BA (Hons) History & Politics

The programme can be undertaken full-time (three years across three levels) or part-time (four to six years across three levels). You take a total of 360 credits, 120 credits at each level.

Please note: The programme specification linked at the bottom of this page is for the 2020-21 academic year.

Year 1

For students entering in 2020

You take the compulsory Concepts and Methods module and choose one option module from the following: Dictators, War and Revolution; Religion, Peace and Conflict; or Self, Citizen and Nation. Each of these modules run for 20 weeks across the autumn and spring terms. You also select modules to the value of 60 credits from a list approved annually by the Department of Politics and International Relations.

Year 1 Modules (2020)	Module title	Credits
	Concepts and Methods in History Concepts and Methods in History 30 credits This core module introduces you to theories of history, methodologies and conceptual problems of advanced historical work from the ancient to the contemporary world. The module will help you acquire some of the fundamental skills involved in historical study – including writing at university level – as well as help you with online research, footnoting and compiling a bibliography. It consists of one lecture and seminar per week.	30 credits
	Dictators, War and Revolution Dictators, War and Revolution 15 credits This module has two broad aims: a) to introduce students to the discipline of political history, by analysing, in a comparative perspective, key modern political ideologies, developments and political leaders; and b) to provide, in addition to a theoretical foundation, a basic understanding of how the modern world has been shaped by dictators (e.g. Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini), wars (e.g. First and Second World War) and revolutions (e.g. French, Russian). The module will be divided into two blocks of five weeks: Block one: modern political ideologies Block two: wars OR revolutions OR dictators The topic for the thematic block and the particular lecture topics may vary from year to year, but the two-part structure will ensure that students are exposed to an array of methodological and empirical issues critical for the study of political history.	15 credits
	Religion, Peace and Conflict Religion, Peace and Conflict 15 credits This module explores the historical and contemporary role of religion in promoting peace and conflict through a case study drawn from a global context. The approach is interdisciplinary drawing on the fields of history, religious studies, and philosophy in an attempt to address the question of whether religion has been in the past - and remains today - primarily a cause of peace or conflict in society. The regions and periods chosen for study may vary from year to year but will normally include examples drawn from the West, the Middle East, and Asia. The module is divided into two blocks of five weeks. The first block comprises an introduction to the nature of religious belief and its role as a catalyst in promoting peace and conflict and also explores ethical teachings on pacifism and 'just war' theory. The second block is devoted to a case study. Students taking the module should gain an introductory, but insightful, comprehension of religious belief and its role in promoting peace and conflict. They will also be exposed to methodological questions of the kind involved in interdisciplinary and cross-cultural studies and be equipped to take more advanced and specialised modules relating to religion in specific historical and contemporary contexts. The module introduces students to the role played by religions in promoting peace and conflict in the past and their ongoing influence in this respect in the present. It contributes to the department's focus on cultural history in exposing students to the diversity of beliefs in different cultures and the way the interplay of religion and politics has shaped the evolution of societies in Asia and the West. It also makes a contribution to the department's work in the area of intellectual history and the history of ideas. Finally, it provides an initial trajectory for more advanced work on religious and philosophical themes in years two and three.	15 credits
	Self, Citizen and Nation Self, Citizen and Nation 15 credits Self, Citizen and Nation introduces students to the importance of intellectual and cultural history as a way of understanding themselves and the world around them. It contributes to the department’s core strengths in the history of ideas, philosophy, ethics, culture and sexuality. The course contributes to the department’s core strengths in intellectual and cultural history and provides an introduction to a number of topics that are explored in second/third-year options. The course consists of two thematic blocks, each focusing on the relationship between human beings and their surroundings. These blocks may alter on a year-to-year basis but will generally include two of the following topics: Humans and the natural world (the human body, the human mind, animals and birds, the rural and urban environments) Sex and sexualities (socio-economic, political and legal, religious and cultural, individual, and global dimensions) Early modern identities (emotions and the soul, the self, religion and identity, ethnicity and nationality, gender and sexuality) Emotions and bonds (love, anger, fear and wonder). Throughout students will engage with a wide variety of primary source material, including images, philosophical and literary texts, letters and works of self-reflection.	15 credits

For students entering from 2021 onward

You take both the Reading and Writing History module and the Historical Perspectives module which each run for 10 weeks in the autumn term. You also choose to take EITHER the Global Connections module OR the Historical Controversies module (both of which run for 20 weeks across the autumn and spring terms) OR you choose two 10-week option modules (both of which run in the spring term) from a list approved annually by the Department of History. You also select modules to the value of 60 credits from a list approved annually by the Department of Politics and International Relations.

