About this course

Learn how we make sense of past events, ideas and problems with this 4-year dual honours degree. With our BA Modern History and politics degree, you'll learn how society organises itself and makes decisions, and study issues like international security, migration and globalisation. The chance to study modern history and politics abroad at a partner university will expand your knowledge and prepare you for a range of careers.

Modern History at Southampton challenges you to critically interpret histories of societies. The study of politics encourages you to explore people’s organisation and behaviour.

You'll spend your third year at a partner university. You can choose from locations in Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea or Australia.

On this course you can:

study the modern history of an extraordinary range of places, from Western Europe and the Americas, to Africa and South Asia
examine the rare artefacts from the university’s own collections, as well as take part in guided visits to other museums and galleries
learn about democracy, the modern state, comparative politics and international relations

We regularly review our courses to ensure and improve quality. This course may be revised as a result of this. Any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when, and how we might make changes.

Our courses are regulated in England by the Office for Students (OfS).

Course location

This course is based at Avenue.

Awarding body

This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.

Download the Course Description Document

The Course Description Document details your course overview, your course structure and how your course is taught and assessed.

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ODT

Download 2024-25 Course Description Document

Entry requirements

A-levels

AAB including an essay writing subject*

A-levels additional information

Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking. *Essay writing subjects include English, Philosophy, Politics, Law, Criminology, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation, Latin or other humanities based essay writing subjects. Students applying without History will need to make a case in their personal statement.

A-levels with Extended Project Qualification

If you are taking an EPQ in addition to 3 A levels, you will receive the following offer in addition to the standard A level offer: ABB including an essay writing subject* and grade A in the EPQ

A-levels contextual offer

We are committed to ensuring that all applicants with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise an applicant's potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.

or

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Pass, with 34 points overall with 17 points at Higher Level, including 5 at Higher Level in an essay writing subject*

International Baccalaureate Diploma additional information

Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking. *Essay writing subjects include English, Philosophy, Politics, Law, Criminology, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation, Latin or other humanities based essay writing subjects. Students applying without History will need to make a case in their personal statement.

International Baccalaureate contextual offer

We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.

International Baccalaureate Career Programme (IBCP) statement

Offers will be made on the individual Diploma Course subject(s) and the career-related study qualification. The CP core will not form part of the offer. Where there is a subject pre-requisite(s), applicants will be required to study the subject(s) at Higher Level in the Diploma course subject and/or take a specified unit in the career-related study qualification. Applicants may also be asked to achieve a specific grade in those elements. Please see the University of Southampton International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme (IBCP) Statement for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.

or

BTEC

Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC National Extended Diploma plus A in an essay writing subject*. Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC National Diploma plus A in an essay writing A level subject* Distinction in the BTEC National Extended Certificate plus A in an essay writing subject* and A in one further A level

RQF BTEC

We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.

Additional information

Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking. *Essay writing subjects include English, Philosophy, Politics, Law, Criminology, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation, Latin or other humanities based essay writing subjects. Students applying without History will need to make a case in their personal statement.

QCF BTEC

Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC Extended Diploma plus A in an essay writing A level subject*. Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC Diploma plus A in an essay writing A level subject* Distinction in the BTEC Subsidiary Diploma plus A in an essay writing A level subject* and A in one further A level

We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.

or

Entry requirements filter options

Other requirements

GCSE requirements

Applicants must hold GCSE English language (or GCSE English) (minimum grade 4/C) and mathematics (minimum grade 4/C)

Got a question?

Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000

Course structure

Your course modules will reflect how modern history and politics complement, cut across, and underpin each other. You'll study compulsory and optional modules in each year.

You can broaden your studies beyond history and politics by choosing:

interdisciplinary modules from other subjects
language modules

You do not need to choose your modules when you apply. We'll guide you through the process before you start.

