| UCAS code | VLF2 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Penryn Campus |
| Discipline | History |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: AAB-ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBB-BBC |
| UCAS code | VLF3 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Penryn Campus |
| Discipline | History |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: AAB-ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBB-BBC |
| UCAS code | VLF4 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Penryn Campus |
| Discipline | History |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: AAB-ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBB-BBC |
| UCAS code | VLF5 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Penryn Campus |
| Discipline | History |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: AAB-ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBB-BBC |
Overview
- Study international, economic, cultural and social history and many geographical areas including the Americas, parts of Asia, Britain and Europe
- Our broad range of optional modules in your second and third years gives you the flexibility to tailor your degree to your interests and career ambitions
- Prepare for your future career by developing a range of skills valued by a wide range of employers from the media to teaching and the public, private and charity sectors
We are 6th in the UK for research in History
Based on our GPA in REF 2021
Top 100 in world subject rankings for History
QS World University Subject Rankings 2024
Top 15 in the UK for Politics
11th in The Complete University Guide 2025
Top 100 in the world for Politics
QS World University Subject Rankings 2024
We are 6th in the UK for research in History
Based on our GPA in REF 2021
Top 100 in world subject rankings for History
QS World University Subject Rankings 2024
Top 15 in the UK for Politics
11th in The Complete University Guide 2025
Top 100 in the world for Politics
QS World University Subject Rankings 2024
Entry requirements (typical offer)
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| A-Level | AAB-ABB | n/a |
| IB | 34/665-32/655 | n/a |
| BTEC | DDD-DDM | n/a |
| GCSE | C or 4 | English Language |
| Access to HE | 30 L3 Credits at Distinction Grade and 15 L3 credits at Merit Grade - 24 L3 Credits at Distinction Grade and 21 L3 credits at Merit Grade | N/A |
| T-Level | Distinction | N/A |
| Contextual Offer | A-Level: BBB-BBC |
Specific subject requirements must still be achieved where stated above. Find out more about contextual offers. |
| Other accepted qualifications | ||
| English language requirements |
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country. |
|
NB General Studies is not included in any offer.
Grades advertised on each programme webpage are the typical level at which our offers are made and provide information on any specific subjects an applicant will need to have studied in order to be considered for a place on the programme. However, if we receive a large number of applications for the programme we may not be able to make an offer to all those who are predicted to achieve/have achieved grades which are in line with our typical offer. For more information on how applications are assessed and when decisions are released, please see: After you apply
Course content
The History and International Relations degree programme is made up of compulsory (core) and optional modules, which are worth 15 or 30 credits each. Full-time undergraduate students need to complete modules worth a total of 120 credits each year.
Depending on your programme you can take up to 30 credits each year in another subject, for instance a language or business module, to develop career-related skills or just widen your intellectual horizons.
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
75 credits of compulsory modules, 45 credits of optional modules (including 30 credits of History optional modules and 15 credits of Politics and International Relations optional modules)
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HIC1602 | Crafts of Research and Writing | 15 |
| HIC1604 | New Approaches to History | 15 |
| POC1021 | Key Concepts in Politics and International Relations | 15 |
| POC1033 | Political Communication | 30 |
Optional modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| History & IR Stage 1 History Option modules 2024-5 | ||
| HIC1007 | People's History: Sources and Skills | 15 |
| HIC1010 | Foundations of Environmental Humanities | 15 |
| HIC1610 | An Introduction to Histories of Science and the Environment | 15 |
| HIC1605 | European History: Politics and Society | 15 |
| HIC1611 | Global History: Twentieth Century Transformations | 15 |
| HUM1005 | Climate Emergency - An Introduction to Environmental Humanities | 15 |
| History & IR Stage 1 Politics Option modules 2024-5 | ||
| POC1003 | British Government and Politics | 15 |
| POC1014 | The Public Policy Process | 15 |
| POC1022 | Violence in World Politics | 15 |
| POC1023 | Participating in Politics | 15 |
| POC1028 | Modern Political Theory | 15 |
| POC1029 | Work Placement | 15 |
| POC1026 | Power, Inequality and Global Justice | 15 |
30 credits of compulsory modules, 90 credits of optional modules.
Compulsory modules
You will select either Pathway A or B.
a - Under Pathway A, you will take the 30-credit compulsory module HUC2002 Perspectives on Sources: Independent Study Project in the Humanities.
b - Under Pathway B, you will take the 15-credit compulsory modules POC2124 Political Analysis and POC2087 Security Studies.
