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Undergraduate Study

BA History - 2024 entry

Please note: The below is for 2024 entries. Click here for 2025 entries.
UCAS code V100
Duration 3 years
Entry year 2024
Campus Streatham Campus
Discipline History
Contact

Web: Enquire online
Phone: 0300 555 6060 (UK callers) 
+44 (0)1392 723044 (EU/International callers)

Typical offer

View full entry requirements

A-Level: AAA-AAB
IB: 36/666-34/665
BTEC: DDD

Contextual offers

A-Level: ABB-BBB
IB: 32/655-30/555
BTEC: DDM

Overview

  • Study world history to its full: explore vital topics such as gender, race and global imperialism, navigate diverse geographical regions, and traverse 1,500 years of history, from the fall of the Roman Empire through to the post-Communist era
  • Our strengths include Early Modern British and Modern European history, and specialisms in the histories of power, identity, knowledge and resources
  • Exeter is a city bursting with history and heritage that offers museums, art galleries and a wide range of historical architecture. The University Library has extensive historical holdings and collections
  • Our research centres, covering areas including Medical History and Medieval Studies, are a focus for interdisciplinary research activity across the institution and have significant international reputations
  • The Student-Staff Liaison Committee provides an opportunity to communicate your views and influence, change and shape your degree. The student-run History Society organises guest speakers, trips and social events

View 2025 Entry

Request a prospectus

Open Days and visiting us

How to apply

Contact

Web: Enquire online

Phone: +44 (0)1392 72 72 72

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We are 6th in the UK for research in History

Based on our GPA in REF 2021

Top 100 icon

Top 100 in world subject rankings for History

QS World University Subject Rankings 2023

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Top 10 in UK subject rankings for History

10th in the Complete University Guide 2024

Graduation cap and diploma icon: symbolizing academic achievement and success.

90% of graduates in or due to start employment or further study fifteen months after graduation

Based on full-time, first degree, UK domiciled graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes survey 2019/20

History has always been my favourite subject. The wide range of module choices has allowed me to study a range of very interesting time periods and topics, and I have been given the opportunity to learn a new language which I am thoroughly enjoying.

I would recommend Exeter to anyone who would like to be taken out of their comfort zone. I have learnt a lot about myself by attending this institution.

I have thoroughly enjoyed diving deeper into medieval periods that I was unable to cover at school. Unlike some other history courses, Exeter’s course is not Eurocentric, and there are many modules covering different areas of world history. For example, I am currently studying a module on Islamic history.

Read more from Hanife

Hanife

BA History (Exeter)

Entry requirements (typical offer)

Qualification Typical offer Required subjects
A-Level AAA-AAB n/a
IB 36/666-34/665 n/a
BTEC DDD n/a
GCSE C or 4 English Language
Access to HE 24 L3 credits at Distinction Grade and 21 L3 credits at Merit Grade N/A
T-Level Distinction N/A
Contextual Offer

A-Level: ABB-BBB
IB: 32/655-30/555
BTEC: DDM

Specific subject requirements must still be achieved where stated above. Find out more about contextual offers.

Other accepted qualifications

View other accepted qualifications

English language requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

NB General Studies is not included in any offer.

Grades advertised on each programme webpage are the typical level at which our offers are made and provide information on any specific subjects an applicant will need to have studied in order to be considered for a place on the programme. However, if we receive a large number of applications for the programme we may not be able to make an offer to all those who are predicted to achieve/have achieved grades which are in line with our typical offer. For more information on how applications are assessed and when decisions are released, please see: After you apply

Course content

You can customise the course to suit your needs, by selecting optional modules that you’re passionate about. In the first year, choose from modules such as Murder in Early Modern England or Gender and Sexuality in the Middle Ages.

The History degree programme is made up of compulsory (core) and optional modules, which are worth 15 or 30 credits each. Full-time undergraduate students need to complete modules worth a total of 120 credits each year.

Depending on your programme you can take up to 30 credits each year in another subject, for instance a language or business module, to develop career-related skills or just widen your intellectual horizons.

75 credits of compulsory modules, 45 credits of optional modules

 

Compulsory modules

Single Honours students must take at least 15 credits (and up to a maximum of 30 credits) of Sources and Skills modules at Stage 1. ‘Sources and skills’ modules change yearly, depending on staff availability and other factors.

 

CodeModule Credits
HIH1137 Becoming a Historian: Core 15
HIH1421 Understanding Medieval and Early Modern History 30
HIH1422 Understanding Modern History 30

Optional modules

Single Honours students must take at least 15 credits (and up to a maximum of 30 credits) of Sources and Skills modules at Stage 1. ‘Sources and skills’ modules change yearly, depending on staff availability and other factors.

