History and Politics

The Oxford history curriculum ranges from the end of the Roman Empire and the rise of Islam to modern America and China. All varieties of History are pursued to excellence in Oxford: the faculty is one of the largest and best in the world. As students of the past we become specialists in some areas whilst retaining an interest in the connections and differences between individuals and societies across time and space.

Politics as a social science is studied using several approaches: through both qualitative and quantitative methods in the first year. The first year course comprises a study of practical contemporary politics (democratic and non-democratic politics, institutions, parties, social movements, revolutions…), an introduction to political philosophy (liberty, equality, democracy…), and a course introducing quantitative methods in political science. None of the course assumes any prior knowledge, and is open to candidates studying many different school subjects.