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HUC2002 | Perspectives on Sources: Independent Study Project in the Humanities [See note a above] | 30 |
| POC2124 | Political Analysis [See note b above] | 15 |
| POC2087 | Security Studies [See note b above] | 15 |
Optional modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HIC Stage 2 History Option Modules 2024-5 | ||
| HIC2029 | Histories of Everyday Life in Modern Cornwall | 15 |
| HUC2015 | Revolution and Abolition: History and Legacies of the Atlantic Slave Trade | 15 |
| HUC2013 | Enlightenment and the Age of Reason: Philosophy, Politics, Society | 15 |
| HIC2316 | The Occult in Victorian Britain | 15 |
| HIC2037 | Earth Matters: Soil, Society and the Humanities | 15 |
| HIC2038 | Caribbean Histories: Colonialism, Resistance, and Environmental Crisis | 15 |
| HIC2324 | Organised Crime in USA | 15 |
| HIC2009 | Ecology and Empire | 15 |
| HUC2012 | The Age of Unreason? Modernity and its Discontents | 15 |
| HIC2028 | Art and Archaeology in Post-Colonial Nations | 15 |
| HIC2007 | Apocalyptic Narratives: Disaster Writing | 15 |
| HUC2001 | Humanities in the Workplace (Penryn) | 15 |
| History & IR Stage 2 Politics Option modules 2024-5 | ||
| POC2120 | Power and Democracy | 15 |
| POC2114 | Green Politics in Theory and Practice | 15 |
| POC2131 | Political Economy | 15 |
| POC2103 | Introduction to Postcolonialism | 15 |
| POC2130 | Political Behaviour across Generations and the Life Course | 15 |
| POC2098 | Comparative Politics | 15 |
| POC2005 | American Politics | 15 |
| POC2108 | Political Geographies: Local to Global | 15 |
| POC2151 | Parliamentary Studies | 15 |
| POC2088 | Understanding Israel and Palestine: One Land, Two People | 15 |
| POC2152 | Representing the People | 15 |
| POC2018 | National and Community Identity | 15 |
| POC2041 | The Political Psychology of Elites | 15 |
| POC2123 | Politics of the Middle East | 15 |
| POC2047 | Work Placement | 15 |
Find out more about study abroad or employment experience under Course variants.
With Study Abroad
120 credit compulsory placement module
For your year abroad you will agree a suite of modules with the Faculty Study Abroad Coordinator. Details of individual modules that may be taken whilst abroad can be found by accessing the partner institution’s factfile at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/international/abroad/exchange/where and navigating to the “Course Requirements” section of that factfile where a link to the modules on offer in the partner institution is displayed.
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HAS3999 | Study Abroad (HASS) | 120 |
With Employment Experience
120 credit compulsory placement module
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HAP3906 | Work Placement Year | 120 |
With Employment Experience Abroad
120 credit compulsory placement module
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HAP3906 | Work Placement Year | 120 |
30 credits of compulsory Dissertation, 90 credits of optional modules
You can weight your modules primarily in one discipline at stage 2 but if you choose to do more History than International Relations at stage 2 you must do the reverse in the final stage (and vice versa) so that across your degree you will have an equal number of credits from History and International Relations.
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHP3042 | Interdisciplinary Final-Year Dissertation | 30 |
Optional modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HIC Final Stage History Option Modules 2024-5 | ||
| HIC3004 | Hippies: The US Counterculture of the 1960s | 30 |
| HUC3045 | Myth in the Modern World: From the Classics to Conspiracies | 30 |
| HIC3009 | Pacific Histories: Environment, People and Politics | 30 |
| HIC3300 | Britain and the Telecommunications Revolution | 30 |
| HUC3048 | Writing Nature | 30 |
| HIC3008 | New American Century: History, Culture, and Crisis | 30 |
| HUC3016 | Irish Stories: History, Politics, Literature and Heritage | 30 |
| POC Final Stage Politics Option Modules 2024-5 | ||
| POC3095 | Environmental Knowledge Controversies | 15 |
| POC3130 | Controversies in American Politics | 15 |
| POC3105 | Negotiating Postcoloniality: History and Politics of Independent India | 15 |
| POC3023 | Entangled Life: Radical Democracy in Theory | 15 |
| POC3141 | Displacement and Migration in the Middle East | 15 |
| POC3103 | The Resource Paradox: Blessing or Curse? | 15 |
| POC3151 | Parliamentary Studies | 15 |
| POC3152 | Representing the People | 15 |
| POC3128 | Post-Soviet Politics and Societies | 15 |
| POC3146 | Party Politics, Voters and Elections in Britain | 15 |
| POC3148 | Political Psychology and Society | 15 |
| POC3120 | Political Thinkers of the Early Twentieth Century | 15 |
| POC3147 | Politics of Work | 15 |
| POC3140 | Religion, Conflict and Reconciliation | 15 |
| POC3094 | Global Policy Challenges | 15 |
| POC3133 | Chinese Politics and Society | 15 |
| POC3150 | The Making of Democratic Politicians: Comparative Political Recruitment | 15 |
| POC3149 | Is Politics More than Human? Cornwall, California, and the Local to the Global | 15 |
| POC3153 | Global Palestine and the Politics of Solidarity | 15 |
| POC3154 | Environment and Conflict in the Middle East | 15 |
Course variants
UCAS code: VLF3
Our four-year ‘with Study Abroad’ degree, offers you the possibility of spending your third year abroad, studying with one of our many partner universities.