You are strongly encouraged to take at least 15 credits (and up to a maximum of 30 credits) of modules outside History in Stage 1 via modularity.

Single honours students may take as one of their options HIH1139 Becoming a Historian (Extension)

CodeModule Credits
HIH1139 Becoming a Historian: Extended 15
History Stage 1 Option modules 2024-5
HIH1402 Britain, America, and the Global Order, 1846-1946 15
HIH1618 Body, Border, Partition: Understanding Violence in South Asia 15
HIH1140 Confinement, Care, Cure: Psychiatric Institutions in the Twentieth Century 15
HIH1412 Early Modern Magic and Witchcraft 15
HIH1614 Environment and Industry, 1750-1950: Global Perspectives 15
HIH1053 Gender and Sexuality in the Middle Ages 15
HIH1600 Images of Stalinism 15
HIH1585 Ladies of the Night: Prostitution in the Victorian World 15
HIH1607 JFK 15
HIH1002 Losing an Empire, Finding a Role: Britain Since 1945 15
HIH1042 Murder in Early Modern England 15
HIH1411 From Wigan Pier to Piccadilly: Britain between the Wars 15
HIH1501 The Viking Phenomenon 15
HIH1506 The First Day of the Somme 15
HIH1532 The History of Strategic Thinking 15
HIH1596 The Good War? The United States in World War II 15
HIH1612 Renaissance Florence 1350-1550 15

60 credits of compulsory modules, 60 credits of optional modules

 

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
HIH2237 Doing History in the Digital Age 30
HIH2002 Uses of the Past 30

Optional modules

You must select 30 credits of Stage 2 Option Modules from term 1, and 30 credits from term 2.

As part of your options, you are strongly encouraged to take 30 credits outside History via modularity.

CodeModule Credits
History SH Stage 2 Option modules 2024-5
HIH2036A Albion's Fatal Tree: Capital Punishment in England, 1688-1965 30
HIH2037 American Frontiers: The West in U.S. History and Mythology 30
HIH2041 The First Welfare State? England's Poor Law, 1520-1835 30
HIH2016A Living Through the Global: Colonial Migrants and the British Empire from the Eighteenth Century to the Present 30
HIH2137A Inventing Modern Man: Constructions of Mind, Body, and the Individual, 1400-1800 30
HIH2138A History of Development: Ideologies, Politics, and Projects 30
HIH2145A Spain from Absolutism to Democracy 30
HIH2208A Medieval Paris 30
HIH2210A The Russian Empire, 1689-1917 30
HIH2218A Religion, Society and Culture in Tudor England 30
HIH2238 Slavery, Revolution, Independence: Saint-Domingue and Haiti, 1685-1838 30
HIH2241 Rise and Demise of Communism in Global Perspective 30
HIH2587 The Other Renaissance: Religion, Knowledge, and Power in the Twelfth Century 30
HIH2590 An Age of Iron? Europe in the Tenth Century 30
HIH2591 Philip Augustus and the Making of France, 1180-1223 30
HIH2594 Europe in the Era of the Great War, 1908-1923: Crisis, Conflict and Collapse 30

Find out more about study abroad or employment experience under Course variants.

With Study Abroad

No information has been returned for this stage. Please check back again later.

With Employment Experience

120 credit compulsory placement module

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
HUM3998 Employment Experience UK 120

With Employment Experience Abroad

120 credits of compulsory modules

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
HUM3997 Employment Experience Abroad 120

30 credits of compulsory Dissertation, 60 credits Special Subject, 30 credits of Option modules.

 

 

Compulsory modules

a - You must select HIH3005 Dissertation OR HIH3006 Research Project Dissertation

CodeModule Credits
HIH3005 General Third-Year Dissertation [See note a above]30
HIH3006 Research Project Dissertation [See note a above]30

Optional modules

You must select a Special Subject for 60 credits.

You must select 30 credits of Option Modules from either Concepts or modules from outside of History via modularity.

