History and Politics

History and politics together form a powerful lens for understanding how the world came to be as it is and how it might change. History asks how societies, states, and ideas have developed over time, teaching you to work with evidence carefully, to understand contingency, and to resist the temptation to treat the present as inevitable. Politics asks how power is organised, exercised, and contested in the contemporary world, developing your ability to analyse institutions, ideologies, and the forces that shape collective decisions.

The two disciplines are deeply interconnected: political actors are always shaped by history, and historical change can only be understood in relation to politics.

At Swansea you will engage with a wide range of historical periods and political contexts, developing skills in research, critical analysis, and argument. History modules will expose you to different eras, regions, and historiographical approaches, while politics modules will introduce you to political theory, comparative government, international relations, and the pressing questions of a globalising world. The three-year full-time programme gives you the space to develop depth in both subjects and to draw on each in your engagement with the other.

Graduates move into careers in the civil service, politics, journalism, public affairs, teaching, research, the voluntary sector, law, and international organisations. The combination of historical perspective and political analytical skill is particularly valued in any role that requires understanding how institutions and societies function and change. Many students continue to postgraduate study in history, politics, international relations, or law.