International Relations and History

Our International Relations and History course has been designed to develop your practical, analytical and communication skills, which are essential to and valued by a diverse range of careers and employers.

Optional modules will give you the chance to explore the formal structures of international relations and the ways that individuals can influence them. For example, you might examine how arts and culture can shape how we perceive the world around us, investigate the roles of protest and activism, or learn how the destruction of archaeological sites has been used as an instrument of war. You’ll also gain broad historical skills and expertise, learning how to:

• read historical texts
• use a wide range of historical sources
• discuss and debate historical subjects and concepts.

At BSU, our courses are designed to equip our graduates with the knowledge and skills they’ll need for the real world. To do this, we are continually improving our courses by responding to feedback from students and other stakeholders. This may mean changes may be made to the curriculum. You’ll always be given notice of any such changes.

For more information on how we approach such changes at the university, please read our policies on

• Suspensions and Discontinuations
• Programme modifications.

Year one
An interdisciplinary first year introduces you to a wide range of ideas, approaches and concepts, which will underpin and inform your whole degree. Throughout, you'll develop the skills and insight you'll need to solve problems, work with others, ask questions, challenge your own assumptions, and interrogate evidence, data and opinions.

Year two
In the second year, you’ll focus on the mechanisms of foreign policy, intelligence and diplomacy and the connections that come from informal collaborations and creative action. Optional modules allow you to pursue your passion for particular periods or genres of history. You’ll apply your knowledge and understanding to a defined problem or case study of your choosing.

Year three
Alongside a range of optional modules, you'll bring together your theoretical and practical knowledge to devise, plan and implement your final project. This might be an extended piece of academic writing, but it might also be a pitch to a local employer, a community project, a policy brief or the creation of digital resources.

We use a mix of assessments, including essays, group and individual presentations, online reports, surveys, project portfolios, campaign documents and context papers, podcasts, blog posts and vlogging. These have been designed to build practical skills that graduates can take into employment.

You’ll get to grips with your subject through small seminars and workshops. You’ll participate in a variety of other activities including lectures, practical sessions, and field trips.

Working with fellow students, you’ll develop essential project management and team-working skills by engaging with different media and communication technologies, designing campaigns and workshops and undertaking case study research for real-world organisations, such as NGOs, think tanks or historical organisations.

You can take advantage of the learning support provided across the University, whether to develop your writing skills or to learn how to use new techniques and technologies.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our information on Your Learning and Teaching at BSU.

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

We study off-campus as much as possible, and visits, observational study and fieldwork are integral to this course. Depending on your module choices, you’ll have opportunities to visit Stonehenge, Avebury, Bristol Harbour, M-Shed, major national museums and galleries such as Oxford’s Ashmolean or the V&A, and hidden gems such as the Wiltshire Museum in Devizes or Dyrham Park, just outside Bath.

Our location in the heart of the Bath and Bristol cultural area means you can learn outside the seminar room. We have The Holburne Museum, Roman Baths and Brunel’s SS Great Britain right on our doorstep.

There are opportunities to work with a number of different employers, external agencies, local and regional partners throughout the course, whether through a small project, a longer placement or as a basis for your own research.

Our course will equip you to think critically, solve problems and work with others – essential skills for a wide variety of careers, and for the flexible approach to the future that we all need to develop.

Graduates go on to pursue a range of careers, such as:

• working for the civil service, a political party, think tank or campaign group
• law
• financial services
• curation for museums and heritage organisations
• work in the public and social services.

You may also choose to continue your studies at postgraduate level.

The Careers team run networking events and advisory workshops that explore your future options and the essentials of the job application process. They help you get experience by assisting with your search for work placements and paid part-time jobs while you're studying. They can also help you secure graduate-level employment, freelance opportunities, and funding for your own business ideas. Career support continues for years after you graduate with the dedicated Grad Support Unit.

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

The Professional Placement Year (PPY) provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for, and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Before your PPY, you'll work to identify roles of interest and secure a placement. The Placements Team will support through timetabled sessions and 1:1 appointments.

As well as completing a minimum of 900 placement hours, you will complete two assessments demonstrating your skill development, growth in professional behaviours and how the PPY has impacted your future career aspirations.

You’ll be based at our Newton Park campus. 

With excellent links to nearby Bristol, you benefit from all the advantages of a buzzing, modern city, while being based in a beautiful, rural location just outside Bath city centre.

• Our Library gives you access to books, academic journals and DVDs and an extensive range of electronic services. It also provides a place for individual study and collaborative work. Our Subject Librarian for History and Heritage provides subject-specific support, including help with research.
• Access to the University archive, including photos, documents and other materials relating to the history of Bath Spa.
• The Writing and Learning Centre provides support for your academic work, including feedback on written drafts and other help with academic writing.
• Our Virtual Learning Environment provides online access to learning materials such as lecture slides, assessment information, discussion boards and other resources.
• You’ll have free access to thousands of business, design and tech courses online via LinkedIn Learning.
• If English isn't your first language, our English Language Unit can help you improve your English, reach your full potential and boost your confidence.
• Our Student Wellbeing Services are available to support you through your learning.