CodeModule Credits
History UG Final Stage Concepts Concepts modules
HIH3330 Truth 30
HIH3332 Labour 30
HIH3333 In Sickness and in Health 30
HIH3334 War 30
HIH3336 Revolution 30
HIH3331 Elites 30
History UG Final Year Special Subjects 2024-5 Special Subjects
HIH3415 Everyday Stalinism: Life in the Soviet Union, 1928-53 60
HIH3416 Critics of Empire 60
HIH3417 The Yes, Minister Files: Perspectives on British Government since 1914 60
HIH3422 Street Protest and Social Movements in the Modern Era 60
HIH3426 Health and its Politics in the 20th Century 60
HIH3430 From the Grand Tour to Gladiator: Modern encounters with the ancient world 60
HIH3433 Beyond Cannibalism: Indigenous Peoples and the European Colonisation of Brazil, 1500-1822 60
HIH3434 The Body in Early Modern England 60
HIH3436 Engendering Empire: Making the British Imperial World 60
HIH3437 Death to the Traitors: Rebellion and Resisting Tyranny in the Middle Ages 60
HIH3438 The Rise of Capitalism in Britain 1660-1830 60
HIH3439 Women's Experience in Britain: Race, Class and Gender since 1945 60
HIH3441 Britons Abroad: The Experience of Travel, c. 1650-1900 60
HIH3442 From Its Cradle to Its Grave? The National Health Service in Britain, 1948-Present 60
HIH3444 Them and Us: Imagining the Social "Other" in Britain since the 1880s 60
HIH3450 Decolonisation and Colonial Conflict 60
HIH3451 Borders and Mobilities in Postcolonial South Asia 60
HIH3452 Whiteness: A Global History 60
HIH3448 Britain and the Age of Revolution, 1775-1832 60

Course variants

UCAS code: V103

Our four-year ‘with Study Abroad’ degree, offers you the possibility of spending your third year abroad, studying with one of our many partner universities.

Why Study Abroad?

Living and studying in a different country is an exciting experience that broadens your academic and cultural horizons, as well as giving you the opportunity to widen your circle of friends. Students who have studied abroad demonstrate initiative, independence, motivation and, depending on where they stay, may also have gained a working knowledge of another language – all key qualities that employers are looking for in today’s competitive employment environment.

Where can I Study Abroad?

We have partnership arrangements with many prestigious institutions across the globe. Exactly where you can apply to study will depend on the subjects you are studying at Exeter. For a full list please visit the Study Abroad website.

Does it count towards my degree?

Credit for academic work during your year abroad is arranged by agreement between the University of Exeter and the host institution. These marks are then translated back into your degree at Exeter. If you are Studying Abroad for a semester or full year, your time abroad will count toward your final degree. Please refer to your College Study Abroad co-ordinator for further details.

How does it affect my tuition fee and funding?

For the year that you spend studying abroad you will pay a significantly reduced tuition fee to Exeter, but nothing to your host university – for more information visit our fees pages. If you were previously eligible, you will continue to receive a maintenance loan whilst on your Study Abroad year.

UCAS code: V105

Our four-year ‘with Employment Experience’ degree, offers you the possibility of spending your third year carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements within the UK as part of your degree.

Why choose to include Employment Experience?

Undertaking graduate-level work during your degree unlocks a world of experience that allows you to develop essential employability and interpersonal skills that relate to your degree and future career. A work placement will dramatically boost your confidence, enhance your CV and develop graduate level skills and competencies that employers are looking for.

Where will I do my work placement?

The sector you choose to work within is very much your choice as you will be responsible for finding and organising your placement. We will provide plenty of guidance and support during your first and second years which will prepare you to research and apply for placements. Ultimately, the university will give final approval to your placement to make sure you have a valuable experience.

How does it affect my tuition fees and funding?

For your ‘Year In Industry’ you will pay a significantly reduced tuition fee to Exeter – for more information visit our fees pages. If you were previously eligible, you will continue to receive a maintenance loan whilst on your year of work placement/s.

Find out more

Visit our website to learn more about employment experience opportunities.

UCAS code: V106

Our four-year ‘with Employment Experience Abroad’ degree, offers you the possibility of spending your third year abroad, carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements as part of your degree.

Why choose to include Employment Experience Abroad?

Spending up to a year living and working in a different country is an exciting experience that broadens your academic and cultural horizons, as well as giving you the opportunity to widen your circle of friends. By carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements abroad you can demonstrate to employers your adaptability, cultural awareness, independence and resourcefulness and, depending on where you stay, may also have gained a working knowledge of another language.

Where will I do my work placement?

The sector and country you choose to work within is very much your choice as you will be responsible for finding and organising your placement. We will provide plenty of guidance and support during your first and second years which will prepare you to research and apply for placements. Ultimately, the university will give final approval to your placement to make sure you have a valuable experience.

How does it affect my tuition fee?

For your ‘Year In Industry’ you will pay a significantly reduced tuition fee to Exeter – for more information visit our fees pages. If you were previously eligible, you will continue to receive a maintenance loan whilst on your year of work placement/s.

