International History and Politics

International history and politics is a combination that addresses one of the most important questions in understanding the contemporary world: how did we get here, and what does the historical record tell us about the prospects and perils of the political situation we now inhabit? The two disciplines are natural partners: international politics as it operates today, with its alliances, institutions, rivalries, and conflicts, can only be properly understood against the historical background that produced it, while historical analysis is enriched by the analytical frameworks of political science.

At the University of Leeds, this three-year full-time BA focuses specifically on the modern and contemporary history of world affairs, from the late nineteenth century to the present. You will study the origins and outcomes of both World Wars, the interwar period, the Cold War, and the challenges of the post-Cold War era, including the dynamics of the so-called war on terror and its continuing effects and implications. The political science component provides the theoretical tools for analysing international relations, security, and diplomacy alongside the historical case studies that give those tools their context.

The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and a work placement, giving you substantial professional and international experience alongside your academic study. With a typical entry tariff of 152 UCAS points, this is a competitive programme at one of the UK's leading universities.

Graduates from international history and politics programmes are well placed for careers in the civil service and foreign office, international organisations, journalism, think tanks, NGOs, policy research, education, intelligence analysis, and the military. The combination of historical depth and political analytical skills is particularly valuable in roles that require contextualising current events within longer historical patterns. Postgraduate study in international relations, history, security studies, or diplomacy provides a natural continuation.