History and Politics

History and politics together address the most fundamental questions about power: how it is organised, how it is exercised, who benefits from it and how the arrangements we call states, constitutions and governments came to exist. Studying them together means you are always reading contemporary politics with a long view and reading history with an eye on the forces and ideas that still shape the present. The combination is particularly powerful for understanding the contested landscape of early twenty-first-century politics, where questions about nationalism, democratic legitimacy, inequality and international order are impossible to address without both disciplines.

At Leeds Beckett you will study pressing contemporary issues alongside deeper historical perspectives over three years of full-time study. The current description mentions Brexit, climate change and the resurgence of right-wing populism alongside the rise of the nation-state, European imperialism and the ideological conflicts of the twentieth century, giving you a sense of the programme's scope. You will develop skills in historical research and source analysis alongside the conceptual frameworks of political theory and the empirical methods of political science.

The course includes a year abroad, which gives you the opportunity to experience a different political culture and educational system while continuing your studies.

Graduates of history and politics programmes are well prepared for careers in the civil service, politics, journalism, policy analysis, law, international organisations, education, think tanks and the charitable sector. The research, writing and analytical skills developed through the degree transfer readily to any field that values clear thinking and careful argument, which in practice means most professional careers. Postgraduate study in history, politics, international relations, public policy or law is a natural continuation, and the year abroad provides an advantage for those interested in careers with an international dimension.