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Available with:

  • Foundation Year


Course Summary

Embark on a journey through time and across borders with our combined honours degree in Global Affairs, Politics and International Relations with History. This multidisciplinary course, offered at our renowned institution, is meticulously crafted to weave the rich tapestry of historical events with the dynamic complexities of today's global political landscape. 

You will dive into the pivotal moments and movements that have shaped the world. You will scrutinise the birth and evolution of nations, the formulation and fallout of treaties, and the rise and fall of empires, all while gaining an acute understanding of current international relations and global political strategies. This fusion of history with contemporary global affairs equips you with a profound perspective and the analytical skills to understand and influence the future. 

Our curriculum is designed to challenge and inspire. Through engaging lectures, stimulating seminars, and hands-on research projects, you will explore the interplay between historical events and modern-day international politics. Our distinguished staff team, renowned for their expertise and research, are not just educators but mentors dedicated to nurturing your intellectual growth and professional development. 

Beyond the classroom, the course offers experiential opportunities, study abroad options, and access to influential networks, providing a platform for real-world experience and professional exposure. This degree is not just an academic pursuit; it's a launchpad for a career in diplomacy, international organisations, academia, or any sector where an in-depth understanding of global affairs and history is paramount. 

What You'll Study

The Law, Humanities and Social Sciences Foundation Year route offers you an important preparation year as part of your four-year degree.

Humanities and Social Science subjects, you will explore people and societies and their beliefs, cultures, power structures, stories and narratives, as well as critical inquiry into societal issues and global affairs with contemporary and historical perspectives.

  • Term 1: Introduction to Humanities & Social Sciences
  • Term 2: Global Issues, Cultures & Texts
  • Term 3: Research & Critical Inquiry

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

In your first year of study, you will develop an understanding of Global Affairs, the key questions and challenges in the world, why these matter and who is affected.  

You will study patterns of globalisation in the past and present, questioning Western and universalised approaches to world political, cultural, social and economic history through an examination of Eastern and Southern-led processes. Students will develop critical thinking, understanding the creation of the world system through processes of unequal power, violence and oppression contrasted with new and emerging technologies and broader change. You will interrogate the big questions in global affairs and international relations, exploring the theoretical lenses of international relations with the practice in world politics, enabling a deeper consideration of how the world might be understood and transformed. You will learn to decode global affairs, becoming empowered with the analytical and methodological tools required to comprehend how major global events are portrayed and re-presented in the media, news, documentary, film and academic texts. You will learn to unpack, and critically assess the narratives and representations surrounding significant international occurrences, doing so methodologically, and placing these in context and the valuable skills of political communication. You will explore key concepts, political ideas and key thinkers that underpin political and economic thought, enabling you to make sense of political ideas associated with industrialisation and modernity and how those developments have influenced political relationships between countries across time. It will provide students with the critical and reflective skills to be able to participate in the social, political and ideological nature of contemporary global debates. 

There are also History core modules at each level of study which give you the chance to explore the past in both breadth and depth. You will explore the past to allow them to prepare for your future through topics covering a thousand years of local, national and international history. Our inclusive curriculum means that you will challenge existing narratives about the past and will be encouraged to think critically about how and why these narratives have developed. You will also explore important themes and issues relating to race, diversity, gender, imperialism, conflict and climate change. Through the study of the past, we can make sense of our present and start to think about how to work together to shape our future. 

At Level 4 you will explore historical debates about the nature and writing of history.

Modules

The module is organized into two interlinked Streams, both of which students will complete.

In Stream 1, students are introduced to the foundational ideas, theories, and developments of Globalization Past and Present through a comprehensive, international perspective on world political, cultural, social, and economic history. This segment reorients discussions of globalization to include perspectives from the peripheries of the world system, offering a critical framework for understanding globalization as a longstanding historical process rather than a recent phenomenon. Students will examine pivotal moments in global history, exploring how advancements and discoveries have driven societal transformations while also being marked by significant imbalances in power, inequality, and conflict. This stream encourages students to challenge Western-centric and universalized narratives by examining globalization through Eastern and Southern-led experiences and viewpoints. Analyzing globalization from historical and contextual angles, the module addresses issues such as underdevelopment and global disparities, which are fundamental to understanding politics and international relations. Students will explore the long-standing global forces shaping today’s world, approaching globalization from diverse perspectives. Topics include:

  • Core theories of globalization—World Systems Theory, Dependency Theory, and various layered approaches from international relations to analyze globalization
  • Three primary perspectives on globalization: Hyper-globalists, integrationists, transformationalists, and regionalists
  • Global economic history: colonial expansion, trade, and early capitalism
  • The Silk Routes, fur trade, and slave trade as catalysts of early global change: Who financed industrialization?
  • The rise of industrialization and its opposite: deindustrialization and the beginning of the "Great Divide"
  • Encounters with globalization in the South Pacific: the cultural significance of gifting in Polynesian societies
  • Chinese globalization: Confucianism, communism, and the role of copper in trade
  • Indigenous perspectives within the global system: examining marginalization
  • South Asian globalization forces: from the “sweatshops of the world” to a manufacturing powerhouse
  • Latin American views on globalization: coffee economies, the Chavez legacy, and communism

In Stream 2, students will investigate "What's in the News?"

