Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Bachelor of Arts with Honours History and Politics, Level 5, 2023/24 - Course Handbook
Welcome to the Course
This handbook provides you with information that you will need on your course. You should find it helpful when you first start, when you are preparing for assessment and at any time that you need help or advice in connection with your studies here. You will also receive a Module Handbook for each module you study on your course.
The Course Team is looking forward to working with you this year and we hope that your time studying with us at Leeds Beckett University is both enjoyable and successful.
On behalf of our University and the whole Course Team I would like to wish you well in your studies.
Dr Gráinne Goodwin
Course Director, History and Politics
Whether you are joining us for the first time, or returning to your course, we welcome you at the start of what we are sure will be a stimulating, challenging and rewarding year of study with us.
Our aim is to provide all our students with a research- informed, innovative and relevant curriculum that informs understandings of the world we live in. Our courses are highly valued by employers, and our approach to student learning and support places you at the heart of everything we do. In addition to offering a diverse range of teaching approaches and a variety of different methods of assessment, we attach the greatest importance to providing you with constructive feedback on your work so you can develop your future learning.
Our learning environment is student-centred, and we value your opinions. We want to know about the things you enjoy and think we do well, and also to hear about ways in which you believe we can improve your experience with us. You can share your views with us through course representatives, evaluation of modules, or constructive comments to staff. Whichever route you choose, we are always interested in what you have to say.
Staff across the School of Humanities and Social Sciences will provide you with all the support we can to help you succeed on your chosen course, and we look forward to working with you as you achieve your academic ambitions. I hope you have an enjoyable and rewarding year.
Professor Andrew Cooper, Dean of School
Leeds Beckett Students' Union (LBSU) is led by students for students! Their mission is to make your uni life better! Your Student Officer Team is elected by you to lead the Students' Union into the academic year. They represent all Leeds Beckett students and campaign for the changes you want to see in the university and beyond. They do this by representing your interests, giving you the chance to socialise and meet new people, hosting CV-boosting opportunities, and providing advice and support when you need it most. Shape your own experience by submitting your thoughts through your Course Rep, or if you'd like to influence the Students' Union's policy stance on particular issues or share ideas for improving the student experience across the University, submit your ideas on the Have Your Say platform, which is designed to make change happen! Below you'll find information on a few of their services but if you've any questions, please feel free to get in touch.
Silas Ozoya, your Academic Experience Officer, also wanted to say a few words to introduce himself: "Hey There! I'm Silas, your Academic Experience Officer. It's my job to ensure your academic experience at Leeds Beckett is the best it can be! We're a friendly and open-minded bunch at LBSU, so don't hesitate to get in touch with us! I'm looking forward to meeting you very soon!"
Contact LBSU at:
Email: lbsu-welcome@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Phone: 0113 812 8400
Website: www.leedsbeckettsu.co.uk
- Following the lifting of all pandemic restrictions and advice from the Department for Education, we currently anticipate that no social distancing measures will be in place on campus during the 2023/24 academic year, enabling a normal on-campus experience. Our aim is to ensure that our students experience Leeds Beckett University, our courses, campuses, facilities and services to the fullest extent possible, while maintaining an environment where students and staff feel safe.
- In all cases, the health and safety of students and staff is our priority and we will continue to follow guidance from the UK Health Security Agency, the Department for Education and all other recognised government agencies (such as the Office for Students) in full and keep matters under close review at all times. The advice and restrictions may change before and/or during the academic year, either nationally or in response to local conditions and rates of infection and include the need for social distancing measures and other restrictions. Our flexible delivery model allows us to revert to a blended and/or remote delivery model if this becomes necessary. In a worst case scenario it is possible our campuses may need to close.
- In the event that delivery is restricted as a consequence of pandemic restrictions, we will keep you informed of planned changes as they arise, to ensure you are provided with accurate information.
Key Contacts & Keeping in Touch
You will be informed of the name of your Academic Advisor on arrival.
Margaret Garland
HistoryAdmin@Leedsbeckett.ac.uk
For the School of Humanities and Social Sciences Admin Office Opening Hours please see Appendices section at the end of the Course Handbook.
Course Reps are elected at the start of each academic year. Once elected, an announcement will be made via MyBeckett.
Your Academic Librarian team can be contacted on HSSLibrary@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
To find out the key resources for your subject and to book an appointment with the Library's Academic Support Team, see your Subject Guides: https://libguides.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/schools/humanities_and_social_sciences
Level Four Leader
Dr Owain Wright
Level Five Leader
Dr Erich De Wald
Level Six Leader
Dr Helen Dampier
The contact details of other key services, such as Student Advice, Disability Advice, Student Wellbeing, the Library, Student Money, Careers, Students' Union Advice Service and Students' Union Student Voice Team can be found on the Students web page.
Academic and administrative staff at our University use your student email address to contact you. It is important that you check this account regularly. You can forward emails from your student email address to a preferred personal email address, however, quarantine and spam filters needed by our University mean that emails sent from external email addresses may be delayed, blocked or deleted. It is therefore important that your student email address is the only email address that you use to contact University staff. Information on how to access your student email address can be found on the Library Student IT Support page (http://libguides.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/it_support/office365/outlook)
Please make sure that you inform your Course Administration team whenever you change your address and contact details. It is important that you also update your records yourself. You can do this via the My Account/Update my Data tab on MyBeckett. This will ensure we can always contact you in an emergency, and that you receive any important University communications that we may need to send you.
We will inform you of class activities and course notifications, including any cancellations. This will be done in a variety of ways: via an announcement via MyBeckett or an email to your student email address.
For each module, the Module Handbook will include the preferred method of communicating general information about that module to you.
MS Teams is part of the Office 365 suite used by staff and students for communication and collaboration:
- Access via MyBeckett on University devices as well as on personal mobiles via a free downloadable app.
- Participate in online meetings and video conferencing in groups or one-to-one.
- Work on shared content, ideas, projects and online learning.
