Our department at Kings College London

The History department at King’s is one of the oldest in the UK, dating back to the 1870s. It is also regarded as one of the most prestigious History departments in the UK, having received a 5* rating for teaching quality and research (the highest a department can get!) in every National Teaching Quality Assessment and Research Assessment Exercise since they began. It is a department especially renowned for research undertaken into the mediaeval period.

Students & Administration at Kings

The History department is comprised of roughly 212 undergraduate single honours students, 35 joint honours students and 85 graduate students. There are about 21 permanent academic members of staff as well as 10 teaching assistants and two research fellows. At the department’s administrative core are Professor Arthur Burns, the Head of Department,   Ms Laura Clayton, Departmental Manager and Miss Maddy Carey Administrative Officer.

In addition to their teaching and research responsibilities, most members of staff take on various administrative tasks within the department. Especially relevant to students are personal tutors (to whom you will be assigned at the beginning of your course) and Serena Ferente , the senior pastoral undergraduate tutor, who are available to help deal with any problems you may encounter. Dr Andrew Dilley is the Careers Liaison Tutor, putting on events based on a variety of possible destinations for KCL History graduates.

Staff/Student Liason Committee

Professor David Carpenter is the chair of the Staff/Student Liaison Committee (SSLC), which compromises staff, the Clio President, and undergraduate (from all three years) and postgraduate representatives. With meetings held five times per academic year, the SSLC provides a way for staff and students to communicate and make suggestions for improvements within the department, such as improvements within student facilities, teaching, courses and student support. If you have suggestions, you can put these forward to a first year representative to bring your concern to the Committee’s attention. The minutes from the meetings are also easily accessible in PDF form on the History department website.

Events and Seminars

The department also organises a number of events and seminars. There is a series of interesting seminars, held bi-termly, which bring to light current research within the department, followed by social drinks provided by the department. There are also events held outside King’s by various members of staff who organise conferences and seminars externally, recently there was a seminar jointly held by KCL and the University of North Carolina on the ‘Nazi Occupation and its Aftermath in Central Europe’.

Research at Kings College London

All departmental academic staff are renowned experts in their particular fields of study, undertaking important historical research on a regular basis, and publishing journal articles and books on certain historical topics. The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is currently a partner in four research projects which are directed by academic staff. All details of research projects and staff publications can be found on the department’s website.

Clio Past and Present

The Clio Society is one of the oldest student run history societies in the UK. The Clio Society was formally known as the King’s College History Society until 1984, when it adopted the moniker “the Clio Association,” after ancient Greek mythology’s Muse of History.

Clio Society Objectives

The Clio Society has a series of main objectives. These are to create a social environment which enables the interaction of students and staff in an atmosphere which is hard to create in the lecture theatre; allow those who have an interest in History but have not pursued it at university level to learn more about the subject from department academics and people from outside King’s; and enable History students to get involved within the society. It is very successful at carrying out these aims.

It puts on a number of lectures during the course of the academic year, usually delivered by distinguished academics and historians. For example, in 2006 there was a lecture by leading war historian Sir Michael Howard. The Society also organises visits to places of historical importance, such as trips to Hampton Court Palace and walks around the square mile (especially useful for new students to find their way around London), and holidays abroad, such as to Venice. Social events are organised throughout the year, such as at Christmas, which are held in interesting venues, and start and end of year parties!

Getting Involved

Students are able to get involved in the Clio in various ways, such as by taking one of several positions on the Committee, which is the integral core of the Society. Responsibilities include guiding and coordinating the Committee’s energies (as the President), organising events and trips, and managing its budget. If running the Society and sorting out all the technical stuff, interests you, feel free to put yourself forward and be voted into the committee at the end of the academic year.

Clio Magazine

Students can also get involved by writing for the Clio magazine. Since 1980 the Clio Society has had its very own newspaper (in 1980 this was called Ad Hoc), or produced its own media, and in more recent years it has put out a tri-yearly webnewsletter, compromising historical news, reviews of historical sites, and various features. This year the magazine will be resurrected with all articles, features, and reviews written by students, presenting an invaluable opportunity for anybody interested in seeing their name in print whilst earning brownie points for their CV. So if you fancy trying your hand at journalism, then why not contact us to get involved?

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