See the full list of year 1 option modules (2021 entry onward).

Year 1 Modules (2021)	Module title	Credits
	Historical Perspectives Historical Perspectives 15 credits Historical Perspectives introduces and explores ‘historiography’, this being the history of the study of the past and the writing of history. Spanning a period from the Renaissance to the present day, the module examines key methods, theories, approaches, and writers so as to provide an introduction and orientation to the development and evolution of academic history. As academic history continues to develop, topics on the module will be updated in line with new perspectives. Core topics will be from a selection of the following: Antiquarian and Humanist approaches to history Leopold Ranke and ‘Rankean’ ideas about history Historical Materialism and Marxist interpretations of history Annales school techniques such as ‘Total History’ and ‘Microhistory’ Gender as a category of historical analysis Sexualities as an area of historical research Post-colonial and non-colonial histories Global History and challenges to Eurocentricity Postmodernism and ‘truth’ in history The History of Medicine and Medical Humanities The History of Emotions Black British History	15 credits
	Global Connections: the violence and exchanges that shaped the modern world Global Connections: the violence and exchanges that shaped the modern world 30 credits This module explores the multiplicity of contacts which have shaped the last half millennium of global history. Empire and religion, commerce and colonialism, race and space, and disease and healing all drove and moulded the encounters between distant cultures that created our modern world. This module explores some of these global connections, from trade and the exchange of goods and ideas, to practices of violence and resistance. The module will introduce students to core and emerging debates and approaches within the field of global history. The module will contain five four-week blocks on various topics within modern global history. The History department will publish a list of five blocks each year, from at least the following: Germany’s African Road to the Holocaust Global Sports and the African Diaspora The Ottoman Empire in European History (De)Colonising Enlightenment Political Thought Mosquitos, Microbes and Empire Latin America and the World Market Travellers, Stories, Materials and Knowledges across Eurasia Colonialism, Anti-colonialism and Resistance in the Middle East and North Africa	30 credits
	or
	Historical Controversies Historical Controversies 30 credits This module introduces students to a range of historical controversies in order to engage them in a critical manner with competing perspectives on a range of different issues and events. The module will contain six three-week blocks on various sub-disciplines within history, including, social, cultural and political history, across different periods and geographic areas. Throughout, it will focus on work on historiography, considering issues such as: the influence of issues contemporary to authors on their writing; the impact of authors’ politics and/or wider values system on their work; the evolution of controversies over time; and theoretical explanations of controversies. In addition, it will take a comparative approach to controversies, with student assessment including an option to compare two historical controversies or to analyse one controversy in more depth. Lectures and seminars at the beginning and end of the module, and at the point of handover from one block to another, will discuss comparative themes. The History Department will publish a list of six blocks each year, from at least the following: Acts, Identities and the Origins of Homosexuality The Causes of the Russian Revolution The Greatest Whodunit in History: Who Caused the First World War? The Decline of the Liberal Party in the UK and the Rise of Labour Guilty Men? British Appeasement Policy and the Causes of the Second World War in Europe. The Ballot or the Bullet? Civil Disobedience in 1960s Protest Movements Revolutionary Movements in Latin America in the 1960s and 1970s Fire in Babylon: The New Cross Fire and the Black People’s Day of Action The Unnatural Disaster of Hurricane Katrina	30 credits

You will also take one of the following history modules. Each runs for 20 weeks across the autumn and spring terms. You also select modules to the value of 60 credits from a list approved annually by the Department of Politics and International Relations.

