MA in History of Sport by Research (part-time)

The course enables the student to undertake research on a specific topic, agreed with the supervisor, in any aspect of the history of sport over the last two centuries. Assessment is by a dissertation, written under expert guidance over the course of the year.A central feature of the programme is its series of ten evening seminars and post-seminar dinners in a London club, at which participants can engage in general discussion with guest speakers. These experts include:

Mike Brearley OBE, former Captain of the England Cricket Team and former President of the MCC

Dr Kasia Boddy, Lecturer at Cambridge University and author of "Boxing: A Cultural History"

Mervyn King, Lord King of Lothbury KG, GBE, FBA, former Governor of the Bank of England and ex-Director, Aston Villa Football Club

Professor Christopher Young, historian of sport, Cambridge University

Simon Kuper, author and Financial Times columnist

Matthew Syed, journalist, author and broadcaster

Sport’s place in modern life has never been more central, and the history of sport is a rapidly growing area of academic study. The course will touch on all major sports – in Britain, America and on the Continent. Some of the themes addressed by the lectures will be:

Why was Britain so central to the development of modern sport?

When and how did sport become politicised?

How has sport influenced attitudes towards class, race, gender and sexuality?

Sport’s role as an agent and beneficiary of globalisation.

The course will begin with two seminars about how to choose, research and write an academic dissertation, held at the University’s London offices, 51 Gower Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 6HJ. These will be followed by ten guest lectures and dinners, held at the splendid Caledonian Club (Halkin Street, London SW1X 7DR), a few moments from Hyde Park Corner in central London. The cost of the post-seminar dinners is included in the tuition fees.For dates of the seminars, please click on “Teaching & Assessment”. Those wishing to attend the seminars, but not to undertake a dissertation, may join the course as Associate Students at a reduced fee.For further details contact: