History and International Relations (BA)

This course meets the rising demand to study the history of the twentieth century alongside international relations. It is a joint degree, offered by Birkbeck's Department of History, Classics and Archaeology and the Department of Politics, so students will be taught by world-class academics across two research-active departments. The course examines the global evolution of international relations, focusing on in-depth historical studies supported by political and sociological analysis. Students will take introductory modules in international relations and modern and contemporary history (particularly related to Asia and Africa) in the first part of their degree. Students will then take modules that offer both contemporary and historical approaches to Africa, Middle East, Asia (South Asia and East Asia in particular), as well as European countries. These choices are supported by a compulsory advanced module addressing conflict and war through the lens of international relations theory, as well as option modules on foreign policy and historical studies of cases which have been central to the development of international relations such as the Cold War.