This stream equips students with analytical and methodological skills to understand how major global events are represented and reconstructed across a variety of sources including news, documentaries, film, and academic sources. Students will deconstruct, examine, and critically evaluate the narratives and portrayals surrounding major international events, with an emphasis on methodological analysis. Students will explore dominant and alternative representations to question why and how certain perspectives are emphasized over others and how the methodologies used can determine those representations.

Weekly sessions centre on “What’s in the news?” as a means to interpret, decode, and assess current global events. This approach helps students develop research methods techniques and practices, critically evaluate sources (across a wide range of methods), and construct well-supported arguments using various types of documentary evidence, policy statements, academic texts and a range of methodological approaches. Through this stream, students build essential methodological skills in global affairs, including critical analysis, and the academic approaches central to Global Affairs and International Relations.

History Wars will introduce you to the different ways people have conceived of History and the ongoing debates about what History is and how it should be done. During the module we will transform your perception of what History is and how we make History. By the end of the module you will be well on your way to becoming historians equipped to redefine History and who are trained in the skills and methodologies of cutting-edge, independent research.

Our Lectures will focus on key themes in the way History has been defined and on key issues at the heart of how we do History, such as the relationship between the past and History, the nature of historical truth, the status of sources, the idea of facts or events, and others, opening a wide range of perspectives.

Your Seminars will discuss focused contributions to debates on these themes and issues by particular historians, examining in depth through small group activities.

On completing this module you will emerge equipped with a broad knowledge and understanding to inform your analysis of historians writing about particular times and places on your optional modules and for your dissertation. Through the Seminars and smaller group discussions you will adjust to university, build community and lay a foundation in the transferable skills required across the course.

This module is designed to introduce students to both the theory and practice of economic thought from a global perspective. In the first half of the module students will examine the history of economic thought through tracing the progress of economic ideas over time and learn about the work of some of the most influential economists that have shaped global affairs. In the second half of the module students will apply these economic ideas and thinkers to specific country case studies and compare the economic systems and approaches in different regions of the world. Indicative content will include:

  • Mercantilism, Physiocracy, Classical Economics, Marxist Economics, Neoclassical Economics, Keynesian Economics, The Austrian School
  • Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus, David Ricardo, John Stuart Mills, Jeremy Bentham, Karl Marx, John Maynard Keynes, Alfred Marshall, Joseph Schumpeter, Milton Freedman, Joseph Stiglitz
  • Market Capitalism, Communism, Transitional Economies, Developing Economies, New Traditional Economies
  • USA, Japan, France, Sweden, Germany, Russia, Poland, Hungry, Yugoslavia, Slovenia, China, India, Mexico, Iran

In this module you will examine political ideas such as freedom, equality, justice and democracy that have shaped today’s world. You will develop knowledge of the major concepts and ideas underlying political thought which primarily emerged out of and are associated with western political traditions. These ideas will be unpacked and explored through key thinkers and case studies in this module from classical to contemporary political thought. Indicative ideas may include power and freedom, democracy and rights, equality and justice, individual and state, security and militarism, gender, sexuality and queerness, race and nation, and class and capitalism. Students will learn to critically analyse and apply these ideas in both institutional and organisational analyses and through case study scenarios.

Indicative case studies rooted in the European context may include movements such as Just Stop Oil, Black Lives Matter, and the #MeToo Movement. Global Surrogacy; security approaches such as UK Immigration policy; UK National Security policy; Global tobacco control; environmental justice such as UK Climate Coalition; Just Stop Oil; or Fracking.

Indicative institutions within the European context include government and political institutions and European institutions, elections, political parties and interest groups, constitutionalism, bureaucracy and public service, policy-making, civil society and social movements.

You now have the opportunity to pick an optional module to learn a new language or build on your existing language skills as part of your degree. You can choose:

  • Subsidiary Language for Beginners (choice of German, Italian or Spanish)
  • French: Intermediate Language Development
  • Spanish: Intermediate Language Development
  • Chinese: Intermediate Language Development
  • German: Communication in Practice
  • French: Communication in Practice
  • Spanish: Communication in Practice

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

In your second year of study, you will be immersed in the most important contemporary challenges in global affairs, with opportunities for experiential learning throughout the year, and a placement either in the UK or abroad in the third term.

