Globalisation: History, Politics, Culture BA (Hons)

• A-levels: BBC
• BTEC: DMM
• International Baccalaureate: 28 points.
• Access to HE Diploma: pass with 60 credits overall. Humanities, history or politics courses preferred. At least 45 credits at level 3.
• GCSE (minimum grade C) or Access Equivalent: at least three subjects including English language and mathematics or a science.

English Language Requirement:

• IELTS 6.0 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

Interview days
Interview days are held throughout the admissions process. The day involves a course talk where applicants can learn more about their chosen degree and, for some, a taster lecture is also available. Existing students are present and you will have the chance to ask them questions. Interviews last between 15 and 20 minutes and are conducted by a member of academic staff. This session offers you a chance to discuss your own personal areas of interest, and to demonstrate your desire and capability for undergraduate study on your chosen course. In some instances these discussions can be conducted via telephone or Skype.

Year 1

• Democracy: From Athens to Baghdad
• Historical Inquiry
• Philosophical Inquiry
• Studying Cultures
• Approaching Narratives
• Understanding Global Society

Year 2

• Option 1: Global Politics - Global Politics investigates the major political developments and issues of our era, including: • the growth of global movements and governance • the evolving United Nations system • power and the changing global order • conflict, security and development • global environmental politics; environmental security • globalisation and ethnic nationalism • the nation-state and fragile states (Somalia) • regionalism and the European Union • world poverty and inequality • global justice and ethics • international relations and law • the International Criminal Court and war crimes • genocide in Rwanda and Darfur • ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Kosovo • human rights and the Human Rights Council • human security and humanitarian intervention (Libya, Syria).
• Option 2: Globalisation, History and Identity - Globalisation, History and Identity explores the historical development of globalisation, particularly in relation to identity formation and culture. Themes include: • race, gender and national identity • the historical spread of religion • migration and identity • cultural and political tensions in the Middle East • cultural globalisation, Americanisation, 'McDonaldisation' and westernisation; slavery and the modern world.
• Option 3: Global Society - Global Society examines the key challenges affecting individuals and societies in the contemporary period. Areas studied include: • global communication and the network society • the changing nature of work and leisure • media globalisation • the global economy and economic governance • world health and risk technologies • global migration and fortress-building • world cities and ‘splintering urbanism’ • global terror and crime • international security and peacebuilding • conflict resolution and reconciliation; • peacebuilding and intercultural communication; • global sustainable development.
• Critical Traditions - This deepens your knowledge of the historical, cultural and theoretical origins of the present. This unit questions the history and politics of the west, challenges dominant ideas, and examines the enlightenment ideals in the light of feminist, postmodern and Marxist criticisms. The second year also includes a further optional unit. This can come from another degree on our Humanities programme, or could be practical experience working with charitable concerns or helping with our department's committed involvement to local schools and the widening participation agenda.

Final year

In your final year you’ll have the chance to focus and specialise in a subject that interests you. We call this the project, an important and exciting part of the undergraduate programme and one towards which you will begin working in your second year. You will be introduced to the principles of designing and pursuing a research project, and have small-group tutorials to assist you in arriving at a provisional topic. You will then be allocated an appropriate supervisor with whom you will have regular one-to-one meetings in the second and third years.

The research project typically results in the writing of a dissertation of between 8,000 and 12,000 words and, through it, all of the skills, the knowledge and the research come together as you develop your own critical response to your chosen topic, challenging received opinions in a persuasive extended argument. It is assessed both through the piece of writing (and/or presentation) in which it results and via an oral presentation at the end of the final year.

You will also continue with your main option course in globalisation, and attend the range of lectures and activities organized on the academic programme, including lectures from world-renowned academics.