Why Study Abroad?
Living and studying in a different country is an exciting experience that broadens your academic and cultural horizons, as well as giving you the opportunity to widen your circle of friends. Students who have studied abroad demonstrate initiative, independence, motivation and, depending on where they stay, may also have gained a working knowledge of another language – all key qualities that employers are looking for in today’s competitive employment environment.
Where can I Study Abroad?
We have partnership arrangements with many prestigious institutions across the globe. Exactly where you can apply to study will depend on the subjects you are studying at Exeter. For a full list please visit the Study Abroad website.
Does it count towards my degree?
Credit for academic work during your year abroad is arranged by agreement between the University of Exeter and the host institution. These marks are then translated back into your degree at Exeter. If you are Studying Abroad for a semester or full year, your time abroad will count toward your final degree. Please refer to your Study Abroad co-ordinator for further details.
How does it affect my tuition fee and funding?
For the year that you spend studying abroad you will pay a significantly reduced tuition fee to Exeter, but nothing to your host university – for more information visit our fees pages. If you were previously eligible, you will continue to receive a maintenance loan whilst on your Study Abroad year.
UCAS code: VLF4
Our four-year ‘with Employment Experience’ degree, offers you the possibility of spending your third year carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements within the UK as part of your degree.
Why choose to include Employment Experience?
Undertaking graduate-level work during your degree unlocks a world of experience that allows you to develop essential employability and interpersonal skills that relate to your degree and future career. A work placement will dramatically boost your confidence, enhance your CV and develop graduate level skills and competencies that employers are looking for.
Where will I do my work placement?
The sector you choose to work within is very much your choice as you will be responsible for finding and organising your placement. We will provide plenty of guidance and support during your first and second years which will prepare you to research and apply for placements. Ultimately, the university will give final approval to your placement to make sure you have a valuable experience.
How does it affect my tuition fees and funding?
For your ‘Year In Industry’ you will pay a significantly reduced tuition fee to Exeter – for more information visit our fees pages. If you were previously eligible, you will continue to receive a maintenance loan whilst on your year of work placement/s.
Find out more
Visit our website to learn more about employment experience opportunities.
UCAS code: VLF5
Our four-year ‘with Employment Experience Abroad’ degree, offers you the possibility of spending your third year abroad, carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements as part of your degree.
Why choose to include Employment Experience Abroad?
Spending up to a year living and working in a different country is an exciting experience that broadens your academic and cultural horizons, as well as giving you the opportunity to widen your circle of friends. By carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements abroad you can demonstrate to employers your adaptability, cultural awareness, independence and resourcefulness and, depending on where you stay, may also have gained a working knowledge of another language.
Where will I do my work placement?
The sector and country you choose to work within is very much your choice as you will be responsible for finding and organising your placement. We will provide plenty of guidance and support during your first and second years which will prepare you to research and apply for placements. Ultimately, the university will give final approval to your placement to make sure you have a valuable experience.
How does it affect my tuition fee?
For your ‘Year In Industry’ you will pay a significantly reduced tuition fee to Exeter – for more information visit our fees pages. If you were previously eligible, you will continue to receive a maintenance loan whilst on your year of work placement/s.
Is the placement paid?
You will be paid in accordance with the rules of the country you work in and there may be visa restrictions or requirements which you need to consider when applying.
Find out more
Visit our website to learn more about employment experience opportunities.
