BA Modern History and Politics(Including Placement Year)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Essex

Program Overview

If you’re fascinated by world events, politics, and how past decisions still shape today’s headlines, this course is designed for you. At Essex, you’ll explore modern history alongside political systems, ideas, and power structures — learning how historical events influence political change and vice versa.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 – Building Your Foundations
Your first year introduces you to what it truly means to study history and politics at university. You’ll learn how historians research the past in modules like “Becoming a Historian” and start building your academic portfolio through “History Works: Career Portfolio.” At the same time, modules like “Introduction to International Relations” or “Comparative Politics” help you understand how political systems work on a global scale.

Year 2 – Connecting Ideas and Real-World Change
This year, you’ll start connecting historical events with political ideas more deeply. You might explore themes such as revolutions, empires, global conflicts, political theory, or governance. You can choose modules that interest you — whether it’s modern British politics, Cold War history, colonialism, or international relations — and begin shaping your focus.

Placement Year – Learning Outside the Classroom
Between your second and final year, you’ll have the chance to spend a year working in a professional setting. This could be in government, media, museums, NGOs, legal offices, or political organisations — giving you real work experience and making your CV stand out to employers.

Year 3 – Specialisation and Independent Research
In your final year, you get to specialise in what you’re most passionate about. You’ll complete a dissertation or extended research project in history or politics — guided by an academic supervisor. Optional modules let you study topics like modern diplomacy, political ideologies, genocide studies, protest movements, or contemporary international politics.

Focus Areas (string format)

Modern political thought; global revolutions; international relations; 19th and 20th-century history; governance and democracy; empire and conflict studies.

Learning Outcomes (string format)

Critical analysis of historical and political events; ability to evaluate sources and arguments; strong research and writing skills; confidence in presenting and debating ideas; real-world professional experience from a placement year.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

This degree follows academic standards set by the Department of History and the Department of Government at the University of Essex. While it’s not linked to a specific professional accreditation body, it develops sought-after skills for careers in government, public policy, law, journalism, teaching, diplomacy, heritage, NGOs, and international organisations.

Reputation & Employability

Essex is Top 50 in the UK for Politics (The Guardian 2025)
85–90% of graduates from related subjects are employed or in further study within 15 months of graduation
Politics graduates from Essex earn an average of £26,000–£28,000 within 15 months (DiscoverUni)
Essex is ranked Top 25 in the UK for international outlook (Times Higher Education) — meaning you study in a globally focused environment.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

This course isn’t just about reading history or debating politics in a lecture hall — Essex makes sure you actually experience what it’s like to work with real evidence, real data, and real organisations. From utilizing original historical documents to completing a placement year in industry or government, the degree helps you build confidence, research skills, and workplace experience simultaneously.

You’ll study in one of the UK’s most research-active universities for both History and Politics, with access to specialist archives, digital collections, and academic staff who are actively publishing and working in their fields. Whether your interest is political activism, international diplomacy, colonial history, or media and power, you’ll get to test your ideas in real settings, not just on paper.

And because this degree includes a professional placement year, you’ll spend up to 12 months working in a real organisation of your choice — which could be a government department, news/media outlet, NGO, museum, civil service body, or political research unit.

Here’s how experiential learning takes shape at Essex:

You don’t just learn theories — you use them. For example:

Hands-on historical research using real archives like the Hervey Benham Oral History Archive, Bensusan Collection, and specialist materials in the Albert Sloman Library.
Access to the UK Data Archive, based right on campus — the largest digital collection of social and economic history data in the UK — perfect for research projects and dissertations.
Placement Year (optional but highly encouraged): Spend a full year working in the industry — past placements include museums, law firms, charities, media organisations, parliamentary offices, and local government bodies.
“History Works: Career Portfolio” module, where you're guided to build a professional CV, reflect on skills, and prepare for internships and the placement year.
Interactive seminars and group projects in politics — debates, simulations, policy analysis tasks, and presentations where you work in teams to solve real political case studies.
Digital tools and research training — you’ll learn how to evaluate evidence, use online archives, access digital newspapers, academic journals, and voting/political databases.
Essex Politics Society & History Society events — guest lectures from politicians, diplomats and historians, student-led debates, and trips to political institutions or museums.
Independent dissertation with academic supervision — a major piece of original research in either Politics or History using primary and secondary evidence.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from this degree step into careers where understanding people, power, and the past truly matters. Whether it’s working in government, media, education, NGOs, or heritage organisations, employers value the ability to think critically, conduct thorough research, and communicate effectively. With a placement year built into the course, you’ll already have real work experience by the time you graduate, which gives you a strong head start.

Typical career paths include:
• Policy Officer or Civil Service Analyst
• Researcher for political organisations or NGOs
• Journalist or Public Affairs Assistant
• Museum, Archives, or Heritage Assistant/Curator

How Essex Helps You Get There:

Essex doesn’t leave you to figure things out on your own — they actively prepare you for life after university. Here’s how:

Career mentoring and one-to-one guidance through the Careers Services and Employability Centre — from CV polishing to interview prep and networking with employers.
Placement Year advantage — by spending a year working in government offices, museums, legal settings, media, or charities, you graduate with proven experience on your CV.
Workshops and employer events specifically designed for Humanities and Social Sciences students, linking you to organisations like local councils, historical research centres, NGOs, and cultural institutions.
Graduate success: Around 90% of Essex History and Politics graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating.
Salary insight: Politics and History graduates from Essex typically earn £26,000–£27,000 within 15 months after finishing their degree (DiscoverUni).
Strong reputation: Essex is globally known for its research in politics and history — the Department of Government is ranked among the top in the UK for research intensity.