Contemporary Military and International History

From wars of propaganda to weaponry and intelligence, explore the conflicts that have shaped society over the past 250 years with our international and military history degree. You’ll delve into topics as diverse as terrorism and intelligence, and can specialise in modules that cover a broad range of specialist subjects concerning the history of contemporary warfare and conflict.

As your studies progress, you’ll expand your knowledge of major trends relating to war and diplomacy over the last two centuries. From the Georgian period to the modern-day, you’ll choose from a range of optional modules designed to explore the political, economic and cultural dimensions of war, as well as the relations between states around the world.

What’s more, in the second and third year of your course you’ll have the opportunity to gain a wealth of real-world experience by pursuing study abroad or as part of one of our industry placements – both of which designed to give your CV the boost it needs to stand out in a competitive job market.

You will:

• Explore major trends relating to war and diplomacy during the last two centuries

• Gain hands-on experience and develop a wide range of transferable skillsets required for a variety of professional careers

• Have the opportunity to study abroad for some, or all, of your second year

Course Modules

Year one

• International History (1) 1890-1945

• International History (2) 1945-Present

• Introduction to Contemporary Military History (1)

• Introduction to Contemporary Military History (2)

• The Cold War

• Making Public History

Year two

• Age of Revolution: International History 1775 - 1914

• Themes and Theories of War

• Researching in History

Optional modules may include:

• Air Power and Modern Warfare

• Regimes and Dictatorships from 1918

• Armoured Warfare

• Intelligence, Security and Politics in Britain 1909-94

• Commemoration and Memorialisation from the Twentieth Century to the Present

• US Political History

Year three

• Dissertation

Optional modules may include:

• The First World War

• Britain and the European Resistance 1939-45

• British Counter-Insurgency Since 1945

• Photography and Conflict in the 20th and 21st Centuries

• The Pacific War, 1937-45

• Intelligence and Cyber Warfare

• Chinese Foreign Policy Since 1949

• Politics and Contemporary History Placement

• American Conflict in History and Memory

Assessments will be an important part of your academic journey. They will help you to refine crucial skills that you can transfer into your career, as well as give you an indication of which areas you need to improve on. You will be assessed through a variety of methods, such as essays, presentations, podcasts, literature reviews, and portfolios. You will get feedback for each module as you progress, prior to taking your final assessment.