| US Credits | UK Credits |
| From this list you must take one Level 4 course and two courses from Level 5/6 | | |
- HIST 4101 Atlantic Slavery and the Spectre of Capitalism
This course examines the expansionist nature of Atlantic colonial societies and their economic impact, from early contact with African societies to the abolition of slavery in Brazil. Emphasis is placed on the Atlantic slave trade’s role in consolidating slave labour systems and shaping industrialisation. The course further explores how colonial economies drove the rise of modern capitalism through racial and economic exploitation. Beginning with the expropriation of Indigenous land and resources, it traces the development of plantation slavery and later industrial labour systems. Key topics include: resource extraction, debt, colonial economies, trade in goods and globalisation. These topics are analysed not only in economic terms, but also in their social and racial dimensions. Resistance movements and the evolving discourse on reparations will also be examined to understand their influence on economic structures today. Students will investigate the economic mechanisms behind colonisation and slavery, as well as the resistance to these systems, engaging in debates on the memory and legacy of these processes. | 4 | 16 |
- HIST 4102 The Global Cold War
This course introduces students to the major events and themes of the Cold War, demonstrating how it shaped the modern world system. In addition to providing students with a foundational understanding of the major themes and events of the Cold War, this course explores the interpretive controversies surrounding them. Students are encouraged to engage with the changing historiography of the multifaceted, multi-polar Cold War from a variety of challenging perspectives, with particular emphasis given to its global context. Students will examine the period in the light of changing historiographical interpretations and with reference to its economic, cultural, ideological, military, political and social dimensions. | 4 | 16 |
- HIST 4103 World Cultural History
This course surveys ancient cultures from the Bronze and Iron Ages, introducing students to the rich diversity of early civilisations and the parallels in their development. Students will explore how politics, religion, art, trade and beliefs influenced these civilisations, shaping their societies and cultures. Through analysis of both material and textual evidence, students will learn to engage critically with primary and secondary sources, enhancing their understanding of key historical processes, including the rise of states, the formation of empires and constructions of identity in the ancient world. The course will emphasize the study of early state formation, trade networks, and cross-cultural interactions, while fostering critical thinking and skills of historical analysis. | 4 | 16 |
- HIST 5101 History of London
This course surveys the history of London from its Roman origins to the modern metropolis of today. Through a combination of thematic lectures and corresponding field excursions, students will examine the social, political and demographic developments that have shaped London over two millennia. In reading historical texts and visiting significant sites, students will analyse how London’s past informs the present urban landscape of this great global city. Note: Most visits require travel. | 4 | 16 |
- HIST 5102 Nationalism, Communism and Fascism
This course addresses nationalism and related conflicts in the 20th Century, with particular emphasis on the roles of communism and fascism in this period. Key events are covered, particularly the World Wars and the Cold War, while engaging with the ideological currents that influenced nationalist movements. Different historical interpretations of this material are addressed, while the concepts ‘nation’ and ‘nationalism’ are explored in detail. A range of C20th historical contexts are used to develop related themes such as imperialism, independence, revolutions, democracy, and dissent. The course explores the historical origins of both communism and fascism in social movements, the characteristics of various regimes both within and beyond the West, and the contemporary significance of these ideas. | 4 | 16 |
- HIST 5103 Visualising Enlightenment
This course considers the European Enlightenment through the cultural, visual and material transformations of the period. It enables students to reflect on how transformations in art, design and architecture were contemporaneous with changing conceptions o f the public sphere, of the global as a space, of class, gender and race. The era saw a revolution in new consumer goods, critical debates about taste, and the corrupting influence of luxury. Students will engage with key works by Diderot, Mandeville, Rousseau, Shaftesbury, Voltaire and Wollstonecraft. Further, the course addresses engagements between Europe and the wider world. The course is designed to be interactive, with class visits to London museums and galleries and relevant exhibitions. It is international in focus, whilst taking advantage of London as a location. | 4 | 16 |
- HIST 6101 Cultures of Empire
This course examines the causes and consequences of empires from a broad range of comparative and international perspectives, including the economic, political, social, and (by way of postcolonial theory) the cultural. It investigates why empires are significant, who are the empire-makers, how and why empires rise and fall, whether they are good or bad, how they are defined, and how they can be resisted. Where possible the course will make use of some of the excellent museums and collections within London. | 4 | 16 |
- HIST 6102 Warfare, Gender and Society
Narratives about war have traditionally been centred on men’s roles, while women have often been cast as passive bystanders or victims. This course will challenge that view by exploring the active participation of women in wars, decolonisation, civil confl icts, and terrorist campaigns, both as combatants and civilian supporters. This course explores the changing nature and history of warfare from the Modern period to the beginning of the twentieth-first century, focusing on the social, cultural, and gendered dimensions of conflict. A key premise of the course is that warfare reflects the societies and cultures that wage it. This idea will be tested through diverse examples of warfare across different historical periods, geographic regions, and social context s, investigating how war has shaped —and been shaped by —societal structures, technology, gender relations, and political developments. | 4 | 16 |
| Minor Requirements | 12 | 48 |
