History BA

About the Course

The History programme introduces you to the study of societies in the past. It looks at the history of Britain, Europe and the wider world in the modern period. Through an examination of life as it was lived in the past, you begin to understand what it means to be human and to understand both how different the past is from the present and also the connections between present and past events.

Students study a range of historical perspectives, including economic, social, political, intellectual and cultural.

Aims

This course offers exciting opportunities to explore diverse past societies and cultures. It encourages students to develop their own skills in recovering and interpreting historical evidence, in formulating arguments and in developing their own historical perspectives.

Distinctive in its range of approach and in its broad cover of time and place, this programme also develops your power of independent enquiry, critical analysis and judgement, planning and time management.

Enquiries

Dr Niall Palmer
Admissions Tutor

Helen Stevenson
Admissions and Marketing Administrator
School of Social Sciences
Tel: +44 (0)1895 265952
Email: helen.stevenson@brunel.ac.uk

Related Courses

• International Politics BSc
• International Politics with Professional Development BSc
• Politics and History BSc
• Politics and History with Professional Development BSc
• Politics and Sociology BSc
• Politics and Sociology with Professional Development BSc

Special Features

• You will have the opportunity to study a range of history from Britain, Europe and the wider world.
  
  
• Students study a range of historical perspectives eg economic, social, political, intellectual and cultural.
  
  
• You will have plenty of opportunities to shape your degree programme to meet your own interests and aptitudes.
  
  
• There is a work placement module available.
  
  
• You will receive expert teaching from lecturers who are recognised in their fields.
  
  
• Students have easy access to a wealth of resources in London. For example, national and international museums, galleries, libraries (including the British Newspaper Library) and the Public Records Office which contains a wealth of information on social and economic history in Britain and Europe.
  

• The Department has been a long-standing member of the Erasmus exchange scheme and students have the opportunity to spend part of their degree at the National University of Ireland (Maynooth) and the University of Cyprus. The exchange scheme is currently being extended, and final details for our new and exciting exchange opportunities will be posted here in late-January 2012.

Facts and Figures

As well as 250 undergraduates, we have over 40 postgraduate taught and research students.

Course Content

You can choose from a wide selection of modules each of which may have a discrete emphasis on social, economic, political, intellectual or cultural history, or may weave one or more of these perspectives together.

Typical Modules

Please note that module availability is subject to change.

Level 1 Core

• Revolution, Liberty and the Origins of American Democracy
• What is History?
• Capital Labour and Power: 1707-1939
• History, Memory and Culture in Europe Since 1789
• The Making of the Modern World
• Migration and the Settler World: 1600-1914

Level 2 Core

• US Foreign Policy from World War II to the end of the Cold War
• The Birth of Industrial Britain, 1750-1850
• Historians and their Craft

Level 2 Options

• Democracy and Democratisation
• Total War in the Modern Era
• The Holocaust
• Slavery and Abolition in the Atlantic World

Level 3 Core

• History Dissertation

Level 3 Options

• The Arab-Israeli Conflict
• Empire, Imperialism, Hegemony
• India and the World: the International Relations of a Rising Power
• Media, Politics and Power in America
• Intelligence and National Security
• Theory and Practice of Cultural Diversity
• Fascism
• The Second World War
• The History and Politics of Heritage
• History, Travel and the Sea
• Rethinking Modern Europe: Borders, Nations and Identities since 1850

Final Dissertation

Students produce a 12,000 word dissertation on a subject of their choice. This major piece of work, undertaken with the support of a dissertation tutor, will give you the valuable opportunity to demonstrate research and writing skills. It is written on a subject relevant to your particular course of study and may well relate to your future career plans.

Teaching and Learning

The influence of scholarship and experience

Students benefit directly, of course, from the expertise and experience of their teachers. All our courses are informed by the research of lecturers who write important books, publish well-regarded scholarly articles, present papers at other universities and appear in the media, both at home and abroad.

Student support

We are committed to helping you progress confidently through the levels of your degree programme. To achieve this, we devote as much care to your initiation into higher education, both by entry-level courses and study skills teaching, as to the completion of your learning at Level 3.

By your final year, therefore, you will be in a position to benefit from the specialist research-led courses and will be prepared for the research and writing involved in your dissertation.

Study abroad

We offer the opportunity to study for an academic year at the State University of New York at Brockport. Some sandwich students also take up the opportunity to do their work placement in Washington or elsewhere in the USA. In addition, we run student exchange schemes in the Socrates Programme with the universities of Cyprus, Malta and Ireland.

How will I be taught?

Modules are generally taught by a mixture of lectures and seminars. Depending on its credit-rating, you can expect to have one or two hours of lectures per week for each module and a one-hour seminar each week or fortnight.

The bulk of every student’s work, however, will undoubtedly consist of private study. On average this should absorb approximately 25 to 30 hours of your life each week.

Assessment

Level 1 does not count towards your final degree mark. Level 2 is worth a third and Level 3 is worth two-thirds. The final year dissertation is worth a third of Level 3 marks.

Exact assessment patterns vary, but most are based on a combination of coursework and formal written exams. Typically, coursework marks constitute 25-50% of overall module grades.

Employability

Emphasis throughout your studies will be placed on gaining transferable skills. You will develop your communications, report writing and presentation skills to a sound level, equipping you well for your subsequent career. There are opportunities to gain important IT skills and to learn or improve your skills in a foreign language. For students interested in media and journalism, there is a Students’ Union radio station and student magazine where you can develop your news-writing, presentation or production skills.

Careers

Past students have become managers in retail and industry, chartered accountants, chartered surveyors, journalists, police officers, bankers, civil servants, teachers, lawyers, IT and business consultants and researchers, to name just a few areas. Many also undertake further study in order to become specialists in a given field.

Placements

Students can choose to study either a three-year degree course or the four-year sandwich degree course. Students on our four year sandwich course (with Professional Development) have the opportunity to gain professional work experience in a variety of settings. We have excellent links with a wide range of external organisations providing high quality placements. Students develop invaluable skills and in some cases have been offered graduate positions within the organisations where they undertook their work placements.

Fees for 2013/14 entry

UK/EU students: £9,000 full-time

International students: £12,000 full-time

We are introducing over 700 scholarships for 2013, meaning that one in five applicants who join Brunel next year will receive financial support from the University. See our fees and funding page for full details

Fees quoted are per annum and are subject to an annual increase.

Entry Requirements for 2013 Entry

• GCE A-level Typical offer AAB, including Grade B in History or related subject (General Studies/Critical Thinking accepted). Applicants who have already achieved at least ABB at A-level and have Personal Statements showing a strong interest in the course and transferable skills will also be considered. Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants within this range.
• Irish Leaving Certificate AAABB, including Grade B in History or related subject.
• Scottish Advanced Highers AAB, including History or related subject.
• Advanced Diploma Progression Diploma Grade A in Creative and Media, Society, Health and Development, Public Services or Business, Administration and Finance, plus an A-level at Grade B for Additional and Specialist Learning.
• BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma D*D*D in a related subject.
• IBDP 35 points, including Higher Level 5 in History or related subject.
• Access Complete and pass a related subject Access course with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 30 credits must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher.
  

For all of the above, 5 GCSEs or equivalent at Grade C or above are also required, to include English and Maths (please note that these must have been gained by the time you submit your UCAS application).

English Language Requirements

Brunel also offers our own BrunELT English Test and accept a range of other language courses. We also have a range of Pre-sessional English language courses, for students who do not meet these requirements, or who wish to improve their English.