History and International Relations

History and international relations is a combination that reflects how deeply intertwined the two disciplines are. International relations as we know it today, with its doctrines of sovereignty, its institutions of multilateral governance, and its recurring patterns of conflict, cooperation, and competition between states, cannot be understood without the historical processes that produced it. Equally, modern history, much of which is the history of states interacting across borders, is enriched by the analytical frameworks that international relations theory provides.

At Manchester Metropolitan University, this part-time BA provides specialist training in both subjects while equipping you to approach them from an interdisciplinary perspective. The history component covers a wide range of time periods and regions, from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome through the medieval world, the early modern period, and on to modern global conflicts and revolutions, ensuring genuine breadth alongside the depth you develop in your particular areas of interest. The international relations element develops your understanding of how the international system works, covering theories of international politics, foreign policy analysis, diplomacy, conflict, and global governance.

The programme includes a sandwich year and a work placement, giving you professional experience alongside your academic study. The part-time structure makes the degree accessible alongside other commitments.

Graduates from history and international relations programmes are well placed for careers in the civil service and foreign office, journalism, NGOs, international organisations, policy research and think tanks, education, and the military. The combination of historical depth and analytical frameworks for understanding the present is particularly valuable in roles that require contextualising current events and understanding how situations have developed. Postgraduate study in international relations, history, diplomacy, or security studies provides a natural path for those who wish to specialise.