International Bachelor History

Looking back to think ahead
IB History student on campus

Is this the programme you're looking for?

Are you curious about what modern global history after 1500 can teach us about contemporary politics, economics, culture, and social relations? Then the International Bachelor History at Erasmus University Rotterdam is the study that suits you! Find out all about the International Bachelor History here.

Key Facts & Figures

Type
Bachelor
Degree
BA
Mode of study
Full-time
Instruction language
English
Duration
3 years
Study points (EC)
180
Start date
September
Application Deadline (EEA)
1 May
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The study programme in a nutshell

  • Study modern history from 1500 onwards, focusing on the last 200 years;
  • examine the past to answer social questions that concern politicians, the media, or citizens today;
  • explore developments in history thematically and make the link between then and now;
  • learn to look at modern history of an international nature with a multifaceted perspective;
  • discuss history from a long-term perspective by using themes such as migration, social inequality, religious identity, popular use of history in e.g. games, trends in the fashion industry and international conflicts.

The first year is the same for all students. You will be introduced into global history, you will read historical texts and you learn how history as a social science can help to understand current societal challenges. In year 2 and 3 you can personalise your programme by choosing a focus area and follow a minor in combination with an internship or study abroad.

Why this study

Watch the study programme video

International Bachelor History by Gabriella

Programme in numbers

Student satisfaction Students rate this study programme 4.2 stars.
111
Number of firstyears The number of students in the first year.
6-12u
Contact time firstyears Number of hours offered per week
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Want to know more? Meet us here

Students meeting each other

Find out everything you need to know at one of these (online) events.

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Career opportunities after graduation

The practical and labour focussed approach of the bachelor makes you a highly valued employee in fields such as politics, education, journalism, business administration, and governmental institutions. Historians have extensive knowledge of the past, which enables them to identify current issues in global society. They are able to gather information rapidly, assess various digital and printed sources, and compose a coherent argument.

This could be your future

What do our students think?

Noah Herwig

Noah Herwig - Student International Bachelor History

IBHistory taught me to see the bigger trends and historical debates around a topic.
IBHistory taught me to see the bigger trends and historical debates around a topic.

Small-scale Tutorials

Going into my university studies, I wanted to be surrounded by an atmosphere that allows me to not just learn new material but build a stronger connection to myself as well as others in and outside the classroom. IBHistory has consistently provided me with this opportunity, surrounding me with students from a wide range of backgrounds, and a course structure that encouraged and strengthened my independent thinking and collaboration.

As an IBHistory student, small, 20-student tutorials offer a great opportunity to engage with the course. Given the size of the class, I found it easy to settle in with my new environment studying abroad and connecting with my fellow students as well as teachers. The coursework incentivized me to give my opinions in class and learn from those around me, while also having ample opportunity to speak directly to the tutors if I was ever unsure about anything. 

First-Year Structure

IBHistory’s first year is structured in a unique and effective way, doing only one course at a time, in five-week blocks. This had several advantages for me as a student, as the workload was not overwhelming or daunting, but rather gave me the chance to better study the material and feel prepared. The five-week blocks felt just enough to have the chance to go in-depth with topics and discussions, while consistently offering fresh topics and new learning opportunities. 

Thematic Approach at EUR

Between each course, I learned to approach historical topics thematically. Rather than a collection of individual dates and events, as I was used to in High School, IBHistory taught me to see the bigger trends and historical debates around a topic. This meant I could place how historical events occurred from multiple perspectives, how they impacted different communities in the long run, and why it is important for historians to continue academic debates. There are also many chances to learn history ‘from-below’, challenging the common historical narratives that many of us know against those of the oppressed and silenced. 

Elora Aarts

Student International Bachelor History

Learning from peers from different cultures really challenged my views and knowledge and helped me learn beyond the factual information of the bachelor
Smiling girl with black, curly hair and a green top
Learning from peers from different cultures really challenged my views and knowledge and helped me learn beyond the factual information of the bachelor

After trying two other bachelors in the social science field, I was really looking for something that would combine my interests for the social sciences with something that would add more to my studies. The International Bachelor History ended up being exactly what I was looking for.

Social Sciences

History had always been an interest of mine, and something that I had always been relatively good at. My interest in social sciences also fit in perfectly with the bachelor, especially in the second year where I was able to pick a specialisation that focusses more on social and cultural history.

International Perspective

Besides the inclusion of social sciences, the International Bachelor History also added an interesting new international perspective to my studies. Learning from peers from different cultures really challenged my views and knowledge and helped me learn beyond the factual information of the course. Especially with something as diverse as history, the views and experiences of my peers were the most interesting thing to me. The bachelor is quite small, which adds a very social aspect to it. It took little to no time for me to make friends and create a social circle at Erasmus, which was very exciting for me.

Biggest struggle

My biggest struggle with the bachelor was figuring out how to actually study. Coming from a background in different bachelors, the switch to something like History was quite hard. Learning how to study for exams and how to write historical papers was something that took some time for me. With some trial and error, I have now managed to figure out how to study efficiently in this field.

Smiling girl with black, curly hair and a green top

Joost van der Linden

Student International Bachelor History

There are many stories that should be told but aren’t. They are either forgotten or haven’t been found yet. This is what studying history, at least to me, is. It is finding and telling the stories of the past that have not been told yet.
Young man posing for camera in a suit
There are many stories that should be told but aren’t. They are either forgotten or haven’t been found yet. This is what studying history, at least to me, is. It is finding and telling the stories of the past that have not been told yet.

