BA History and Politics

UCAS code: VLD2
Length: 3 years

Summary of course aims

The History element of the syllabus aims to familiarise students with an extremely broad chronological range, whilst providing them with the opportunity of specialisation in particular periods and topics of British, European and American history. It also enables students to pursue their own interests through

independent study and a substantial dissertation. Using a variety of approaches to the study of history, students will develop the ability:

• to analyse change over time
• to understand the nature of causal relationships
• to handle comparative, cross-cultural and abstract concepts.

Additionally, students will refine the following subject-based skills:

• the collection and synthesis of large quantities of information
• the critical evaluation of primary and secondary sources
• the making of well-crafted and substantial judgements
• engagement in debate on historical issues.

In Politics, the course aims to give students an appreciation of the normative, methodological and institutional issues involved in the study of politics in relation to one of the three main subfields of the discipline: political philosophy, comparative government and international relations. Students focus on comparative government and/or political theory compulsory modules, and associated optional modules.

Course content

The course is divided into 3 Parts (years). You must take 120 credits in each Part.

Part 1 introduces the disciplines with a variety of module choices.

Part 2 students develop critical judgement and problem solving, both through personal engagement with issues and through dialogue and group discussion. Students are encouraged to defend and to challenge established positions through the collection, collation and analysis of substantial quantities of material, the rigour of argument, and effective communication and presentation. History also prompts an awareness of numeracy through chronology, periodisation, and basic quantification.

In addition in Part 2, 5 are taken up by Career Management Skills.

Part 3 students' familiarity with information technology in the production and presentation of their work and, in History, develops their skills in using computers for the location and retrieval of bibliographic and source material, accessing sophisticated databases and exploiting the internet.

For a full description of this degree course with the required compulsory and optional modules, please download the programme specification. Please note that you are advised to check that this course is running for the next academic year.

http://www.info.reading.ac.uk/progspecs/prog-index.asp

Career prospects

Over the years students who have followed courses involving History and Politics have gone into jobs in both the public and private sectors. As such they are eagerly sought after by employers.In addition they are given specific vocational training and orientation through a second year Career Management Scheme in conjunction with the Careers Advisory Service. In the public sector, jobs include academic and academic related jobs (e.g. lectureships, administrative posts on research boards), the civil service, local government, public

corporations, hospital management, and in the social services, such as, child care, youth employment, probation, and so on. In the private sector, recent jobs include working for advertising, journalism, radio and television, computer firms and large finance and insurance companies.

Opportunities for study abroad

Students have the opportunity to spend a period of study abroad (in Part 2) as part of the Socrates scheme, or in conjunction with the American Studies course's exchange.