BA War Studies and History
About this course
BA (Hons) in War Studies and History, a politics and international relations and history degree combining conflict analysis with historical investigation. Core topics include Research Methods, Historical Research, Critical & Analytical Thinking, Global & Comparative Perspective. The course is offered over three years full time or six years part time, incorporating site visits and local resources connected to regional historical conflicts. The first year establishes foundational perspectives through compulsory modules such as Introduction to War Studies, Why Wars Begin, War and the Media, Researching and Presenting the Past, A World in Crisis, and War and Society. The second year advances into contemporary security and conflict simulation alongside optional choices covering various historical periods and regions, including Making History, Tyranny and Majesty: Kingship in Late Medieval England, Lives and Experiences of Sixteenth-Century Women, Russian Between Lenin and Stalin, C’est La Vie! An Everyday History of Nineteenth-Century France, From Slavery to Freedom, The United States since 9/11, European Conflict, c.1660-1815, Alfred the Great and the Idea of England, The Great Society: America in the 1960s, The Chinese Revolutions: From Empire to Communism, Living and Dying in Revolutionary England, 1620 - 1670, and ‘You’ve Never Had It So Good!’ Britain 1945-1997. The final year focuses on advanced research and specialized topics through compulsory modules like Dissertation in History OR Dissertation in War Studies, The American Way of War, and Case Blue: Decision in the Southern USSR, 1942 - 43, alongside optional modules such as A Cultural History of the Reformation, Cold War, Hot War: The International History of the Korean War, Doomed Youth: A Social and Cultural History of the First World War, Life After Death in the Early Middle Ages: Saints, Ghosts, and Dynasties, Life Through Letters, c.1780 - 1850, Myth, Murder, Memory: Traumatic Histories and the American Experience, Napoleonic Europe, Roads to War: The International Origins of World War Two, The Assassination of John F. Kennedy, The Wars of the Roses, War Without Fronts: The Wars in Indochina, 1946 - 1975, and Watchers and the Watched: Surveillance in Early Modern England.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
Minimum entry requirements: 104 UCAS Tariff points; and 3 GCSEs at grade C/4 (or equivalent) including English Language.
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What students say
Based on about 5 final-year students who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 100%
- Learning opportunities: 93%
- Assessment and feedback: 95%
- Academic support: 96%
- Organisation and management: 92%
- Learning resources: 89%
- Student voice: 86%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 20 students who started (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Continued on course: 90%
- Left higher education: 5%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 5%
What graduates do next
Based on about 33 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Working: 56%
- Working and studying: 15%
- Further study: 10%
- Unemployed: 8%
Most common jobs
- Administrative occupations: 25%
- Business and public service associate professionals: 15%
- Skilled trades occupations: 15%
- Elementary occupations: 15%
- Business, Research and Administrative Professionals: 5%
- Find their work meaningful: 75%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 45%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 30%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 145 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 18%
- North West: 11%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 51%
- East Midlands: 8%
- West Midlands: 2%
- East of England: 2%
- London: 6%
- South East: 3%
- South West: 1%
Who gets in
Based on about 25 students who started (a small group: a rough guide only)
- A levels: 95%
- Baccalaureate: 5%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Silver overall, Gold for student experience, Silver for student outcomes.
Modules
- Introduction to War Studies
- Why Wars Begin
- War and the Media
- Researching and Presenting the Past
- A World in Crisis
- War and Society
- Cutting Edge: Current Developments in Warfare and International Security
- Virtual Battlefields: Conflict Simulation and Modelling
- Battle
- Making History
- Tyranny and Majesty: Kingship in Late Medieval England
- Lives and Experiences of Sixteenth-Century Women
- Russian Between Lenin and Stalin
- C’est La Vie! An Everyday History of Nineteenth-Century France
- From Slavery to Freedom
- The United States since 9/11
- European Conflict, c.1660-1815
- Alfred the Great and the Idea of England
- The Great Society: America in the 1960s
- The Chinese Revolutions: From Empire to Communism
- Living and Dying in Revolutionary England, 1620 - 1670
- ‘You’ve Never Had It So Good!’ Britain 1945-1997
- Dissertation in History OR Dissertation in War Studies
- The American Way of War
- Case Blue: Decision in the Southern USSR, 1942 - 43
- A Cultural History of the Reformation
- Cold War, Hot War: The International History of the Korean War
- Doomed Youth: A Social and Cultural History of the First World War
- Life After Death in the Early Middle Ages: Saints, Ghosts, and Dynasties
- Life Through Letters, c.1780 - 1850
- Myth, Murder, Memory: Traumatic Histories and the American Experience
- Napoleonic Europe
- Roads to War: The International Origins of World War Two
- The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
- The Wars of the Roses
- War Without Fronts: The Wars in Indochina, 1946 - 1975
- Watchers and the Watched: Surveillance in Early Modern England
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA War Studies and History at York St John University earn?
The median salary is £22,000 after 15 months, £19,000 after 3 years, £23,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £19,500 and £29,000. The £23,000 median after five years is £11,000 less than the UK median for Politics.
What do graduates of BA War Studies and History at York St John University do next?
81% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2022-23).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA War Studies and History at York St John University?
100% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2024-25.
What grades do I need for BA War Studies and History at York St John University?
The average entrant had 117 UCAS points.
Does BA War Studies and History at York St John University include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has an optional placement year and an optional year abroad.
How many students continue on BA War Studies and History at York St John University?
90% of students continued into their second year, and 5% left higher education.