Modern and Contemporary History

The Modern and Contemporary History degree at Aberystwyth University covers the period from the French Revolution to the present day. It explores an era marked by mass participation, whether in politics, war or culture. It illuminates the contradictions of modernity - characterized by utopian experiments and their often nightmarish outcomes, by the proclamation of human rights, genocide and ethnic cleansing, and by the promise of reason, science and technology.

By choosing to study this degree scheme, you will benefit from the broad range of expertise of our modern Historians whose work spans the globe. Learn about the impact of the two world wars, about imperialism and decolonisation, Asia’s journey through the modern age and the great changes to life and society that have occurred in our recent past.

Why study Modern and Contemporary History at Aberystwyth University?

• History has been taught in Aberystwyth since 1872, making our department the most established in Wales and one of the foremost in Britain.

• Our teaching is innovative, research-based and designed to develop students’ transferable skills in areas such as analysis, interpretation and communication, which prepares them for a wide range of careers.

• You will be taught by experts who specialise in a wide range of modern and contemporary topics, from Asian migration in the modern world and Media and Society in twentieth century Britain, to Weimar Germany and the Third Reich.

• As an Aberystwyth History student, you will have full use of the National Library of Wales, one of the five Copyright Libraries of the UK and Wales’s leading archive repository.

• As part of your degree, you will have the opportunity to study abroad at a partner university, to undertake Heritage sector work placements and to plan for your future career.

Our modules are designed to provide you with a broad range of political, social, economic and cultural history themes from many eras and several continents. With an emphasis on cultivating a supportive learning environment, that includes one-to-one tutorials and small group teaching, we will help you realise your passion for the past. Through varied assessment that includes both written and oral work, we will also provide you with the personal skills to communicate that passion effectively. All our lecturers are active researchers who publish their work regularly, and we ensure all students feel part of that research community.

In addition to a fine University library, as a History student at Aberystwyth you will have access to the National Library of Wales. One of only five copyright libraries in the United Kingdom, with over six million books, maps, prints and manuscripts, it is situated within a five-minute walk of the Department. You will find this especially valuable when studying your special subject and writing your dissertation in your final year.

What are our graduates doing now?
Our graduates have been successful in securing a profession in many different fields, including:

• education

• law

• archiving

• publishing

• politics

• the Civil Service

• media

• the armed forces.