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What is history like at Uni?
I seem to be more interested in 20th Century history-the cold war, russia, germany etc and fear that i will get bored with medival britain etc, and alot of interest in the philosophy of history, is there alot of room for choice at uni? And are people doing history now, enjoying it?
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LondonBoy
I seem to be more interested in 20th Century history-the cold war, russia, germany etc and fear that i will get bored with medival britain etc, and alot of interest in the philosophy of history, is there alot of room for choice at uni? And are people doing history now, enjoying it?
It depends on the university, at some you can just do 20th century history or medieval history for example, but if you go for a general BA history then at most you will probably be expected to do some compulsory units in the first year and then specialise later. There is lots of choice at Uni, even within the compulsory stuff. At cambridge the requirements are that in the first 2 years, you have to do a British Political paper, a British social paper and a European paper, and must at some point cover a period pre 1750 and post 1750. But you get a lot of choice in terms of chronology and content of a particular paper. Theres lots of opportunity to look at the philosophy and theory of history in lectures and discussion groups led by a fellow of your college, and you also take classes which are based on looking at a broad theme across time (which you choose i.e. the body, disease, revolution, migration...) and are based mainly on primary sources. Once you have covered the compulsory stuff the choices are endless. I really enjoy doing history, having done late 19th and 20th century European history and the Cold War at A level I thought doing british history would be boring in comparison, but I really enjoyed it. Look at courses in detail, including if there are any complusory units, I was quite flippant with my choices, realising in hindsight out of my 6 options I would only enjoy the content of the courses at 2 uni's (Cambridge and York) but otherwise be open minded and you should be fine.
Sorry I can't help ya as I'm still in year 12! But I want to do History as well, and from the uni's I've been looking at there seems to be quite a lot of choice which sounds good. I like modern - 20th century History too, rather than ancient! For AS I did Soviet Russia/later 19th-20th century USA (boom&bust)/Mussolini, and for A2 I'm doing Cold War, Vietnam etc, and Medicine in Britain.
I'm definately gonna look at the courses in detail to make sure they do stuff I like!
I'm definately gonna look at the courses in detail to make sure they do stuff I like!
Does anyone know if you can do some modules from middle eastern studies, i.e middle eastern history?
It is all entirely dependant on the university.
LondonBoy
Does anyone know if you can do some modules from middle eastern studies, i.e middle eastern history?
Hi,
I really like the Modern and Contemporary History Course at Queen Mary, i'm the same i prefer modern history!
SOAS offer these options:
http://www.soas.ac.uk/departments/departmentinfo.cfm?navid=632
(not much info there but you ay wish to download the prospectus!)
Hope this helps
azs*
i finished a BA at nottingham this year... there are a couple of things to mention.
firstly, you should be exposed to a range of historical periods & geographical regions. bear in mind that a general 'history' undergrad degree will necessarily cover only tiny sections of the vast historical record; and also remember that the course will be largely Eurocentric - you will studying at an essentially european institution (e.g. a UK university), and without specialisation you probably won't cover a lot of african or middle eastern or islamic history, for example. the process of focussing your studies on areas you find appealing is a cumulative one; you will be granted more & more control over what you study as your degree progresses, meaning that even if you do cover subjects you're not interested in during 1st year, by 3rd year you should pretty much be able to follow what you want.
off the top of my head, i remember modules dealing with everything from renaissance sexuality to medieval heresy, from middle eastern peace studies to chinese cultural history, from stalinism to the crusades, british colonial (e.g. in africa) to local victorian history... the first group project i was involved with was based around Rastafarianism; how cool is that?
your possible dissertation topics are also incredibly varied; mine dealt with alterity & the perception of Otherness in medieval heresiology, whilst a friend dealt exclusively with the penguin pool at the london zoo (seriously - and a damn fine dissertation it was too!).
another key point is that university is a completely different learning environment... and as it deals with subjects in much greater breadth & depth, and uses some fine minds who are dedicated to their work to do so, you'll find you are interested in things which might surprise you. i had similar fears about studying history that i perceived to be 'boring' - medieval, early modern, economic - but my preconceptions were often destroyed by the realities of university academia: i discovered that whilst i enjoyed studying hitler with renowned scholars, i actually loved studying medieval society... medieval religious history - something i would have regarded as deathly dull - actually gripped me completely, because every era has its fascinations, its intrigues, its injustices, its heroes & villains... medieval life involved sex, drugs & music; grisly punishments, strange beliefs, and surprising similarities with our own society; and when you suddenly realise you're reading a text that's echoed over a thousand years, what's not to enjoy?