Year 1 overview

Your compulsory modules will introduce key concepts in history and politics. You’ll look at different periods in world history, how they have been defined, and how this affects the way that history is written and understood. You’ll also be introduced to political theory and international relations.

Optional topics in History will immerse you in the critical study of modern historical episodes and themes. These include death in Victorian Britain, the history behind programmes like Downton Abbey, and the war on terror.

Year 2 overview

You’ll deepen your understanding of specific regions, periods, or themes in history. You’ll also develop research skills in politics and international relations.

You’ll have a wide choice of module options on topics including the making of modern India, Chinese politics, urban nightlife, and migration.

Year 3 overview

You’ll spend a year at one of our partner institutions. You can choose from locations in Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea or Australia.

Alternatively, you can arrange an approved work placement instead.

Year 4 overview

You’ll research and write your dissertation on a topic that interests you. This is a chance for you to practise your planning and analytical skills and engage with primary source materials.

You can also choose specialist module options on the Holocaust, the Vietnam war, and the ethics of public policy.

Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.

Modules

The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.

For entry in academic year 2025 to 2026

You must study the following modules in year 1:

Engaging Political Ideas

Students should gain a knowledge of how political ideas - such as freedom, equality, justice, or democracy - have been understood in different and incompatible ways, and how those different understandings have been the occasion for ideological or normativ...

History Matters (Object, Image, Text)

History is not just about studying written documents and sources; historians examine the ‘stuff’ of history, including objects, images, and buildings which were made and used by people in the past. We can also ‘read’ these sources, if we know how to appro...

Introduction to International Relations

• Introduce students to the study of structures, actors and policy processes in international politics • Enable students to distinguish between competing explanations of international relations • Develop students’ ability to restate arguments and apply ...

Political Systems

This module provides an introduction to the study of politics and the key concepts and theoretical approaches in comparative politics. Pre-requisite for PAIR2031, PAIR2037, PAIR3039 and PAIR3046

World Histories Introduced

In this history department, we have historians working on periods from the ancient world to the contemporary moment, covering the whole world (and beyond!) and working on themes like gender, politics, environment, and technology. This module covers a rang...

You must also choose from the following modules in year 1:

A (Dis) United Kingdom? Myth and Reality in British Politics

Recent referenda on UK withdrawal from the European Union and Scottish withdrawal from the UK appear to have brought simmering tensions in politics on these islands to the fore - or perhaps even created a newly polarised politics. Moreover, while support ...

Antisemitism and Islamophobia in modern European history

Reports about the growth antisemitic and Islamophobic speech and acts regularly make the headlines in Europe and globally. In the case of antisemitism, this has led to accusations that left-wing antizionism or postcolonial migration are to blame for the r...

Arabic Language Stage 1A

The aim of every language course at the University is to enable you to communicate in your target language (TL) at that particular level and in your particular area of interest. We use the word ‘communicate’ in its widest sense, meaning that you will not ...

Chinese Language Stage 1A

The aim of every language course at the University is to enable you to communicate in your target language (TL) at that particular level and in your particular area of interest. We use the word ‘communicate’ in its widest sense, meaning that you will not ...

French Language Stage 1A

The aim of every language course at the University is to enable you to communicate in your target language (TL) at that particular level and in your particular area of interest. We use the word ‘communicate’ in its widest sense, meaning that you will not ...

From Shah to Ayatollah: The Establishment of the Clerical Power in Iran (1979 to Today)

The 1979 Revolution unexpectedly established a clerical regime in Iran for the first time in its history. What were the roots and consequences of this Revolution? This module surveys this history from an anti-Shah movement initiated by university students...

German Language Stage 1B

The aim of every language course at the University is to enable you to communicate in your target language (TL) at that particular level and in your particular area of interest. We use the word ‘communicate’ in its widest sense, meaning that you will not ...

Political Texts

Politics Book Club

This module examines some of the concrete political challenges of our time through the use of key texts chosen by staff members who work in the relevant fields. We will spend two weeks on each text, with two lectures giving a precis of the main arguments ...

