History degree options
Long list for other slots on the UCAS application are:
Swansea
Cardiff
Plymouth*
Southampton
Bath Spa*
Exeter Penryn*
Reading
Worcester
UWE Bristol
Other Birmingham Unis?
* open days happened/ booked
We don’t have time to visit all the Unis next term, so interested in others feedback so we can narrow down the list. Things which could be personal influencing factors:
-Ability to do a combined degree or variety of modules. GCSE/A level has been ‘modern history’ so don’t want to fix in BA ancient or medieval and then find not as interesting/ed.
- support for disabled/ Neurodiverse students- academically but also accommodation provision for all 3 years
- degree grade focus on coursework/essays vs exams
- grade flexibility if A level results lower than predicted so clearing less likely- or contextual offers allowing for ill health/ missed time from school year
- accept deferred applications - considering an Art course with view that will be useful if post grad considered (art history/ museum or heritage studies/ conservatorship career options etc)
- lower grade offer for EPQ
The long list is based on geographical proximity from home town in Devon - I appreciate there may be ‘better’ courses reputationally (Durham, York, London Unis), but equally don’t want to be snobbish about RG only when a broader range of factors will make Uni a more successful and happier experience.
Welcome thoughts from anyone who considered Unis above and why chose or discounted.
Reply 1
Long list for other slots on the UCAS application are:
Swansea
Cardiff
Plymouth*
Southampton
Bath Spa*
Exeter Penryn*
Reading
Worcester
UWE Bristol
Other Birmingham Unis?
* open days happened/ booked
We don’t have time to visit all the Unis next term, so interested in others feedback so we can narrow down the list. Things which could be personal influencing factors:
-Ability to do a combined degree or variety of modules. GCSE/A level has been ‘modern history’ so don’t want to fix in BA ancient or medieval and then find not as interesting/ed.
- support for disabled/ Neurodiverse students- academically but also accommodation provision for all 3 years
- degree grade focus on coursework/essays vs exams
- grade flexibility if A level results lower than predicted so clearing less likely- or contextual offers allowing for ill health/ missed time from school year
- accept deferred applications - considering an Art course with view that will be useful if post grad considered (art history/ museum or heritage studies/ conservatorship career options etc)
- lower grade offer for EPQ
The long list is based on geographical proximity from home town in Devon - I appreciate there may be ‘better’ courses reputationally (Durham, York, London Unis), but equally don’t want to be snobbish about RG only when a broader range of factors will make Uni a more successful and happier experience.
Welcome thoughts from anyone who considered Unis above and why chose or discounted.
Hi @saju21,
Great to hear you're considering Reading! It sounds like you're very clear about criteria that must be met, which is a really advantageous position to be in when considering where you'd like to apply. Although I am now doing my masters, I actually finished my undergraduate in History here at Reading too, so I'd love to offer some insight as to what it's like to study here. Although you have missed our Open Days, we do run Campus Tours every Thursday which you may want to check out - its super important to get a proper feel of the place you'll be living in for the next few years, so if you can make the trip its definitely worth it! You can find out about them and book on here if you'd like. If not, we do offer virtual tours via our virtual experience hub.
In terms of your personal influencing factors, I think Reading seems a great fit for you on first appearances. Not only do we offer contextual offers, but we also offer grade drops if made a firm choice, and analyse our applications holistically - not just based on grades/academic performance, although of course it is important - to make sure our students are the best fit for our courses, so I wouldn't worry too much about the EPQ either - I didn't have one! Deferrals are also accepted - I myself deferred my application after firming and even going as far as to get accommodation organised for my September start, all resolved without issue and with minimum effort.
In terms of support, Reading has been amazing for me and my friends. We have a massive range of student support services you are entitled to as a student here - from careers, study, health and wellbeing, housing, and of course our disability advisory service (DAS), all of which do amazing jobs to ensure all our students feel supported, represented and able to perform to their best abilities. I myself actually worked with the DAS as a student mentor to help support some of our neurodiverse students adjust to university, but of course there are also a number of professionals who can work with you too - it's super simple to access the service, just let them know during the enrolment process and they'll contact you to set everything up. I'd encourage you to have a look at our online support advice page, Essentials, to get more of an idea of how this works!
