This course is open for applications.
Page last updated 3 December 2024
Study the history of Britain, Europe, America, Asia and Africa and develop valuable skills and a sense of enquiry that you can apply to both the past and the present.
History isn't just about facts. It's about the human experience in all its diversity. It also develops valuable critical skills and a sense of enquiry, which will sustain you during and after your studies.
History is a long-established discipline, much respected by employers because of the critical skills it gives you.
Understanding the past equips us to engage more intelligently with the present and to play a more valuable and informed part in society, whatever career path you decide to follow.
BA(Hons) History shows you how to interrogate the past and expand your knowledge through challenging academic study.
Our staff are passionate about teaching and research. They'll help you deepen your historical knowledge and develop your critical thinking. Besides traditional forms of assessment such as essays, you'll have the opportunity to communicate your own historical research in a range of ways including websites, podcasts, posters, and exhibitions, using digital tools, and building practical skills. Our wide variety of assessment supports all our students to achieve their potential.
Nurture your imagination and creativity, and build on your fascination with the social, economic, cultural and political forces that have shaped history across centuries and continents.
Using primary sources from the start, explore events in their historical contexts and gain a unique insight into the important global issues of today.
Study a broad spectrum of history, working on a variety of research projects. Gain skills and experience that will help you succeed in your studies and in your chosen career.
Take a look at the UWE History Community blog, a fantastic forum for student talent and creativity.
There are many opportunities to engage with Bristol's culture and fascinating history. We have strong links with Bristol's museums, galleries and archives, including M Shed and Watershed, as well as other local and regional heritage and cultural organisations including the National Trust.
In your third year, you can undertake a work placement with a local cultural provider, spending six months gaining real-world skills, experience and contacts. There are shorter placement opportunities too, and projects with heritage organisations.
Focusing on the themes, events and debates that most interest you, through your modules and assessments, you'll graduate well equipped to pursue diverse careers.
Our graduates enter into and succeed in a wide range of careers, including publishing, education, advertising and marketing, communications, IT, law, broadcasting, government and the Civil Service, heritage, tourism and more. Also many go on to further study.
Throughout the course you'll engage with a range of periods, places and historical approaches informed by the team’s research and expertise. The course will also support you to apply the skills and knowledge you'll develop in a range of contexts beyond the University.
Our expertise and teaching include:
Your first year provides you with a firm foundation to understand historical change in a range of contexts, and to develop valuable research skills. You'll explore a variety of primary evidence in different historical and geographical contexts, including themes in British and European history, and Global Histories, from the Early Modern to the present day. You'll also consider history as part of the Humanities: how historians interact with and use film, literature, language and creative media.
In your second year, you'll develop your own research interests and think about history beyond the University. You'll choose from a range of topics and periods, exploring events and societies that interest you.
If you study on the four year (sandwich) course, you'll spend a year away from the University on a work placement after Year two.
You'll complete a placement learning module.
See the Placements and Fees sections for more information.
You'll focus on a selection of specialist topics in depth and put your knowledge and skills into practice in an independent research project in an area of your choice.
This course structure is for full-time students only. Part-time students study the same modules but the delivery pattern will be different.
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we'll inform you.
"I had the chance to volunteer with the SS Great Britain Trust, which gave me experience in interpreting historical information and operational logistics. This introduction to the organisation prepared me for my heritage career and my current role as their Interpretation Manager." Natalie, History graduate
Our history community is welcoming and supportive.
Learn through lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, and field work, using a range of digital resources.
Develop as a trainee professional, craft your skills as a researcher and develop strong enterprise skills.
You'll work with academics and partners helping to shape new thinking in the field, learn to communicate your ideas clearly and succinctly, and build practical and academic skills you can take into any career.
Consider the uses of history outside of academia, take up placement opportunities and work on meaningful projects with heritage organisations.
Many optional modules incorporate field trips locally, nationally and internationally - previous trips have included Madrid, Berlin and Paris. This is an important opportunity to engage with, and experience, history outside of the seminar room.
