International Relations and Modern History

International relations and modern history are disciplines that illuminate each other. History explains how the current international order came to exist, which alliances formed, which empires fell, which treaties were signed or broken, and which ideological contests shaped the institutions that govern the world today. International relations provides the theoretical frameworks for analysing how states and other actors behave, why conflicts arise, how cooperation is achieved and what forces are reshaping the international system in the present.

Together they give you the most complete toolkit available for understanding global politics across time.

At the University of East Anglia you will study the interplay between these two fields, tracing the development of the modern state system, exploring major international crises and their resolution, and examining how historical forces continue to shape contemporary affairs. You will engage with political theory, diplomatic history, international law and the role of international institutions, as well as the perspectives offered by disciplines such as sociology and economics that bear on international affairs. The programme runs full time over three years and is designed to develop both the depth of historical understanding and the analytical sophistication needed to engage seriously with contemporary international issues.

You will develop skills in archival and primary source analysis, political theory, comparative argument and extended academic writing. The ability to synthesise large bodies of evidence, to identify competing interpretations and to make a well-reasoned case is central to both disciplines.

Graduates pursue careers in diplomacy, the civil service, international development, think tanks, journalism, international law, politics and non-governmental organisations. The combination of historical depth and analytical skills in international affairs also provides excellent preparation for postgraduate study in international relations, security studies, law or history.