You will study global conflict, security and peacebuilding and have opportunities to engage with specialist practitioners working in protracted conflict around the world, seeing inside the missions that work on building peace and engaging with the practices that transform conflict. You will study International trade, power and diplomacy to understand the economic, cultural, political, diplomatic and societal relationships that combine to shape our world. You will explore global development considering global historical and contemporary injustices have created contemporary development inequalities, and learning about what makes a real transformational impact and how to do that through a series of professionally directed assignments. You will engage with the philosophies, theories and ethics beyond the West and the relationship of the West and non-West in geo-politics in both the past and present, learning to consider ‘whole world’ thinking as you engage with global challenges and problem-solving to create solutions that have impact.

Finally, you will engage in researcher, practitioner and professional development to enhance your theoretical, applied and professional skills in the field of global affairs. 

At Level 5 in history, on Rethinking History and Challenging History you will select historical case studies from different periods and places to explore how to rethink and challenge existing interpretations.

Modules

This module will introduce students to a range of theories, ideas and processes related to international trade from several perspectives: economic, historical, political and international. Students are shown how international trade and commercial relationships impact, alter and create political and social connections. Student learn how political, social and cultural institutions play a large role in facilitating these arrangements, and how relationships develop and change over time. The exercise of power in international relationships, ad its impact on trade and through the form of economic diplomacy is explored through the module.

The content will include topics such as:

  • The origins of international trade
  • The creation and role of the World Trade Organisation and other international organisations
  • Barriers to trade (tariffs and quotas, political)
  • International Trade Agreements and disagreements
  • Regional integration areas
  • The role of currencies and exchange rates
  • Globalisation and finance
  • Global crisis and their effects on trade
  • Economic diplomacy and trade
  • Economic destabilisation and trade
  • Changing power in international trade: The rise of China, India, Brazil
  • Effects of and constraints of international trade on development and environment

The aims of the module are to:

  • Enable student appreciation of the role and relevance of international trade and international politics and their relationship to one another.
  • Facilitate student understanding of the economic rationale behind the existence of international trade.
  • Ensure student appreciation of the complexity of commercial relationships and their inter-relationship with political systems and with power in the international arena.
  • Facilitate an appreciation of the changing nature of international trade over time and in terms of institutions, instruments, agreements and countries' roles.
  • Enable application of theory to practice.

Modules

This module provides students with an in-depth understanding of contemporary geopolitics, critical political ideologies, and influential leaders from a global perspective. Designed to broaden students’ knowledge of international relations and political thought beyond Western-centric paradigms, it equips them with the analytical tools and critical thinking skills needed to engage with the complex dynamics of current global affairs.

Through this course, students will explore key geopolitical theories, foundational concepts, and historical legacies, including the impact of colonialism and the Cold War. They will examine power centres and regional dynamics across various regions—such as the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America—and gain insights into security, economic, environmental, technological, and humanitarian dimensions of geopolitics. Additionally, the module presents alternative perspectives on international relations by examining non-Western political leaders, ideologies, and movements that have shaped both regional and global politics.

The content will include:

  • Introduction to Non-Western Political Thought: Overview of the module, defining key concepts, and the significance of studying non-Western political ideas.
  • Alexander Dugin and Eurasianism and Multipolarity: Explore the political ideology of Alexander Dugin and its impact on Russian foreign policy; Eurasian geopolitics and Multipolarity.
  • Hugo Chávez and Bolivarianism: Examine the political ideas of Hugo Chávez, the founder of Bolivarianism in Latin America, and their influence on regional politics.
  • Seretse Khama and African Leadership: Study the life and leadership of Seretse Khama, the first President of Botswana, and his contributions to non-violent struggle, African independence and democracy.
  • Xi Jinping and Chinese Political Thought: Analyse the political thought of Xi Jinping and its role in shaping China's domestic and international policies, multilateralism and the new global order.
  • Regional Case Studies: Investigate additional non-Western political leaders and ideas from diverse regions, such as Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

The Module aims are: 

  • Foster a comprehensive understanding of Global Affairs and International Relations by exposing students to diverse political ideas, leaders, and ideologies from both Western and non-Western contexts, encouraging a nuanced perspective on global politics.
  • Develop students' critical thinking and analytical skills as they examine the historical, cultural, and ideological contexts that shape contemporary geopolitics and international relations.
  • Equip students with the theoretical knowledge and practical research skills necessary to assess the roles, strategies, and impacts of major state and non-state actors in global politics.
  • Encourage students to engage in informed discussions, contrasting non-Western and Western political thought, to contribute thoughtfully to the discourse on global affairs and predict future geopolitical trends.