- Utilise breakout rooms to create more dynamic sessions
Further information is available on the Library's MS Teams FAQ web page.
Your course team will advise how Microsoft Teams will be used on your course and make guidance available as required.
Timetable Information
The University’s standard term dates are available on our Academic Calendars web page.
Taught sessions, both mandatory and optional, will be scheduled and included in your online timetable. Depending on your course, this may also include scheduled online teaching and learning sessions where student engagement is required at a specified time or tutor pre-recorded lectures.
Normally, timetables will be made available to continuing students on 31st July and during induction week for new students via:
- The Student Portal (MyBeckett)
- The Leeds Beckett app
You should discuss any difficulties relating to your engagement with timetabled sessions with your Course Administrator.
Course Overview
How have political structures and ideologies developed over time? What is power? Why is it distributed as it is? How are political relations between and within states negotiated and mediated? What is identity, and what is its relationship to politics? These are key questions that students studying the BA (Hons) History & Politics course will grapple with. The course is designed to appeal to students with a combined interest in modern history and politics, including questions of ideology and identity as well as more formal political institutions and policies. It allows them to examine how historical events and processes have created the modern world, its ideologies and structures, and to understand the role circumstances, chance and human agency have played in shaping those events and processes.
The degree has been developed to provide students with a thorough grounding in competencies from each subject, including close analysis, data-gathering, information-processing and critical reflection as applied to a range of political ideas, institutions and policies, using empirical evidence, theory and academic scholarship drawn from both disciplines. To this end, first-year students are introduced to key concepts, methods and approaches in the History and Politics subject areas through core modules. For the History component this entails an immersion in source analysis, academic history writing and engagement with historiography, whilst the Politics component introduces students to political theory and key issues around governance and international relations. This underpinning allows students to build on disciplinary foundations before engaging with the interconnections and contrasts between the two subjects in advanced levels of the degree.
The interdisciplinary approach nurtured on the degree and the alignment of skills and methods from the two subject areas empowers students to engage in critical analysis of past and present politics. The degree blends the historical criticality, evaluation of evidence, consideration of context and scrutiny of agency integral to history, with the analysis of political ideas, ideologies, policies and institutions that form the foundations of political science. In the final year, this comes to fruition as students research and write their interdisciplinary dissertation. The course is designed to give students a grounding in both disciplines at Level 4, before allowing them to specialise in aspects of the historical and political fields with elective modules introduced in the second and third years of study. The optionality at Levels 5 and 6 also reflects the current research interests of staff across both subject teams and offers student the opportunity to shape their own pathway through the degree. Students may also pursue professional development should they wish to do so, through elective modules such as, Applied Humanities: Live-Brief Learning, Digital History, Public History Project or Career Cartographies.
Overall the aims of the programme are to enable students to:
- develop an appreciation of the disciplines of History and Politics and the interconnections between them from the early modern era to the present and across local, national and global arenas;
- engage critically with historical evidence and political discourse, past and present, from a wide range of cultures, contexts and polities;
- evaluate theories, methods and approaches relevant to both disciplines and apply these with confidence and creativity;
- enhance students' understanding of contemporary politics by instilling historical literacy, putting the emergence of political ideas, movements and ideologies such as liberalism, socialism, conservatism and nationalism, or political entities such as the nation state, into their specific historical contexts;
- acquire the attributes and transferable skills relevant for professional careers or further study, including independent research, team work, oral and written communication, digital literacies, self-motivation, enterprise and networking.
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Examine, understand and evaluate politics as a historically conditioned and situated human activity with a global outlook, through the ability to describe, analyse and assess the nature and distribution of power in systems, process and institutions of governance and comprehend different interpretations of historical change and world political events.
- Outline, contrast, evaluate and apply key theories, concepts and ideas within the study of History and Politics to a variety of historical and political themes, events and situations, synthesising relevant information, exercising critical judgement and constructing reasoned arguments.
- Engage in and reflect on political participation as engaged citizens and learners; develop the academic and employability skills necessary for intellectual, vocational and personal development and demonstrate global awareness and outlook in their application.
- Gather, organise, analyse and deploy evidence, data and information from a variety of secondary and primary sources, demonstrating digital literacy in the critical and reflective use of ICT to retrieve and present research; evaluate and contextualise contemporary and historical primary source material in a variety of formats.
- Creatively and effectively devise, plan and carry out research using a range of appropriate sources, methods, and technologies, and present findings in a range of formats.
- Identify, critically analyse and advocate solutions to problems; Be able to construct and articulate coherent and effective arguments in speech and writing, demonstrating time management skills, and awareness of the importance of referencing and the ethical requirements of study, to become a mature, enterprising and independent learner.
Level | No. | Learning Outcome |
4 | 1 | Demonstrate an understanding of key developments in modern political history and world politics. |
| 2 | Demonstrate an understanding of key basic concepts, theory and debates in the study of history and politics, including ethical issues. |
| 3 | Engage with appropriate primary and secondary sources in order to construct and substantiate basic arguments, supported by appropriate scholarly apparatus. |
5 | 1 | Show awareness of a range of historiographies and reflect critically on key theoretical approaches and debates, empirical methodologies and ethical considerations in the subjects of politics, world politics and history. |
| 2 | Contextualise theoretical explanations and concepts by their application to historical and contemporary case-study material and make judgments about the suitability of different approaches; |
| 3 | Demonstrate an understanding of basic methodological research and data collection techniques appropriate to supported interdisciplinary and independent study |
6 | 1 | Critically engage with existing historiographies and approaches to politicsto develop arguments and solutions relating to historical and contemporary issues and case studies. |
| 2 | Critically evaluate differing theoretical approaches and empirical methodologies in relation to a range of historical and political issues |
| 3 | Work independently on a research project with supervisory support, demonstrating critical thought and initiative to locate, evaluate and synthesise a variety of appropriate primary and secondary sources to construct a coherent analysis. |
Assessment & Feedback
Level 4 is assessed by coursework predominately, with some examinations and practical assessments.
