Welcome to the Department of International History, one of the leading centres for the study of history in the UK, with a long-standing international reputation for the excellence of its research and area expertize. With 29 academic staff, we are home to about 500 students, drawn from over 30 countries, sitting in the heart of one of the most exciting places in the world to study, work, and live. We offer a range of different undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, including the BA History, a joint BSc with International Relations, and a joint BSc with Government; the MSc courses in History of International Relations; Theory and History of International Relations; Empires, Colonialism and Globalisation; International and Asian History; Modern History and two different two-year double MSc degrees with Columbia University in New York City, and Peking University. We also offer the MPhil/PhD in International History. The Department prides itself on the range and diversity of the courses it is able to provide for its students, which cover all parts of the world, including Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, as well as Europe and Britain, and the period from around 1500 to the present day. Our courses explore such large and critical themes as the causes of conflict, the conduct and repercussions of wars, the conditions for peace, the rise of nations and nationalism, cultural and religious interaction, imperialism, colonialism and decolonization, the emergence of transnational forces and non-state actors, and the history of international relations.
Throughout the year the Department plays host to a whole series of seminars, workshops and outside speaker events, where some of the world’s leading historians share their findings and reflections. This vibrant research culture benefits our PhD research students, who have access to some of the UK’s most impressive research and archival resources. These strengths also contribute to the dissertation work undertaken by our undergraduate and MSc students, who receive individual supervision of their chosen topics. We are committed to excellence in teaching and are proud of our Department’s high teaching scores in the National Student Survey. We have a lively student-run History Society, and the Department aims to offer a friendly and inclusive environment in which our students can pursue their full range of historical interests, participate in stimulating debate, and take full advantage of all the opportunities for personal development that an LSE education provides.
We hope that visitors and prospective applicants can find all the information they need on our activities, our teaching programmes, and our research interests on this website.