Finally, the course itself. I chose it because I loved the range of modules on offer, everything from 800ad to modern day, so you really have so many options to choose from. Of course, your first year has a little less choice as we need to teach you the basic skills and tools you'll need to navigate your degree, so 'core' modules (ones that are mandatory for all history students) are more favoured - the further into your studies you go, the more 'optional' modules (ones both within and outside of your school/discipline you can choose based on interest and availability) compose your credits for that year. You can find a list of all modules available to you here; those beginning with HS are history - the number at the end meaning year of study. You'll note that page also has a number of other disciplines that are part of our School of Humanities - you will have the opportunity to choose a few of these as part of your optional module choices each year, which can be really cool. Popular choices for History students include English, Classics, Law, Economics, and Politics, but every student no matter their school also has the option to choose to learn a language if they would like also. I took one with Art in my second year named 'Society, Thought, and Art in Modern Europe' and it was fascinating - a little of everything in there and sounds pretty up your street with the Art/History crossover! The method of examination will be viewable when you click on each module description, so you can really tailor them to your skill set best - I think I only ended up sitting two or three across my entire degree. The University as a whole is moving towards more holistic methods of assessment anyway, but most exams are now open-book and completed online remotely which makes for a much more comfortable experience.
Worth mentioning too that many of our degrees have the option to be taken jointly with another discipline, for example History and Economics or History and English are popular, and you can also do placement years and years abroad if you're looking for a more varied or experience focused University experience. We do also offer a couple of degrees around Museum and Heritage Studies that may be worth considering! You can find out more about it here.
Sorry for the very long message - if you'd like to learn any more about studying History here at Reading (or anything else Reading-related!) please don't hesitate to ask, I'll be more than happy to help!
Kat
MA Diplomacy Student / BA History Grad
Reply 2
Long list for other slots on the UCAS application are:
Swansea
Cardiff
Plymouth*
Southampton
Bath Spa*
Exeter Penryn*
Reading
Worcester
UWE Bristol
Other Birmingham Unis?
* open days happened/ booked
We don’t have time to visit all the Unis next term, so interested in others feedback so we can narrow down the list. Things which could be personal influencing factors:
-Ability to do a combined degree or variety of modules. GCSE/A level has been ‘modern history’ so don’t want to fix in BA ancient or medieval and then find not as interesting/ed.
- support for disabled/ Neurodiverse students- academically but also accommodation provision for all 3 years
- degree grade focus on coursework/essays vs exams
- grade flexibility if A level results lower than predicted so clearing less likely- or contextual offers allowing for ill health/ missed time from school year
- accept deferred applications - considering an Art course with view that will be useful if post grad considered (art history/ museum or heritage studies/ conservatorship career options etc)
- lower grade offer for EPQ
The long list is based on geographical proximity from home town in Devon - I appreciate there may be ‘better’ courses reputationally (Durham, York, London Unis), but equally don’t want to be snobbish about RG only when a broader range of factors will make Uni a more successful and happier experience.
Welcome thoughts from anyone who considered Unis above and why chose or discounted.
Hi there!
Cardiff University student here. Best of luck on choosing a university - I can sympathise with the fact that it can be a really difficult decision to make! Personally, I applied to Cardiff during the COVID lockdown year, so I unfortunately was not able to visit campus either. What did make me decide on choosing it was the high reputation, in addition to the career support, and I liked the location (ie., how it was a nice mix between nature and the city).
In regards to the factors you brought up:
•
There are many options to do different types of combined degrees with History, as listed on this page! If you were interested in just doing the straight History BA course, then each year, you are able to do optional modules in addition to core modules (year 3 involves optional modules only). Whilst these modules may change on a year to year basis, the course page, under 'course structure' will be able to tell you what modules are on offer
•
I've accessed the Disability Support at the university myself and they've been very good! They're able to make reasonable adjustment to both studies and exams, and the team here are really kind and non-judgemental. Its worth noting that you *can* still get academic support even without applying for the DSA. I haven't used the services of accesible accomodation myself, but it definitely exists at the uni! You can find more info about this here.