Level 5 is assessed by coursework predominately, with some examinations and practical assessments.
Level 6 is assessed by coursework predominately, with some examinations and practical assessments.
Modules may have more than one component of assessment.
Please note the exam/assessment periods in the academic calendar and make sure that you are available during those periods. Further details of your schedule of examinations can be found on your timetable once the examination schedule is released. Coursework submission deadlines can normally be found on MyBeckett, on course noticeboards or in individual Module Handbooks/other module guides.
Disabled students requiring adjustments to assessments/examinations should contact Disability Advice as soon as possible. We can only guarantee that adjustments can be put in place if students have contacted us by the following deadlines:
Semester 1 - 10th November 2023
Semester 2 - 8th March 2024
Contact us:
Email: disabilityadvice@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Tel: 0113 812 5831
Website: https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/student-information/disability-advice/
It is important for your progression and achievement that you submit all work for all assignments in a timely manner. It is also important that you keep copies of all work submitted until after you have graduated. You should also keep any receipts confirming the submission of assignments. In the event of your submitted work being lost you may be required to produce a copy of the work and submission receipt. If you are unable to do so, your work will not be marked.
It is important to note that submitting all assignments is a requirement of your course. Should you experience extenuating circumstances which prevent you from submitting on time please make yourself aware of the Mitigation and Extenuating Circumstances process. Without any form of extenuating circumstances, standard penalties apply for late submission of assessed work. Full details of the penalties for late submission of course work are available in section 3 of the Academic Regulations at https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/our-university/public-information/academic-regulations/. Please check the penalties that apply to this course as some Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body requirements may mean that different penalties apply.
If you have been recommended 'flexibility around deadlines' as a reasonable adjustment in a Reasonable Adjustment Plan, your Course Administrator will be able to advise you of the process.
You are required to submit your written work via Turnitin; further information on Turnitin is available here: https://libguides.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/it_support/mybeckett/turnitin
Assessed work will normally be returned with appropriate feedback within four weeks of your submission. Each Module Handbook will provide you with specific guidelines on how and when you will receive feedback on your assessments.
Formative feedback may take the form of verbal communications in face-to-face and online sessions; responses to emails; and in tutorials (online and in person) with module tutors and your academic advisor. Summative feedback will take the form of written and/or audio comments on submissions, usually delivered via Turnitin. The marking process involves evaluating, annotating and providing tailored feedback on all students' work, as well as moderating with other tutors for quality and consistency of feedback. This ensures that summative feedback is thorough, fair and returned in a timely way, reflecting the various stages of this process.
Results from module assessments and decisions on progression to the next level of study (e.g., from Level 4 to Level 5 of an undergraduate degree) or awards (if you are in the final level) are available on the Results Online system: https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/student-information/exams-assessments-and-awards/results-online/.
Results will appear in Results Online within five working days of the date of the Progression and Award Board meeting (the meeting where your end of level outcome will be decided) or the Module Board meeting (the meeting where modular outcomes are decided).
If you are unsure about when you might receive your results or have queries relating to your results, you should contact your Course Administrator.
The University recognises that, from time to time, students may encounter issues which may prevent them from being able to submit or take assessment. Where this is the case, students may be able to submit their 'extenuating circumstances' for consideration. Please see the Mitigation and Extenuating Circumstances web page for further information.
If you have not passed a module at the first attempt you will be eligible for re-assessment. See your Module Handbook for details of the relevant re-assessment process (e.g., whether it is coursework, an examination, a presentation or other form of assessment/when it will take place/what the deadline is). You will be advised via Results Online of your options for re-assessment. You are advised to contact your Course Director, Course Administrator or Academic Advisor for any necessary clarification.
Details about our Appeals process can be found on the appeals web page.
Academic integrity means intellectual honesty and is part of good academic practice. Further information can be found on our academic integrity web page.
Teaching & Learning
Once enrolled on the course, students study three 20-credit modules per semester at Levels 4 and 5, with two 20 credit modules per semester, plus the 40 credit dissertation running across both semesters, at Level 6. Each module involves a combination of lectures and seminars, sometimes with the addition of tutorial contact hours with module instructors. The exact balance varies between modules, though 90 minutes each for lectures and seminars is common and is standard in Politics. Where academic content and good educational practice make it appropriate, student learning may be facilitated through a range of digital technologies.
Outside class, students are expected to do independent reading, research and preparation related to the modules they are studying. In developing this provision new content and structure of the course, we have taken into consideration student feedback gleaned from focus groups, module evaluations, and the NSS. In History, this led to longer seminars (90 minutes or two hours) and the introduction of an engagement component to History Level 4 assessment in response to student feedback about the seminar experience. Additionally, we have reduced the number of exams used in assessment and expanded the diet of assessment to introduce students to a wider range of transferable skills.
Assessment: As part of the course, students will encounter varied forms of assessment which include: extended essays, timed exams, poster displays, museum reports, blog writing, podcasting and assessed engagement. Taken together, the wide range of modes of assessment develops and measures students' abilities to think, speak and write critically, to reflect on the discipline and their own practice of it, to work both independently and as part of a group, to manage their time and operate as professionals within the discipline. At the same time, students will acquire skills in digital information retrieval and the production of material using a range of digital platforms including the MyBeckett VLE, PowerPoint, WordPress and others.
This information is correct for students progressing through the programme within standard timescales. Part time students will be supported by the course team to determine an appropriate selection of modules from the level for each year of study. Students who are required to undertake repeat study may be taught alternate modules which meet the overall course learning outcomes. Details of module delivery will be provided in your timetable.
