History and Politics

History and politics are disciplines that illuminate each other. History shows how political institutions, ideas and conflicts have developed over time, providing the context without which present-day politics can seem arbitrary or inevitable when it is neither. Politics examines the structures, theories and processes through which power is organised and exercised, both within states and between them.

Studying both together at Aston University gives you a richer and more critical understanding of the world than either discipline alone would provide.

This four-year full-time programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study in a different national context and broaden your comparative perspective on both history and politics. You will engage with political theory and the history of ideas, examine how modern states and international institutions developed, study contemporary political systems and processes, and work with historical sources as well as the quantitative and qualitative methods of political science. You will develop the ability to read critically, think clearly about causation and contingency, and write persuasively under the discipline of academic argument.

The combination of historical knowledge and political analysis is highly valued by employers who need graduates who can understand context, evaluate evidence and communicate clearly. The civil service, think tanks, political parties, NGOs, journalism, international organisations, the law and management consulting are all common destinations. The year abroad adds a valuable international dimension to your profile.

Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in history, politics, international relations, law or public policy, and the analytical skills developed on this degree provide a strong foundation for that further study.