BA History and International Relations
About this course
BA (Hons) in History and International Relations is a combined degree exploring how past events and global affairs shape the modern international system. Core topics include Research Methods, Historical Research, Critical & Analytical Thinking, and Social & Cultural Analysis. Students can choose to study this course over three years full-time. The first year introduces foundational social and political sciences, contemporary challenges, and subject-specific topics. The second year examines historical methods, theoretical approaches to international relations, and offers optional modules covering climate politics, colonialism in Africa, global racism, Fascist Italy, gender and sexuality, insurgency, the Middle East, national intelligence, South Asia, state and revolution, and struggles for emancipation. The final year centres on an independent dissertation and advanced research skills, alongside optional studies in topics such as crisis and society, the Arab-Israeli conflict, digital media and social movements, EU politics, great power competition, political economy, primary sources, the Second World War, slavery and abolition, terrorism, and conflict in eastern Africa.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A level: BBB IB: International Baccalaureate Diploma 30 points. GCSE English equivalent SL 5 or HL 4
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Admissions (2022 entry, home applicants)
Offer rate 88%: 23 offers from 26 applications, from the university's Freedom of Information return.
What students say
Based on about 10 final-year students who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 89%
- Learning opportunities: 84%
- Assessment and feedback: 89%
- Academic support: 95%
- Organisation and management: 91%
- Learning resources: 73%
- Student voice: 73%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 15 students who started, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Continued on course: 80%
- Gained a higher qualification: 5%
- Left higher education: 5%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 10%
What graduates do next
Based on about 12 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 70%
- Working and studying: 10%
- Further study: 5%
- Unemployed: 10%
Most common jobs
- Sales occupations: 25%
- Elementary occupations: 25%
- Teaching and Childcare Support Occupation: 15%
- Protective service occupations: 10%
- Administrative occupations: 10%
- Find their work meaningful: 60%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 35%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 45%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 50 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- East Midlands: 5%
- East of England: 15%
- London: 55%
- South East: 15%
- South West: 5%
Who gets in
Based on about 10 students who started (a small group: a rough guide only)
- A levels: 100%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Bronze overall, Bronze for student experience, Bronze for student outcomes.
Modules
- Fundamentals of the Social Sciences
- Special Subjects A
- Contemporary Challenges
- Special Subjects B
- Historians and their Craft
- Theories of International Relations
- Climate Politics
- Colonialism and Decolonization in Africa
- Colonialism, Migration and Global Racism
- Fascist Italy, 1919-1945: Revolution, Conflict and Collapse
- Gender, Sexuality and Feminism
- Insurgency and Counter-insurgency
- Middle East: Societies, Religion and Politics
- National Security Intelligence
- South Asia: Cultures, Societies and Development
- The State and Revolution
- Struggles for Emancipation
- Dissertation
- Advanced Research Skills for Social and Political Sciences
- Apocalypse! Crisis and Society
- The Arab-Israeli Conflict
- Digital Media, Social Movements and Change
- Environment and Sustainability
- European Union Politics: Problems and Prospects
- Great Power Competition: Russia, China and the USA
- Lawyers, Guns and Money: Making the Modern World System
- Making the Social
- Marx and the Critique of Political Economy
- Political Economy of the Changing World Order
- Primary Source Workshop
- The Second World War
- Slavery and Abolition in the Atlantic World
- Terrorism and Counterterrorism
- Violence and Conflict in Eastern Africa
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA History and International Relations at Brunel University of London earn?
The median salary is £25,500 after 3 years, £32,500 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £26,500 and £40,000. The £32,500 median after five years is £2,000 more than the UK median for History.
What do graduates of BA History and International Relations at Brunel University of London do next?
85% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA History and International Relations at Brunel University of London?
89% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA History and International Relations at Brunel University of London?
The typical offer is BBB at A level, or 30 points in the IB. The average entrant had 97 UCAS points.
What is the offer rate for BA History and International Relations at Brunel University of London?
88% of home applicants received an offer for 2022 entry: 23 offers from 26 applications, according to the university's Freedom of Information return.
How many students continue on BA History and International Relations at Brunel University of London?
80% of students continued into their second year, and 5% left higher education.