ppl she's met doing it swing the other way & are pacifists.

BasiliskStare · 05/03/2021 20:24

@CatherineCawood & @Delphigirl

If it helps - Ds had 2 friends who put this down as an option. They were essentially applying elsewhere for History but their interest was military history. So this course would have a very specific angle but neither wanted to join the military. I would say get DC to look it all up on the website & perhaps phone the admission tutors.

But 2 x DS's friends chose it as it was a History option - not a stepping stone to the armed forces.

Not sure if helpful - but the case.

B x

BasiliskStare · 05/03/2021 20:26

whoops @tangoboxing cross posted there - sorry

tangoboxing · 05/03/2021 20:30

@BasiliskStare :) sounds pretty similar to dd's view ... from what I've seen if you like 20thC history it's a good choice ... the modules are fascinating (there's quite a strong philosophical/ethical component too).

Original poster
CatherineCawood · 05/03/2021 20:37

Thanks everyone.

Interestingly, DD also applied for Human Sciences at UCL. Couldn't persuade her to go for Oxford even though she has the grades. Shes currently on a gap year. UCL rejected her last week though.

She's waiting on Exeter (Humam Sciences) and Edinburgh (Biology and Anthropology).

Just not sure about War Studies. Seems like such an odd choice. She does like history - got a 9 at GCSE but didn't do it for A'Level. She's interested possibly in working for the UN. She has good Spanish so could use that. From what I've seen the rate of acceptance is only about 14% so fantastic that she got a place.

Just aware that uni is so expensive, you don't want to make a mistake and quit after a year or whatever 😒

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Original poster
CatherineCawood · 05/03/2021 20:39

@tangoboxing thanks your last comment makes me feel a bit better about it. That does sound more like her. I think it's just when I saw the alumni I was a bit Confused

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Revengeofthepangolins · 05/03/2021 21:58

I’d have thought that for UN career aims it would be perfect. I looked at it fir my military history enthused DS but tbh thought it looked a bit too pacifist for him :/). Pretty modern and I think quite woke it at least eat more than one might expect from the name of the course. Oddly make quite a lot of sense alongside human sciences applications.

So, possibly left field but well worth her considering and from the sound of it a valid step along the path she is interested in.

HenryIV · 05/03/2021 22:22

Can't input on the course but DD's experience at KCL as a whole throughout the last year has been very positive. One of her housemates, definitely non-forces, studies War Studies and loves it.

PresentingPercy · 05/03/2021 22:23

War is a very narrow view of what the UN is about. It’s a much wider organisation than that. Has she read anything about their work?

Original poster
CatherineCawood · 05/03/2021 22:29

@PresentingPercy indeed she has Smile

Thanks for the info everyone it's really useful.

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TheHobbitMum · 05/03/2021 22:35

My DD was set on doing war studies at KCL but in the end chose to do International Relations instead as she can do war studies as a part of IR

Original poster
CatherineCawood · 05/03/2021 22:40

This is what I was thinking too. But DD really likes the War Studies syllabus. I think the potential jobs listed on the prospectus suit her gopes.and dreams better. IR has a higher entry requirement (AAA instead of AAA) she got higher than AAA so probably could have got a place. I wonder if it is possible to swap once you have accepted a place if you find in the first term that you would prefer IR?

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Original poster
CatherineCawood · 05/03/2021 22:40

Gopes ?!? That would be hopes.

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LucaLoo · 05/03/2021 23:07

My son is in his third year at KCL studying War Studies and would be happy to give you more info if you want to DM me. Am off to sleep now though 😴

MarchingFrogs · 06/03/2021 01:32

Sorry, a rather lighthearted comment, but that is what the rather delightful young man captaining this year's KCL University Challenge team was studying.
www.kcl.ac.uk/news/kings-college-team-bows-out-of-university-challenge

fiveoldteddies · 06/03/2021 01:38

DC friend also doing it, not into forces . Enjoying it. As far as I understand good reputation

PresentingPercy · 06/03/2021 09:02

It’s too niche. If it doesn’t lead to UN (and there’s no evidence they like this degree at all) it won’t be received with glee by other employers when they can get History grads of others with a less narrow focus. Maybe civIl service? But the MOD is crammed full of ex forces. I would be careful about narrowing interests too early.

Revengeofthepangolins · 06/03/2021 09:08

I was sorry my son didn’t apply. Could be a good one when job hunting - sounds interesting and likely to induce questions but still academically strong.

BasiliskStare · 06/03/2021 09:41

@PresentingPercy I do sort of get your point - but I would say any academic subject could be well received. That said , my ds did a GDL & Bar school after History degree ( so more focussed courses). But in and of itself I am not sure KCL war studies is necessarily a bad degree to do

PresentingPercy · 06/03/2021 10:33

Not saying it’s bad. I just think it specialises too early. It’s possible to narrow down a war focus after a degree like history with an MA. Or indeed another focus discovered at university.

My DD did GDL and bar school after MFL degree. Whether niche degrees are widely valued is a moot point.

Piggywaspushed · 07/03/2021 09:47

The War Studies degree at KCL is renowned worldwide. Plenty of unis are now emulating this and offering similar degrees.

Olympicfan · 07/03/2021 09:56

I always fancied the 'Peace Studies' degree at Bradford Uni but was told it was too niche. Not sure how renown this degree is. It might be fun doing an undergrad in one and a post grad in the other (War and Peace Studies!)

damekindness · 07/03/2021 10:35

I was once told that Kings and Bradford had an annual War versus Peace football match

MarchingFrogs · 07/03/2021 10:51

The Tolstoy CupSmile

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolstoy_Cup