Level 4 (2022/23 for FT students and 2022/23 and 2023/24 for standard PT students) | |||
Semester 1 | Core (Y/N) | Semester 2 | Core (Y/N) |
Political Movements and Ideologies (Politics module) (20 credits) | Y | Introduction to Governance (Politics module) (20 credits) | Y |
Introduction to World Politics (Politics module) (20 credits) | Y | The Public and the Past (History module) (20 credits) | Y |
Emergence of Modern Europe (History module) (20 credits) | Y | Twentieth-Century Europe (History module) (20 credits) | Y |
Level 5 (2023/24 for FT students and 2024/25 and 2025/26 for standard PT students) | |||
Semester 1 | Core (Y/N) | Semester 2 | Core (Y/N) |
The UK and the EU (Politics module) (20 credits) | Y | History: Theory & Practice (Interdisciplinary module) (20 credits) | Y |
A History Module* (20 credits) | N | The Modern State: Theories, Issues and Challenges (Politics module) (20 credits) | Y |
A History Module* (20 credits) | N | A Politics Module OR Applied Humanities (Interdisciplinary module)* (20 credits) | N |
Indicative Option Modules*
The following option modules are indicative of a typical year. There may be some variance in the availability of option modules. Students are expected to choose two History options and one Politics option. As an alternative to the Politics option, students may choose the Interdisciplinary Applied Humanities option.
History Option Modules
Atlantic Revolutions 1760-1840
Landscapes of History
Genocide & the Politics of Memory
Totalitarianism: State Ideology and Mass Politics in the 20th Century
Swinging Britain: Turned on and Tuned in to the Sixties
Bringing the Empire Home, 1851-1914
Revolution! Europe 1789-1871
Radicals, Reformers & Revolutionaries in the British Isles, 1760-1922
Everybody Hurts: Health, Disability and Wellbeing
Politics Option Modules
Environment and World Politics
Political Economy of Development
Debates in Human Rights
Theories of Peace and Security
Interdisciplinary Option Module
Applied Humanities: Live Brief Learning
Level 6 (2024/25 for FT students and 2026/27 and 2027/28 for standard PT students) | |||
Semester 1 | Core (Y/N) | Semester 2 | Core (Y/N) |
History & Politics Dissertation - delivered across Semesters 1 and 2 (Interdisciplinary) (40 credits) | Y | History & Politics Dissertation (continued) | Y |
Policy Making (Politics module) (20 credits) | Y | A Politics Module* (20 credits) | N |
A History Module OR Career Cartographies (Interdisciplinary Module)* (20 credits) | N | A History Module* (20 credits) | N |
Indicative Option Modules*
The following option modules are indicative of a typical year. There may be some variance in the availability of option modules. Students are expected to choose two History options and one Politics option. As an alternative to a History option, students may choose the Interdisciplinary Career Cartographies option.
History Option Modules
The Four Seasons of Modern Italy: Nationalism, Liberalism, Fascism, Democracy
Civil Rights in North America
Britishness: Nation and Identity Since 1707
Apartheid and After: Twentieth-Century South Africa
Communist Eastern Europe 1945-1990: Peeking behind the Iron Curtain
'People's War': Understanding the British Home Front, c.1939-45
Public History Project
Britons Abroad: Histories of Overseas Trael & Holidaying, c. 1750-1990
Restaurants, Roundabouts and Revolutions: Paris in the 19th Century
Mediating Modernities: Visual Culture and Urban Space, c. 1850-1989
Sea and Society since 1750
Streetlife: Urban Culture & Society Since c. 1850
Decolonisation Past & Present
Politics Option Modules
Advanced Surveillance, Information, Technology and Crime
British Politics
Decolonising Politics
Interdisciplinary Option Module
'Career Cartographies': work integrated learning in the Humanities (Interdisciplinary)
A standard module equates to 200 notional learning hours, which may be comprised of teaching, learning and assessment, any embedded placement activities and independent study.
Modules may have more than one component of assessment.
Applicable to Level 4 2023/24
Overall Workload | Level 4 | Level 5 | Level 6 |
Teaching, Learning and Assessment | 207 hours | 207 hours | 192 hours |
Independent Study | 993 hours | 993 hours | 1008 hours |
Placement | - | - | 80 hours (on Career Cartographies option only)
|
Applicable to Level 5 2023/24
Overall Workload | Level 4 | Level 5 | Level 6 |
Teaching, Learning and Assessment | 210 hours | 207 hours | 192 hours |
Independent Study | 990 hours | 993 hours | 1008 hours |
Placement | - | - | 80 hours (on Career Cartographies option only)
|
Details of School academic staff can be found on the School of Humanities and Social Sciences Website.
Attendance & Absence
The University expects you to attend and contribute fully to all mandatory sessions on your timetable as set out in your student contract. Engagement in your lectures, seminars and practicals is an important part of your learning - contributing both to the University community and the learning experience of your fellow students on the course. This includes engagement in scheduled virtual learning and activities and meetings in online environments related to your studies.
We monitor your engagement at the University as regular attendance and academic achievement are closely linked. Moreover, by monitoring your engagement and attendance we can identify students who may need our guidance or support at an early stage to help them progress in their studies. This is part of our commitment to ensuring an excellent education and experience and supporting your success at Leeds Beckett.
The University does understand that from time to time there is good reason why you cannot attend a class, and in this instance you must contact your School office to let them know. This may then be recorded as an 'authorised absence'.
Please note that any attendance reports can be shared with you and your Course team. You might be asked to contact your School office so that appropriate academic or pastoral support can be offered, should your attendance record give cause for concern.
Our most important aim is to support your studies, but we are also required to report attendance to various external bodies such as the Student Loan Company and the Home Office. There are measures in place for students who seek to falsely register either their own or fellow students' attendance.
Our Academic Engagement Policy is available under 'Student Contract' on the Student Regulations web page.
Please note that if your course carries professional accreditation or recognition, there may be additional course-specific attendance requirements detailed elsewhere in this handbook.
You must notify your Course Administrator if you are absent (for example for an interview, emergency unforeseen circumstances, or for compassionate leave). If you are going to apply for mitigation you will need to provide written evidence of the reason for your absence.
Please note that if your course carries professional accreditation or recognition, there may be additional course-specific absence reporting requirements detailed elsewhere in this handbook.
If you are unable to study due to Covid-19 (coronavirus) symptoms, please see the guidance available on our Covid-19 web page.