I love stories. Stories are not simply tales we tell each other to entertain. Stories can guide your morals and teach you things, help you answer questions and understand the world around you. Stories immortalize people and things. If we stop telling each other these tales, we forget the things they can teach us. Now there are many stories that deserve to be and should be told but aren’t. They are either forgotten or haven’t been found yet. This is what studying history, at least to me, is. It is finding and telling the stories of the past that have not been told yet, although this is not what I thought when I started my study.

When I started this study, I was afraid my peers would have a head start on me. I hadn’t studied history in high school, and so, lacked a lot of knowledge that the others would have. Luckily, I quickly found out that this was not necessary. While it is very nice to be very knowledgeable about history, this bachelor is focused on doing research, and finding the history yourself. You don’t get told the stories; you learn how to find them and be critical of what you find.

Young man posing for camera in a suit

Vincent Korbee

Vincent Korbee - Student International Bachelor History

Studying history at the EUR widens your perspective on the world and helps you grow as an individual.
Portrait picture of Vincent Korbee
Studying history at the EUR widens your perspective on the world and helps you grow as an individual.

As a high school student, I was always looking for opportunities to broaden my horizon. This is reflected in my choice of university and bachelor programme. History at the Erasmus University is a wide-ranging programme with a lot of different disciplines that come together. Thus, whether you like political history, cultural history, or socio-economic history, the Erasmus University is the place to be!

Something that immediately drew my attention in the first year was the international character of the programme. This allowed for a melting pot of perspectives and made the in-class debates very interesting. You learn a lot from your fellow students as they see the world in a totally different way – which is especially beneficial for studying history.

What I really enjoy about the history programme at the Erasmus University is the fact that it tries to blend different branches of history. For instance, in the second year, economic history and international relations are combined. In this way, you learn to

The Erasmus University has lots of opportunities for you to develop as an individual. They offer many extracurricular occupations such as committees, a special honours programme for excelling students, and the chance to study abroad in your third year. In short, studying history at the EUR widens your perspective on the world and helps you grow as an individual!

Portrait picture of Vincent Korbee

Sophie Marijn

Sophie Marijn - Student International Bachelor History

IB History taught me that there was more to history than just the Europeanised version.
portrait picture of Sophie Marijn
IB History taught me that there was more to history than just the Europeanised version.

During my last year of high school, I looked at quite a lot of various history programmes throughout the Netherlands. Yet, even when looking at other history studies, the version at the Rotterdam University never left my mind. The International Bachelor History spoke to me because of its unique programme and challenges. The interesting part of it that it is the only study where I feel that you do not focus entirely on Europe from a European perspective and instead on the whole globe and how they were before Europe colonized them.

Furthermore, you learn various other perspectives to approach history, such as the look from the colonized instead of the colonizers or from the point of view from minorities. It taught me that there was more to history than just the Europeanized version of it and that there were more histories to learn instead of those taught in high school.

Something I had to learn how to deal with was the fast pace of the history bachelor. While on one hand had it is great that during your first year you only focus on one course at the time, on the other hand it makes the courses quite fast paced and you cannot afford to fall behind. Yet, with the help of the lecturers and my fellow students it ended up being quite doable.

portrait picture of Sophie Marijn

Pavel Cernocan

Pavel Cernocan - Student International Bachelor History

Historians might not build bridges, save people from a burning house, or harvest a field, but the historical knowledge they collect, upon closer inspection, seems essential to understand people, the society we came to live in, and our very own lives.
Historians might not build bridges, save people from a burning house, or harvest a field, but the historical knowledge they collect, upon closer inspection, seems essential to understand people, the society we came to live in, and our very own lives.

My father studied history and used to be a historian early in his life. Growing up, I always admired his ability to make sense of the world and his understanding of the past. Historians might not build bridges, save people from a burning house, or harvest a field, but the historical knowledge they collect, upon closer inspection, seems essential to understand people, the society we came to live in, and our very own lives. The International Bachelor of History at Erasmus offers a great opportunity for anyone interested in contemplating human life and society.

Examine the past in a critical sense
During the first year, you are introduced to the main strands of European and global history in a series of courses that start around the year 1500 and move to today. Also, you will learn about the major social thinkers and their ideas. While presented with this vast amount of evidence and information, you are trained to assess historical evidence and interpretations, to analyse change and continuity, and most importantly — to examine the past in a critical sense. All of this provides a wonderful opportunity to engage in debate and to render a different perspective.

Focus area of interest
In year two, you are encouraged to focus on a area of interest. I chose social history for its humanistic goal of trying to explore the human experience in other times and places. There is a great sense of beauty and excitement in trying to understand how people in distant times chose to build their lives and tested their moral sense and values. The knowledge that social history brings, offers a unique perspective on human life and gives great hope for individual liberty.

A lot of support along the way
Although the programme is challenging at times, you will never feel alone on any issue. The interaction and reciprocity between students and teaching/administrative staff are highly regarded at Erasmus University, and you will be offered a lot of support along the way. Recently, the sudden shift to online classes has taken place with the same level of care and attention as before — an effort that deserves the utmost praise. So, do not be afraid to talk to someone, or ask for help.

This vibrant city offers a variety in art, nightlife, culture and sports. Everything you wish for to enjoy your student life to the fullest.

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Your student life starts in the vibrant city of Rotterdam

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