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History BA(Hons)

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    Overview

    Keen to study history at degree level? History at Huddersfield is ranked 9th in the UK in the Guardian League Tables 2025 and 9th in the Daily Mail University League Tables 2024.

    Studying history enables us to put ourselves and our societies into perspective, establishing connections between the events, ideas and people that built past and present worlds. Here in Huddersfield, you’ll develop your critical thinking and writing through the handling of primary sources and the material culture of the past, learning to become an independent researcher.

    Nestled in the centre of historic Yorkshire, our course engages with both local heritage and international histories.It covers a range of eras, from the medieval and early-modern period to the modern world, and inspires you to make historical connections with contemporary global challenges.

    Why study History BA(Hons)

    We believe that students perform best in coursework and so there are no exams on our History course.Instead, we’ve carefully designed a first-year programme to give you strong foundations in the handling of sources, texts and artefacts from the medieval, early modern and modern period.You will then hone your skills and knowledge in a series of options in year two and three, including an independently supervised project and gain valuablework experience on our placement module, which you can complete alongside your studies or as a five-week block. An optional year-long placement, after the second year could also boost your graduate employment prospects.

    During your studies, we encourage you to get creative and apply your historical learning to a range of outputs: among other things, you’ll have the opportunity to engage with history in a variety of ways including analysing a museum exhibition or working on your own piece of oral history. You’ll also benefit from behind-the-scenes access to our innovative and award-winning archive at  Heritage Quay and to the unique collections at the Holocaust Centre North.

    You could join the student History Society, too, and organise trips, debates and social events to enhance your studies before heading out into the world and into your first role.

    Our course gives you a range of skills, including good communication and analytical skills, independence and team working, and problem solving. You will also develop skills in management, research, and planning.

    Following your studies, you may wish to head into post-university employment or further your education in, for example, modern history, ancient history, medieval history, British history, or another related area.

    Entry requirements

    BBB-BCC at A Level .

    120-104 UCAS tariff points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications.

    Merit in T Level .

    DMM-MMM in BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.

    • Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits at Merit or above.
    • 120-104 UCAS tariff points from International Baccalaureate qualifications.

    Offers will be subject to an interview, after which you will be invited to attend an Applicant Visit Day, at which you will have the opportunity to meet staff and current students. Read more about the interview process on our Interviews, auditions and portfolio pages.

    If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

    Other suitable experience or qualifications will be considered. For further information please see the University's minimum entry requirements.

    Course Detail

    Core modules:

    Twentieth Century Britain

    The module combines a chronological and thematic approach to introduce you to the major political, social, economic and cultural developments affecting British society in the 20th century. It places Britain into a global perspective, examining the international and imperial connections which shaped Britain’s interactions with the world. Through this you will examine how these global interactions helped shape a sense of the British self.

    The Modern World

    This module will focus on the political and social histories of a number of case studies considering the period from the end of the nineteenth century until the eve of the Second World War. Typical countries you will cover include a selection from a range of European and world powers including the USSR, the USA and France. In each case you will focus on the main political themes of the era such as democracy, fascism and communism and then consider them in wider social and cultural contexts. You will receive skills training integrated within the module.

    Critical Thinking

    Critical thinking enables us to go beyond the surface of information, using analytical skills to dissect, question, and evaluate ideas with a detective's curiosity and a scientist's precision. This skillset is common to all disciplines in the Humanities, where the challenge lies in unravelling complexities, probing assumptions, and exploring the neglected features of human culture, language and history. The module will hone your intellectual skills in reasoning and close analysis, improve your ability to present arguments effectively, and equip you to plan and conduct an independent research project. This module will also provide support for planning your personal and career development.

    Sources and Approaches:1400-1700

    This module looks at sources and approaches to the study of the medieval and early modern eras taken broadly to cover the period 1400-1800. This is a survey module deliberately covering a long chronological span enabling students to look at key aspects of the period. It will focus on England/Britain in relation to the wider world e.g. examining the Black Death as a Europe-wide pandemic, focusing on sources relating to the impact on the British Isles; The role of the monarchy in government; the impact of exploration on developing views of the world and the connection between empire and enslavement. It will take a thematic approach examining politics, society, and religion using case studies to highlight these. It will examine the sources that students can use to engage with medieval and early modern history from written and pictorial sources to examining museums.

