Bachelor of Arts in Modern History and Politics

at University of Southampton - Avenue Campus United Kingdom

Explore the evolution, biology and behaviour of humankind through the study of our Stone Age ancestors. With this specialist master’s in palaeoanthropology you’ll gain expertise in the analysis of stone tools and hominin skulls to understand our evolutionary journey. You’ll work closely with experts in our Centre for the Archaeology of Human Origins (CAHO) and benefit from opportunities to apply your learning in real-world settings.

We’re ranked Top 30 in the world for archaeology (QS World University Rankings, 2019).

Your specialist palaeoanthropology learning will cover:

• handling and interpreting stone tools
• the role of evolutionary models, experimental testing, primatological data and ethnographies in the study of human origins
• developing methods to interrogate meaning from collections of stone tools
• using SPSS statistical analysis software

Palaeolithic symbolism and language, migration and responses to environmental change
Beyond your specialist modules you can personalise this palaeonthropology MSc to your areas of interest.

We bring expertise together from across the University, including Medicine, Humanities, the National Oceanography Centre, Engineering and Winchester School of Art, to help you gain both scientific skills and cultural understanding through a range of optional modules.

This is a very practical degree, but you don’t need prior knowledge of biology or anthropology. You’ll be based in our dedicated John Wymer Laboratory, with its own specialist library and large collection of stone tools and hominin skulls. Staff, PhD students and MSc students work in the same space, creating a lively learning environment. As a student on this course you automatically become a member of the CAHO research group.

You’ll have the opportunity to apply your skills on a 4-week placement, where you’ll gain valuable real-world experience of the archaeology sector and heritage industry. Previous placements have included Historic England, Wessex Archaeology and The Nautical Archaeology Society.

This  Palaeoanthropology course offers a balance between vocational and research skills. During your dissertation you’ll be able to embed with one of our research groups to do original research on a topic of that you choose. There is the possibility that this work will be published.

Southampton is close to the World Heritage sites of Stonehenge and Avebury and we have research projects engaged with both sites, as well as a range of other archaeological projects across the Globe.

If you’d prefer a less specialised archaeology master’s degree, or you’d like to focus on a different specialism, you can choose from our 3 other Archaeology MSc pathways. When you join us you’ll have 2 weeks in which you can change pathway if you wish.

Is there a god? Are our minds separate from our bodies? How much can we ever really know? On this 3-year BA Philosophy degree, you'll grapple with some of the most profound questions. You'll also develop critical thinking and analysis skills that will be essential in your future career.

This course will help you develop your own thoughts on abstract issues and introduce you to philosophical debate. You'll explore questions in core areas, such as:

• Ethics
• Epistemology
• Metaphysics
• Philosophy of mind
• Political philosophy

You'll apply philosophical thought to practical questions on subjects including:

• Global poverty
• Future generations
• Sex and gender
• Artificial intelligence

As part of this course you can:

• Get involved in many events, including talks by visiting philosophers and activities arranged by the student-led Philosophy Society
• Take part in other Philosophy courses and events run by the Lifelonglearning team where you can discuss philosophy in an informal, relaxed atmosphere
• Develop research and presentation skills
• Choose from a wide range of optional modules to follow your interests
• Explore subjects as varied as scriptwriting and Islamic philosophy

This degree is also offered with a year studying abroad.

Develop the knowledge and skills you’ll need to become an entrepreneur in the global music industry on our MA International Music Management master's degree. On this UK course you'll learn about all aspects of the music business, from live performance and streaming to advertising and video games. Industry professionals will help you discover the careers you can go into. We were number 1 for music research in the most recent UK Research Excellence Framework (REF).

This International Music Management master’s course will prepare you for a management career in the global music business.  

You’ll develop critical understanding of the legal, economic, social and cultural frameworks that support the music industry.

And you'll gain key business skills through exposure to local music venues such as Turner Sims, touring musicians, and masterclasses with industry partners like Sony, Universal, Google and YouTube.  

On this practical programme, you'll also learn about:

• How the music publishing industry makes its money
• Copyright and licensing
• Music event planning
• Adding music to a video game or tv show  
• The costs involved in making an album
• How music festivals and opera companies work

You'll learn from expert academics with plenty of music industry experience and connections. They'll teach you to the practical skills you need to work in a wide range of music management roles.

Modern History at Southampton challenges you to critically interpret histories of societies. The study of politics encourages you to explore people’s organisation and behaviour.

You'll spend your third year at a partner university. You can choose from locations in Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea or Australia.

On this course you can:

• Study the modern history of an extraordinary range of places, from Western Europe and the Americas, to Africa and South Asia
• Examine the rare artefacts from the university’s own collections, as well as take part in guided visits to other museums and galleries
• Learn about democracy, the modern state, comparative politics and international relations

Learn how we make sense of past events, ideas and problems with this dual honours modern history and politics degree. You'll understand how society organises itself and makes decisions. You’ll study contemporary issues such as international security, migration and globalisation. The skills you gain will prepare you for a wide range of career options.

Modern History at Southampton challenges you to critically interpret histories of societies. The study of politics encourages you to explore people’s organisation and behaviour.

