Program Overview

BA (Hons) Joint Honours History and International Relations

Overview

The BA (Hons) Joint Honours History and International Relations offers specialist training in both subjects, while giving students the tools to approach them from an interdisciplinary perspective. The history component covers a vast range of time periods and regions, from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome to the medieval world, the Tudors, the Americas, China, India, and modern global conflicts and revolutions. Alongside this, the international relations element will deepen understanding of how states, international organisations, and non-state actors interact on the global stage.

Course Information

This Joint Honours degree provides students with an opportunity to study two subjects at degree level. The programme is carefully developed to balance modules from each subject area alongside modules tailored specifically for Joint Honours students.

Features and Benefits

• We are one of the largest centres for historical study in the UK.
• Take advantage of the opportunity to undertake collaborative projects with museums, art galleries or other external partners, equipping students with practical 'real world' experience and helping them to gain a competitive edge in the graduate jobs market.
• The Department of History, Politics and Philosophy have a wealth of expertise, with leading researchers whose published work covers a wide range of times and places, and this research underpins all of our teaching.
• International relations staff are also research-active and have expertise in areas including critical international relations, digital politics and US foreign policy, and the course content is directly informed by these research specialisms of the teaching team.

Year 1

In Year 1, students will be introduced to elementary thematic and methodological topics that equip them with a thorough grounding in politics and philosophy.

Core Modules

• Global History: This module offers an introduction to global history and the key themes that have shaped our world, including relocation, encounters, empire, and migration.
• Exploring History: Thematic Study: This module introduces students to either medieval and early modern history (c. 600 CE – 1450 CE) or North American history.
• Global Chronicles: the Making of the International Order: This module provides a grounding in the history and thought of international politics.
• International Governance - Challenges and Conflict: This module explores key challenges and conflicts shaping the contemporary world.

Year 2

In Year 2, students will continue to build on their knowledge and skills developed in Year 1. A range of optional modules will be available.

Core Modules

• Fit for the Future: This module lets students apply their knowledge and skills to real-world issues, preparing them for placements or graduate jobs.
• Encountering the Past: Interpreting Primary Sources: This module focuses on working with various types of primary sources and the issues surrounding their use.
• International Relations Theory: In this module, students will explore the development of International Relations theory throughout the twentieth century.

Option Modules

• Empire as a Way of Life: US Foreign Policy Since the Cold War
• A Women’s History of North America, from Pocahontas to Civil War, 1400s-1865
• Beyond Windrush: Race, Migration and Resistance in Modern Britain
• British Society Continuity and Change
• Contemporary US Politics
• Coproduction of Public Services
• Criminal Justice Policy
• Culture, Community and Conflict in Classical Greece
• Disasters and Emergency Management I
• Egypt: Age of the Pharaohs
• Engaging the Humanities 2
• Equality and Diversity in Policy and Society
• Feminism and Gender Politics
• Fit for the Future
• From Manchuria to Hiroshima: WW2 in Asia and the Pacific
• Modern British Politics
• Political Activism
• Politics of Climate Change
• Politics of the Arts
• Representation in Cinema
• Revolutionary China: From Confucian Empire to Economic Superpower, 1800–2000
• Social Policy in Action
• The 'Clash of Civilisations': Islam and Christianity in the Medieval Mediterranean World
• The Changing Face of the UK Public Sector
• The Creation of Tudor England
• The Politics of Protest
• Women in Power in Early Modern Europe

Year 3

This course offers a placement year option which can be taken up in Year 3. During the placement year, although students will be supervised directly by the company they are employed by, they will also be allocated an Academic/Placement Tutor.

Core Modules

• Research Methods and Practice: This module will provide key skills for the dissertation, and time to critically develop ideas for research.
• History and International Relations Independent Project: In this final module, students will bring together everything they've learned so far in their degree.

Option Modules

• Critical Security Studies
• Wars Without End: Civil Wars and Revolutions in the Twentieth Century
• The Politics of Sports
• The French Empire at War
• Nazis, Gold and Crystal Skulls: Great Discoveries and Key Controversies in World Archaeology
• The City of Rome and its Heritage
• Conmen and Cutpurses: Criminal Lives in the Old Bailey, c. 1674 – c. 1913
• 21st Century Cities: Managing the Postmodern City
• A People’s War? Britain’s Domestic Experiences in the Second World War
• A Queer History of the Twentieth Century
• Advanced Political Analysis
• Britain and World Politics since 1918
• Byzantium and the West, c.800 – 1261
• Constitutional and Public Law
• Contemporary Russian Politics
• Critical Political Thought 2: Capitalism and its Critics
• Disasters and Emergency Management 2
• Education Policy and Society 2
• Effective Leadership and Modern Society
• Engaging Politically with the State
• European Public Policy
• Housing, Wellbeing and Community Impact
• Revolutions in Early Modern Britain and France: From Enlightenment to the French Revolution
• Romans and Barbarians: Rome and the Celtic People of Western Europe
• The EU in Turmoil
• The Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’
• Vox Pop: Everyday Voices from the Ancient World
• War, Violence and the Democratic State
• Welfare States in Transition

Study and Assessment

• Year 1: 20% lectures, seminars or similar; 80% independent study
• Year 2: 20% lectures, seminars or similar; 80% independent study
• Year 3: 100% placement (optional)
• Year 4: 15% lectures, seminars or similar; 85% independent study
• Assessment:
  • Year 1: 85% coursework; 15% examination
  • Year 2: 80% coursework; 20% examination
  • Year 3: 100% placement (optional)
  • Year 4: 100% coursework

Entry Requirements

• Typical offer: 104-112 UCAS tariff points
• IELTS score: 6.0 overall with no component below 5.5, taken within two years of course start date
• UK students:
  • Level 3 qualifications: 104-112 UCAS tariff points
  • Level 2 qualifications: GCSE grade C/4 in English Language or equivalent
• International students:
  • IB Diploma: Pass overall with a minimum overall score of 26 or minimum 104 UCAS Tariff points from three Higher Level subjects
  • IELTS: 6.0 overall with no component below 5.5, taken within two years of course start date

Fees and Funding

Tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year are still being finalised for all courses.

Careers Support and Prospects

• Employed or in further study: 88.7% of our UK-domiciled, full-time, first degree graduates are employed or in further study 15 months after graduation.
• Through our Careers Service, students will be supported and encouraged to get ready for further study or working life, including starting their own business.
• Our groundbreaking research with industry means we have unrivalled business connections that can help open doors to dream careers.

Related Courses

• BA (Hons) Joint Honours History and Politics
• BA (Hons) History
• BA (Hons) International Relations

Disclaimers

• Our programmes undergo an annual review and major review (normally at 6 year intervals) to ensure an up-to-date curriculum supported by the latest online learning technology.
• This online prospectus provides an overview of our programmes of study and the University. We regularly update our online prospectus so that our published course information is accurate.