Year 1 History Options	Module title	Credits
	Dictators, War and Revolution Dictators, War and Revolution 15 credits This module has two broad aims: a) to introduce students to the discipline of political history, by analysing, in a comparative perspective, key modern political ideologies, developments and political leaders; and b) to provide, in addition to a theoretical foundation, a basic understanding of how the modern world has been shaped by dictators (e.g. Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini), wars (e.g. First and Second World War) and revolutions (e.g. French, Russian). The module will be divided into two blocks of five weeks: Block one: modern political ideologies Block two: wars OR revolutions OR dictators The topic for the thematic block and the particular lecture topics may vary from year to year, but the two-part structure will ensure that students are exposed to an array of methodological and empirical issues critical for the study of political history.	15 credits
	Religion, Peace and Conflict Religion, Peace and Conflict 15 credits This module explores the historical and contemporary role of religion in promoting peace and conflict through a case study drawn from a global context. The approach is interdisciplinary drawing on the fields of history, religious studies, and philosophy in an attempt to address the question of whether religion has been in the past - and remains today - primarily a cause of peace or conflict in society. The regions and periods chosen for study may vary from year to year but will normally include examples drawn from the West, the Middle East, and Asia. The module is divided into two blocks of five weeks. The first block comprises an introduction to the nature of religious belief and its role as a catalyst in promoting peace and conflict and also explores ethical teachings on pacifism and 'just war' theory. The second block is devoted to a case study. Students taking the module should gain an introductory, but insightful, comprehension of religious belief and its role in promoting peace and conflict. They will also be exposed to methodological questions of the kind involved in interdisciplinary and cross-cultural studies and be equipped to take more advanced and specialised modules relating to religion in specific historical and contemporary contexts. The module introduces students to the role played by religions in promoting peace and conflict in the past and their ongoing influence in this respect in the present. It contributes to the department's focus on cultural history in exposing students to the diversity of beliefs in different cultures and the way the interplay of religion and politics has shaped the evolution of societies in Asia and the West. It also makes a contribution to the department's work in the area of intellectual history and the history of ideas. Finally, it provides an initial trajectory for more advanced work on religious and philosophical themes in years two and three.	15 credits
	Self, Citizen and Nation Self, Citizen and Nation 15 credits Self, Citizen and Nation introduces students to the importance of intellectual and cultural history as a way of understanding themselves and the world around them. It contributes to the department’s core strengths in the history of ideas, philosophy, ethics, culture and sexuality. The course contributes to the department’s core strengths in intellectual and cultural history and provides an introduction to a number of topics that are explored in second/third-year options. The course consists of two thematic blocks, each focusing on the relationship between human beings and their surroundings. These blocks may alter on a year-to-year basis but will generally include two of the following topics: Humans and the natural world (the human body, the human mind, animals and birds, the rural and urban environments) Sex and sexualities (socio-economic, political and legal, religious and cultural, individual, and global dimensions) Early modern identities (emotions and the soul, the self, religion and identity, ethnicity and nationality, gender and sexuality) Emotions and bonds (love, anger, fear and wonder). Throughout students will engage with a wide variety of primary source material, including images, philosophical and literary texts, letters and works of self-reflection.	15 credits

Year 2

You have a free choice of modules to the value of 60 credits from a list approved annually by the Department of History. Some modules, worth 30 credits, run for 20 weeks across the autumn and spring terms and other modules, worth 15 credits, run for 10 weeks, some running in the autumn term and others in the spring term. You also take the Modern Political Theory module and have a free choice of modules to the value of 30 credits from an approved list provided by the Department of Politics and International Relations

Up to 30 credits can be a ‘related studies’ module taken in another Goldsmiths department and up to 30 credits can be a University of London Intercollegiate Group II module from a list approved annually by our partner institutions. Partners include: Birkbeck; King’s College London; Queen Mary; Royal Holloway; University College London.

See the full list of year 2 History option modules

Year 2 Compulsory Module	Module title	Credits
	Modern Political Theory Modern Political Theory 30 credits On this module, you will be introduced to several major thinkers in the modern history of political thought. It will begin with those individuals usually taken to be the founders of the modern discipline such as Machiavelli, Hobbes and Locke, moving on to explore the eminent critics and defenders of the Enlightenment and European capitalist modernity such as Rousseau, J.S. Mill, Hegel, Marx, and Arendt, and culminate in an examination of two leading figures from the Global South, namely, Gandhi and Fanon. In the process of reading these thinkers’ seminal texts, we will tackle key themes and concepts addressed in their writings such as republicanism, sovereignty, justice, human nature, natural rights, liberty, property, democracy, equality, citizenship, revolution, alienation and violence. In addition to providing students with an introduction to a series of thinkers who have decisively impacted the way we understand politics today; the module will lay out a more critical vantage point on what is conventionally taken to comprise the “canon” of Western political thought. Assessing thinkers such as Locke, Mill, Hegel, Marx and Arendt through a “decolonial” lens, it takes seriously those issues which have often been neglected and overlooked in the study of the history of modern political thought, such as slavery, settler colonialism, patriarchy and gender, race and racism, as well as imperialism and domination. This “decolonial” approach to modern political theory aims to recast the classic thinkers of Western political thought in a new light, as well as place them in conversation with thinkers from the Global South who for the most part have been either ignored or intentionally excluded from the discipline.	30 credits

Year 3

You complete a 30-credit dissertation project and then have a free choice of modules to the value of 90 credits. You can elect to choose 60 credits from the Department of History and 30 credits from the Department of Politics and International Relations or, conversely, choose 60 credits from the Department of Politics and International Relations and 30 credits from the Department of History.

