History and International Relations (BA): 3-year, full-time

Bachelor's degree

In London

£ 9,250 VAT inc.

Description

  • Type

    Bachelor's degree

  • Location

    London

  • Duration

    3 Years

Our BA History and International Relations meets the rising demand to study the history of the twentieth century alongside international relations. It is a joint degree, offered by our Department of History, Classics and Archaeology and our Department of Politics, so you will be taught by world-class academics across two research-active departments. The course examines the global evolution of international relations, with an emphasis on in-depth historical studies supported by political and sociological analysis.

You will take introductory modules in international relations and modern and contemporary history (particularly related to Asia and Africa) in the first part of your degree. You will then take modules that offer both contemporary and historical approaches to Africa, Middle East, Asia (South Asia and East Asia in particular), as well as European countries. These choices are supported by a compulsory advanced module addressing conflict and war through the lens of international relations theory, as well as option modules on foreign policy and historical studies of cases which have been central to the development of international relations such as the Cold War.

This course is also available for part-time evening study over four years.

Facilities

Location

Start date

London
See map
Malet Street, WC1E 7HX

Start date

On request

About this course

Graduates can pursue careers in research, education or national/international government. This degree may also be useful in becoming a political activist/lobbyist, journalist or charity officer.

We offer a comprehensive Careers Service to help you advance your career, while our in-house, professional recruitment consultancy, Birkbeck Talent, works with London’s top employers to help you gain work experience that fits in with your evening studies.

Awarding Body
University of London

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.

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Subjects

  • Play
  • Democracy
  • Conflict
  • International Relations
  • Politics
  • Classics
  • International
  • Global
  • Full Time
  • History Politics
  • Historiography
  • Modern Contemporary

Course programme

COURSE STRUCTURE

Our new survey course options range from the ancient to the contemporary world and will introduce you to the key themes you need to know about when studying the past. In keeping with our tradition of teaching an impressive chronological breadth within one department, these modules cover the time from prehistory to the present, moving across continents and cultures.

In parallel with these cutting-edge surveys, we offer a range of compulsory 'How to' modules which bring you together with academic staff to explore the study of the past and develop the skills needed to research and write history. Every year, as you build your studies and progress towards your degree, you will take one of these courses, helping you to develop your own unique perspective on the past.

Both the survey courses and our ‘How to’ courses run annually so that it doesn't matter whether you study part-time or full-time with us - you will be able to make the most of them.

This course consists of modules of 30 credits each and you must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.

There are three kinds of module: compulsory Level 4 modules in core skills; Level 5 option modules which develop knowledge across broad areas of study; and Level 6 option modules which provide focused study on advanced topics. You take a balance of modules between the two disciplines - history and politics - or focus on either one of the disciplines at Level 6.

In Year 1, you take three compulsory politics modules and two Level 4 history option modules.

In Year 2, you take two compulsory politics modules, a compulsory history module, a Level 5 history option module and a Level 5 politics option module.

In Year 3, you take two compulsory politics modules, a Level 6 history option module, a Level 6 politics option module, and a further Level 6 option module from either discipline.

YEAR 1 COMPULSORY MODULES
  • Introduction to International Relations: History and Theory
  • Structures and Issues in Global Politics
  • The Study of Politics
YEAR 2 COMPULSORY MODULES
  • Exploring the Past
  • International Relations and Foreign Policy 1: diplomacy
  • International Relations and Foreign Policy 2: policy and issues
YEAR 3 COMPULSORY MODULES
  • War and Modern Society I
  • War and Modern Society II
INDICATIVE LEVEL 4 HISTORY OPTION MODULES
  • The Contemporary World
  • The Early Modern World, 1500-1800: Reformations and Revolutions
  • The Modern World
INDICATIVE LEVEL 5 HISTORY OPTION MODULES
  • Contested Nation: Germany, 1871-1918 (level 5)
  • Empires: Conquest and Decolonisation, from 1700 to Brexit
  • The Ottoman Empire (level 5)
INDICATIVE LEVEL 5 POLITICS OPTION MODULES
  • Gender in the Global Political Economy
  • Politics in the Middle East
  • Race in the Global Political Economy
INDICATIVE LEVEL 6 HISTORY OPTION MODULES
  • A Hundred Years of the Russian Revolution, 1891-1991
  • Intimate Britain: Family, Society and Culture, 1832-1918
  • The Birth of a Superpower: China from 1900 to the Present Day
  • The Cold War: A Global History
  • The Third Reich
INDICATIVE LEVEL 6 POLITICS OPTION MODULES
  • Capitalism and the Politics of Markets
  • Capitalism: histories and theories
  • Classic Texts
  • Contemporary Social and Political Theory
  • International Migration and Transnationalism I
  • International Migration and Transnationalism II
  • Political Economy in the Middle East
  • The Politics of the Global Food System
  • The Rise of the Modern Food System
Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.

Additional information

UCAS Code VL1F

FEES
Full-time international students: £ 14280 pa

History and International Relations (BA): 3-year, full-time

£ 9,250 VAT inc.