    Core modules:

    Work Experience Placement

    You will be expected either to complete a graduate or professional level work placement – or, as an alternative an enterprise or citizenship project with a tangible end product (e.g. feasibility study for turning hobby/idea into a personal business or setting up campaign group/developing volunteering/charity initiative) plus associated documentation – plus a self-reflective evaluation of the process. In preparation for this you will undertake career planning and placement research, supported by workshops and tutorial meetings.

    Holy Wars: The Age of Crusades

    This module explores the Crusades to the Holy Land from the late 11th to mid-13th Centuries in the context of contemporary political, social and religious developments in Western Europe and the Middle East. You'll be directed to different accounts of the Crusades in contemporary sources from the perspective of the crusaders themselves, as well as from the point of view of the Jewish, Islamic and Byzantine peoples who were affected by the influx of Western Europeans to the Eastern Mediterranean. You'll also have the opportunity to examine crusading activities within Europe (e.g. Spain and the Baltic).

    Hitler's Germany: Life and Death in the Third Reich

    This module examines the history, memory and historiographical controversy surrounding the Nazi era in European History. You will use a broad range of primary and secondary source material to develop a deep historical analysis of the era, rooted in the debates over the consent or coercion of the German population, the limits of the totalitarian model and the nature of victimhood and commemoration. This module falls into the ‘Conflict’ and ‘Communities and Welfare’ research groups.

    Refugees in Modern World HIstory

    ‘Refugees in Modern World History’ explores the political, social, legal, cultural and emotional history of refugees in the Twentieth Century. It uses the buoyant historical scholarship in refugee studies as well as new archival collections, including those at the Holocaust Learning and Exhibition Centre, to ask how we can capture the refugee ‘voice’ in history and how this can help us reflect on the experience of displacement. It also contextualises current notions of a ‘refugee crisis’ and the contested memory of refugee history in the media.

    Option modules:

    Choose two from a list which may include:

    Reformation and Revolution

    In this module you will focus on the period 1485-1660, mainly on England, and will examine changes in religious practice and belief, social structure and the development of royal power, especially in terms of central policy and its effects on the localities. You will explore the dramatic religious, social and political changes of the Tudor and Stuart era.

    Growing Up in the Past: Oral Histories of Childhood and Youth

    This module deals with the theory and practice of oral history in relation to the history of childhood and youth. You'll conduct at least one interview, and provide all the relevant ethical and archival documentation to accompany it. You'll be introduced to the key problems in oral history of memory, ethics, intersubjectivity and narrative. Finally, in order to write about the experience of childhood and youth in the past, you'll learn the analytical techniques which can be applied to oral history data.

    From Spoken Work to Searchable Data

    This module focuses on the potential of spoken-word material as a source of data for quantitative and qualitative research in the study of History, English Language and Literature. It aims to improve your skills in data collection through the introduction of the theory and practice of interviewing for research, and aims to enhance your analytical skill set by introducing you to a range of methods from like thematic tagging, concordances, and descriptive and analytical statistics. You will explore the interview as a means of data collection in, for example, sociolinguistics and oral history, conducting your own interviews in line with best practice. You will then use spoken-word data collected by yourself or other scholars as the basis for investigation of textual material using a variety of analytical tools.

    Arts and Humanities Placement

    The placement year is your chance to gain hands-on experience and build on the skills you’ve developed in your first two years of study. You’ll spend up to 48 weeks (minimum 36 weeks) in a graduate-level role, sharpening your professional skills, exploring career options, and boosting your future job prospects. During your placement, you'll reflect on your performance, develop real-world skills, and learn to approach your role with a critical eye. Your placement will be monitored, and you’ll be assessed on your achievements, setting you up for success in your final year and beyond.

    Core modules:

    Dissertation

    This module is the culmination of your degree, allowing you to apply your skills and knowledge to researching and writing an extended piece of work on a subject of your choice, including, if applicable a public engagement output with an external organisation, such as a museum, archive, community heritage group or similar.

    The Great War: Culture and Society

    You will study the origins of the war, the military course of the conflict, its effect on domestic society and reactions to the war through literature, art and memorial architecture. The focus of the module is on the British experience, though it will consider continental European and imperial experiences too. Throughout the module, you will also reflect upon public commemoration across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

    The Dark Years, 1940-1944: Collaboration, Resistance and Memory in Wartime France

    This module examines the history and memory of the French experience of World War II, focusing on the German Occupation, the Vichy Regime, French collaboration, and the development of internal and external resistance. You will use a broad range of primary and secondary source material to develop a cultural historical analysis of the era, rooted in the debates over silence, truth and representation. This module falls into the ‘Conflict’ and ‘Communities and Welfare’ research groups.