As part of their History credits, students can elect to take a 60-credit Special Subject module (including dissertation) or a 30-credit Special Subject module (excluding dissertation) from a list approved annually by the Department of History or from a list of University of London Intercollegiate Group III Special Subject modules approved annually by our partner institutions. Partners include: Birkbeck, King’s College London, Queen Mary, Royal Holloway, University College London.

See the full list of year 3 and Special Subject History modules

 

Teaching style

The programme is cumulative and progressive, with knowledge and skills building on previous years and growing year on year. Basic skills and competencies are delivered in the first year which sets the broad agenda for the programme as a whole. In the second year, the modules contain increasingly challenging and demanding material which provides the foundations for the significant independent scholarly work required and undertaken in the final year.

Teaching may be delivered in the form of lectures and seminars or other forms of contact time such as extended seminars, workshops, field trips, and film screenings. Lectures introduce subject specific skills and understandings and provide the basis for discussions, activities, group work, and debates. Seminars linked to lectures provide a space for further exploration of the lecture topics and materials and they reinforce the knowledge gained from the lectures and from independent reading and studying. Seminars also involve field-trips and site visits to relevant places including museums, galleries, archives, and sites of historical interest.

Throughout the programme students are taught to critically engage with the inter-relationship between history and Politics. In the final year, this interdisciplinary knowledge, understanding, skill, and experience is tested through the compulsory dissertation project. The variety of theoretical and empirical material throughout the programme, covering a wide range of topics, periods and regions, provides students with the opportunity to pursue their own interests while examining and interrogating the linkages between the two disciplines. Under close co-supervision, students develop a substantial and sustained individual project in which they form and present their own critical arguments in an extended format. In the context of this joint degree, students are required to produce a genuinely interdisciplinary piece of work that reflects their abilities to analyse and assess historical evidence, their awareness of political ideas, methods, and concepts, and a knowledge of relevant empirical work and debates in each discipline.

Lecturers also make themselves available for tutorials either during their Consultation and Feedback hours or by appointment. These provide opportunities to ask questions about modules and their content, to receive support and guidance on independent work, and to receive feedback on submitted work.

The following information gives an indication of the typical proportions of learning and teaching for each year of this programme*:

• Year 1 - 13% scheduled learning, 87% independent learning
• Year 2 - 13% scheduled learning, 87% independent learning
• Year 3 - 11% scheduled learning, 89% independent learning

How you’ll be assessed

A wide and innovative variety of different methods are used to assess learning, these include essays, reviews, source analyses, blogs, videos, walks, presentations, exams, and dissertations. Some modules are assessed by portfolios of coursework, or by a combination of coursework and an examination. Others are assessed by long essays or dissertations on topics approved with the tutor. Assessments vary in length according to the type of assessment and/or level of module.

Assessment supports student progression across the programme, as assessments in the first year aim to measure a set of baseline skills and competencies which are enhanced, deepened and broadened in subsequent years. Lecturers return assessments and provide useful and constructive feedback in a timely manner so as to ensure that students learn from the feedback and have the opportunity to improve subsequent work.

The following information gives an indication of how you can typically expect to be assessed on each year of this programme*:

• Year 1 - 69% coursework, 31% written exam
• Year 2 - 81% coursework, 19% written exam
• Year 3 - 100% coursework

*Please note that these are averages are based on enrolments for 2018/19. Each student’s time in teaching, learning and assessment activities will differ based on individual module choices. Find out more about how this information is calculated.

Credits and levels of learning

An undergraduate honours degree is made up of 360 credits – 120 at Level 4, 120 at Level 5 and 120 at Level 6. If you are a full-time student, you will usually take Level 4 modules in the first year, Level 5 in the second, and Level 6 modules in your final year. A standard module is worth 30 credits. Some programmes also contain 15-credit half modules or can be made up of higher-value parts, such as a dissertation or a Major Project.

