History and Politics (Professional Placement Year)

Are you socially engaged, media conscious, inventive, and fascinated by how the world works? Are you interested in new forms of political debate and engagement, from protest to parliament and back again, and from workers’ rights to environmental activism?

This course positions politics in its historical and contemporary contexts, to enable you to explore the origins and impact of past events, and their implications for us now.

You'll explore the rise and fall of empires, the emergence and re-emergence of popular movements, the relevance of feminism and gender politics, and political radicalism and reaction. This history with politics degree prepares you for a career that requires a questioning, rigorous approach and the ability to devise imaginative solutions to problems.

Combined Honour Awards
At Bath Spa University many of our undergraduate programmes can be combined, so you don’t have to limit yourself to one subject. If you choose to study a combined award then in Year One you’ll start by studying both subjects in equal depth. From Year Two you can choose whether to continue with equal numbers of modules from each subject, or whether you want to select additional modules in one or the other. Upon successful completion of the programme you will graduate with a joint degree.

More about the Professional Placement Year
A Professional Placement Year (PPY), traditionally known as a sandwich year, is where you undertake a period of work with an external organisation for between 9-13 months. The placement occurs between your second and final years of undergraduate study. You can engage in multiple placements to make up the total time and are required to source the placement(s) yourself, with support from the Careers team.

Year one
You’ll learn how to draw on a wide range of historical and contemporary resources in order to make sense of some of the major issues we face, and some of the major debates of the day.

Year two
You’ll study a number of powerful historical themes, all of which have resonance in the contemporary world, and which raise important questions about political action and redress.

Year three
Placement Year

Year four
You’ll undertake increasingly independent work, allowing you to focus on the topics that matter to you, using formats and media that you can take beyond University and into the next stage in your career.

We use a mix of traditional and innovative assessments, including essays, group and individual presentations, poster work, online reports, surveys, projects, practical tasks, and exams. The precise methods will depend on your module choices.

You’ll participate in a variety of activities, including lectures, seminars, field work, and workshops.