The BA Modern and Contemporary History at Aberystwyth University offers you a compelling journey through a pivotal era, from the French Revolution to the present day. This undergraduate degree is ideal for students fascinated by how mass participation, utopian ideals, and technological advancements have shaped global politics, culture, and society, often with complex and challenging outcomes. You will explore the contradictions of modernity, including the rise of human rights alongside genocide, and the impact of world wars, imperialism, and decolonisation. Aberystwyth University’s historians bring global expertise, enabling you to delve into diverse historical narratives and understand the forces that have defined our recent past.
This full-time, on-campus Bachelors Degree is studied over three years, providing a structured yet flexible approach to historical inquiry. You will engage with core modules like 'Introduction to History' and 'Making History', alongside a wide array of optional units, such as 'Interdisciplinary and Decolonial History', 'African-American History', and 'Germany since 1945'. Your learning experience culminates in a significant independent dissertation in your final year, allowing you to pursue a topic of personal interest in depth. You will graduate with advanced analytical, research, and critical thinking skills, prepared for careers in archives, museums, education, policy, or further academic study.