If you are unable to study because of another illness for more than 14 consecutive days (including weekends), you must provide us with a Fit Note.
You can send a digital copy of your Fit Note to your Course Administrator, and then send the original by post.
If you are absent through illness on the day of an examination or assignment deadline and you intend to apply for mitigation, you must also provide us with details as possible. Your submission for mitigation may be made online and the circumstances surrounding it may be self-certified unless your period of absence is prolonged. Generally, all absences of 2 weeks or more will require the submission of verifiable documentary evidence.
For more information on 'fit to sit' and mitigation please visit our Mitigation web page.
Please note that if your course carries professional accreditation or recognition, there may be additional course-specific absence reporting requirements detailed elsewhere in this handbook.
Any Leeds Beckett student who suspects they may have, or have been diagnosed as having a serious infectious disease such as coronavirus, Mumps, TB, measles, meningitis or chicken pox should not attend campus. For notifiable diseases, students should notify their Course Director or Course Administrator as soon as possible giving information regarding which groups of students (and/or colleagues and clients on placements) you have been in contact with and when. For some diseases, such as TB and meningitis, your doctor and our Student Wellbeing Team have a responsibility to notify the West Yorkshire Public Health Protection Team who may also wish to speak to you (or your family) to determine if others require screening or medication. You should follow advice given by the hospital or your GP about when it is safe to return to University. Further information is available on the Student Wellbeing web page.
For guidance on what to do if you have symptoms of Covid-19 (coronavirus), please visit our Covid-19 web page.
If you are thinking about changing course or withdrawing from your course, further information can be found on our Student web pages.
International Students
Please be aware that our University fully complies with United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) policy at all times. There are legal reporting requirements for all students in the UK on a Student visa, and full attendance is mandatory for all students who have a Student visa. Failure to meet UKVI attendance and engagement requirements could lead to your academic sponsorship being withdrawn and your visa being revoked.Students who hold a Student visa need to be aware of their responsibilities whilst in the UK, please see www.ukcisa.org.uk or our Student Immigration Advice and Compliance web page for full information.
For up-to-date information about visas, immigration issues and other matters relating to international students, please visit the International Students' web pages on the Students website or email the Student Immigration Advice and Compliance Team on siac@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
You should have been enrolled on the International Student's Academic Introduction module in MyBeckett when you began your studies - if you missed this you can self-enrol and explore the content which introduces you to making the academic transition to a UK university. Please refer to Library page supporting international students
Professional Accreditation or Recognition Associated with the Course
This course is not accredited by a professional body.
'In Year' Work Placement Information
There is an optional Module at Level 6, 'Career Cartographies: work-integrated learning in the Humanities', which involves work placement.
Level 6: 80 hours work placement.
Students are responsible for obtaining their own placement, with assistance from the University. The locations will vary, dependent on the opportunity.
Skills, Employability & Graduate Opportunities
Students studying on this interdisciplinary programme will acquire a wide range of skills which will equip them for employment in the private, public and voluntary sectors. Employers seek to recruit graduates who are problem solvers, team players, and equipped with good communication skills. Therefore, the curriculum of the History & Politics course develops a range of transferable skills. Given the dynamic job market generated by the 'Fourth Industrial Revolution' and the growth of freelance and project-based working patterns, the team have been conscious of devising assessment regimes and employability opportunities with real-world and practical application. Students will develop skills and knowledge dealing with 'real world' issues of governance and policy development. They also develop critical thinking skills through engagement with a range of historical and political issues, problems and literatures. We have been mindful of the career trends and skills identified by the World Economic Forum in their most recent 'Future of Jobs' report and have identified areas in which our programme excels in facilitating students to hone these attributes. (WEF, 2020) Upon successful completion of the course, therefore, students will have developed important employability skills including:
- Analytical thinking and innovation
- Active learning
- Creativity, originality and initiative
- Critical thinking and analysis
- Complex problem-solving
- Leadership and social influence
- Emotional intelligence
- Reasoning, problem-solving and ideation
- Systems analysis and evaluation (Future of Jobs Survey, 2020, p. 36)
You will have opportunities to gain recognition during your time at Leeds Beckett University for the extra activities you do in addition to your studies, including volunteering, student societies, playing in our University sports teams and being a Course Representative.
By joining a society with Leeds Beckett Students' Union, you can make new friends, have fun, try something new and enhance your CV - societies provide a great opportunity to learn new skills and improve your existing ones. It can be difficult to get to know new people at university but don't worry, everyone is in the same boat! Our Leeds Beckett Students' Union believe that joining a student-led society is the best way to meet new people and make lifelong friends. There are so many societies out there - from course-based to hobby-based to religious to political and campaigning. Whether you're just starting out at Leeds Beckett or working on your last year of study, it is never too late to find the right society for you - or start one yourself!
Course-based societies are a great way to meet people on your course, expand your networks and celebrate your achievements together such as end of year Society Balls. If you have a great idea for a society, we can help you get it up and running. There are resources and support available for all societies - including funding to help make your society goals a reality. For more information on starting your own society, visit: leedsbeckettsu.co.uk/societies/create.
There are three Graduate Attributes for Leeds Beckett University and these are tailored to suit your course. The three attributes you should achieve by the end of the course are for you to be digitally literate, have a global outlook and for you to be enterprising. Learning about these attributes and being assessed on them as part of your modules will provide you with capabilities which are essential for your future career and wider life as you move on from your studies here. You will be formally assessed on all the attributes in some of your modules at each academic level in each year of your course. For more information on graduate attributes please visit https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/student-information/academic-skills-and-advice/graduate-attributes/. Information on your assessment is included in your Module Handbooks.
The Graduate Attributes and how they are related to each of the modules on the course are listed in Module Handbooks, which you can access via each MyBeckett module page. If you would like further information on how the Graduate Attributes map on to any of your modules, please contact the relevant Module Leader.
