Curious about studying History and Politics - BA (Hons)at Leeds Beckett University? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
City CampusC
Full Time
Sep 2026
3 Year
How do past events shape today’s political decisions?
Explore pressing issues in contemporary politics on this BA History & Politics degree, including geopolitical rivalry, the impact of misinformation and social media, and the resurgence of right-wing populism. You’ll uncover the historical roots of today’s challenges by studying the rise of the nation-state, European imperialism, and the ideological conflicts of the 20th century. Together, these perspectives will help you to understand the forces shaping our society today — and the ideas that will define tomorrow. As part of this course, you’ll: * Examine how historical events and processes have shaped the modern world, its ideologies and political institutions * Understand how circumstances, chance, and human agency have affected global events and processes * Evaluate key concepts, methods, and approaches in both history and politics, then apply these to your studies with confidence and creativity * Learn to analyse primary sources and the writings of historians and political scientists * Investigate political theory and key issues around governance and international relations
Find out moreUnderstand today’s world through the lens of history and politics
By combining history and politics, you’ll develop the ability to analyse evidence, evaluate competing perspectives, and understand the historical context behind today’s political debates. You’ll explore the ideas, ideologies, institutions, and policies that shape societies while building the research, communication, and critical thinking skills valued across a wide range of sectors.
Building your future potentialAs a student in the School of Humanities & Social Sciences, you’ll be encouraged to think about your future career right from the start of your learning journey. Information and advice about relevant future career options is built into the first year of your degree. During your second and third years, you’ll be able to choose modules with live brief challenges – real projects designed by employers – and work placement opportunities.
Why study the BA History & Politics course at Leeds Beckett University?* Explore contemporary political issues through the lens of history, from conflict and climate change to democracy and global power * Bring your learning to life by contributing to real-world heritage and digital history projects, including initiatives such as the Leeds Blitz website * Develop transferable digital, communication, research, and analytical skills through a range of innovative assessments like podcasting, museum reports, and blog writing * Benefit from our strong partnerships with community organisations and opportunities to apply your learning beyond the classroom * Learn from expert academics whose teaching connects historical insight with modern political debate
4.4Leeds Beckett University is built for ambition, providing a space where academic minds come together to make great thing...
Political ideologies may be understood as frameworks of political understanding and commitment that are at the heart of political debate and have helped to shape the world we live in. You will explore the core ideas and beliefs of these major ideologies, to examine debates within and between ideologies, and to develop your own critical thinking in this area. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
Understand the nature and structure of the international system, and how modern states evolve and develop. Consider the evolution of the 20th Century States System, beginning with the decline of pax-Britannica, the inter-war crisis, the emergence of pax-Americana, the establishment and design of key international institutions, the Cold War, the end of the Cold War, rise of non-state actors, globalisation, the decline of the west and the rise of China, the ongoing economic crisis and democratisation. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
Investigate some of the major developments considered to have shaped the modern European world. Your studies will take a thematic approach, looking at topics such as the Enlightenment, political and industrial revolutions, changing class structures and gender relations, and Europe's often violent encounters with the wider world. You will establish a knowledge-base of key elements of European modernity and a chronological framework for further study. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
Politics is fundamentally concerned with governance, which involves making and implementing collective decisions and rules. You will see how this involves a range of actors and institutions and is not just a matter for government or the state. UK governance will be the main focus but the United States will also be referred to in a comparative approach. You will also see how governance operates at multiple levels, not just within a national framework. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
Gain an introduction to the major political, social, and cultural developments in 20th-Century Europe. You'll adopt thematic and comparative approaches to the study of European societies to build a useful framework for understanding modernity to post-modernity during this period. You'll study a number of key areas including the impact of the two world wars upon Europe, the rise of totalitarian dictatorships and the efforts at peace-making across the continent. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
An opportunity to study the role of the public historian and others in creating and using historical knowledge in non-academic environments, such as heritage sites and on television. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
Review the recent history of British foreign policy starting in 1945. You'll explore contemporary debates regarding Britain's place in the world following Brexit. This module will cover topics such as the British empire and its legacy, the development of the Commonwealth, the UK's key strategic relationships with the United States and the European Union, and Britain's role in systems of global governance. During your study, you'll investigate key decision-points in post-war British foreign policy including the Suez crisis, entry into the European Community, the Falklands War, negotiations over the status of Hong Kong, the Iraq War and Brexit. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
Your studies will be divided into two parts. In the first you will study the varied approaches historians use to study the past. In the second, you will be supported by a member of staff to develop a viable dissertation proposal. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
This module will provide an advanced introduction to current debates about the persisting relevance of colonialism to thinking about politics today. It will introduce you to the critical theoretical literature around ‘coloniality’ and race from post-colonial and decolonial perspectives and applies these ideas to contemporary political issues. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
You can choose either History & Politics Dissertation or Working With the Past Major Project. You can also choose to study eitheer Policy Making (Politics) or Making Sense of British Politics (Politics).
You'll demonstrate a full range of skills, knowledge, and competencies developed over three years of study. This module provides an opportunity for you to choose and explore a field of study that has particularly engaged your interest. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
You can choose either History & Politics Dissertation or Working With the Past Major Project. You can also choose to study eitheer Policy Making (Politics) or Making Sense of British Politics (Politics).
Working independently with guidance from a supervisor, you'll produce an original piece of primary source research. This could be a digital or public history output which will enable you to develop and showcase key employability skills. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
You can choose either History & Politics Dissertation or Working With the Past Major Project. You can also choose to study eitheer Policy Making (Politics) or Making Sense of British Politics (Politics).
Explore the operation, practice and context of contemporary policy making at the national level. Examine the actors, mechanisms and practice of policy making, and the drivers of policy change, via a focus on specific case studies. You will engage with key decision making theories and models of the policy process, exploring how institutional analyses and other theoretical approaches help to understand the complexity of the policy process. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
You can choose either History & Politics Dissertation or Working With the Past Major Project. You can also choose to study eitheer Policy Making (Politics) or Making Sense of British Politics (Politics).
Recent years have seen British politics navigating multiple seismic and systemic events, from the 2008 financial crisis and the following period of austerity, to Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. This module will help you to make sense of British politics in these era-defining moments by charting its most significant developments over the last century. You'll examine the current condition of Britain and consider the key issues and challenges faced in British politics today, as well as how British politics might develop in the future. In covering the past, present, and future of British politics, you'll gain a detailed understanding of its key actors, institutions, processes and ideologies. You'll also build techniques for critical analysis and develop your own evidence-based arguments about the subject. Optional modules may also be available for this course.
