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Undergraduate
UCAS code:V146
Department of International History

BA History

Learn about the forces that have shaped the past and the world we live in today with our international history degree programme.
BA History at LSE

Overview

Introduction

This degree is distinctive for its international perspective on the past. Spanning the 15th century to the present day, the programme pays as much attention to political, economic, social and cultural developments that have shaped states as to the relationships between them.

You can choose from a wide range of history courses covering virtually every region of the world and period in history. The Department of International History is world-leading for research and teaching. Taught by internationally acclaimed academics, you’ll develop your analytical powers, analyse complex evidence from a variety of sources and learn how to present your findings clearly – all highly transferable skills that are valued by employers.

You can also take options from other departments, including a language specialism – see the Programme Structure and Courses section for details.

LSE history graduates continue to have one of the best rates of employability and earnings after graduation in the UK. Our graduates secure rewarding and challenging careers in politics, journalism, the media consulting, law, research and teaching.

Entry requirements

Here, you can check our entry requirements for GCSEs, A-levels (please read them alongside our information about subject combinations) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. We also consider applications from students with a range of other UK qualifications and from overseas. Please select the overseas button below and choose your country from the dropdown list to find the equivalency to A-levels of your qualification.

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We welcome students from all walks of life at LSE. We want to recruit students with the very best academic merit, potential and motivation. So, whatever your background, please do apply. Get all the details on our general entry requirements.

Competition for places at LSE is high. We cannot guarantee you an offer of a place even if you’re predicted or achieve our standard entry requirements.

Our standard offer requirements are intended only as a guide and, in some cases, you’ll be asked for different grades.

Programme content

On this programme, you’ll study 12 units over three years, plus LSE100.

Year 1

You’ll take two compulsory courses and two course options (chosen from three history courses), one international relations course, language courses and options from other departments.

Additionally, you’ll take LSE100.

Why study with us

Discover more about our students and department.

Meet the department

History is a wide ranging and challenging subject to study. It seeks to understand the past and to make sense of the present, adding an important dimension to the understanding of many aspects of human society. The department is world renowned in its field, offering a unique perspective on the history of relations between states, peoples and cultures. We pride ourselves on giving students the benefit of ground-breaking research throughout our teaching programmes.

Our degrees will give you a broad international perspective on the past. We give attention both to domestic and international issues and many of the courses we offer deal with major events in the history of international relations.

Since the behaviour of countries in the international arena cannot be understood without a knowledge of their distinct social, political, economic and cultural characteristics, we provide courses covering major aspects of the history of ideas and mentalities.

LSE was founded in 1895 originally as an institute of higher education for graduate students. The department reflects this tradition and takes its responsibility for undergraduate teaching and supervision very seriously. We admit nearly as many undergraduate students as master's students. We have one of the most cosmopolitan undergraduate communities in London and one of the most vibrant and dynamic.

Learn more about our programmes, research, public events and people.

Who's who

Your application

Overview

We consider each application carefully, taking into account all the details you’ve included on your UCAS form, such as:

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency, although this is not needed at the application stage. See our English language requirements page.

532
Applications
63
Intake
8:1
2022 Ratio

Fees and funding

The table of fees shows the latest tuition fees for all programmes.

You're charged a fee for each year of your programme. Your tuition fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It doesn't cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

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£9,250

Home student fee per each year of your programme

This is the 2025/26 tuition fee. The home student undergraduate fee may rise in line with inflation in subsequent years.

Learning and assessment

How you learn

Graduate destinations

Overview

Through studying history you'll learn how to analyse complex evidence from a variety of sources, to develop your analytical powers and to present your findings effectively. These skills and a broad knowledge of the development of the world around us are valued by many employers.

Past students have followed a range of careers in politics, journalism, media and publishing, advertising, marketing, and public relations, public administration, the foreign service, industry, the charity and development sector, finance, consulting and the legal profession, as well as in research, teaching, libraries and archives.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Median salary of our undergraduate students 15 months after graduating:

£30,000

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

Education, Teaching and Research
Financial and Professional Services
Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities
Information, Digital Technology and Data
Government, Public Sector and Policy
This data is drawn from the 2021/22 Graduate Outcomes Survey, run by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and in full-time employment.

Discover Uni

Every undergraduate programme of more than one year duration will have Discover Uni data. The data allows you to compare information about individual programmes at different higher education institutions.

Programmes offered by different institutions with similar names can vary quite significantly. We recommend researching the programmes you're interested in and taking into account the programme structure, teaching and assessment methods, and support services available.

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