Medieval and Early Modern History BA (Hons)

This course gives you the opportunity to study the pre-modern world, c.500-1750 (especially Europe, Britain and Wales) in detail. You will develop an understanding of the foundations of the contemporary west, whilst developing a range of skills that includes efficient information gathering, critical analysis of evidence and the ability to present your ideas clearly. The degree culminates in the chance to design and write your own research project in the final year.
This course aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of a wide range of human history, concentrating on the period before 1750. It encourages you to take an analytical approach to the medieval and early modern eras, so that you can understand and contribute to historical controversies, and can understand ways in which the past is at least partly constructed in the present. It therefore hopes to train you intellectually so you can explain the relevance of the past in the present, understand the problems of interpreting written and other evidence, and gain skills of research, analysis, problem-solving, construction of argument and communication.
History is one of the most inspiring, dynamic and relevant subjects that can be studied at degree level, and so it is no surprise that History remains one of the most popular degree subjects in the UK. It has an established range of concerns, but it is always expanding and changing as it responds to new themes or ideas raised by other disciplines. It is also a very practical subject, and during your degree you will develop various transferable skills that employers value highly. Surveys consistently indicate that History graduates obtain employment more rapidly than graduates in many apparently more 'vocational' subjects.