Fees
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
UK students: £9,535 per year
International students: £24,700 per year
Scholarships
The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships*.
Financial support is also available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.
* Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.
Learning and teaching
How will I learn?
Throughout the History programmes stress is laid on the need to analyse, discuss and deploy historical evidence in a variety of settings and not simply on the ability to memorise. You will learn through lectures, tutorials and seminars, with a growing emphasis at each successive level on student-led learning.
International Relations
We use a wide range of teaching methods as well as encouraging independent study with an increasing emphasis on seminar discussion and project work in your second and third years
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Tutorials
- Practical exercises, project and group work
- Independent study
- Modules
Modules are designed to encourage you to think about long-term developments and processes of historical change, and to make comparisons between countries and cultures. This helps you progress from the more tightly defined topics studied at A level. Modules are also designed to encourage you to think and write analytically about these broad subjects. They emphasise historical questions that require you to identify patterns across time, or between countries, and to isolate common or competing trends, instead of concentrating on short-term or single explanations.
Teaching hours
Modules are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and/or tutorials. Our teaching methods are chosen to encourage you to become an increasingly independent learner as you progress through the years.
Personal tutor
You'll have a personal tutor as well as tutors in individual subjects and they will work with you to monitor your progress, as well as offering pastoral support and other help. You will have a chance to make your mark on the programmes through regular student evaluations and participation in the Student-Staff Liaison Committees and the student History Societies on both campuses.
How will I be assessed?
- Essays and projects
- Practical assignments
- Oral language tasks
- Field work notebooks
You must pass your first-year modules in order to proceed but your performance at this level does not count towards your final degree classification.
Progression
You must pass your first-year assessment in order to progress to the second year, but the results do not count towards your degree classification. For three-year programmes, the assessments in the second and third years contribute to your final degree classification. For four-year programmes the assessments in the second, third and fourth years all contribute to your final degree classification.
Optional modules outside of this course
Each year, if you have optional modules available, you can take up to 30 credits in a subject outside of your course. This can increase your employability and widen your intellectual horizons.
Proficiency in a second subject
If you complete 60 credits of modules in one of the subjects below, you may have the words 'with proficiency in [e.g. Social Data Science]' added to your degree title when you graduate.
- A Foreign Language
- Data Science
- Entrepreneurship
- Innovation
- Law (Penryn Campus only)
- Leadership
- Management
- Social Data Science
Your future
Employer-valued skills this course develops
History graduates from the University of Exeter have an excellent reputation with graduate recruiters and compete very successfully in the employment market. Alongside in-depth subject knowledge you’ll develop highly transferable skills in researching; analysing and assessing sources; written and verbal communication; managing and interpreting information; developing ideas and arguments; teamwork; and problem solving.
Combining International Relations with History will not only develop your understanding of complex political and cultural issues, but you will also graduate with language skills that are particularly valued in a wide range of employers within finance, law, the media as well as the business and public sectors. Alongside this you will gain a range of academic and professional skills including:
- Analytical, critical and independent thinking
- Independent research
- Discussion and group work
- Written and verbal communication
- Articulating ideas and arguments
- Organising, planning and time management
- Assertiveness and enterprise
- Commercial awareness
- Communication and leadership
Employer visits
We have a dedicated, award-winning Careers Service, with offices at our Exeter and Penryn campuses, ensuring you have access to careers advisors, mentors and the tools you need to succeed in finding employment in your chosen field on graduation. We offer the Exeter Award and the Exeter Leaders Award which include employability-related workshops, skills events, volunteering and employment which will contribute to your career decision-making skills and success in the employment market. Our graduates compete very successfully in the employment market, with many employers targeting the University when recruiting new graduates. For further information please visit our Careers Service.
Career paths
You will be equipped with skills that are attractive to employers and relevant for a wide range of careers, including graduate-level roles in the heritage and arts sectors as well as other fields of work, including education, retail management, recruitment, charities, finance and accounting, and journalism.
Example careers
- Account Manager
- Archivist
- Business Analyst
- Civil Servant
- Digital Marketing and
- Events Executive
- Event Project Manager
- Global Market
- Researcher
- Historian
- Parliamentary Researcher
- TV Researcher
Further study
A History degree may also lead to further study or research and recent graduates have progressed to postgraduate courses in:
- MA Conflict, Security and Development
- Graduate Diploma in Law
- MA English Literary Studies
- MA History
- MSc International Management
- PGCE
