History and Politics BA (Hons)

**This is a Connected Degree**<br/>Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after youve started your course.<br/><br/>**Overview**<br/>Discover how the politics of the past have shaped the world we know today. On this BA (Hons) History and Politics degree, youll retrace the political and social conflicts, revolutions and protest movements of yesterday in order to make sense of the here and now and create positive change.<br/><br/>Travel back to pivotal political moments in time from around the globe guided by our expert academics. Craft your own learning experience by choosing to study the historical and political subjects and eras that most inspire you, such as the French Revolution, post war Britain and Germany, or the American Civil Rights Movement.<br/><br/>As this is an interdisciplinary course, each year youll also study a bespoke combined history and politics module as well as delving into each subject separately.<br/><br/>Through the courses overarching theme of changing the world, youll use what you learn to rethink modern societal issues, such as social justice, racial and gender equality, and global migration.<br/><br/>Youll graduate with an insight into the powers and processes that have formed todays societies and how positive changes are made. Armed with this understanding of the past, youll be empowered to address the challenges of the future. <br/><br/>**Course highlights**<br/>- Study two fascinating and interwoven subjects from 1750 to today, through combined interdisciplinary modules and specialist modules in each subject area<br/><br/><br/>- Bring new perspectives to contemporary social issues – such as social justice, human rights and environmentalism – through your studies, supported by the courses overarching theme of changing the world<br/><br/><br/>- Customise your course by choosing your own topics to focus on in years 2 and 3<br/><br/><br/>- Immerse yourself in Portsmouths rich heritage, thanks to our close links with the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth Records Service and the D-Day Museum<br/><br/><br/>- Learn from staff who are members of the Centre for European and International Studies Research (CEISR)<br/><br/><br/>- Go on field trips to locations such as the Houses of Parliament and heritage sites on the south coast<br/><br/><br/>- Take part in an interactive mock UN meeting called Model United Nations and take on the role of a specific country<br/><br/><br/>- Choose to spend a year building real experience on a work placement at a museum, law firm, government department, charity or other organisation of interest<br/><br/><br/>**Careers and opportunities**<br/> Studying history and politics together will give you transferable skills in critical thinking, collaboration, research, analysis and argument, all of which are highly valued by many kinds of employers. You could also continue your studies at Masters or PhD level in history, politics or a combination of the two.<br/><br/>**What areas can you work in with a history and politics degree?**<br/>Graduates from our other history and politics courses have taken up roles in the following sectors:<br/><br/><br/>- central and local government<br/><br/><br/>- primary and secondary schools<br/><br/><br/>- higher education providers<br/><br/><br/>- financial services<br/><br/><br/>- corporate governance<br/><br/><br/>- trade unions <br/><br/><br/>**Placement year (optional)**<br/>After your second year, youll have the chance to do an optional year-long work placement to get valuable work experience in a sector of your choice. Students from our other history and politics courses have secured placements at: <br/><br/><br/>- The Ministry of Defence <br/><br/><br/>- The House of Commons <br/><br/><br/>- National Museum of the Royal Navy<br/><br/><br/>- Freedom from Torture, a charity which supports survivors of torture who seek protection in the UK<br/><br/><br/>- Shrewsbury Museums<br/><br/><br/>- Law firms such as Darton Law Ltd <br/>

If you apply through Clearing, you'll be offered a guaranteed room in halls if you accept your offer within 24 hours of receiving it and apply for accommodation as a new full-time undergraduate student by 9am on 20 August 2025.<br/><br/>Sign up for Priority Clearing to get accommodation information straight to your inbox as well as access to Portsmouth's Clearing Visit Day on Thursday 7th August. Priority Clearing applicants will jump the queue on Results Day, get exclusive Clearing updates, invites to Portsmouth Prepare for Clearing Webinars and one-to-one application support.<br/><br/>Through the open day, students can get a feel for Portsmouth's welcoming campus and community before joining the university. With guaranteed accommodation, they can rest easy and ensure they are in the heart of the student community.