History BA (Hons) • City, University of London

This course is for 2021/22 entry. 2022/23 entry is also available.

Key information

This History BA Honours degree will take you on a journey through key historical developments in a range of nations, societies and cultures. You will develop the skills to understand, think about and research the past, and apply those skills to your future career.

Start date

September 2021

UCAS code

V100

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years with placement or study abroad year

Institution

City, University of London

Location

Northampton Square

Entry requirements

Below is a list of countries with information on each about which qualifications we accept.

English language requirements

If your first language is not English, we will require evidence of English language proficiency. Minimum requirements are:

IELTS:

6.5 with a minimum of 6 in any unit

If your first language is not English, we will require evidence of English language proficiency. The minimum requirement is

Cambridge ESOL: CPE grade C or above
PTE Academic: 59 overall with a minimum of 59 in each component.

English language programmes

Don’t meet the English language requirements? INTO City, University of London offers English language programmes to help prepare you for study at university. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to degree courses.

Apply now

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Course overview

Explore the events, forces, and ideas that have shaped modern and international history with this fascinating three-year degree.

You will develop a strong understanding of major political, cultural, social and economic forces that have shaped the world, and will learn about a wide array of societies and cultures.

Study topics ranging from Conflict in world history to the United States in the twentieth century, and Digital storytelling to Women in popular music
Gain experience in the tools and techniques of historical research and engage in independent research projects of your own choosing
Learn from research-active academic experts in British, European, Asian, American, Russian, transnational and global history
Broaden your expertise with elective modules from City’s respected courses in international politics, sociology, English, journalism, psychology, and creative and cultural industries
Prepare you for a wide range of postgraduate study and career options in areas such as publishing, the cultural sector, museums and heritage, consultancy, and public policy
Develop vital skills such as independent research, teamwork, critical thinking and analytical reasoning, leadership, time-management, and written and oral communication.

Structure

Course content

Build a firm foundation in the major themes and developments in world history, spanning centuries and continents, with this three-year degree.

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Placements

Year 1

Study world history from the ancient world to the modern era, gaining an understanding of historical methodology and digital history. Select elective modules from a wide choice of complementary disciplines.

Year 2

Examine the ideas and ideologies that have shaped the modern world, and broaden your historical knowledge with a range of national and regional histories. Apply your research skills beyond the classroom and begin to focus on professional skill development.

Ideas in History: from the Enlightenment to Post-Colonialism (30 credits)

Explores key concepts, thinkers, and texts, considering how influential ideas have arisen out of particular historical contexts, spread within and beyond the nation state, and shaped the past and the present.
Work Placement (15 credits)

This module provides you with the opportunity to exercise in the workplace the skills and knowledge you have gained in the taught modules by undertaking work experience.
Web Creation and Digital Storytelling (15 credits)

This module enables you to develop your own multimedia blog project and populate it with narrative content tailored to a specified target audience. You will learn about the history of online media and become familiar with the current digital landscape.
Cultural Politics in Contemporary Societies (15 credits)

This module explores key issues within contemporary cultural policy, and is structured around a central narrative of state, culture, economy and civil society.
Fifty Shades of Red – Russia in the Twentieth Century (15 credits)

This module introduces you to political, social, and cultural developments in modern Russian history, and encourages you to consider how the Soviet experiment influenced the history of Russia and the world, and how we should relate to it today.
Ordering the World: International Thought in the Twentieth Century (15 credits)

This module explores the history of ideas of World Order in western internationalist thought during the twentieth century.
The American Century: The United States in the Twentieth Century (15 credits)

This module will help you understand and assess the evolving role of the United States as a world power.
Cultures of Benevolence: Philanthropy and Civil Society from 1601 to the Present (15 credits)

The module will examine the many political, economic and social functions of philanthropy and voluntary action from the early modern period to the present day.
The Making of Modern Japan (15 credits)

This module considers how the politics, economics, society, and culture of Japan developed from the mid-nineteenth century to the present, with a particular emphasis on modernisation, diplomacy, conflict, and culture.
India in the Eighteenth Century (15 credits)

This module will examine the period of the great Mughal Empire, and its collapse, reflecting on the nature of the English Company and why it successfully adapted to territorial rule.
Religion and Politics in the Age of Global Change (15 credits)

This unit, far from being a course on comparative religion or on the sociology of religion, will address the interplay between religion and politics throughout history with a focus on the 20th and 21st centuries.
Transnational Social Movements (15 credits)

Provides you with a comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of transnational social movements, and to enable you to assess their nature and impact in respect of a wide range of contemporary global political issues.
Comparative Asian Politics (15 credits)

The module will comparatively examine the historical origins and outcomes of systems of government, strategies of economic development as well as the sources and impact of corruption across Asian states.
Violent Politics (15 credits)

The module will raise and address a number of key questions related to the role of political violence in contemporary politics: E.g. Why do individuals take part in violence? Why do different countries face different types of violence?

