COURSE CURRICULUM

The History programme offers a comprehensive three-year curriculum designed to develop students' understanding of the political, social, cultural, and economic forces that have shaped the modern world while building advanced research, analytical, and communication skills. During the first year, students establish a strong foundation in historical methods and key historical developments through modules including How to Time Travel: Doing and Representing History, Making the Modern World: Major Themes in History, Emancipation to Revolution: Russia 1861-1921, Between Freedom and Slavery: the USA from Revolution to Civil War, The Reformations in Early Modern Europe, and Georgian Britain. These modules introduce students to historical research techniques and explore significant events and transformations across Britain, Europe, Russia, and the United States, covering themes such as revolution, slavery, political reform, religion, and social change. In the second year, students strengthen their independent research abilities through core modules including Research and Inquiry and History in Practice while selecting from specialist options that reflect their interests. Available subjects include Victorian Britain and Empire, religion and superstition in Early Modern Europe, post-Civil War America, the development of Soviet society, gender and sexuality in European history, and twentieth-century American history from the Great Depression to the Vietnam War. These modules encourage critical engagement with historical sources and debates while allowing students to develop expertise in particular historical periods and themes. During the final year, students undertake an independent Dissertation project that enables them to conduct original research on a topic of personal interest under academic supervision. Students also select from advanced optional modules including twentieth-century Britain, global histories of liberty, European intellectual history, the Elizabethan period, the British revolutions of the seventeenth century, African American history, and the Soviet Union from the Cold War era to its collapse. Throughout the programme, students develop valuable transferable skills including critical thinking, evidence evaluation, problem-solving, written communication, and independent research. Overall, the degree provides a rich understanding of historical change and continuity while preparing graduates for careers in education, journalism, heritage, public service, law, business, research, and many other professional sectors.