•
The course doesn't only use exams to assess students, but also uses other forms of assessments such as: source criticisms, research projects, reviews, presentations, creative-critical portfolios and blog posts.
•
The conditions of contextual offers are highlighted on this page, in case you wanted to know more about it. On that topic, the current entry requirements (2025 entry) state that students who have done an EPQ will typically receive a grade lower, given that they achieve an A in EPQ.
•
Deferring your offer at Cardiff is possible, you'd just need to contact the admissions team, and the request will be considered at the admission tutor's discretion.
~ Fatiha, Cardiff University Student Rep
Reply 3
Long list for other slots on the UCAS application are:
Swansea
Cardiff
Plymouth*
Southampton
Bath Spa*
Exeter Penryn*
Reading
Worcester
UWE Bristol
Other Birmingham Unis?
* open days happened/ booked
We don’t have time to visit all the Unis next term, so interested in others feedback so we can narrow down the list. Things which could be personal influencing factors:
-Ability to do a combined degree or variety of modules. GCSE/A level has been ‘modern history’ so don’t want to fix in BA ancient or medieval and then find not as interesting/ed.
- support for disabled/ Neurodiverse students- academically but also accommodation provision for all 3 years
- degree grade focus on coursework/essays vs exams
- grade flexibility if A level results lower than predicted so clearing less likely- or contextual offers allowing for ill health/ missed time from school year
- accept deferred applications - considering an Art course with view that will be useful if post grad considered (art history/ museum or heritage studies/ conservatorship career options etc)
- lower grade offer for EPQ
The long list is based on geographical proximity from home town in Devon - I appreciate there may be ‘better’ courses reputationally (Durham, York, London Unis), but equally don’t want to be snobbish about RG only when a broader range of factors will make Uni a more successful and happier experience.
Welcome thoughts from anyone who considered Unis above and why chose or discounted.
Hiya!
Its really good to see all the things you are taking into consideration for what unis to apply for – its really important that it is right for you!
I am a disabled & neurodiverse student myself and the support I have received has been amazing. There is a team of disability practioners/advisors who can help with a range of issues. If you make the uni aware of any disabilities then you will be offered an appointment with one of the disability practioners before you start so that you can discuss your needs and what accommodations would help so that these can be put in place. Some examples of adjustments I have received has been access to a notetaker, specialised study skills and exam adjustments.
You can also discuss any requirements with the residences/accomodation team to make sure everything you need is put into place in your accommodation. You can apply to live in halls for every year, and disabled students are prioritised.
I am not a history student myself, but I have spoken to another UoS rep who is a humanities student to get some more information. With regards to the course itself, this link will take you to the module page, and there is information on the available modules – there are over 100 modules to choose from, so there should be a few that interest you! There is also the opportunity to study some modules from other social science & humanities subjects. For most humanities subjects, it is mostly assessed by essays/written coursework, or timed online assignments rather than exams. We also have some really cool digital humanities facilities here, which is well worth a look at if you are interested 🙂
In terms of grade flexibility it all depends on how popular the course is and how many spaces they have after the students who meet their offer. I believe there is often some leniency in results, and extenuating circumstance are taken into account.
I would really reccommend attending open days where possible as its the best way to get a feel for a Uni. But I know it can be quite difficult to fit them in, This page has some videos and is sort of like a 'virtual open day' if you wanted to have a look at that.
I hope this is helpful, and if you have any questions feel free to ask away!
Good luck with your decision making 🙂
Lily (UoS student rep)
Long list for other slots on the UCAS application are:
Swansea
Cardiff
Plymouth*
Southampton
Bath Spa*
Exeter Penryn*
Reading
Worcester
UWE Bristol
Other Birmingham Unis?
* open days happened/ booked
We don’t have time to visit all the Unis next term, so interested in others feedback so we can narrow down the list. Things which could be personal influencing factors:
-Ability to do a combined degree or variety of modules. GCSE/A level has been ‘modern history’ so don’t want to fix in BA ancient or medieval and then find not as interesting/ed.