Putin and the Politics of Post-Soviet Russia

This module provides an overview of major political, social and economic developments in Russia since 1991, and how they have been informed by a sense of Russian history. After the fall of the Cold War, Russia has found that it is no longer a superpower, ...

The Crimean War

The Crimean War (1853-56) was the most important Great Power conflict fought between the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and the outbreak of World War One in 1914. Yet its causes are uncertain and the way it was fought was often paradoxical: modern te...

Twentieth-Century China

Few nations had a more dramatic experience of the twentieth century than China. Over the course of this module you will learn about the tumultuous political events of the era - from the fall of the once mighty Qing empire, to China’s descent into chaos du...

Who is Anne Frank?

‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ is the most widely read non-fiction book in the post-war world. The author has become a symbol of Jewish suffering during (what we now term) the Holocaust and a figure emblematic of all victims of the Second World War. Indeed she...

Learning and assessment

The learning activities for this course include the following:

lectures
classes and tutorials
coursework
individual and group projects
independent learning (studying on your own)

How you'll spend your course time:

Study time

Your scheduled learning, teaching and independent study for year 1:

17%

Scheduled learning & teaching

83%

Independent learning

How we'll assess you

dissertations
essays
individual and group projects
written and practical exams
written exams

Your assessment breakdown

Year 1:

10%

Written exam

69%

Coursework

21%

Practical exam

Academic support

You’ll be supported by a personal academic tutor and have access to a senior tutor.

Course leader

Eleanor Quince is the course leader.

Careers

96% of our History graduates were in employment or further study within 15 months of graduating, according to the most recent Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2021/2022 (published in 2024).

You’ll graduate with transferable skills including the ability to:

assess evidence and arguments
present your opinions clearly and concisely
work independently or as part of a group
manage your time and workload effectively

Careers with a history degree include:

archivist
heritage manager
historic buildings inspector
conservation officer
museum education officer
museum/gallery curator
museum/gallery exhibitions officer
secondary school teacher
lawyer

Careers services at Southampton

We are a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you. This support includes:

work experience schemes
CV and interview skills and workshops
networking events
careers fairs attended by top employers
a wealth of volunteering opportunities
study abroad and summer school opportunities

We have a vibrant entrepreneurship culture and our dedicated start-up supporter, Futureworlds, is open to every student.

Fees, costs and funding

Tuition fees

Fees for a year's study:

UK students pay £9,250.
EU and international students pay £23,400.

The Government has recently announced changes to UK tuition fees from September 2025 onwards. We will update our website to reflect this shortly.

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fees pay for the full cost of tuition and standard exams.

Find out how to:

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.

Explore:

Bursaries, scholarships and other funding

If you're a UK or EU student and your household income is under £25,000 a year, you may be able to get a University of Southampton bursary to help with your living costs. Find out about bursaries and other funding we offer at Southampton.

If you're a care leaver or estranged from your parents, you may be able to get a specific bursary.

Get in touch for advice about student money matters.

Scholarships and grants

You may be able to get a scholarship or grant to help fund your studies.

We award scholarships and grants for travel, academic excellence, or to students from under-represented backgrounds.

Support during your course

The Student Hub offers support and advice on money to students. You may be able to access our Student Support fund and other sources of financial support during your course.

Funding for EU and international students

Find out about funding you could get as an international student.

How to apply

When you apply use:

UCAS course code: VL13
UCAS institution code: S27

Apply for this course

What happens after you apply?

We will assess your application on the strength of your:

predicted grades
academic achievements
personal statement
academic reference

We'll aim to process your application within 2 to 6 weeks, but this will depend on when it is submitted. Applications submitted in January, particularly near to the UCAS equal consideration deadline, might take substantially longer to be processed due to the high volume received at that time.

Equality and diversity

We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.

Got a question?

Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000

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