    Option modules:

    Choose two from a list which may include:

    Henry's Empire

    In this module you will study a key era of early modern history with a strong focus on primary materials and the way in which they relate to key historiographical debates.

    Making the Peace: 1918-1924

    On this module you will study the aftermaths of the First World War and attempts at peacebuilding and post-war reconstruction. You will also consider the idea of the ‘Greater War’ to examine conflicts that extended beyond the armistice in 1918. You will investigate the work of new international organisations such as the League of Nations and Save the Children Fund in this period of conflict and flux, as well as the experiences of individuals and cultural responses. The module’s geographical focus is Britain, but this is set in the context of international movements and global challenges.

    The Elizabethan Age

    This is a specialised module which engages you, through the study of primary and secondary sources, in examining the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603). It aims to develop your understanding of key themes in the early modern era, such as gender, politics, foreign policy and religion.

    The Body and the City

    This module will develop your understanding of the history of late nineteenth and early twentieth century Britain by examining the relationship between the human body and the urban environment. It addresses the key question - how important is the human body to understanding history? To answer this question we’ll examine a range of different aspects of British social, cultural and health history.

    Voices of the Holocaust

    On this module we will study the Holocaust through the words of those who survived and/or bore witness to it. Bringing together both literary and historical perspectives, we will approach this bleak yet defining episode of human history in a unique interdisciplinary fashion, focusing on non-fictional texts such as memoirs, diaries, and verbatim theatre. By studying how those who witnessed the events of the Holocaust chose to put the experience into words, we will attempt to understand these events neither in terms of traditional history textbooks nor in terms of their representation in our culture, but in terms of some of the individual stories behind it. This will allow us better to grasp issues such as trauma, memorialisation, the relationship between testimony and truth, and the difficulties involved in putting the events of the Holocaust into words.

    An average 14.8%* of the study time on this course is spent with your tutors (either face to face or online) in lectures, seminars, small group tutorials and workshops. You will also have opportunities for individual tuition. Some of your submissions may involve producing a podcast, contributing to an exhibition or working on an archive. The assessment of this module will be based on both written and practical work including essays, oral presentations, research analysis reports and portfolios.

    *based on 23/24 programme specifications.

    Your module specification/course handbook will provide full details of the assessment criteria applying to your course.

    Feedback (either written and/or verbal) is normally provided on all coursework submissions within three term time weeks – unless the submission was made towards the end of the session in which case feedback would be available on request after the formal publication of results. Feedback on exam performance/final coursework is available on request after the publication of results.

    Full-time or part-time study

    You can choose to study this course on a full or part-time basis. Our part-time students attend modules at the same time as our full-time students, alongside the standard full-time timetable.

    Further Information

    The teaching year normally starts in September with breaks at Christmas and Easter, finishing with a main examination/assessment period around May/June. Timetables are normally available one month before registration.

    Your course is made up of modules and each module is worth a number of credits. Each year you study modules to the value of 120 credits, adding up to 360 credits in total for a bachelor’s qualification. These credits can come from a combination of core, compulsory and optional modules but please note that optional modules may not run if we do not have enough students interested.

    If you achieve 120 credits for the current stage you are at, you may progress to the next stage of your course, subject to any professional, statutory or regulatory body guidelines.

    1. The University of Huddersfield has been rated Gold in all three aspects of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023. We were the only university in Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West to achieve Gold ratings in all three aspects of the TEF among those announced in September 2023. In fact only 13 Universities, out of the 96 that were announced in September 2023, were Gold in all three ratings.

    2. Further proof of teaching excellence: our staff rank in the top three in England for the proportion who hold doctorates, who have higher degrees, and hold teaching qualifications (HESA 2024). So, you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best.

    3. We are first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 22 since 2008 (2023 data).

    4. We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).

    At Huddersfield, you'll study the Global Professional Award (GPA) alongside your degree* so that you gain valuable qualities and experiences that could help you to get the career you want, no matter what your field of study is. On completion of the Award, you'll receive a GPA certificate from the University of Huddersfield, alongside the specialist subject skills and knowledge you gain as part of your degree, which may help to set you apart from other graduates.

