Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - History and Politics (VLD2)

Address some of the contemporary world's most pressing problems and explore their roots in the past with University of Reading's BA History and Politics. Discover a thousand years of history while experiencing all the specialist areas on offer at the University of Reading. The Department of History's expertise covers a wide and diverse range of regions, from Europe and Africa to America, South Asia and the Middle East. Module choices cover diverse periods and topics, from the Crusades to the 1960s, slavery in America to Tudor monarchy, and Cold War Berlin to medieval magic.

In first year, core modules will explore people, politics and revolution – finding out how people struggled for power in past societies – and the culture and concepts those societies developed. This joint degree enables students to address contemporary issues and trace them back to their historical roots.

By studying politics, students will acquire a strong grounding in the fundamental elements of the subject such as political ideas and democratic processes. Study a wide range of specialist core and optional modules, which cover topics such as British government and politics, European political integration, and political thinking.

Placements are a prominent feature of this degree course and are highly encouraged. Through Reading's links with the Careers Centre, students can source potential employers and help with CVs and letters of application. Staff in the History Department also have close links with the University’s Institute of Education, Museum of Rural English Life (MERL) and Special Collections (archives), and with external organizations such as Cliveden House, English Heritage, Reading Museum, Reading Borough Library and the Berkshire Record Office.