The degree incorporates forms of assessment which simulate real-world tasks and conditions, enhance students' creativity and confidence, and practice and involve students in the production of digital artefacts. For example, across the programme, students have opportunities to undertake a commissioned local history project, produce a history documentary treatment and prepare podcasts for a range of audiences (local television and secondary school students). These kinds of assessment activities simulate workplace learning skills, sharpen digital literacies and enhance students' enterprise skills. In so doing they prepare students to make active links with an envisaged future career.
Employability and work-related learning are an integral part of the course as evidenced by several modules. At Level 4 in both subject areas, students are introduced to team and communication activities and reflective processes that are essential to the future career paths of our students, particularly in the contemporary workplace. At Level 5, the emphasis shifts from a focus on these more basic forms of engagement with employability to more complex and critical tasks. At this level students also have the option to take the Applied Humanities: Live Brief Learning module. As part of this module, students will undertake an individual professional work-related project. Alongside this project, they will produce a reflection which maps out the employability skills, knowledge and experience they have gained from this module. Students are also required to show how their skills can be transferred to a chosen career path. In Level 6 modules the employability strategy is focused on researching bodies of knowledge and critiquing existing models (particularly evident in the interdisciplinary dissertation project), with a greater emphasis on the independence of the learner. At Level 6 students can opt to pursue professional career development through the Career Cartographies module which seeks to enable students to develop their own career story and create a road-map to achieving their job aspirations. The module involves a minimum of 80-hours placement activity during which students are supported by the University's work placement team, the Careers & Employability Service and by academic staff, as well as an online distance learning module. Level 6 studentswhochosethePublicHistoryProjectoptionwillgainwork experience on a local history project, often working with an outside partner, and will develop skills of self-reflection useful to those who chose to remain within the history and heritage sector, as well as to those who choose to take these transferable skills (project design and management, research,analysis,communication,digitalcompetencies)intoother professions.
The Course Team liaises with the Careers & Employability Service to ensure that at all levels of the programme there are specific workshops on career planning. In the case of History: Theory & Practice, workshops are embedded in the programme and in other cases dedicated events are organised. We are supported by a dedicated Careers Consultant (School Partner) from the Careers & Employability Service who has supported us in embedding professional development in our modules which are set out explicitly in the University's Employability Improvement Framework, 2018-2023.
Students are also signposted to a range of volunteering and academic projects with some of our partners, including Price Waterhouse Cooper, with whom a number of students recently worked to commemorate the centenary of the World War I Armistice based on the company's archive. Students have also volunteered, for example, with Festival Republic's Reading, Leeds and Latitude music festivals, and MESMAC's West Yorkshire Queer Stories project.
Opportunities to undertake paid work and gain work experience are made available to students via Careers on MyHub, and students can also use Careers on MyHub to access a range of career development support, including a daily live careers chat, weekly career development and employer workshops, a range of industry development programmes, talks and fairs, and a comprehensive suite of online career learning tools. Graduate careers support is also available. History & Politics graduates are valued by a wide range of employers and organisations.
Based on the current top career destinations for students on the single honours History and Politics, degrees, it is anticipated that students graduating from BA (Hons) History & Politics will work in:
- Business and finance (start-up companies, small business, accountancy, financial advice, recruitment)
- Education (primary and secondary teaching with further study)
- Legal sector (with further study)
- Retail
- Heritage (museums, galleries and national heritage organisations/charities)
- Third sector organisations and NGOs
- The Public Sector
- Local and national government
A number of students also pursue post-graduate education at Masters and doctoral level. This is facilitated by the opportunity to pursue further study on the MA Social History, MA International Relations, MA Peace and Development and MA International Human Rights Practice within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Learning Support
If you have a question or a problem relating to your course, your Course Administrator is there to help you. Course Administrators work closely with academic staff and can make referrals to teaching staff or to specialist professional services as appropriate. They can give you a confirmation of attendance letter, and a transcript. You may also like to contact your Course Rep or the Students' Union Advice team for additional support with course-related questions.
Your Academic Advisor will be an academic member of staff who teaches you on your course. Your Course Director will make sure that you are given the contact details of your Academic Advisor at the beginning of each year, usually in your course induction. Further details on the role of your Academic Advisor are available on the Academic Advisor web page.
If you need support, but you're not sure where to go, your Student Advice Team are here to help. The team are an essential part of your Student Support Network and are dedicated to ensuring you can access the advice and support you need, when you need it most.
Student Advice can also help in the practical elements of university. The team will produce your first campus card and assist you in replacing your campus card if needed throughout your time at Leeds Beckett. They can provide Confirmation of Enrolment and Bank Letters for our current students and full or partial transcripts for our graduates and fully enrolled students.
If you need help with more complex queries or concerns, our trained Student Life Advisers offer 1-1 appointments, providing a safe, confidential, and non-judgemental space to talk about your circumstances and identify support that you can access both within and outside of the university.
To contact the team, or to arrange an appointment, visit The Student Advice webpage for full details.
The Student Voice & Insight team at LBSU works alongside the elected Academic Experience Officer to effectively represent students' academic interests.
We provide support, training and ongoing development to over 1,000 Course Representatives, Postgraduate Research Reps, Student Community Leaders and Global Majority Student Ambassadors who represent you whilst you study at Leeds Beckett; and facilitate the collection of student feedback on your academic experience.
Unsure who your Course Rep is? Maybe you're interested in becoming a Course Rep or have feedback about your academic experience? Get in touch at:
- Email: studentvoice@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
- Telephone: 0113 812 8400
- Website: leedsbeckettsu.co.uk/your-voice
You can find information and resources online through the Support and Opportunities tabs in MyBeckett. In the Support tab, you can find details of a range of services that provide academic and personal support. These include Student Advice, Library Services, the Students' Union, Student Money, Disability Advice, Student Wellbeing, Student Immigration Advice and Compliance and Accommodation. There is also an A-Z of Support Services, and access to online appointments/registration.