If you are on an Equal Weighting or a Major Weighting in History

History at Work will introduce you to the ways in which History is employed in a range of professional contexts – schools, museums, and the media – and provide you with experience of applying History to those contexts. During the Module we will explore the professional frameworks, government legislation, professional bodies, and ethical codes which structure the application of History in these contexts. Along the way, we will meet with professional practitioners to discuss their role, career routes, and experiences of working in these contexts.

Our interactive Lectures will focus on the policy and regulatory frameworks, confronting crucial problems in the intersection between education, heritage, the media, and equality and diversity.

Your small group activities will focus on dissecting those policy and regulatory frameworks, helping you to devise your own, improved professional framework.

By the end of the Module, building on the knowledge and understanding you developed in History Wars of how definitions of history relate to contexts and audiences, you will have a foundation to become a public historian who is professionally informed and experienced, having produced a real world, authentic professional document. This will prepare you for Curious Chester, where you will work to an external brief to produce a professional public history resource and reflect on your professional experiences.

If you are on an Equal Weighting or a Major Weighting in History
Fake History and Conspiracy Theories will introduce you to the ways in which the past and present have been misrepresented in a variety of chronological and geographical contexts. You will be challenged by a range of historical sources revealing the complex nature of historical truth, propaganda, misrepresentation and censorship.
 
You will be encouraged to reflect on how the past is preserved, taught, understood and evaluated. Notions of ‘truth’ and ‘fact’ will be debated, and, in seminars, students will develop their critical thinking skills, to analyse and discuss different realties and the consequences of how history has been preserved and represented. 
 
By the end of the module, you will be better historians, and better citizens, more capable of rooting out misinformation and ‘fake news’, able to open-up a historical problem for further research, as well as produce more persuasive evidence-based arguments.

If you are on a Minor Weighting in History

On Rewriting History, you study an historical subject from a specific chronological and geographical setting. You will work with a members of staff to re-evaluate what historians have argued about those subjects, and to produce your own histories.

There will be a choice of subjects from which to select your preferences, which may include the following:
• The Vikings – A Local-Global Diaspora
• Witchcraze
• Fear City: Danger, Disorder, and Culture in the Modern Metropolis
• The Holocaust

During this module you will consider how historians have defined the subject, what they have argued about the causes and consequences of the subject, what evidence they have deployed to support their arguments, and how convincing you find their approaches and conclusions.

Along the way you will hone the skills you developed from Global Histories, History Wars, Pre-Modern Movements and Modern Spaces in analysing historical arguments, and constructing your own historical answers.

If you are on a Minor Weighting in History

On Challenging History, you will study an historical subject from a particular different chronological and geographical setting. You will work with a member of staff to re-evaluate what historians have argued about those subjects with a special focus on the primary sources, and you will develop your own analyses of those sources.

There will be a choice of subjects from which to select your preferences, which may include the following:
• The Age of the Black Death
• Europe in the Age of Reason and Absolutism, c. 1660 to c. 1780
• Seeking the Promised Land - Black America, 1865-1977
• Imperial Endings: Britain in the Colonial and Post-Colonial Age

During this module you will consider how historians have approached the subject and its sources, how they have used the evidence to support their arguments, and how convincing you find their analyses.

Along the way you will hone the skills you developed from Global Histories, History Wars, Pre-Modern Movements and Modern Spaces in using primary evidence and constructing your own historical answers.

By the end of the Module, you will be well on your way to becoming a historian who is chronologically aware, historiographically well-informed, and curious, and who is trained in the skills and methodologies of cutting-edge, independent research.

This module is designed to equip students with the essential skills and knowledge required to excel in research, practice, and professional life. Emphasising a transdisciplinary approach, experiential learning and practitioner tools and approaches, the module aims to enhance critical thinking, research abilities, and practical skills essential for careers in Global Affairs, International Relations and related fields. Students will engage with theoretical concepts, practical and practitioner-based tools and applications, and professional development, with an emphasis on current global challenges and trends, enabling them to become informed, effective, and adaptable professionals. 

Indicative content includes:

  • In-depth analysis of contemporary global challenges, such as climate change, conflict resolution, humanitarian crises, and global health issues.
  • Examination of current geopolitical trends and their implications for international relations.
  • Case studies on the role of international organisations (e.g., UN, IMF, World Bank) and regional organisations in addressing global issues.
  • Analysis of real-world policy documents, international agreements, indicators and schematics.
  • Use of qualitative and quantitative tools and information eco-systems for research, practice and professional work.
  • Communication skills for effective writing, public speaking, and international negotiations.
  • Intercultural awareness and competency to navigate diverse international environments.
  • Ethical decision-making and the importance of professional ethics

This module provides a structured, university-level work placement for 4, 5 or 7 weeks as one continuous block / period with a placement provider (i.e. industry apprioprate sector). It is designed to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting.

