The first year centres on the study of the revolutionary changes in Britain and Europe in the period between 1750 and 1850, and allows you to explore other disciplines that are related to history. Each of these has a series of associated options which will give you a wide choice in constructing a programme of specialised study. The modules you select will determine the extent to which your programme focuses on social or political and ideological issues. The culmination of both courses is the dissertation. This can focus on a topic that falls exclusively within the field of History or, if studied as a joint honours, can be on an interdisciplinary topic related to your other subject.
Most modules employ a mixture of lectures, seminars and tutorials.
Assessment procedures vary from module to module and may be based on written examinations, essays, group projects, and seminar presentations, or combinations of these. You will be taught by a group of historians who have a wide range of interests and who believe that if history is to be a living and lively subject, teaching and research must go hand in hand. In the advanced part of the course, you will study with tutors who are themselves researching the subjects you are investigating. They will introduce you to the latest developments, interpretations and debates in the subject. A small proportion of graduates go on to MA or doctoral study, but most gravitate towards careers demanding a grounding in the humanities or social sciences.