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Modern History and Politics

Course details
  • BA
  • 3 Years
  • Full-time
  • 28 September 2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Main Site - Cardiff
Awarded by:
Cardiff University (Prifysgol Caerdydd)

Course summary

By combining Modern History and Politics, you will gain a wealth of skills and knowledge, opening the doors to a variety of career paths. The time spent on each subject is shared, allowing you to study Politics, while exploring and understanding key moments in history.

As part of this degree, you will benefit from a generous choice of optional modules on historical and political themes which are central to an understanding of public life in the modern world.

The modules in History develop your knowledge and critical understanding of the political, social, economic, and cultural structures of past societies. Our expertise reaches an extraordinary breadth of societies, periods and places, spanning the British Isles, Europe (east and west), Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Our modules give you the opportunity to study both well-established areas, such as political, social, cultural and gender history, or explore areas that might be new to you, such as environmental history or digital history.

The field of Politics allows you to explore how parliaments and government’s function and evaluate political ideas such as power, freedom, democracy, conflict, legitimacy or accountability as well as incorporating international relations. Modules are varied, allowing you to explore how politics works in Britain and further afield as well as investigate how public policy is made. Other strands of work discuss justice, democracy, human rights and international relations; providing you with a broad understanding of politics tailored to your own particular needs.

Through our degree you will develop the skills so advantageous in our digital age: creativity, empathy, critical thinking, persuasive communication skills and the ability to challenge and question.

Distinctive Features of the Programme

Global Relevance
Take modules with a wide global coverage and chronological depth which speak to world issues from social inequality and community belonging to the environment and inclusion.

Understand the modern world
Explore a range of questions that are critical to our understanding of the contemporary and historical world.

Learn from experts
Benefit from the teaching and support of research-active staff as you explore the history and politics of societies in diverse parts of the globe, including Europe, China, India and Russia.

Study Britain and beyond
Explore politics in Britain & further afield as well as the influence of multi-national organisations.

Links to political institutions
Benefit from links to Westminster parliament, Senedd Cymru, the European Union and NATO.

Placement opportunities
Gain skills, confidence and connections through a variety of opportunities to engage with communities and other partners.

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
LV21
Institution code:
C15
Campus name:
Main Site - Cardiff
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Open days

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff
Not accepted

A level
ABB - BBC

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
DDM - DMM

in a BTEC Extended Diploma in any subject.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
32 - 30 points

32-30 overall or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects.

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)

The Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted in lieu of one A Level at the A Level grades specified, excluding any subject specific requirements.

Extended Project
A

For applicants taking the EPQ qualification, an A in the EPQ can be recognised to lower the entry requirements by a single grade. For example an AAB offer would be “AAB from 3 A levels or ABB from 3 A levels and a grade A in the EPQ”. Please note that any subject specific requirements must be met.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

You must have or be working towards:

  • English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade B/6 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.

T Level

Acceptance of T Levels for this programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Academic School. Consideration will be given to the T Level grade/subject and grades/subjects achieved at GCSE/Level 2.

We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.

We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.

English language requirements

All applicants are expected to have demonstrable English language skills. Most courses ask for GCSE English grade C/4 or equivalent, but some courses ask for GCSE English grade B/6 or equivalent.

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

At Cardiff we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, as part of this our contextual admissions policy aims to widen participation and improve access to Higher Education (HE).

For more information on Cardiff University contextual admissions, including how applications are scored and how we use that score, please see our website.

Learn more on the Cardiff University website

Historical entry grades data

This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).

It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.

Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Per year tuition fees

LocationFeeYear

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Students from the UK and Islands:

Fees stated are for the 2025/26 academic year. The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.

Fees for entry in subsequent years are subject to increase and will be confirmed by the end of October in the year preceding your start date of your programme, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Tuition fees cover all reasonable costs required for you to complete to the degree programme stated. Please note that you may choose to participate in study trips, associated placements or purchase equipment while studying on your degree programme which will be at your own cost. Tuition fees do not include living costs such as accommodation, subsistence or travel.

Students from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland:

If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national, unless you qualify for UK fee status, tuition fees for 2025/26 will be in line with the fees charged for international students. You can check whether you are eligible for UK (Home) fee status on the UKCISA website: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Fees-and-Money/Wales-HE-fee-status#layer-6099

Students from the rest of the world (international):

Fees stated are for 2025/26 entry and are fixed for the duration of the programme, excluding Medicine and Dentistry programmes. Please note that during the pre-clinical element of Medicine and Dentistry programmes the fee rate will be fixed, after which the clinical fee rate will be charged. Further details are available on the university website at: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/international/funding-and-fees

Fees for entry in subsequent years are subject to increase and will be confirmed by the end of October in the year preceding your start date of your programme, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Tuition fees cover all reasonable costs required for you to complete the degree programme stated. Please note that you may choose to participate in study trips, associated placements or purchase equipment while studying on your degree programme which will be at your own cost. Tuition fees do not include living costs such as accommodation, subsistence or travel.

Sponsorship information

Cardiff University has many scholarships on offer to our prospective students. Please see our website at http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/funding/scholarships for further information.

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