The placement can either be organised by you or with support from university staff.

All work placements within this module must be university-level; this means:

  • Undertaking high-skilled work commensurate with level 5 study (e.g. report writing, attending meetings, delivering presentations, producing spreadsheets, writing content on webpages, social media, marketing services/products etc)
  • Physically placed (albeit part of it can be hybrid) within an employer setting in one continuous block / period for 4, 5 or 7 weeks for a minimum of 140-147 hours over the course of the entire work placement

Where applicable, your existing part-time employer can be approached/used as the placement provider, if the high-skilled work.

  • criterion above is fulfilled for the full duration of the placement.
  • All quality assurances/agreements provided by the University are adhered to, by you and the employer.

The work placement context may not necessarily, reflect your degree discipline per se, but rather, it will give you an enriched experience to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting.

The Level 5, 40-credit modules require a basic foundation of knowledge of your chosen language e.g. GCSE or equivalent,  a Level 4 module in the same language or equivalent previous learning. This module includes an optional placement abroad, such as an intensive course at a partner university. You can choose:

  • Advanced Language Development and Global Sustainability (choice of German, French or Spanish)
  • Upper Intermediate Language Development and Global Employability (choice of Chinese, French or Spanish)
  • Post Beginner Language Development and Global Cultures (choice of German, Italian or Spanish)

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

In your third year of study, you will refine your research, applied and professional skills in Global Affairs, Politics and International Relations, with opportunities to dive deep into specialised subjects and pursue an independent project aligned with your interests.

This year you will explore a range of modules including Africa in the World, where you will gain a nuanced understanding of African politics and international relations from "the inside", through the concepts, theories, paradigms and contexts in which the political, economic and social logic of Africa come together and which engage and challenge contemporary thinking and dominant thinking about politics and international relations. You will explore sustainability as a global challenge, that addresses the urgent need to balance economic wellbeing with social equity and the environment.

In Global Communication, you will critically analyse the strategies used in political communication, and their profound impact on global governance and power structures.

In International Political Economy you will investigate the intricate relationship between global politics and economics, and how power dynamics, trade policies and financial systems shape the world, offering fascinating insights into the forces that influence global prosperity and inequality and drawing on cases from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and our own place in the world.

You will undertake a major project in the field of Global Affairs, Politics and International Relations, with guidance from specialist researchers and practitioners with the option to choose the format of this and depending on your professional aspirations. You might choose a dissertation, a policy paper or a research article ready for publication.

The year will end with a professional conference showcasing your specialist knowledge and understanding to a wider audience. 

At Level 6 in history, on History at the Cutting Edge, you will select a case study of a particular historical period or place and work to analyse this with particular reference to the original primary sources.

 

Modules

If you are on an Equal Weighting Minor Weighting in History

History at the Cutting Edge will engage you in analysing an unsolved historical problem with which one of our staff is engaged, opening up the historiography through the Secondary Sources to ask new questions and interrogating the Primary Sources to provide new answers.

You will select an historical problem from those on offer each year, spanning the pre-Modern and Modern periods. 

Our Lectures will draw on our knowledge and understanding of the problem to help you review what has been written, break down the problem into logical steps, and identify the relevant evidence.

Your Seminars and small-group activities will involve active, critical discussion and analysis of what has been written and of the evidence to develop new ideas.

Building on your experiences in optional modules across the Course, by the end of the Module you will have advanced experience in applying the skills and methodologies of cutting-edge, independent historical research and argument.

If you are on an Equal Weighting Major Weighting in History

The History Dissertation Module supports you to identify your own historical episode or topic on which to pursue an independent research project.

Our Lectures will focus on the main elements and steps required for a successful independent research project and poster presentation of the results.

Our supervision Tutorials will support you to apply those steps to your own chosen historical episode or topic.

Your project must reflect a thorough grounding in the relevant Secondary Literature and you must use an appropriate and significant range of Primary Sources in your research.

You may take a variety of approaches to the project, including: an in-depth historical analysis based on archival and Primary Sources; an historiographical approach based on extensive critical analysis of Secondary Sources; or an approach based on public or applied history, including placements.

After completing your independent project, you will produce poster presentations of your results to be exhibited in a final celebration of your research.

By the end of this Module, having applied the insights into interrogating historiography you gained from previous modules, including History Wars and Fake History and Conspiracy Theories, your experience of using Primary Sources to develop independent arguments from your History options, and your pursuit of an independent research project in Curious Chester, you will be an historian trained in the skills and methodologies of cutting-edge, independent research.