Year 3

Conduct a major piece of independent research on a subject of your choice. Deepen your historical knowledge and develop your professional skills with elective modules reflecting diverse scholarly and applied disciplines.

History dissertation (30 credits)

The dissertation is a major project which provides you with the opportunity to work on the identification, development and execution of a sustained piece of research in history and politics.
History Dissertation Research and Writing Seminar (15 credits)

This module will support your work on your Undergraduate Dissertation in History and Politics and help you develop a systematic understanding of key aspects of research design and methodology.
Publishing in the Digital Age (15 credits)

This module introduces you to the ways in which digitalisation is transforming the publishing process. You will explore the historical and cultural development of publishing, and learn about current conditions of the global publishing industry through.
The International Marketing of Culture (15 credits)

You will examine established and developing global and digital markets for culture as a means of learning about how cultural products, cultural workers, cultural artefacts and cultural brands are marketed in physical and digital forms.
Radicals and Reformers: Left-Wing Politics and Activism in Britain and the World since 1945 (15 credits)

This module will introduce you to left-wing politics, political parties and protest movements in Britain since 1945.
Revolution: Rebels and Riots in Modern History (15 credits)

Provides an overview of the history of the major revolutionary moments that occurred between the Atlantic Revolutions and WWI, and examines the history of revolutionary movements.
Comparative Empires in the Modern Era (15 credits)

This module explores the history of modern imperialism, focusing on the development of the European, Japanese, and American empires in the 19th and 20th century.
The Holocaust in History and Memory (15 credits)

This module examines the origins, implementation, and aftermath of the Holocaust as it unfolded across the European continent, paying particular attention to the divergent perspectives of perpetrators and victims.
Disruptive Divas. Riot Grrrls and Bad Sistas: A History of Women in Popular Music (15 credits)

The module will introduce you to concepts of gender history and politics as well as to the historical study of popular culture.
American Foreign Policy (15 credits)

This module will introduce you to American power in the world and its foreign policy through a combination of theory, institutions, and case studies.
The Global Political Economy of Development (15 credits)

This module bridges international politics and political economy to demonstrate the role of international organizations in promoting domestic political institutions and social welfare policies needed for promoting development.
International Politics of the Middle East (15 credits)

Provides a critical understanding of the key dynamics shaping the International Politics of the region since 1918, focusing on processes of state and ideology formation, the foreign policy of key states, conflict, external powers, and the impact of globalization.
Politics of Forced Displacement (15 credits)

The module addresses key themes in international politics (governance, globalisation, security, international (non)cooperation, regionalism and the global political economy).
Global Money and Finance (15 credits)

You will address many topics, such as the problems of money and the financial system in the global economy, the origins and different meanings of ‘money’ and the approaches to financial instability and regulation.
The Theory and Practice of Conflict and Peace (15 credits)

This module provides an introduction to how national decision-makers and diplomats have pursued war and peace since the early twentieth century with the aim of applying theory to illuminate key historical cases.

Placements

You can apply to take a sandwich year working in a real-world work placement between years two and three of your degree.

Download course specification:

BA History

Teaching and assessment

The course is delivered in a supportive, energised department by experienced academic staff who are committed to teaching and mentoring.

Our teaching and learning methods are designed to develop your knowledge and enthusiasm for history while stimulating your engagement and participation in the learning process.

You will learn through a combination of thought-provoking lectures, interactive sessions, practical workshops, and small group seminars. Your learning will be supported by a personal tutorial system.

You will be encouraged to undertake extensive reading and independent study in order to deepen and broaden your knowledge of course content, and learn how to use digital resources in your research and presentation.

Your self-directed learning will be supported in a variety of ways, including online resources and interactive sessions where you will be invited to ask questions and participate in in-depth discussions with other students and teaching staff.

As an interdisciplinary degree, this course will also provide you with the opportunity to expand your learning through a wide range of elective modules from the School of Arts and Social Sciences.

