" History has been described as "the most supremely useful of all intellectual pursuits". In the Department here we focus on the last two centuries, the forces that have shaped our modern world: nationalism, industrialisation, capitalism, communism, imperialism, etc. History is studied in an interdisciplinary way in relation to the cognate areas of politics, economics and culture, and comes under the umbrella of International Studies. Follow the links (to the right) for BA honours degrees including in-depth study of History, where it usually comprises a third of the degree. The main focus of historical study is 19th and 20th-century international history. Preliminary and Part 1 subjects include the historical study of different models of industrialisation, the development of trade policy, and the growth of national rivalries before the First World War. Part 2 subjects include Imperialism, Totalitarianism before and during the Second World War, and international history during the Cold War, and the more recent period of ‘realignment'. "