History and Politics
History and politics are disciplines that belong together. Understanding the present requires a grasp of how we arrived here, and understanding the past requires the analytical tools that political theory provides. Historians learn to read evidence carefully, construct arguments from incomplete information, and appreciate how context shapes meaning.
Political scientists learn to theorise about power, institutions, ideas and collective action. Studied in combination, these disciplines illuminate each other in ways that neither can fully achieve alone.
At Queen's University Belfast, this three-year full-time degree offers an intellectually rigorous grounding in both fields. You will engage with the methods of historical inquiry, learning to work with primary and secondary sources, debate interpretations, and understand how historians have constructed different accounts of the past. In the politics component, you will explore political theory, comparative government, international relations and the analysis of contemporary political phenomena.
The programme is designed around the insight that studying how past political developments unfolded, how ideas have evolved, and how institutions have changed provides an essential foundation for making sense of the contemporary world. With a typical entry tariff of 136 UCAS points, the degree attracts students who want to think seriously about both the sweep of history and the structures of political life.
Graduates from history and politics programmes go on to careers across a wide range of sectors. Many enter public service, the civil service, politics and policy, journalism, law, international organisations and the voluntary sector. The research, writing and analytical skills developed on the programme are highly valued by employers in business, consulting, communications and education.
Postgraduate study in history, political science, international relations, public policy or law is a natural next step for those who want to specialise further or pursue academic careers.