Assessment methods

The assessment weighting for year one is 10%, year two is 30% and year three is 60%.

You will be assessed through a variety of methods, which may include coursework, essays, reading reflections, unseen exams, oral presentations, group assignments, and a history dissertation. Assessment will emphasise both intellectual rigour and skills that will be crucial in your subsequent professional life.

Percentage of the course assessed by coursework

The balance of assessment by examination, practical examination and assessment by coursework will to some extent depend on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessment, based on 2018/19 entry is as follows:

Assessment

Year 1

Written examination: 12%

Practical: 19%

Coursework: 69%

Year 2

Written examination: 13%

Practical: 8%

Coursework: 79%

Year 3

Written examination: 8%

Coursework: 92%

Overall workload

Most contact hours will take the form of lectures, interactive sessions, practical workshops and small group classes, supported by a personal tutorial system. The number will decrease as you progress and you become more able to direct your own learning. Approximate study time based on 2018/19 entry is as follows:

Workload

Year 1

Scheduled learning: 13%

Independent learning: 87%

Year 2

Scheduled learning: 14%

Independent learning: 86%

Year 3

Scheduled learning: 10%

Independent learning: 90%

Fees and funding

Fees for year 2021/22

£9,250

Overseas/EU

£16,240

The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2021/ 22 academic year only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase, which is normally 2%.

Funding options

Explore up-to-date information about funding options, available financial support and typical living costs.

Fee waivers are available for this course.
Means tested support is available for 2021/22 entry.

Future finance loans

Future Finance offers students loans of between £2,500 and £40,000 to help cover tuition fees and living expenses. All students and courses are considered. All loans are subject to credit checks and approval for further details please visit our finance pages.

Career

The programme has been designed in consultation with employers from fields including political and human rights consultancies, museums, and publishing. Professional development is embedded throughout the program at all levels.

The programme also equips you with a range of employment-oriented skills, including critical analysis, time management, research, teamwork, oral and written communication, and the work with digital information.

As a History graduate, you can work towards future roles in:

education
publishing
journalism
law
consulting
public policy and the public sector
archive management or librarianship
advocacy and NGOs
digital content development
museums and the heritage sector
the cultural and creative industries.

How to apply

Applications for degree courses must be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Apply now

You can apply through your school or college using the Apply system, which enables you to submit your application directly to the UCAS website.

www.ucas.com

You can apply to up to five universities or institutions on the form. The UCAS code for City, University of London is C60.

Please take care to enter the correct course code when applying, particularly for subjects with a Foundation year or with BEng (Hons) and MEng (Hons) or BSc (Hons) and MSci (Hons) options.

UCAS has implemented an 'invisibility of choices' policy so that, on the initial application and while you are receiving decisions, each institution can see only their entry and not those of other institutions you have chosen. This ensures that your application for a course at City is considered solely on your academic and personal qualities.

You should submit your completed application form to UCAS with a £23 application fee. If you want to apply to City, University of London only, you can make a single choice application at a reduced rate of £12.

For general enquiries about the admissions process at City, please contact our Admissions Office:

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7040 8716.

Telephone lines are currently open between 10am - 3pm.

If your enquiry is about admission to a particular course, please use the contact details provided on the course page.

When to apply

Your application for entry in September 2021 should arrive at UCAS between September 2020 and 29^th January 2021. Applications that arrive after 29^th January 2021 will be considered only at City's discretion.

Contacting UCAS

Website: www.ucas.com

Address: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), Rosehill, New Barn Lane, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 3LZ

Telephone:

from inside the UK 0871 468 0468
from outside the UK +44 (0)871 468 0468

For callers with hearing difficulties:

from inside the UK use the Text Relay service on 18001 0871 468 0468
from outside the UK dial +44 151 494 1260 (text phone) and then ask the operator to dial 0871 468 0468.

Facilities

Clerkenwell Tales: A Short History

City, University of London is located right in the heart of Clerkenwell, home to a number of political spots which significantly impacted British and international History. 3 minutes

Our students

Follow the journey of one of our History undergraduates, Kiran, while studying at City. 2 minutes

Key information

Entry requirements

UK

Other suitable qualifications

Access to Higher Education

INTO City, University of London

Zimbabwe

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Zambia

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Vietnam

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Uzbekistan

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Ukraine

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Uganda

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USA

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Turkey

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