In the Opportunities tab, you can explore the options you have for jobs, work placements, volunteering, and a wide range of other opportunities. For example, you can find out here how to get help with your CV, prepare for an interview, get a part-time job or a voluntary role, take part in an international project, or join societies closer to home.
If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or a specific learning difference, we believe this should never be a barrier to studying at our University.
Please get in touch with us as soon as possible so we can ensure everything is in place before your course starts.
What should I do next?
- We will ask you to provide evidence of your disability, usually from a health professional or educational psychologist. Don't worry if you haven't got any, we can support you with this.
- Usually, we will arrange an appointment with your Disability Adviser to discuss any adjustments you might need and support you in applying for Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA).
- We will work with you to ensure any adjustments you need are available so you can fully participate on your course.
Please watch this short video about how the Disability Advice Team can work with you.
Disabled students can also access the Disability Resource Areas in each library and the support provided by the Library Learning Support Officer. More information is available on the Library website.
What is Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)?
DSA is government funding to help with the cost of any additional support you might need while studying, such as: one-to-one support, specialist equipment (including useful software) and travel. For more information visit our website.
Contact Us:
Email: disabilityadvice@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Tel: 0113 812 5831
Website: https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/student-information/disability-advice/
The Library
The Library offers 24/7 support for your studies. You can access thousands of resources via MyBeckett or the Library website which also provides full details of all our services.
Library Academic Support
The Library Academic Support Team can help you develop your academic skills such as critical thinking, academic writing and analysing data, and research skills such as how to find, use and evaluate information for your studies. The team liaises with your lecturers to provide the information resources you need for your subject and to arrange academic skills sessions to support you in your studies.
The team maintains a number of websites and modules to support your learning:
- In your Subject guide, you'll find a variety of information resources which have been selected as a good starting point for research in that area. These are available on the Skills and Subject Support web page or via My Beckett.
- On the Skills for Learning website, you'll find online resources covering topics such as essay writing, research and time management, English Language and academic English plus information to help you reference and avoid plagiarism, alongside details of workshops that are designed to help you succeed in your assessments. The Skills for Learning website can be found on the Library website or via My Beckett.
- LBU Study Smart is a module in MyBeckett which introduces you to the key skills and services you'll need to study successfully at Leeds Beckett. There are also additional modules you can take as you move through your course to help you transition between study levels. The Academic Integrity Tutorial is a module in MyBeckett which introduces you to academic integrity at LBU and will help you develop the skills you need to attain good academic practice, including avoiding plagiarism and academic referencing.
- The Academic Integrity Tutorial is a module in MyBeckett which introduces you to academic integrity at LBU and will help you develop the skills you need to attain good academic practice, including avoiding plagiarism and academic referencing.
Library and Student IT Advice Service
The Library and Student IT Advice Service team can answer your queries on borrowing, finding information, passwords, multi-factor authentication (MFA) ,Office 365, online meetings, saving your work, MyBeckett and more:
- online (including 24/7 chat) via the Contact Us web page
- by phone - 0113 812 1000 (24/7 IT support)
- face-to-face in either of our Libraries, check Library opening times for details of when staff are available
They also have a wide range of short tutorials available on the Library's YouTube channel.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi on the University campus is provided by eduroam, a secure wireless network, which also allows you Wi-Fi access if you visit other universities. To connect:
- Select eduroam from available Wi-Fi
- Your login details are:
Username followed by @leedsbeckett: e.g. c1234567@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Password: your normal university password
*Android Users: Select under Phase 2 Authentication - MS-CHAPv2
Help is available on the Library's Wi-Fi web page.
Microsoft Office 365
You are provided with free access to Office 365 and the latest version of Office can be downloaded from the IT tab in MyBeckett or from office.com. All students who are registered for a qualification at Leeds Beckett University are eligible and you can use the subscription for the duration of your course. For instructions and more information, please see the Office 365 support page.
OneDrive
OneDrive Leeds Beckett is your individual file storage with 1TB of storage space. With OneDrive you can access and share your files across your devices. This is accessible on University PCs and off-campus through Office 365 portal. See the Saving your Work pages on the Library website for more information.
Leeds Beckett RemoteApp
The Leeds Beckett RemoteApp gives you access to a range of specialist software for your course on your personal devices. See the RemoteApp page on the Library website for more information.
Media Equipment - free loans
You can borrow high-end Media Equipment for free. Browse, reserve and collect equipment ranging from GoPros to Remote Presenters from the ground floor of the Shelia Silver and Headingley Libraries. Further information is available on the Media Equipment web page.
University life can have its ups and downs, and occasionally you may find yourself in need of advice. That's where we come in. Here at the SU we have a free advice service that is here just for you, the students at Leeds Beckett University.
The Advice Service at LBSU is a confidential, non-judgmental service run by professional advisers.
The service is independent from the University, so if you are having any problems with your course you can talk confidentially with us - although we do work with the University to find the best solutions, we would only contact them with your permission. We can advise on a range of topics including all aspects of the University Regulations and Procedures, housing issues and finance issues. We can guide you through any processes or procedures.
We're here to help you with any questions or problems you might have while you are studying at Leeds Beckett.
Get more information at www.leedsbeckettsu.co.uk/advice.
Resources
MyBeckett, the portal and virtual learning environment provides:
- access to your modules and timetables;
- your reading lists and email account;
- your personal storage area on our University IT servers;
- information on where to look for academic or personal support (Support tab);
- information on opportunities such as jobs, careers, part-time work, placements and volunteering (Opportunities tab)
- access to Library and student IT advice
Further information and support for using MyBeckett can be found on the MyBeckett Support Pages.
You can access a range of physical and online resources relevant to your course through the University Library. The Subject Support pages for History and Politics provide course-specific resources and further information about media loans, books and library facilities can be found in the 'Library and IT Support' section below.
Student Voice
We are committed to working in partnership with you and the Students' Union to provide you with an inclusive, safe and engaging learning environment which is conducive to study for all our students and our staff. An important element of your time studying with us is your engagement in developing your learning. Your engagement and attendance on your course enables you to further your learning and supports your achievement, course completion and aspirations for the future. There is an expectation that students will attend, engage in their learning and submit on time for assessment. We provide support for you to maximise your time studying with us and to develop your learning, skills and abilities to support you in your chosen career path.