Is the placement paid?

You will be paid in accordance with the rules of the country you work in and there may be visa restrictions or requirements which you need to consider when applying.

Find out more

Visit our website to learn more about employment experience opportunities.

Fees

Tuition fees for 2025 entry

UK students: £9,250 per year
International students: £24,700 per year

Scholarships

The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students, such as our Global Excellence Scholarships*. Financial support is also available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.

* Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.

Find out more about tuition fees and scholarships

Learning and teaching

How will I learn?

As well as lectures, seminars and tutorials led by internationally respected academics at the forefront of research, you engage in group tasks and independent study: reading or viewing module material, writing essays or preparing for seminars and presentations. We encourage presentation work and written coursework, because it involves you actively in the teaching and learning process and develops important transferable skills such as good verbal and visual communication, as well as effective interaction with other people. You will also develop a range of professional skills, such as time management and team working, plus valuable critical and analytical skills.

Modules

Modules encourage you to think about long-term developments and processes of historical change, and to make comparisons between countries and cultures. We emphasise historical questions that require you to identify patterns across time or between countries, and to isolate common or competing trends, instead of concentrating on short-term or single explanations.

Teaching hours

You’ll have on average 1-3 teaching hours per module and will need to allow for up to nine additional hours of private study. You should expect your total workload to average about 40 hours per week during term time. As well as attending lectures and writing essays and assignments, you’ll be expected to make presentations in seminars or tutorials. We encourage your presentation work, because it involves you actively in the teaching and learning process and develops important life skills, such as good verbal and visual communication and effective interaction with other people.

Personal tutor

You'll have a personal tutor as well as tutors in individual subjects and they will work with you to monitor your progress, as well as offering pastoral support and other help. You will have a chance to make your mark on the programmes through regular student evaluations and participation in the Student-Staff Liaison Committees and the student History Societies on both campuses.

How will I be assessed?

All the degrees in the Department of History have assessments and examinations each year. Although formal examinations are important tests of skill, up to 50% of your marks will come from other forms of assessment, including coursework essays, projects, dissertations and measures of your skill in presentation and oral work. The exact balance will depend on the modules you choose, and you’ll be informed of the methods of assessment before making your choices.

Progression

You must pass your first-year assessment in order to progress to the second year, but the results do not count towards your degree classification. For three-year programmes, the assessments in the second and third years contribute to your final degree classification. For four-year programmes the assessments in the second, third and fourth years all contribute to your final degree classification.

Optional modules outside of this course

Each year, if you have optional modules available, you can take up to 30 credits in a subject outside of your course. This can increase your employability and widen your intellectual horizons.

Proficiency in a second subject

If you complete 60 credits of modules in one of the subjects below, you may have the words 'with proficiency in [e.g. Social Data Science]' added to your degree title when you graduate.

  • A Foreign Language
  • Data Science
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Innovation
  • Law (Penryn Campus only)
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Social Data Science

Find out more about proficiency options

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Your future

Employer-valued skills this course develops

History graduates from the University of Exeter have an excellent reputation with graduate recruiters and compete very successfully in the employment market. Alongside in-depth subject knowledge you’ll develop highly transferable skills in researching; analysing and assessing sources; written and verbal communication; managing and interpreting information; developing ideas and arguments; teamwork; and problem solving.

Employer visits

We have a dedicated, award-winning Careers Service, with offices at our Exeter and Penryn campuses, ensuring you have access to careers advisors, mentors and the tools you need to succeed in finding employment in your chosen field on graduation. We offer the Exeter Award and the Exeter Leaders Award which include employability-related workshops, skills events, volunteering and employment which will contribute to your career decision-making skills and success in the employment market. Our graduates compete very successfully in the employment market, with many employers targeting the University when recruiting new graduates. For further information please visit our Careers Service.

Career paths

You will be equipped with skills that are attractive to employers and relevant for a wide range of careers, including graduate-level roles in the heritage and arts sectors as well as other fields of work, including education, retail management, recruitment, charities, finance and accounting, and journalism.

Example careers

  • Account Manager
  • Archivist
  • Business Analyst
  • Civil Servant
  • Digital Marketing and
  • Events Executive
  • Event Project Manager
  • Global Market
  • Researcher
  • Historian
  • Parliamentary Researcher
  • TV Researcher

Further study

A History degree may also lead to further study or research and recent graduates have progressed to postgraduate courses in:

  • MA Conflict, Security and Development
  • Graduate Diploma in Law
  • MA English Literary Studies
  • MA History
  • MSc International Management
  • PGCE

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