Complete a traditional style dissertation or use your historical research in a more practical project, such as a website, exhibition or education materials.
The course is linked to the Humanities Research Group which engages the public in, and shares knowledge from our historical research and the whole Humanities cluster at UWE.
See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.
Join our thriving History Society. You'll have plenty of opportunities to get involved and it'll look great on your CV.
Take part in trips and social events throughout the year, visiting places of historical interest. Regular socials include trips to historic pubs in Bristol.
Sharpen your skills writing for UWE Bristol student media. Publications include the Western Eye and Westworld, blogs such as UWE Bristol Lingo, and the English Society's Cellar Door magazine.
You can expect to be assessed through essays, document analysis, seminar papers and presentations, book and article reviews, posters, independent research projects (including a dissertation) and exams. Our wide variety of assessment supports all our students to achieve their potential.
Some modules are almost entirely based on coursework or project work and others have split assessment with up to 50% of the module assessed by formal examination.
See our full glossary of assessment terms.
Students who get work experience often find that their degrees are more marketable among employers. Experience also hones your skills, industry knowledge and professional network, making you a sought after graduate.
If you choose the four-year (sandwich) course, you'll spend a year away from the University on a work placement after year two. Your placement will be at least 26 weeks long, and must be relevant to your course.
We have strong links with Bristol's museums, galleries and archives, including M Shed, Watershed, other local and regional heritage and cultural organisations including the National Trust.
Our award-winning careers and employability service will guide and support you to find the right placement.
You'll study at Frenchay Campus, which houses a library with over 60,000 history books and an impressive number of history journals. It also contains an extensive collection of historical primary material. You'll also have access to a wide variety of digital archives and library materials.
Learn more about UWE Bristol's facilities and resources.
Take a personalised virtual tour of the English, History and Writing facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.
An excellent range of options for all of the Bristol campuses and the city centre.
A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.
There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.
We provide support in the way you need it.
Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.
Graduates with a background in history and English are highly employable recognised for their transferable skills and broad knowledge.
Tailoring what and how you study, you can shape the course towards your chosen career path.
You could find work in the heritage industry, leisure and tourism, local and central government, publishing, education, journalism, the health service, the armed forces and emergency services, the legal professions, financial services, or education.
Our award-winning careers service will develop your employment potential through career coaching and help find you graduate jobs, placements and global opportunities.
We can also help find local volunteering and community opportunities, provide support for entrepreneurial activity and get you access to employer events.
Visit our Employability pages to learn more about careers, employers and what our students are doing six months after graduating.
*The UK Government recently proposed that tuition fees for Home students will increase by 3.1% to £9,535 from 1st August 2025. This increase is subject to Parliamentary approval and the vote is expected to take place later this year.
Any tuition fee which is impacted by this change will be updated following approval.
Please see GOV.UK for further information.
Your overall entitlement to funding is based on how long the course is that you're registered on. Standard funding is allocated based on the standard number of years that your course lasts, plus one additional year.
You'll apply for funding each year that you study and Student Finance will take into account how long the course is in each year that you apply. So if you register for the four year course and then transfer to the three year course, the number of years you can apply for funding will change. Student Finance will reassess your funding based on how many years you have been in study, not just those years for which you received student finance.
Always seek advice before taking any action that may have implications for your funding.
This refers to items you could need during your studies that aren't covered by the standard tuition fee. These could be materials, textbooks, travel, clothing, software or printing.
International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Find out more about English language requirements.
For country specific entry requirements please find your country on the Country Information pages. If you're an international student and do not meet the academic requirements to study this course, you can qualify by completing preparatory study at our International College.
If you're applying to study at UWE Bristol and require additional support to meet our English language requirements, you may be able to attend one of our pre-sessional English courses. Read more about our Pre-Sessional English Programme.
Read more about entry requirements.
Read more about undergraduate applications.
Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.