If you are on an Equal Weighting and Major Weighting in History

On the History Special Subject Part 1 you explore and study in-depth a specialist historical topic based on the academic specialisms of staff members.

  • There will be a choice of subjects from which to select your preferences, which may include the following:
  • The Norman Conquest 1066-1154
  • Court and Culture 1363-1477
  • Slaves, Samurai and Serpent-Gods: Empires of the Early Modern World
  • The British Wars and English Revolution, c. 1637 to c. 1660
  • Freedom, Rights and Justice - American Constitutional History Since 1789
  • Beauty and the Blitz: The Battle for Modern England (1800-2000)
  • Gritty City, Urban Wonderland: The Rise of the Modern Metropolis
  • The Culture of Defeat: Weimar Germany and the Legacies of the First World War
  • Genocide in History and Memory

This module enables you to develop a critical understanding of your subject, but also of ways that history can be delivered to an audience through an oral presentation.

By the end of the Module, you will have utilised skills relevant to a wide range of future careers including, but not limited to, those in teaching and heritage.

If you are on a Major Weighting in History

On the History Special Subject Part 2 you will continue to study the specialist historical topic you began in History Specialised Subject Part 1, placing greater emphasis on Primary Sources.

During the Module, you will develop a critical understanding of your special subject and its Primary Sources. You will also utilise digital tools to demonstrate how the subject and those Sources can be publicised to a wide audience.

By the end of the Module, you will have produced a digital resource for public and applied history, utilising skills relevant to a wide range of future careers including, but not limited to, those in teaching and heritage.

The quest to understand the contemporary politics and international relations of the African continent often appears elusive. That this should be so is not surprising since it has frequently been driven by a need to approach the complexities of the continent from an explanatory scheme that is congruent with Westernisation and liberalism and rooted in western epistemological traditions and experience. Instead, this module explores African politics and international relations from "the inside", through the concepts, theories, paradigms and contexts in which the political, economic and social logic of Africa come together and which engage and challenge contemporary thinking and dominant discourses about society, peoples, cultures, international relations and global affairs.

Content will include reference to: 

  • A postcolonial "African" critique of the disciplines of politics and international relations, the Global system, its origins and nature.
  • Africa in, and of, the Global South and BRICS and at the centre of Critical International Political Economy.
  • The Political Instrumentalization of Disorder - Modernity, Tradition, Power, Progress and Legitimacy in Africa.
  • The Postcolonial African State and Post-State - Political Thought and Philosophical Critique; the state as a Matrix; Crisis States, Collapsed States, New States, developmental and post-developmental states.
  • Being and Belonging: Origin and culture, land, ethnicity, religion, social class.
  • The Productivity of Economic and Political Failure: Migration, Trade and the Informal Economies of the African Sub-Regions; Debt, Trade and Aid; development and Post-Development.
  • Conflict, Peace and Justice in Africa - Restorative, Distributory, Reparative, Reconciliatory and Indigenous African Approaches and Practices.
  • Modernity: Africa as a critical site of modernity and legitimacy in the world.

The primary aims of this module are:

  • To provide a critical understanding of the historical, political and economic positionally of Africa, in and of the world, as seen through multiple paradigms, theories, concepts and contexts which shape our understanding.
  • To offer perspectives and insights that engage with, stand in contrast to, and challenge, dominant paradigms of the global North about politics and international relations, as seen through the lens of 'the other'.
  • To develop critical thinking amongst participants about the subject of inquiry.
  • To develop research capacity appropriate to level 6 of study and as foundational to success for postgraduate studies.

Following the seventeen sustainable development goals initiated by the United Nations in 2015, this module embedded the social, economic and environmental challenges we encounter in the next century to examine the intersection of crisis management, humanitarian action, and economic strategies for resilience and recovery. Students will explore critical themes, including disaster response, the role of humanitarian organizations, and the socio-economic challenges of recovery. It delves into how societies and international systems respond to disasters, both natural and man-made, and how these responses influence long-term recovery, peace, and economic stability. The module emphasizes the importance of sustainable and equitable recovery practices and encourages students to evaluate various international approaches to managing crises.

In this module, students will develop a deep understanding of the political, economic, and environmental factors that contribute to disasters and crisis, as well as analyse the short-term and long-term impacts of these crises on societies and global stability. They will critically assess the principles, roles, and ethical challenges involved in humanitarian responses, using real-world cases to explore the complexities and dilemmas inherent in delivering aid across diverse crisis situations.

Additionally, students will examine economic theories and development practices that promote sustainable recovery and resilience, with a particular focus on reconstruction strategies that address underlying social and economic vulnerabilities. By integrating theoretical frameworks with practical case studies, students will develop the skills needed to propose effective solutions for real-world crises, addressing both immediate humanitarian needs and the challenges of long-term resilience to crisis and economic development.

