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History and International Relations

  • BSc (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Sandwich
  • 14 September 2026
  • Undergraduate
Main Site
More about Aston University, Birmingham

Course options

2026-20272027-2028
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Course summary

Ready to grow your understanding of the world we live in and learn about our past to build a better future?

Course outline

The BSc (Hons) History and International Relations programme is an excellent choice for those looking to broaden their horizons and make the most of their potential. It perfectly balances contemporary history with international relations to introduce you to topics such as nationalism, state-building and inter-state relations.

You will delve into topics such as the history of war and peace along with religious and ethnic conflict. The programme offers plenty of opportunity to gain practical experience through field trips and the integrated placement year. You will dig through local archives to practice first-hand research to provide you with a flying start to your career.

Key benefits

  • Power up your future – Develop the skills employers around the globe look for. Gain an edge in a fast-changing world and thrive in your career with Aston Power Skills.

  • Excellent experience - Ranked 1st in the UK for ‘student experience’ (History; Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025)

  • Quality teaching - Ranked 2nd in the UK for ‘teaching quality’ (History; Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025)

  • Highly ranked - History at Aston University was ranked 8th overall in the UK (Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025)

  • Safe in our hands - Ranked 4th in the UK for ‘student-to-staff ratio’ (International Relations; Guardian, 2025)

  • Top teachers. 98% of students felt positive about the teaching on their course (History programmes; National Student Survey, 2024).

  • Opportunity to grow. 97% of students felt positive about the learning opportunities available to them (History programmes; National Student Survey, 2024).

  • Earn more – Our graduates are among the highest paid in the country, earning on average £35,400 five years after graduating (Longitudinal Education Outcomes, 2024)

  • Gold standard teaching – Aston University was awarded Gold – the highest possible rating for the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF, 2023)

Where can this degree take me?

The transferable skills that our history and international relations programmes provide mean that our graduates are successful in finding employment in a wide range of roles such as:

  • Academic librarian

  • Archivist

  • Broadcast journalist

  • Conservation officer

  • Editorial assistant

  • Civil service administrator

  • Human resources manager

  • Museum education officer

  • Policy officer

  • Solicitor

  • Teacher

Our graduates have gone on to work at companies and public sector organisations such as IBM, Interserve, Capgemini, Virgin Active and the BBC.

Modules

For a full list of modules and course objectives, visit the course page on Aston University's website: https://www.aston.ac.uk/study/courses/history-and-international-relations-bsc

Assessment method

For more information on how this course is assessed, visit the course page on Aston University's website: https://www.aston.ac.uk/study/courses/history-and-international-relations-bsc

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Main Site

Study options

  • BSc (Hons) • Sandwich • 4 Years

Start dates

  • 14 September 2026

Apply by
14 January

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
VL12
Institution code:
A80
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-
Points of Entry:
Year 1

Aston University, Birmingham has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
VL12
Institution code:
A80
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Open days

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff
Not accepted

A level
BBC - BCC

BBC: Standard offer //

BCC: If student is also presenting either Core Maths or Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) grade B . Or eligible for Contextual offer (more details https://www.aston.ac.uk/undergraduate/contextual-offer-aston-ready)

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
DDM

The University also accepts the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate/BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma and BTEC Level 3 National Diploma/BTEC Level 3 Diploma for entry onto degree programmes, provided that they are studied in combination with other qualifications that are equivalent to three full A2 Levels.

Access to HE Diploma
D: 15 credits M: 30 credits

We accept the QAA-recognised Access Diploma which must consist of 45 credits at Level 3. You must obtain a minimum of 15 Distinctions and the rest must be at Merit or Distinction. Please note that we do not accept the English and Maths components within the Access qualification and you must meet the GCSE entry requirement.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
29 points

5,5,4 in 3 higher level subjects

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE English Language/Literature and GCSE Mathematics are required at minimum grade C/4.

T Level
D

All applications are considered on an individual basis and the whole application is reviewed carefully, including previous and predicted qualifications, experience, reference and your motivation to study the course. Whilst the grades listed here are our entry requirements, we understand that predicted grades are only an estimate. We will therefore consider applicants with predicted grades that fall below these entry requirements if the application is of a high standard. However, any offer made will not be lower than stated above. Entry onto our Foundation Year maybe offered as an alternative to the degree course if lower entry grades are achieved.

Aston University welcomes applications from students with a wide range of qualifications from the UK and overseas, including combinations of qualifications. If your qualifications are not listed here and you wish to check whether they meet the entry requirements for this course, please contact the university.

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

Aston Ready is our contextual offer scheme that could reduce your undergraduate offer by one or two grades. Assessed at the point of application, there are no additional forms to fill in. Details of eligibility criteria can be found on our website.

Learn more on the Aston University, Birmingham website

Historical entry grades data

This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).

It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.

Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Per year tuition fees

LocationFeeYear

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

*On 20 October 2025, the Government announced that tuition fees in England for Home students will be increased annually in line with inflation, starting in 2026. The Government have since confirmed that it intends to determine the inflation-linked increase using the Retail Price Index, although this is subject to parliamentary approval. According to the Department for Education’s Policy Paper published on 26 November, the annual tuition fee for the Programme commencing in the academic year 2026/7 is expected to be £9,790, subject to parliamentary approval. If you are holding an offer at Aston, when the annual tuition fee for your Programme for the 2026/27 academic year has been confirmed, we will write to update you. We will also provide as much information as we can about the inflation-linked increase in tuition fees for future academic years. The duration of your programme is set out at the top of this webpage and you will be responsible for the payment of an annual tuition fee in each of these years. The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually in accordance with its Terms and Conditions (https://www.aston.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-11/aston_university_undergraduate_terms_of_enrolment_20262027.pdf) and subject at all times to the maximum tuition fee caps set by Government from time to time. This means that your total tuition fee may be higher than stated above. An increase in fees will allow the University to cover the increased costs of delivering the course and ensure it is able to maintain high standards of education and facilities.
**For international fee payers, the University reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually in accordance with its Terms and Conditions (https://www.aston.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-11/aston_university_undergraduate_terms_of_enrolment_20262027.pdf) and subject at all times to the maximum tuition fee caps set by Government from time to time. Please visit our website for more detailed information.

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