Qualifications
History MA: University of Edinburgh (1985-9)
History PhD: University of Glasgow (1997-2000)

Posts
Visiting Professor of Military History at the University of Hull (2007-8), teaching undergraduate modules on 'Massacres and Maharajas: India in the 1850s' and 'Generals and Generalship: 1642-1945'.

Professor of War Studies at the University of Buckingham and Course Director of Buckingham's new London-based MA in Military History (see below)

Teaching


MA in Military History by Research: The Art of War
from Napoleon to Iraq, 1793 – 2003

With Military History one of the fastest-growing areas
of academic study, the University of Buckingham
introduced a one-year MA in Military History, by
research, in 2009. This is a groundbreaking
programme: the first one-year Research MA in
Military History, and the first with an integral course
of seminars by visiting lecturers of international
repute. The programme was enthusiastically reviewed
by The Financial Times in August 2009, which noted
that ‘intellectually curious professionals are signing
up for a new course that gives them the
opportunity to exchange thoughts on security,
diplomacy and the armed forces over dinner with
stellar historians and military top brass’.

The programme is London-based and directed by one
of the country’s finest Military Historians, Professor
Saul David. A central feature of the programme is a series of Evening
Research Seminars led by an internationally acclaimed
group of military specialists, including Professors
Hew Strachan, Gary Sheffield, David Cesarani and
Nicholas Rodger, Antony Beevor, Sir Max Hastings,
Andrew Roberts and General Sir Frank Kitson

Programme Structure
The programme runs with the traditional academic
year. The first half (September 2010 – March 2011)
consists of thirteen evening research seminars,
three on historical method and ten by the
programme’s specialist lecturers. During this
period, students will define their chosen research
topic (in a short interim essay).

The second half of the programme (March – August
2011) is devoted to the completion, under
supervision, of a research dissertation on a subject
of the student’s choice (20,000-40,000 words).

The Approach
The emphasis of the MA is on providing the student
with the skills needed to undertake independent
research. At its heart is the close working
relationship between candidate and supervisor. The
final thesis will be the candidate’s independent
work, but the supervisor will offer advice on refining
the topic (if necessary), on primary sources, on
secondary reading, on research techniques and on
writing the final thesis, (which should be not less
than 20,000 words).

Supervisors and candidates meet regularly
throughout the year, and not less than twice a term.
The supervisor is always the candidate’s primary
contact for academic advice and support.

Course Directors and Supervisor
Professor Saul David is Professor of War Studies at
Buckingham and the author of numerous criticallyacclaimed
works on military history, including The
Indian Mutiny: 1857 (shortlisted for the Westminster
Medal for Military Literature), Zulu: The Heroism and
Tragedy of the Zulu War of 1879 and Victoria’s Wars:
Rise of Empire. He is currently researching a history
of the British Army. An experienced broadcaster,
Professor David has presented and appeared in
history programmes for all the major TV channels,
and is a regular contributor to Radio 4.

Introductory Classes
• Professor Saul David (Humanities Research
Institute, University of Buckingham, and Course
Director), Military History: Research Techniques 1,
Tuesday 21 September 2010

Research Seminars, 2010 - 2011
The following is a list of seminars to be held
between September 2010 and March 2011:
• Mr Andrew Roberts, Waterloo,
Tuesday 19 October 2010
• Professor Saul David, The 1st Anglo-Afghan War:
A Warning from History, Tuesday 2 November 2010
• Professor Hew Strachan,FBA, (All Souls College,
University of Oxford), The Ideas of 1914,
Tuesday 16 November 2010
• Professor Gary Sheffield (University of
Birmingham), Field Marshal Earl Haig: Hero or
Villan?, Monday 29 November 2010
• Professor N.A.M. Rodger, (All Souls College,
University of Oxford), The Royal Navy between the
two World Wars, Tuesday 14 December 2010
• Professor Lloyd Clark, (Royal Military Academy,
Sandhurst), The Battle of Kursk: 1943,
Tuesday 25 January 2011
• Sir Max Hastings, Nemesis: The Battle for Japan,
1944-45, Tuesday 8 February 2011
• Mr Antony Beevor, The Second World War,
Tuesday 22 February 2011
• Professor David Cesarani, (University of London)
The British in Palestine: 1945-48,
Tuesday 8 March 2011
• General Sir Frank Kitson, Counter-Insurgency: A Personal Experience,
Tuesday 22 March 2011

Each seminar (approximately 90 minutes) is followed
by a post-seminar dinner, also at the Cavalry and
Guards Club, for those who wish to attend, where
there will be an opportunity to continue the seminar
discussions in an informal environment. Attendance
at these dinners is entirely at the choice of the
student, and its cost is not covered by the tuition fee.

Location
This is a London-based course. The Seminars will
be held at the Cavalry and Guards Club, in Central
London (127 Piccadilly). The nearest London
Underground Stations are Hyde Park (Picadilly
Line) or Green Park (Victoria, Jubilee and Picadilly
Lines).

Entry Requirements
Students will normally be required to have:
• A first or second class honours degree (or equivalent)
and /or substantial relevant work experience.
Where students have not undertaken historical
studies at an undergraduate level they will be
required to satisfy the Course Directors that they
have sufficient background knowledge to
undertake the degree.

Assessment
Students are required to produce an interim essay
(2,000 – 5,000 words) at the start of term 2 (March
2011), and a 20,000 – 40,000 word dissertation at
the end of the academic year (August 2011), on a
suitable military subject within the parameters of
the course.

Prize
The best dissertation will win for its author a
year’s representation by the literary agent
Peter Robinson.

Associate Students
For those wishing to attend the Evening Research
Seminar programme, but unable to devote the
time to the course-work or to register for the MA
degree, there is the option of becoming an
Associate Student. This will enable the Associate
Student to attend the ten specialist seminars and
to meet the guest lecturers, in the first six months
of the programme, but not require the submission
of written work. Associate Students are not
registered for, and do not receive, the MA degree.

Fees (excluding dinners)
UK and EU (Home) students: £5,760
International students: £9,900
Associate students UK and EU: £2,050
Associate International students: £4,050

Further Information
www.buckingham.ac.uk/london/military-history/

Programme Director and Admissions Tutor
Professor Saul David
Email: saul.david@buckingham.ac.uk

Admissions Enquiries
Linda Waterman
Tel : +44 (0) 1280 820120
Email: linda.waterman@buckingham.ac.uk