 Key Themes and Topics

  1. Understanding Crisis and Disasters

Definition and types of crises: natural disasters, economic collapses, pandemics, and political instability Root causes and contributing factors, including climate change, inequality, governance, and resource scarcity. The immediate and long-term impacts of crises on societies, economies, and international relations.

2. Humanitarian Response and Ethics

The principles of humanitarian action: neutrality, impartiality, and independence. The role of humanitarian organisations, NGOs, and international bodies in crisis response. Ethical dilemmas in humanitarian aid: intervention vs. sovereignty, short-term relief vs. long-term development.

3. Peace Economics and Post-Crisis Recovery

Economic theories and models for sustainable recovery. Reconstruction and development: rebuilding infrastructure, restoring economies. Case studies on successful and unsuccessful recovery efforts, examining factors that contribute to resilience.

4. Global Challenges and Emerging Issues in Crisis Management

The role of technology, social media, and big data in disaster response and recovery. Cross-border challenges. Climate adaptation and resilience planning in vulnerable regions

5. Big data and analysis

Use of data sets to understand resilience, disaster responses, and policy interventions to mitigate the negative impacts of the climate and disaster to the sustainable development

6. Amartya Sen and his model

Amartya Sen's model of development, known as the capability approach, focuses on the freedom of individuals to lead the lives they value. Sen believed that development should be measured by the extent to which it increases human capabilities, rather than by economic growth or technical progress.

The Major Independent Project in Global Affairs is designed to provide an opportunity for sustained and independent study in the final year of the Global Affairs, Politics and International Relations Programme. It intends to develop knowledge of, and critical insight into, a topic of the student's choice within the subject area under study. Students are enabled to undertake first-hand enquiry and encouraged to develop an analytical and reflective approach to the subject identified for study. The module aims to encourage the articulation of a critically informed perspective on the subject being studied. It also intends to enable the production of a coherent document of rigorous academic standards.

There are three routes within this module, each producing a major piece of written work through different methodologies and formats.

Route 1: Major Independent Project in Global Affairs: Dissertation

Route 2: Major Independent Project in Global Affairs: Policy Document

Route 3: Major Independent Project in Global Affairs: Field/Archival Immersion and Publishable Research Article

Each of these routes combine scheduled teaching and learning, individual supervision, and independent research. The number of hours for each, depend upon the route taken. In addition, those on the Field/Archival Immersion route will spend dedicated hours on this. The total number of hours for the module add up to 400.

The module concludes with a Professional Conference for students to showcase their work.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

How You'll Learn

This course is delivered in three terms of ten weeks each. In each term, you will study 40 credits comprised of either one or two modules. Within these modules, you will have the opportunity to specialise in areas that interest you the most.

If studied, the Foundation Year, as with the following years of study, will be taught in three 10-week blocks across an academic year. Each block will comprise of a large 40-credit subject-specific module that includes a breadth of topics and subject skills. You will have on average 12-14 hours of contact time per week during the Foundation Year. There may be variations to this where subject practical or specialist space teaching is included.

Scheduled contact hours in the classroom range between approximately six and ten hours per week per module, depending upon level of study and the complexity of the material being taught. You can expect to take part in interactive sessions comprising of lectures, seminars, workshops, and peer-led seminar discussions. The course blends theoretical, practitioner and professional development, allowing you to apply your knowledge and skills in a real-world settings and prepare you for a leadership role in the future.

In addition to timetabled sessions, you will spend an average of 30-34 hours a week on your studies which may include weekly asynchronous learning activities for each module, undertake wider reading, using the University’s library, individual tutorial time with staff, working with peers, and preparing work for summative assessments. 

Teaching is delivered by our distinguished academic team, composed of experienced professionals and renowned academics. They will provide insightful guidance, fostering critical thinking, and analytical skills. They are not just educators but mentors who are invested in your success, offering personalised attention and supporting your academic and professional aspirations. 

You will be assessed through a broad range of research, practitioner and professional coursework, that demonstrates your knowledge, skills and understanding and provides you with your career aspirations. Each assessment is comprehensively supported by specialist staff, who provide workshops around assessment. Formative feedback is provided, prior to the submission of work.

Assessments may include reading diaries, critical reviews, case analyses, portfolios, posters, podcasts, policy documents, conflict mapping exercises, resilience analysis and evaluations of projects, geo-political crisis response reports, digital scrapbooks, simulated debates, independent research and practitioner and professional based tools and applications. 

These assessment methods optimise your learning and skill development for a diverse range of learners with unique needs and preferences, and enable you to build a wide array of skills to thrive in the workplace. This will help you to ensure that you are exposed to the different types of tasks you encounter in the workplace providing you the opportunities to build on your skills and confidence to manage these effectively. 

