Bachelor of Arts - Modern History and Politics (LV21)

Students obtain a thorough grounding in the fields of modern history and politics, and will consider how the two disciplines can be integrated. They take an Introduction to Politics module alongside their history modules in the first year, and continue to combine modern history and politics modules in the second and third years. There is a range of relevant options to choose from in both departments and students choose to write their final-year dissertation in either politics or history. In their history modules students investigate the intersection of the ideas, cultures and economics of different people over the last 200 years of western history. They are introduced to the relationship between today’s ‘modern’ world, which assumes the significance of political liberty, global interdependence and sexuality, and events and ideas which originated in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Always seeking political cause and effect, the course casts light on aspects of life students might never ordinarily connect to politics and government. They investigate the scope of political science as a field of inquiry, and the methods used by political scientists, in order to explore questions concerning both what does occur in politics, and what should occur in politics.

Students study topics including:

• Democratic systems • Political power • Concepts in political science: state, laws, wars and political parties • The spread of communist-inspired revolutions in China, Russia, and Latin America • The origins and consequences of the Cold War

The Department of History has developed a strong research and teaching profile, with the majority of their research rated as ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ (REF 2014). They provide students with opportunities to explore local history, and have strong links with the Essex Record Office, one of the best county record offices in the UK. Students can also explore more international topics; their corridors are truly cosmopolitan, with an international research team and a high proportion of international students.

The Department of Government is one of the most prestigious in Europe, with an outstanding record of teaching, research and publication. They are rated top in the UK for research (REF 2014), and have consistently been the highest-rated politics department in the country since national assessments began.