History with International Relations

History with international relations is a combination that traces how the world has arrived at its current configuration of states, alliances, conflicts, and institutions, and applies that historical understanding to the analysis of contemporary global politics. History provides the long view: the ability to understand events in their proper temporal context, to see how the present has been shaped by forces and decisions in the past, and to appreciate the contingency of arrangements that might otherwise seem inevitable. International relations brings that understanding into the present, examining how states and other actors interact, how international order is maintained, and what the prospects for peace, justice, and sustainable development look like.

At Nottingham Trent University, this programme is offered on a part-time basis and includes a sandwich year and a work placement, making it accessible to students with professional or other commitments alongside their studies. The sandwich year and placement give you the opportunity to apply the analytical and research skills you develop in a professional setting relevant to your interests, whether in the civil service, an NGO, a think tank, journalism, or the legal sector. Across the programme you will study historical periods and topics in depth, developing the archival, analytical, and writing skills that history demands, while also engaging with the theories and empirical debates of international relations, including security studies, international political economy, and human rights.

The combination rewards students who want to understand the world both longitudinally and in its contemporary complexity.

The degree develops research rigour, strong written argument, and the ability to contextualise current events within broader historical patterns.

Graduates work in the civil service, international organisations, journalism, the NGO sector, law, education, think tanks, and policy research. Many proceed to postgraduate study in history, international relations, law, or public policy. The combination of historical depth and international awareness is particularly valued in roles concerned with global affairs.