History and International Relations

History and international relations is a combination that gives you two complementary vantage points on how the world works. History provides the long perspective, tracing the events, decisions, and structural forces that have shaped the international system over centuries, from the rise and fall of empires through the formation of the modern state system to the world wars, the Cold War, and the complex international order of the present day. International relations provides the analytical frameworks to understand how states interact, what drives conflict and cooperation, and how international institutions and norms shape behaviour in the contemporary world.

Together they give you both depth and range.

At Manchester Metropolitan this three-year full-time programme covers an extraordinary breadth of historical material, from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome through the medieval world to the Tudors, the Americas, China, India, and modern global conflicts and revolutions. The international relations strand develops your understanding of political theory, security studies, global governance, and the dynamics of contemporary world politics. The interdisciplinary training you receive allows you to move between historical evidence and theoretical analysis, using each to inform the other.

A sandwich year and work placement experience are built into the programme, giving you professional experience alongside your academic studies.

Graduates pursue careers in the civil service, international organisations, journalism, think tanks, policy research, education, law, and heritage. The combination of historical depth and international relations analysis is valued by employers across the public, private, and voluntary sectors. Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in history, international relations, or law.