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History and International Relations at Aston University, Birmingham - UCAS

Course summary

Ready to grow your understanding of the world we live in and learn about our past to build a better future? Course outline The BSc (Hons) History and International Relations programme is an excellent choice for those looking to broaden their horizons and make the most of their potential. It perfectly balances contemporary history with international relations to introduce you to topics such as nationalism, state-building and inter-state relations. You will delve into topics such as the history of war and peace along with religious and ethnic conflict. The programme offers plenty of opportunity to gain practical experience through field trips and the integrated placement year. You will dig through local archives to practice first-hand research to provide you with a flying start to your career. Key benefits

  • Power up your future – Develop the skills employers around the globe look for. Gain an edge in a fast-changing world and thrive in your career with Aston Power Skills.
  • Excellent experience - Ranked 1st in the UK for ‘student experience’ (History; Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025)
  • Quality teaching - Ranked 2nd in the UK for ‘teaching quality’ (History; Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025)
  • Highly ranked - History at Aston University was ranked 8th overall in the UK (Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025)
  • Safe in our hands - Ranked 4th in the UK for ‘student-to-staff ratio’ (International Relations; Guardian, 2025)
  • Top teachers. 98% of students felt positive about the teaching on their course (History programmes; National Student Survey, 2024).
  • Opportunity to grow. 97% of students felt positive about the learning opportunities available to them (History programmes; National Student Survey, 2024).
  • Earn more – Our graduates are among the highest paid in the country, earning on average £35,400 five years after graduating (Longitudinal Education Outcomes, 2024)
  • Gold standard teaching – Aston University was awarded Gold – the highest possible rating for the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF, 2023)
Where can this degree take me? The transferable skills that our history and international relations programmes provide mean that our graduates are successful in finding employment in a wide range of roles such as:
  • Academic librarian
  • Archivist
  • Broadcast journalist
  • Conservation officer
  • Editorial assistant
  • Civil service administrator
  • Human resources manager
  • Museum education officer
  • Policy officer
  • Solicitor
  • Teacher
Our graduates have gone on to work at companies and public sector organisations such as IBM, Interserve, Capgemini, Virgin Active and the BBC.

Modules

For a full list of modules and course objectives, visit the course page on Aston University's website: https://www.aston.ac.uk/study/courses/history-and-international-relations-bsc

Assessment method

For more information on how this course is assessed, visit the course page on Aston University's website: https://www.aston.ac.uk/study/courses/history-and-international-relations-bsc


How to apply

This course is not open to application until the 13th May 2025.

Application codes

Course code:
VL12
Institution code:
A80
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

All applications are considered on an individual basis and the whole application is reviewed carefully, including previous and predicted qualifications, experience, reference and your motivation to study the course. Whilst the grades listed here are our entry requirements, we understand that predicted grades are only an estimate. We will therefore consider applicants with predicted grades that fall below these entry requirements if the application is of a high standard. However, any offer made will not be lower than stated above. Entry onto our Foundation Year maybe offered as an alternative to the degree course if lower entry grades are achieved. Aston University welcomes applications from students with a wide range of qualifications from the UK and overseas, including combinations of qualifications. If your qualifications are not listed here and you wish to check whether they meet the entry requirements for this course, please contact the university.


Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
75%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
95%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £9535 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535 Year 1
Scotland £9535 Year 1
Wales £9535 Year 1
International £21500 Year 1

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

UK students (Home Undergraduate): The annual tuition fee for the programme commencing in academic year 2025/26 will be £9,535 (subject to the passing of legislation implementing the Government’s policy to increase the maximum tuition fee from £9,250, payable by Home Undergraduate students on full-time courses). The fee for the placement year is £1,250. International students (Overseas Undergraduate): The annual tuition fee for the programme commencing in academic year 2025/26 will be £21,500. The fee for the placement year is £2,500. All students: The duration of your programme is set out above and you will be responsible for the payment of an annual tuition fee in each of these years. The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually in accordance with its Terms and Conditions (aston.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2024-12/Terms_and_Conditions_of_Enrolment_2025-6.pdf) and subject at all times to the maximum tuition fee caps set by Government from time to time. This means that your total tuition fee may be higher than stated above, but your total tuition fee will never increase by more than 6% year on year. An increase in fees will allow the University to cover the increased costs of delivering the course and ensure it is able to maintain high standards of education and facilities.
History and International Relations at Aston University, Birmingham - UCAS