COURSE CURRICULUM

The BA History and International Relations degree at the University of Reading includes a structured set of compulsory modules designed to build both disciplinary depth and advanced analytical skills. In history, students take Perspectives in History, which introduces broad chronological and geographical coverage while exploring historiography, theory, and historical methods that shape how historians interpret the past. Making History and You: Practices and Possibilities develops core academic skills through a guided research project, focusing on critical reading, engagement with historiographical debates, and clear, persuasive writing. In international relations, International Relations introduces key theories and trains students to evaluate competing arguments, while Politics of Climate Change examines the political, ethical, and policy challenges surrounding climate change across global contexts. War and Warfare provides a foundation in international security, analysing the causes, types, and implications of conflict in world politics. On the politics side, The Study of Politics equips students with qualitative, quantitative, and theoretical research methods, while Global Order explores how international systems are structured and how states interact within them. In the final year, students complete a dissertation in either History or International Relations, producing an independent research project that demonstrates mastery of sources, argumentation, and disciplinary methods developed throughout the degree.