On this course you can:

• Study the modern history of an extraordinary range of places, from Western Europe and the Americas, to Africa and South Asia
• Learn about rare artefacts from the University’s own collections, as well as take part in guided visits to other museums and galleries
• Learn about democracy, the modern state, comparative politics and international relations
• Spend time at a university abroad in Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea or Australia

Explore the processes that lie beneath social change and the ideas and ideals that drive them. On this joint BA Philosophy and Sociology course you'll gain a grounding in the twin disciplines of philosophy and sociology, while having the freedom to pursue your own interests in greater depth. Optional topics cover everything from gender and human rights to criminal justice and the philosophy of religion.

This degree will give you an excellent education in philosophy and sociology. In your degree you can:

• Get to grips with philosophical topics such as the mind, the nature of knowledge and ethical thought
• Explore an array of topics in sociology, including criminology, criminal justice, social issues and how societies change
• Apply philosophical thought to language, morality, politics, sex, and other important aspects of life
• Develop knowledge and skills in research methods, both qualitative and quantitative
• Gain experience in doing research and writing dissertations

You'll be taught in small groups in a relaxed and friendly environment, and benefit from the expertise of academic staff whose research feeds directly into the course content.

You can take modules from other disciplines such as anthropology or psychology, studying a language, or choosing from a range of cross-disciplinary modules. These include topics such as social enterprise, risk management, and living and working on the web.

Explore 20th century and contemporary English literature with a master’s degree at the University of Southampton.

Our course gives you the chance to specialise in contemporary culture and history, covering topics such as:

• Science and climate change
• Politics and globalisation
• The relationship between literary and visual cultures
• Sexuality, gender, race and disability

On completion of the course, you’ll be ready for a career in teaching, publishing, librarianship or cultural heritage.

You’ll get the chance to carry out advanced-level research and independent critical thinking, and to make effective use of archives, manuscripts, and research libraries.

This pathway is linked to the Southampton Centre for Modern and Contemporary Writing. This group brings together academics, writers and research students with interests in the relations between writing and contemporary culture. The centre also hosts events including guest lectures, seminars and research study days.

We offer a flexible module structure which is designed to give you an advanced understanding of cultural analysis, textual interpretation and theoretical method.

You’ll explore the interrelations of text, theory and culture across the field of English literary and cultural studies. We’ll work with you to:

• develop your knowledge of critical and research methods
• raise your awareness of the historical and critical reception of literature in various periods
• explore the role of literature in a contested cultural framework

Explore people's changing relationships with the world’s oceans and seas on this science-focused maritime archaeology master's degree at the University of Southampton. You’ll study the technologies of seafaring, histories of environmental change, and underwater landscapes. This subject incorporates elements of traditional archaeology, ethnography, maritime history and marine science.

This MSc version offers the same course content as our MA Maritime Archaeology degree but you’ll take a more science-based approach through your module choices and dissertation topic.

The course draws on the world-leading expertise of the Centre for Maritime Archaeology to offer an unparalleled breadth and depth of content.

The course is designed to allow rapid development of the diverse academic knowledge and practical skills required to work in this field, including:

• The latest methods for data acquisition and integration
• Academic research and dissemination
• Archaeological fieldwork

This means you’ll cover all aspects of maritime archaeology, from those who wish to focus on field-based activities, both above and under water, through to laboratory or library-based research.

Some of the greatest academic minds have been both mathematicians and philosophers. On this joint BA Philosophy and Mathematics degree you'll explore the relationship between the two disciplines. Both develop the ability to think abstractly and analyse complex ideas.

The critical and logical skills you'll develop through the combination of mathematics and philosophy are sought after by a wide range of employers and will prove invaluable to your future career.

In your degree you can:

• Develop an understanding of areas of philosophy such as formal logic, the mind, the nature of knowledge, and ethical thought
• Gain a thorough understanding of key mathematical areas, including linear algebra, calculus, statistics and differential equations
• Apply philosophical thought to language, morality, politics, sex and other important aspects of life
• Learn skills in mathematical investigation and research
• Discover how to conduct and present research

You'll be taught in small groups in a relaxed and friendly environment, and benefit from the expertise of academic staff whose research feeds directly into the course content.

Compulsory modules provide a strong grounding in both subjects, while optional modules give you the freedom to pursue your own interests in topics as varied as metaphysics, probability, cosmology, and Islamic philosophy.

You can take modules from other disciplines such as anthropology or psychology, studying a language, or choosing from a range of cross-disciplinary modules. These include topics such as social enterprise, risk management, and living and working on the web

On this joint BA honours course you’ll explore the major events and ideas that have shaped the world around us. You’ll consider some of the biggest questions of Western philosophy: Is there a god? What is morality? In History you'll learn to develop your own interpretations of disputed narratives. You'll get to study both philosophy and history abroad during a placement year.

You’ll learn in small groups in a relaxed and friendly environment. You'll benefit from the expertise of academic staff whose research feeds directly into the course content.

Compulsory modules will give you a strong grounding in both subjects. Optional module choices will give you the freedom to pursue your own interests in topics as varied as metaphysics, Reagan’s America, and witchcraft in 17th century England.

You can broaden your knowledge by taking modules from other disciplines. These include topics such as social enterprise, risk management, and living and working on the web. You can also study a language.

You'll improve your employability and learning experience further by spending your third year studying abroad at one of our partner institutions.

In your degree you can:

• Develop an understanding of philosophical questions such as ethics, reason and responsibility
• Learn about different approaches to history and gain access to a wonderful collection of primary evidence
• Explore how political motives and other forms of bias shape the way we think about the past
• Study areas of history rarely taught in most other UK universities, for example:  East and Central European history, South East Asian history and Jewish history