COURSE CURRICULUM

The History and Politics course begins with a foundational first year designed to equip students with essential knowledge and skills across both disciplines. Compulsory modules cover core political theories, contemporary political issues, and historical methods. “Rights & Wrongs” introduces transformative thinkers and their lasting influence on society, focusing on values like liberty, equality, and fraternity, which have shaped political discourse since the French Revolution. This module lays a critical foundation for understanding modern political thought across various disciplines. “Power, (Dis)Order & Security” explores the evolution and operation of global politics, addressing concepts such as sovereignty, the nation-state, war, conflict, and the balance of power, offering students a conceptual framework for interpreting international relations. Its counterpart, “Globalisation, Governance and Justice,” addresses modern controversies in global politics, including terrorism, nuclear weapons, migration, environmental crises, and ethical responsibilities to foreigners, thereby linking theory to real-world global issues. On the history side, “Introduction to Modern History” covers the major political, social, and economic transformations in Britain and Europe from the late 1700s to World War I, examining industrialisation, nationalism, gender roles, imperialism, and the collapse of European power structures. Complementing this is “Doing History,” which provides training in historical research methods and critical analysis of primary sources, encouraging students to reflect on the purpose and relevance of history in today’s world. In the second year, the structure becomes flexible, allowing students to shape their academic paths by choosing from a wide variety of optional modules. Students can specialize in one discipline or maintain a balanced approach, explore cross-disciplinary connections, study abroad, or even take modules from other humanities fields. The third and final year becomes more specialized and intensive. Students select advanced modules focusing on topics such as Japanese modern history, Yugoslav nationalism, or the Third Reich. They also have the opportunity to pursue deeper research through either two advanced modules or a combination of one module and an in-depth dissertation. This final year encourages students to apply the analytical, critical, and research skills they've built throughout the course to specific historical or political issues, preparing them for graduate study or a range of professional careers.