Download the programme specification. If you would like an earlier version of the programme specification, please contact the Quality Office.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

We accept the following qualifications:

A-level: BBB
BTEC: DDM
International Baccalaureate: 33 points overall with Three HL subjects at 655
Access: Pass with 45 Level 3 credits including 30 Distinctions and a number of merits/passes in subject-specific modules
Scottish qualifications: BBBBC (Higher) or BBC (Advanced Higher)
European Baccalaureate: 75% preferably including History
Irish Leaving Certificate: H2 H2 H2 H2

Additional requirements

At Goldsmiths we offer innovative and challenging degrees in history, as well as a stimulating environment amongst a diverse and exciting community of students. Many of our students have achieved very high A-level grades, and that is reflected in our standard A-level offer.

But above all we're looking for potential students who can demonstrate the range of skills, talents and interests necessary for this work, either through traditional A-levels or otherwise. We believe that all able students of whatever age and background who have the ability should have the chance to study at Goldsmiths, and we actively encourage applications from students with a wide range of relevant qualifications, especially the access diploma. We also offer a year 0 (foundation year) for students who need more preparation and experience before embarking on the BA. This is a longstanding commitment and practice. Consequently, over many years, a large number of our students have come from non-traditional backgrounds.

If you're interested in applying to Goldsmiths, whether you're currently studying or have been out of education for some time, we'd be delighted to hear from you. If you'd like further advice or have specific questions, please get in touch with the Admissions Tutor listed above.

Given the range of students that the programme is designed to attract, applicants may be asked to attend an interview, where the following criteria are evaluated:

• reasons for applying to study this particular degree
• reasons for applying to Goldsmiths
• background knowledge/expectations of the discipline(s)
• intellectual potential and analytic skills
• ability to express ideas verbally and engage in debate
• motivation to complete the programme

Performance at interview can alter the usual criteria for entry on a case-by-case basis.

International qualifications

We also accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.0 with a 6.0 in writing and no element lower than 5.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for degree-level study.

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2020/21 academic year.

• Home - full-time: £9250
• Home - part-time: £4625
• EU - full-time: £9250
• EU - part-time: £4625
• International - full-time: £16390

If your fees are not listed here, please check our undergraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time if you require a Tier 4 student visa, however this is currently being reviewed and will be confirmed in the new year. Please read our visa guidance in the interim for more information. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries, and our careers service can also offer advice on finding work during your studies. Find out more about funding your studies with us.

Career-orientated Skills

Equipping graduates with the flexibility, skills, and confidence needed to achieve their ambitions and ensuring that all students have clear opportunities to develop within, and beyond, their curriculum (through, for example, work placements and overseas study) are essential components of this degree programme.

History and Politics and International Relations are both very transferable disciplines and, in combination, they offer graduates a great many exciting and prosperous career options.  Students who have studied the BA History and Politics programme could pursue careers in politics, business and management, central and local government, education, heritage, publishing, journalism, the museum sector, charities and non-governmental organisations, PR and communications, Social research organisations, and think tanks.

A wide array of transferable skills is acquired throughout the programme. All modules foster skills in: effective reading; critical analysis and evaluation; assessment of arguments, ideas, and evidence; independent thinking and working; academic writing within a specified word-limit; group-working and collaboration; designing and delivering presentations; and creating a wide variety of outputs and materials. Students learn how to: effectively manage their time and their timetable; meet deadlines, to sensibly and pragmatically schedule time and activities; present themselves with self-assurance and confidence. Information and resource management skills are developed and honed as part of wider research processes and a wide range of library and IT skills are also delivered.

Links with employers, placement opportunities and career prospects

The departments of History and Politics and International Relations establish and foster a range of partnerships with some of the leading historical, political, and cultural organisations in London and beyond, including the Black Cultural Archives, the George Padmore Institute, English Heritage, Historic England, Historic Royal Palaces, the Horniman Museum, the National Archives, and Queer Britain.

Students on the BA History and Politics programme can choose to undertake the Department of History’s work placement module, History in Practice. The module runs for two terms and, in the first term, students prepare for their placement through a series of classes and workshops on public history, museum studies, and working in archives and libraries. Students also choose their placement partner and visit them to identify and plan the activities they will be undertaking during their placement. The placement itself takes place in the second term of the module and consists of one day per week at the placement partner. Students continue to be supported throughout by the module convenor and, at the end of the module, are assessed on the work they have undertaken with the placement organisation.

In addition to the resources provided by the programme and by the department, the Goldsmiths Careers Services offer significant support to students as they pursue their career, with general support in such areas as preparing a CV and interview skills, as well as bespoke events that work in partnership with the degree programme.

You can explore more of the career options open to you after graduation on our dedicated History and Politics careers pages. Find out more about general employability at Goldsmiths.