History and Politics BA

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

The University of Sheffield

Program Overview

Sheffield’s History and Politics BA is a brilliant choice if you’re curious about how the world became what it is today — and how political decisions shape the future. The degree lets you explore history from ancient civilizations to modern global change while connecting it directly to political ideas, systems, and current issues.

Curriculum structure

Year 1
Your first year is all about building confidence in how historians and political scientists think. In History Workshop and Thinking Historically, you learn how to read sources, analyse events, and understand how different eras connect to each other. At the same time, modules like Thinking Politically: Key Concepts and Political Analysis 1 introduce you to the foundations of political theory and research — helping you understand concepts like power, democracy, rights, and justice in a practical, engaging way.

Year 2
In your second year, you start applying what you’ve learned to bigger questions. Through Political Analysis 2, you get hands-on with research methods — how to gather evidence, assess data, and study real political behaviour. Political Theory in Practice brings political debates to life, exploring issues like free speech, multiculturalism, and global justice. On the History side, History and the Public helps you understand how history shapes society today, and you can explore optional modules that match your interests — whether that’s global history, modern conflicts, or cultural change.

Year 3
Your final year is where everything comes together. You choose a History Special Subject, allowing you to focus deeply on a topic you genuinely care about and work closely with a specialist academic. Alongside this, you can pick politics and global history options that explore themes such as international diplomacy, migration, human rights, or political economy — giving you a truly personalised and globally relevant final year.

Focus areas: “Global history; Political theory; Contemporary world politics; Research and analytical skills; Public and international affairs.”

Learning outcomes: “Strong critical thinking; Skilled written and verbal communication; Ability to analyse political and historical sources; Confidence in research; Preparedness for roles in policy, public affairs, media, NGOs or further study.”

Professional alignment (accreditation):
This degree prepares you for careers in government, diplomacy, public policy, international organisations, museums, journalism, NGOs, and think tanks. Placement and study-abroad options give you real-world experience and a competitive edge.

Reputation (employability rankings):
Sheffield is consistently highly ranked in subjects like History and International Relations, with strong graduate outcomes and excellent employer recognition — helping you step confidently into competitive career paths.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

One of the best things about studying History and Politics at Sheffield is how much real experience you get alongside your academic learning. You won’t just sit in lectures — you’ll work with original sources, handle real political research, and learn directly from historians and political scientists who are active in their fields. You’ll use specialist libraries, digital archives, and modern learning spaces that help you build the practical skills employers look for. And if you want hands-on professional experience, you can take a placement year or study abroad through Sheffield’s global partnerships.

And all of this becomes even more impactful because the degree gives you access to a range of structured, practical opportunities such as:

Primary-source training through the History department, where you analyse archival documents, historical texts, and digital collections.
Political research training in modules like Political Analysis 1 & 2, where you use real datasets, evaluate evidence, and apply research methods used in policy and political science.
Specialist libraries and archives, including the world-class University Library, providing access to millions of books, journals, digital databases, and key political and historical collections.
The Jessop West building, a dedicated space for Politics and International Relations students, offering modern seminar rooms, collaborative learning areas, and access to staff researchers.
Hands-on project work, including public history projects where you explore how history is used in museums, education, culture, and media.
A dedicated placement year option, allowing you to spend 12 months working in a professional organisation — anything from government offices to NGOs, media organisations, research groups, or public-sector bodies.
Study abroad opportunities through Sheffield’s global network, giving you the chance to study international politics or history from a new perspective.
Research-led teaching, where your lecturers bring current historical and political research directly into your classes and workshops.

Progression & Future Opportunities

A History and Politics degree from Sheffield opens doors to careers where you can influence real change — whether that’s through government, public policy, international organisations, media or research. Graduates often step into roles like civil servant, policy analyst, social researcher, or journalist, using the analytical, communication and research skills developed throughout the degree. Because you learn how the past shapes the present and how political systems work, you’ll be ready for roles that require clear thinking, strong writing and thoughtful decision-making.

Here’s how Sheffield actively supports your future and helps you build a strong career foundation:

You’ll have access to the Careers & Employability Service, offering one-to-one coaching, CV and interview support, and direct connections to employers through fairs and networking events.
Political and IR graduates at Sheffield earn around £28,000 just 15 months after finishing, and many progress to mid-career earnings around £36,000, depending on the role and sector.
Around 90% of graduates across related subjects are in work or further study shortly after graduating — a strong indicator of the value of this degree.
Sheffield graduates have joined organisations like the Home Office, PwC, IBM, Deloitte, and a range of NGOs and international bodies — showing the versatility of the degree.
Being part of a Top 10 department for International Relations and a Russell Group university gives your degree long-term credibility with employers across the world.
The dual focus on history and politics means you develop a rare mix of contextual understanding, research ability, communication skills and policy awareness — the exact attributes valued in government, diplomacy, public affairs and media roles.

Further Academic Progression:
If you choose to continue your studies, you’ll be well prepared for postgraduate options such as Master’s degrees in International Relations, Public Policy, Global Affairs, Historical Research, Human Rights or Political Economy. Many students also progress to PhD research, or move into specialist training for careers in diplomacy, governance, law, development or international organisations.