try to stay open minded; you'll enjoy yourself more. you may think that a gender-based history of pre-revolution Russian literary culture is about the most ****-boring thing you'll ever study, but there is bound to be something that fascinates you... i found as i continued that i loved, really loved, the more abstract & theoretical element of historical study; the place where history, philosophy, cultural studies, linguistics & sociology intertwine; additionally i found that disciplines such as paleography & codicology fascinated me, really fascinated me, in a way that i never thought possible.
so then; my advice would be to drop any preconceptions, lay back, and enjoy
firstly, you should be exposed to a range of historical periods & geographical regions. bear in mind that a general 'history' undergrad degree will necessarily cover only tiny sections of the vast historical record; and also remember that the course will be largely Eurocentric - you will studying at an essentially european institution (e.g. a UK university), and without specialisation you probably won't cover a lot of african or middle eastern or islamic history, for example. the process of focussing your studies on areas you find appealing is a cumulative one; you will be granted more & more control over what you study as your degree progresses, meaning that even if you do cover subjects you're not interested in during 1st year, by 3rd year you should pretty much be able to follow what you want.
off the top of my head, i remember modules dealing with everything from renaissance sexuality to medieval heresy, from middle eastern peace studies to chinese cultural history, from stalinism to the crusades, british colonial (e.g. in africa) to local victorian history... the first group project i was involved with was based around Rastafarianism; how cool is that?
your possible dissertation topics are also incredibly varied; mine dealt with alterity & the perception of Otherness in medieval heresiology, whilst a friend dealt exclusively with the penguin pool at the london zoo (seriously - and a damn fine dissertation it was too!).
another key point is that university is a completely different learning environment... and as it deals with subjects in much greater breadth & depth, and uses some fine minds who are dedicated to their work to do so, you'll find you are interested in things which might surprise you. i had similar fears about studying history that i perceived to be 'boring' - medieval, early modern, economic - but my preconceptions were often destroyed by the realities of university academia: i discovered that whilst i enjoyed studying hitler with renowned scholars, i actually loved studying medieval society... medieval religious history - something i would have regarded as deathly dull - actually gripped me completely, because every era has its fascinations, its intrigues, its injustices, its heroes & villains... medieval life involved sex, drugs & music; grisly punishments, strange beliefs, and surprising similarities with our own society; and when you suddenly realise you're reading a text that's echoed over a thousand years, what's not to enjoy?
try to stay open minded; you'll enjoy yourself more. you may think that a gender-based history of pre-revolution Russian literary culture is about the most ****-boring thing you'll ever study, but there is bound to be something that fascinates you... i found as i continued that i loved, really loved, the more abstract & theoretical element of historical study; the place where history, philosophy, cultural studies, linguistics & sociology intertwine; additionally i found that disciplines such as paleography & codicology fascinated me, really fascinated me, in a way that i never thought possible.
so then; my advice would be to drop any preconceptions, lay back, and enjoy
-aeon-
another key point is that university is a completely different learning environment... and as it deals with subjects in much greater breadth & depth, and uses some fine minds who are dedicated to their work to do so, you'll find you are interested in things which might surprise you. i had similar fears about studying history that i perceived to be 'boring' - medieval, early modern, economic - but my preconceptions were often destroyed by the realities of university academia: i discovered that whilst i enjoyed studying hitler with renowned scholars, i actually loved studying medieval society... medieval religious history - something i would have regarded as deathly dull - actually gripped me completely, because every era has its fascinations, its intrigues, its injustices, its heroes & villains... medieval life involved sex, drugs & music; grisly punishments, strange beliefs, and surprising similarities with our own society; and when you suddenly realise you're reading a text that's echoed over a thousand years, what's not to enjoy?
try to stay open minded; you'll enjoy yourself more. you may think that a gender-based history of pre-revolution Russian literary culture is about the most ****-boring thing you'll ever study, but there is bound to be something that fascinates you...so then; my advice would be to drop any preconceptions, lay back, and enjoy
try to stay open minded; you'll enjoy yourself more. you may think that a gender-based history of pre-revolution Russian literary culture is about the most ****-boring thing you'll ever study, but there is bound to be something that fascinates you...so then; my advice would be to drop any preconceptions, lay back, and enjoy
I whole-heartedly agree. I've done a BA and an MPhil in History and have been doing so much stuff that I would never have imagined myself doing before I came to university. (This probably becomes even more obvious when you take into account that my PhD is on representations of the Himalayas and Tibet in British and German culture).