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Entry Requirements

112UCAS points

UCAS Tariff

112 points

GCE A Level

Typical offer – BCC-BBC, the school requires one of the following subjects: A level History, or a suitable alternative such as Classical Civilisation, English, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Government and Politics, Sociology or Law.

BTEC

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma  – DMM, the school also requires one of the following GCE A Level subjects: History or a suitable alternative such as Classical Civilisation, English, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Government and Politics, Sociology or Law

International Baccalaureate

28 points, including 5 in HL History or an alternative such as English, Philosophy or Social and Cultural Anthropology

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers - H3, H3, H3, H3, H4 including History or an alternative such as English, Politics & Society or Religious Education.

Scottish Highers - BBBB, including History or an alternative such as English or Religious Studies

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at level 3, 30 of which must be at Merit (including 15 in History).

Extra Information

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

  • IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
  • Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

72UCAS points

UCAS Tariff

72 points

GCE A Level

72 points, including grade D at A Level, the school requires one of the following subjects: A level History, or a suitable alternative such as Classical Civilisation, English, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Government and Politics, Sociology or Law.

BTEC

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma  – MMP, the school also requires one of the following GCE A Level subjects: History or a suitable alternative such as Classical Civilisation, English, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Government and Politics, Sociology or Law

International Baccalaureate

24 points, including 5 in HL History or an alternative such as English, Philosophy or Social and Cultural Anthropology

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers - H4, H4, H4, H4, H4 including History or an alternative such as English, Politics & Society or Religious Education.

Scottish Highers - CCDD, including History or an alternative such as English or Religious Studies

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma, Pass overall (including 15 credits in History).

Extra Information

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have experience or qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then our Foundation Year courses will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree.  

Fees and Funding

£9,535per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,535 a year, or £1,590 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

You can find more information about undergraduate fees on our Fees and Finance pages.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£14,450*per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £14,450 per year for a full-time course. This fee is set for each year of study.

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.

For courses with a Foundation Year, the tuition fees for Year 1 are £10,750 and £14,200 for Years 2-4 in 2025/26.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes. 

In November 2024, as part of the government’s Autumn Budget, it was confirmed that some foundation years from September 2025 will have a fee of £5,760 for the first foundation year of a four-year course. This is mainly for courses in the Humanities, Business, and Social Sciences disciplines. The following three years of these courses will be the standard fee of £9,535 per annum.

  Foundation (First) Year Second Year onwards per year
Home Students £5,760 for the first foundation year (2025/26) £9,535 per year from the second year onwards (2025/26)
International Students * £10,750 for the first foundation year (2025/26) £14,450 per year from the second year onwards (2025/26)

* For courses which accept applications from International Students

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials.

Students often elect to purchase a laptop, where students choose to do so, the cost it likely to be around £800-£1000.

Most software specific to your course is available free to students through agreements we have with the software vendors. 

Occasional, optional, field trips may be offered, depending on student demand, these are typically within the UK and where chargeable the cost is likely to be under £100. Students are not required to participate in order to successfully complete the course. 

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills. 

Who You'll Learn From

Dr Michael Francis

Programme Leader and Senior Lecturer, Global Affairs, Politics and International Relations
Dr Michael Francis

Dr Rachel Massey

Senior Lecturer, Global Affairs, Politics and International Relations
Dr Rachel Massey

Dr Kara Critchell

Senior Lecturer in History; Programme Leader BA History
Kara Critchell

Dr Suzanne Francis

Associate Professor of Conflict Transformation & Peace Studies; Programme Leader, Global Affairs, Politics and International Relations
Suzanne Francis

Dr Mark Bendall

Senior Lecturer
Dr Mark Bendall

Dr Rebecca Andrew

Senior Lecturer in History
Dr Rebecca Andrew

Dr David Harry

Deputy Head of Department; Senior Lecturer in History
Dr David Harry

Dr Wasiu Are

Lecturer, Economics
Dr Wasiu Are

Where You'll Study Exton Park, Chester

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

Graduates of a degree in Global Affairs, Politics, and International Relations with History have a diverse array of career opportunities, leveraging their deep understanding of historical context, political systems, and international relations. Potential career paths include:

  • Diplomacy and Foreign Service
  • International Organisations and NGOs
  • Public Policy and Government
  • Historical Research and Academia
  • Intelligence and National Security
  • Journalism and Media
  • Political Consulting and Lobbying
  • International Business and Trade
  • Legal Careers
  • Cultural and Heritage Organisations

These career paths benefit from the graduates' ability to critically analyse and synthesise information from a historical perspective, understand complex political and international systems, and navigate the global landscape effectively.

Careers Service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

Enquire about a course