We seek active participation by all our students in the continuous enhancement of our courses and through our monitoring, annual review and enhancement processes. These are formal processes used by our University for assuring the academic standards and quality of your course and its continuous improvement. These processes utilise your feedback, External Examiners' reports, feedback from staff and others, data relating to student outcomes on the course and student surveys to reflect on areas of good practice and areas for further enhancement. We invite all students to participate in a range of opportunities to provide us with feedback on your course and modules. This may include discussions with staff, focus groups, and meetings (e.g. with Course Representatives or with staff) and formalised student surveys e.g. mid module reviews, end of module evaluations and specific course or other surveys such as the Student Barometer, National Student Survey and Graduate Outcomes Survey. We utilise the outcomes of these surveys to benchmark our courses nationally and to inform annual course enhancements.
Informal feedback is also welcome at any time either via your Academic Advisor or module tutor or via your Course Representative. Our partnership with you enables us together to make the most of your learning experience with us and to enhance the quality and reputation of your course. You can find out what actions have been taken in response to your feedback through your Course Representative, the Students' Union, your tutors or through the Library.
Course Representatives (Reps) at undergraduate and postgraduate taught levels are student volunteers who represent you in formal and informal meetings with the University, and follow up on actions that have occurred because of student feedback. You can become a Course Rep, volunteering to represent the views of your peers in order to improve students' academic experience.
In the first few weeks of your time at Leeds Beckett, your Course Director will facilitate an opportunity to appoint Course Reps on your course.
LBSU provides support, training and ongoing development for Course Reps and supports their engagement in enhancement activities throughout the academic year.
Being a Course Rep provides you with an opportunity to enhance your own learning and the development of relevant professional and employability skills alongside your studies. As a Course Rep you would play an important role in:
- Acting as a point of contact and advocate for students on your course and in supporting their active engagement.
- Gathering feedback from students on your course to inform enhancements to the quality of your course and the student experience.
- Facilitating good communication between students and staff on the course.
- Working with the Course Director, members of the course team and the Students' Union to enhance your course.
- Facilitating and engaging in meetings about your course; and
- Being an ambassador for your course.
Further information about being a Course Representative is available at:
We invite all students to participate in a range of opportunities to provide us with feedback on your course and modules. This may include discussions with staff, focus groups, and meetings (e.g. with Course Representatives or with staff) and formalised student surveys e.g. mid module reviews, end of module evaluations and specific course or other surveys such as the Student Barometer, National Student Survey and the Graduate Outcomes Survey.
We are committed to providing a high quality experience for all our students. We welcome comments and compliments from students, and find them valuable for on-going improvements to our provision. Comments and compliments about your course can be raised with your Course Representative or directly with your Course Director or Academic Advisor.
If you have a specific complaint about an act or omission of our University, you may be able to make a complaint under the Student Complaints Procedure. In the first instance, you should raise the matter as soon as possible with the member of staff most directly concerned, or with the person who can best resolve it. If this does not resolve the matter, or if the complaint is too serious to be addressed in this way, then you should make a formal complaint in writing. Information about how to make a complaint, including the student complaints procedure and a complaints form, is available on the Students web pages.
General Information
Bachelor of Arts History and Politics
Diploma of Higher Education History and Politics
Certificate of Higher Education History and Politics
Leeds Beckett University
Level 6 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, with 120 credit points at each of Levels 4, 5 and 6 of the UK Credit Framework for Higher Education (360 credits in total).
PT students will be supported by the course team to determine an appropriate selection of modules from the level for each year of study. PT delivery is usually at half the intensity of the FT equivalent course, although there may be flexibility to increase your pace of study to shorten the overall course duration. Some modules may be delivered in a different sequence to that defined within this information set but the modules offered within each level are consistent. Please note that the work placement option is not generally available to PT students.
Course fees and additional course costs are confirmed in your offer letter. Course fees are presented to you annually through the online enrolment process. Please visit our Course and Tuition Fees Payment web pages for further information. Ongoing queries relating to additional course costs may be discussed with your Course Administrator.
Alternatively, you can contact any of the following teams:
For Student Finance related fee queries: studentfunding@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Other fee related queries: fees@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Payments: incomes@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Policies, Standards & Regulations
Key University regulations and policies can be accessed on the following web pages:
- Academic Regulations (including assessment regulations) are available on our Academic Regulations web page
- The Student Contract is available on our Student Regulations web page
- The Student Charter is available on our Academic Regulations web page (Section 20)
Other Student regulations and University policies, including Safety, Health and Wellbeing policies, are available on our Student Regulations web page
You should also familiarise yourself with Support Report Respect where students and colleagues who are victims of any form of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct, can access support, advice and guidance.
For advice on University regulations and policies, students should contact the Students' Union Advice Service.
There are no additional or non-standard regulations which relate to your course.
The External Examiner assures that you are assessed fairly in relation to other students on the same course and also that the standard of your own award is comparable to similar courses taken by students in other higher education institutions within the UK. The External Examiner(s) provide an annual report for your course. External Examiner reports are available on our External Examiner Reports web page, which is accessible via the Course Information link on the Students home page.
The details of the External Examiner for this course are as follows:
History External Examiners
Professor Neil Fleming (Chief External Examiner and with specific UG modules assigned)
Professor of Modern History
University of Worcester
Dr Laura Evans (Specific UG modules assigned)
Senior Lecturer in Modern History
Sheffield Hallam University
Dr Ruth Larsen (Specific UG modules assigned)
Senior Lecturer in History
University of Derby
Politics External Examiners
Dr Sonia Bussu
Associate Professor
University of Birmingham
Dr Matthew Hurley
Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations
Sheffield Hallam University
Dr Katharine Wright
Senior Lecturer in International Politics
Newcastle University
Appendices
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