- support for disabled/ Neurodiverse students- academically but also accommodation provision for all 3 years
- degree grade focus on coursework/essays vs exams
- grade flexibility if A level results lower than predicted so clearing less likely- or contextual offers allowing for ill health/ missed time from school year
- accept deferred applications - considering an Art course with view that will be useful if post grad considered (art history/ museum or heritage studies/ conservatorship career options etc)
- lower grade offer for EPQ
The long list is based on geographical proximity from home town in Devon - I appreciate there may be ‘better’ courses reputationally (Durham, York, London Unis), but equally don’t want to be snobbish about RG only when a broader range of factors will make Uni a more successful and happier experience.
Welcome thoughts from anyone who considered Unis above and why chose or discounted.
Hi there!
Great to hear that Plymouth has made your long list and you have had/going to have the opportunity to check out our open day in person! 😊
Although I don't study history, I have had friends that have attended the course and really loved the degree, as well as the campus and facilities. The city was one of the main things that drew me to Plymouth as a coastal city with some amazing views of the ocean, surrounded by Dartmoor and nature, as well as having a well-equipped student friendly city with everything you could need when studying on campus. The campus itself is equipped with some great facilities, with new modern buildings, equipment, and new investments all the time which is great as the university really cares about enhancing the student experience.
Regarding the points you mentioned-
•
Check out our course page which gives some insight into the variety of modules we offer. Students can actually choose to swap in up to two modules from across the school meaning the course is really personalised to your interests in second and final years. If you've studied three optional modules from the same second subject area, you can choose to add this to your degree certificate.
•
The academic support for those who have additional needs is excellent. Our Student Services team offers year round personalised support for students and works with them to develop ways to enhance your learning experience and ensure you are well equipped to work through your degree to the best of your ability. You can contact them at [email protected] if you have any specific questions!
•
Our admissions team are always happy to chat to students about their grades and are often open-minded to entry requirements and deferred applications. I'd recommend contacting them to find out what flexibility is offered- you can always speak to them on our clearing hotline after results day or on [email protected]
A few other pointers to note too!-
•
Opportunities included to participate in local, national and international field trips which are free or subsidised for all students.
•
Make the most of our excellent history resources and partners in the University library, The Box and wider city of Plymouth and region.
•
Be part of a community of historians by joining the History Society or taking part in our internship and volunteering opportunities.
Best of luck making your decisions and if you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to myself or one of the teams above! 😄
-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Reply 5
It is great to hear you are strongly considering to study with us at Exeter! I really hope that you enjoyed your open day with us. I am sure you already had a flavour of Exeter when you visited us, but if you wanted more information about history from our current students, click here!
Let me know if you have any questions,
Best, Sophie University of Exeter Student Ambassador.
Reply 6
Reply 7
Long list for other slots on the UCAS application are:
Swansea
Cardiff
Plymouth*
Southampton
Bath Spa*
Exeter Penryn*
Reading
Worcester
UWE Bristol
Other Birmingham Unis?
* open days happened/ booked
We don’t have time to visit all the Unis next term, so interested in others feedback so we can narrow down the list. Things which could be personal influencing factors:
-Ability to do a combined degree or variety of modules. GCSE/A level has been ‘modern history’ so don’t want to fix in BA ancient or medieval and then find not as interesting/ed.
- support for disabled/ Neurodiverse students- academically but also accommodation provision for all 3 years
- degree grade focus on coursework/essays vs exams
- grade flexibility if A level results lower than predicted so clearing less likely- or contextual offers allowing for ill health/ missed time from school year
- accept deferred applications - considering an Art course with view that will be useful if post grad considered (art history/ museum or heritage studies/ conservatorship career options etc)
- lower grade offer for EPQ
The long list is based on geographical proximity from home town in Devon - I appreciate there may be ‘better’ courses reputationally (Durham, York, London Unis), but equally don’t want to be snobbish about RG only when a broader range of factors will make Uni a more successful and happier experience.
Welcome thoughts from anyone who considered Unis above and why chose or discounted.
Hi @saju21
My name is Megan and I've just recently graduated with a BA in Politics and International Relations from Swansea University. Although I haven't studied history specifically, my course has, on many occasions, crossed over with it. Hopefully I can provide you with some useful insights!