You are bound to have a considerable degree of choice within a History degree - use it wisely and sample a wide area of periods, geographical areas and historical approaches. This will not only enable you to draw links and comparisons between different areas, but it will also show you that so far you have probably only been aware of a minute fraction of existing historical scholarship (namely that which is on school curricula or that which is more widely available in bookshops). And that's exactly what I love so much about my subject.
Well at some Unis you can choose any 6 modules you want but at places like Durham you have to choose 1 or 2 from set time periods.....Im going into year 2 at this moment and will be studying...
British Medieval Castles
The North East 1500-1800
Hard Times: British Society 1812-1902
Soviet Union 1917-1991
Society and Politics in Germany 1890-1918
Modern American Presidency
As you can see I got quite a range....with the first two on the list I had to pick a module from that time period. I got just about my first choice
British Medieval Castles
The North East 1500-1800
Hard Times: British Society 1812-1902
Soviet Union 1917-1991
Society and Politics in Germany 1890-1918
Modern American Presidency
As you can see I got quite a range....with the first two on the list I had to pick a module from that time period. I got just about my first choice
What's it like? Reading. And Reading some more. And then, just to make a change, read more still.
You have to be very self-disciplined, as opposed to being on a science course, as when you are left to your own devices it is soooo easy to procrastinate and have to stay up late to finish the work you didn't do earlier.
In fact, just like I'm doing now... back to work damnit!
You have to be very self-disciplined, as opposed to being on a science course, as when you are left to your own devices it is soooo easy to procrastinate and have to stay up late to finish the work you didn't do earlier.
In fact, just like I'm doing now... back to work damnit!
It's a lot of work, but then again I was expecting it so it didn't hit me as hard as it did some people I know. Lots of reading, trying to fit everything in. I do like the course though. It's okay.
Edit: Just read this back through...I don't mean to seem negative about it. It's probably because I'm behind with my work atm and have too many books left to read, joy.
Edit: Just read this back through...I don't mean to seem negative about it. It's probably because I'm behind with my work atm and have too many books left to read, joy.
yup lots of reading.... not that i should be complaining really because i havent done any of the reading yet.... but im wrong and silly... lol
oh well
oh well
White_redrose
It's a lot of work, but then again I was expecting it so it didn't hit me as hard as it did some people I know. Lots of reading, trying to fit everything in. I do like the course though. It's okay.
Edit: Just read this back through...I don't mean to seem negative about it. It's probably because I'm behind with my work atm and have too many books left to read, joy.
Edit: Just read this back through...I don't mean to seem negative about it. It's probably because I'm behind with my work atm and have too many books left to read, joy.
What papers are you taking? Im just wondering if ive met you lol...
why dont u apply for modern history courses? the history v100 seems to have a wide variety of things but u need to read the unis prospectus to see exactly what courses are on offer. why not ask unis for a student handbook?
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also, ucl do an ancient world history course. i think they want grades BBC or it may have gone up, im not sure.
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also, ucl do an ancient world history course. i think they want grades BBC or it may have gone up, im not sure.
Niccolo
What papers are you taking? Im just wondering if ive met you lol...
4, 9, 14, you?
--------------
Socrates
Welcome to university. 
Politics has soooo much reading too, I thought I was getting the easy way out but well....
Politics has soooo much reading too, I thought I was getting the easy way out but well....
Lol...how is your reading going this week? I really should be doing some now...essay is in for monday and (yet again) i'm not exactly on top of it all lol. Ah well...archery was fun today.
Lol...how is your reading going this week? I really should be doing some now...essay is in for monday and (yet again) i'm not exactly on top of it all lol.
Ah, we're all in the same boat. I've still got a whole lot of reading to do for Monday, and a presentation to do for the tutorial as well. And I haven't started yet
Socrates
Ah, we're all in the same boat. I've still got a whole lot of reading to do for Monday, and a presentation to do for the tutorial as well. And I haven't started yet
I have to read 5 books and 3 academic articles for a presentation next Wednesday, and I only got the assignment this Wednesday.
Apparently IR is the least structured course, so the professors just throw a ton of books at us without bothering to tell us how they relate to one another.Related discussions
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- can't decide on uni course
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- Studying history at uni, clearing options
- Economic History and Geography LSE
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