    Giving students access to the Global Professional Award is one of the reasons the University won ‘Best University Employability Strategy’ award at the National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2021. Find out more on the Global Professional Award webpage.

    *full-time, undergraduate first degrees with a minimum duration of three years. This does not include postgraduate, foundation, top-up, accelerated or apprenticeship degrees.

    Placements

    The course offers a compulsory 5-week work placement in Year 2. If you’re studying full-time, this course also offers an optional one-year (48 weeks) work placement after the second year. This will give you the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience, insight into your chosen career and open up your graduate employment prospects. Our Placement Unit and academic staff have excellent industry links and can support you in applying for and finding your placement(s), as well as during your placement year.

    Previous placement students have worked at places like National Coal Mining Museum, Barclays Group Archive, the Isle of Man Motor Museum, British Embassy, Bucharest, Carnegie Heritage Centre, Cromwell Museum Trust, Doncaster Heritage Services, Greenhead Solicitors, Hebden Bridge Arts Festival, Love Productions, The Royal Armouries, West Yorkshire Archives and a range of primary and secondary schools.

    The work placement allows you to gain the skills you need and gives you the opportunity to express yourself in a professional work environment. I think the placement has given me so much more confidence in my own ability that I never had before.

    Jack Barron

    Jack Barron, History BA(Hons)

    Heritage Quay
    Holocaust Centre
    Heritage Quay curved screen

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    Important information

    We will always try to deliver your course as described on this web page. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below.

    Changes to a course you have applied for

    If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment.

    Cancellation of a course you have applied for

    Although we always try and run all of the course we offer, we may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants to ensure you have a good learning experience. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will contact you to discuss other suitable courses with us we can transfer your application to. If we notify you that the course you have applied to has been withdrawn or combined, and you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

    Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

    We will always try to deliver your course and other services as described. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below:

    Changes to option modules

    Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have a range of options to choose from and we will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

    Major changes

    We will only make major changes to the core curriculum of a course or to our services if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change in this context is a change that materially changes the services available to you; or the outcomes, or a significant part, of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), classes, type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum.

    For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators; to meet the latest requirements of a commissioning or accrediting body; to improve the quality of educational provision; in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback; and/or to reflect academic or professional changes within subject areas. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment.

    Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but this may not always be the case. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation with affected students. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

    Termination of course

    In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed and we will notify you as soon as possible about what your options are, which may include transferring to a suitable replacement course for which you are qualified, being provided with individual teaching to complete the award for which you were registered, or claiming an interim award and exiting the University. If you do not wish to take up any of the options that are made available to you, then you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the course without liability to the University for future tuition fees and you will be entitled to a refund of all course fees paid to date. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

    When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. These include regulations regarding the assessment of your course, academic integrity, your conduct (including attendance) and disciplinary procedure, fees and finance and compliance with visa requirements (where relevant). It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to abide by them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to. You should read these carefully before you enrol. Please note that this information is subject to change and you are advised to check our website regularly for any changes before you enrol at the University. A person who is not party to this agreement shall not have any rights under or in connection with it. Only you and the University shall have any right to enforce or rely on the agreement.

    Equal opportunities

    The University of Huddersfield is an equal opportunities institution. We aim to create conditions where staff and students are treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential, regardless of gender, age, race, caste, class, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, family responsibility, trade union activity, political or religious belief, or age. Please visit our website to see our Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy

    Data protection

    The University holds personal data on all enquirers, applicants and enrolled students. All such data is kept and processed in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Legislation. The University’s Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notices are available on the University website.

    Students’ Union membership

    Under the 1994 Education Act, students at all UK universities have the right to join, or not to join, the Students’ Union. There is no membership fee. If you choose not to join you have the right not to be disadvantaged; however, you are not entitled to vote, take part in elections, or hold any office. The following arrangements apply in order that non-Union members are not disadvantaged: Non-members are welcome to take part in the activities of Affiliated Clubs and Societies on payment of the appropriate subscription. However, they may not vote or hold office in the society or club. Union members may be offered a discounted subscription. Non-members are free to use Union facilities on the same basis as members. Welfare, catering and shops are available to non-members as well as members. Union members may be offered a discounted price.

    The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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