COURSE CURRICULUM

The International Relations and History degree provides a structured and immersive academic journey that begins with a wide-ranging introduction to key global questions and historical developments before guiding students through increasingly specialized study and independent research. In Year 1, students engage with foundational concepts in global politics and modern history through modules like Power, (Dis)Order & Security and The Age of Extremes, which explore themes such as war, power, sovereignty, nationalism, economic development, and human rights. These courses allow students to understand how historical events and ideas have shaped today’s international systems. Students also analyze current global challenges in Understanding Politics Today and Globalisation, Governance and Justice, gaining insight into rapidly evolving issues like populism, climate change, and migration. The module Worldbuilding offers a deep historical lens on the evolution of global systems, helping students consider alternative international orders and the forces that shaped them. Moving into Year 2, the focus narrows to more theoretical and methodological approaches, including Analysing International Relations, which introduces major schools of thought like realism, Marxism, feminism, and postcolonialism. This helps students build a critical toolkit to examine global affairs from multiple ideological perspectives. Introduction to Data Analysis for Politics and International Relations equips students with practical research skills, from interviews and focus groups to data analytics, allowing them to investigate political questions scientifically. In Year 3, students become more independent in their academic development by undertaking a major piece of research, either a dissertation or group project, guided by expert supervision. This research challenges students to apply theoretical and practical knowledge to new topics and produce original insights. This final stage also helps students prepare for their future careers through internship opportunities and employability events. Overall, the degree is designed to develop students into thoughtful, skilled, and globally aware graduates, ready to address complex international issues in both academic and professional contexts.