International Relations and History with a Year Abroad

International Relations and History explores big questions of state formation, globalisation, human rights, security studies, or peace and conflict and asks how past events shape today’s world. You will learn about theories of International Relations and real-world case studies alike, such as wars and revolutions, decolonisation, or migration in the past and present. You will also cover history through subjects including women’s history and gender, memory of war and conflict, and race and racism.

Studying this degree course opens up a range of exciting career opportunities by helping you develop skills such as working with primary sources, applying concepts to real-world scenarios, and interpreting complex events, which are all highly valued by employers.

During your International Relations and History course you will have a personal tutor for any pastoral and academic support you may need. The student societies Politics and International Relations (PAIR), the Society of Ancient Studies and the History student society organise a range of social and cultural events in addition to talks from practitioners.

The degree structure is flexible, offering a wide range of specialist modules, including global justice and human rights, the Global South in IR, Shaping Planet Earth, Global Environmental Politics, Empire and Nationhood, or Covert Wars, which allow you to tailor your degree to suit your future career goals.

Highlights of the degree include:

• The Parliamentary Studies module that is delivered in collaboration with the House of Commons;

• the experiential learning module ‘Global Summit Simulation’ in which you can try out your negotiation skills and work on solutions for selected global challenges;

• Researching Politics and IR or Researching History – project based learning experiences in which you conduct research on topical questions and present your findings to your peers.

This programme includes opportunities to undertake Semester or Year Abroad, spent in locations such as Hong Kong, China or Singapore or North America, enhancing your learning and offering invaluable life experience. This course also offers you the opportunity to spend a Year in Industry, in the UK or overseas, enabling you to gain valuable workplace experience. The University advocates for paid-only placements, which on average have a salary of over £20,000. Unpaid placements are considered on a case-by-case basis.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: International Relations in a Changing World; The Colour Line: Race and Racism in World Politics; War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; From Facts to Fake News: Being a Historian in the Twenty-First Century; Making Modern Europe, 1789 to the Present; Forging a Nation: US History and Politics; Global Challenges and the Historian.

In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Anarchy and Order: Theories in International Relations; Global Justice and Human Rights in the Age of Globalisation; The Practice of History; Philosophy of the Enlightenment; The State and Political Institutions; America in a Nutshell: A History of Pennsylvania from William Penn to Donald Trump, 1631-2016; The Making of Transatlantic America.

In Year 3: Modules will be dependent on which partnership University you choose to study at.

In Year 4, you will typically study areas including: History Dissertation; Dissertation; Senedd Cymru/The Welsh Parliament; Philosophy, Mental Health and Illness; Parliamentary Studies; Capitalism and Justice; Monarchy: Ancient and Medieval; The Russian Civil War; The Placing of History: Digitally Mapping the Historic Past; The Lights that Failed: the League of Nations and International Peace 1919 -1939; The Hungry World: Food, Famine and the End of Empire, 1880-1945.

Throughout your undergraduate International Relations and History with a Year Abroad BA (Hons) degree, you will develop excellent research and analytical skills and learn to present your ideas effectively both verbally and in writing.

We offer a variety of assessment methods within our programmes. In addition to traditional examinations and essays, examples of alternative assessment include:

• Reading diary
• Literature/ article review
• Case study
• Critical review

For a full breakdown of course structure and assessment please visit our course page https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/social-sciences/politics-philosophy-international-relations/ba-international-relations-history/ or get in touch with us at study@swansea.ac.uk