I've included some information in regards to the points you've mentioned below:
•
At Swansea, there is a variety of ways that you can combine history with another course. I had many friends who studied combined degrees such French and History, English Literature and History, International Relations and History etc... you can find more options on our undergraduate course page here. When looking at the options, it's also worth looking at the 'modules' tab on each course page. It will detail the compulsory and optional modules that you can take each year. This will give you a good insight into what you could potentially choose and subsequently give you that piece of mind that your degree would be as varied and as close to your interests as you wish.
•
Our Wellbeing and Disability support teams would be able to help you put the correct provisions in place, both for academic purposes and accommodation needs. They are very supportive and approachable. The guide to understanding what extra help and support is offered can be accessed here.
•
For a humanities course such as history, there is generally an emphasis placed on coursework and essays as opposed to the classic exam. However, each module does vary in their mode of assessment, and not all pieces of coursework are essays, so it can be worth looking specifically at each module to get an understanding of this. To look at the form of assessment for each module, go to the 'modules' tab that I mentioned earlier, click on what year of study you'd like to see more about and then click on the module name. It should then take you to a document and on this you can find 'assessment method' down the left panel which details what assessments that specific module uses.
•
The university does consider each application in its entirety and does it's best to provide students with all of the options that are available to them.
•
If you had an unconditional offer with us, you are able to defer at least once.
•
We do offer a lower grade offer for the EPQ. Generally, to quote our website, it states that at the point of offer 'applicants predicted grade B or above in EPQ will receive an offer with a one-grade reduction. e.g., an offer of AAB would become ABB plus EPQ B'.
It's wonderful to hear that you are considering Swansea and I wish you all the best in making that final decision. I hope that the information I have provided is helpful! If you have any further questions please feel free to get in touch!
Best wishes,
Megan (Swansea University Official Rep).
Reply 8
Cardiff University student here. Best of luck on choosing a university - I can sympathise with the fact that it can be a really difficult decision to make! Personally, I applied to Cardiff during the COVID lockdown year, so I unfortunately was not able to visit campus either. What did make me decide on choosing it was the high reputation, in addition to the career support, and I liked the location (ie., how it was a nice mix between nature and the city).
In regards to the factors you brought up:
•
There are many options to do different types of combined degrees with History, as listed on this page! If you were interested in just doing the straight History BA course, then each year, you are able to do optional modules in addition to core modules (year 3 involves optional modules only). Whilst these modules may change on a year to year basis, the course page, under 'course structure' will be able to tell you what modules are on offer
•
I've accessed the Disability Support at the university myself and they've been very good! They're able to make reasonable adjustment to both studies and exams, and the team here are really kind and non-judgemental. Its worth noting that you *can* still get academic support even without applying for the DSA. I haven't used the services of accesible accomodation myself, but it definitely exists at the uni! You can find more info about this here.
•
The course doesn't only use exams to assess students, but also uses other forms of assessments such as: source criticisms, research projects, reviews, presentations, creative-critical portfolios and blog posts.
•
The conditions of contextual offers are highlighted on this page, in case you wanted to know more about it. On that topic, the current entry requirements (2025 entry) state that students who have done an EPQ will typically receive a grade lower, given that they achieve an A in EPQ.
•
Deferring your offer at Cardiff is possible, you'd just need to contact the admissions team, and the request will be considered at the admission tutor's discretion.
~ Fatiha, Cardiff University Student Rep
Hi Fatiha!
I am studying history at Cardiff Uni this September and was wondering if there is a reading list for the first year modules or any books you would recommend I purchase.
Diolch / Thanks,
Angharad
Reply 9
I am studying history at Cardiff Uni this September and was wondering if there is a reading list for the first year modules or any books you would recommend I purchase.
Diolch / Thanks,
Angharad
Hi there!
As I'm unfortunately not a history student, I am unable to give any recommendations about the reading list, however, if you were really keen, I recommend contacting the School of History, Archaeology and Religion at the following email: [email protected].
On the contrary, I actually don't recommend purchasing any books!
The university has brilliant libraries, with both in person copies, as well as online access to most books. Once you enroll and have a Cardiff login of your own you'll have access to all of this - known as Library Search. If you wanted to purchase copies of the books that's of course completely up to you, though its not necessary for your reading lists, most of the time!~ Fatiha, Cardiff University Student Rep
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