Politics and Contemporary History MA

Ideal for those seeking a global career in the media, government or international organisations, this course explores the historical context to the events that shape our everyday lives.

Overview

The course allows you to engage with topics including labour and urban history, women’s history, religion and conflict in the Middle East, film history, and contemporary British history. You can tailor your studies to your interests and career aspirations through the wide range of optional modules.

Nottingham has one of the largest number of academics focused on contemporary history in the UK. Staff in the School of Politics and International Relations are actively engaged in this research and are joined by experts in the School of American and Canadian Studies, Department of History, and the Department of Theology and Religious Studies.

Areas of special interest include:

• 20th-century Chinese history
• Anglo-American relations
• Cold War history
• communism and fascism
• intelligence and national security
• modern German history, including the Holocaust
• modern Russia, especially its foreign policy
• religion and conflict in the Middle East

The school regularly holds workshops and conferences with guest speakers from international institutions, some of which include Edward Garnier – former Conservative Party politician, Professor Michael Clarke – specialist in defence studies, and Faiza Shaheen – Director of the Centre for Labour and Social Studies and prospective parliamentary candidate for the Labour party.

Careers

This course will introduce you to the advanced study of contemporary history and equip you with the skills needed for a wide range of career paths, from media and leisure, to national government and international organisations.

Many students take an active role in politics throughout their time in the school, and after. Politics is an ideal academic discipline if you are interested in a career in politics or government.

Other students go into a range of careers, including management, marketing, teaching and broadcasting. Recent graduate destinations include Channel 4, the European Union, GCHQ, Reuters and the Thailand National Police Department.