History

History - BA (Hons)

UCAS code V100

This is an archived page and for reference purposes only

2017

Any study of history engages a natural human curiosity about the past. It’s an exciting and diverse subject, which is reflected in the flexibility and breadth of the History degree programme offered at Kent.

Overview

The School of History at Kent is one of the leading History departments in the country, where you are taught by passionate academics, active researchers and recognised experts. You learn within an inspiring environment, studying on carefully crafted programmes that allow you to develop your own skills and interests.

Our degree programme

Our History programme allows you to tailor your degree to your own interests. These may be incredibly broad, or more focused within specific themes or historical periods.

There is a huge choice of modules on offer, which reflect the wide-ranging expertise of our academics. You can explore topics from the crusades to the Cold War; from the impact of science on 19th-century culture to the totalitarian regimes of Stalin’s Russia and Hitler’s Third Reich.

History video

History student, Beccy Noble, talks about what it's like to study the subject at Kent.


Year in professional placement

It is possible to take this programme with a work placement between the second and third year of your degree – this can provide valuable work experience and the chance to gain new skills. You don’t have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent but certain conditions apply.

Year or term abroad

You have the chance to study abroad for a year, or for a term in your third year. Previous destinations include:

  • California, USA
  • Massachusetts, USA
  • Ottawa, Canada.
  • Poitiers, France
  • Stellenbosch, South Africa
  • Pokfulam, Hong Kong
  • Tokyo, Japan.

Study resources

Facilities to support your studies include:

  • the British Cartoon Archive, whose 20th-century collection can illuminate many aspects of recent history
  • a rare and complete set of British official histories of both world wars 
  • privileged access to rare books and priceless manuscripts at Canterbury Cathedral Library and Archives.

Extra activities

You can get involved with the student-run History Society, which in previous years has organised lectures, social events and trips across Europe.

The School of History also organises talks from visiting speakers that you are welcome to attend. In addition there are regular careers workshops and visits from successful alumni.

Professional network

We have excellent links with the National Trust as well as local heritage organisations, including:

  • Canterbury Cathedral Library and Archives
  • The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge
  • Canterbury Archaeological Trust
  • Royal Engineers Museum.

The School of History has also established strong links with academic institutions across Europe and beyond.

Independent rankings

History at Kent was ranked 19th in The Guardian University Guide 2017. In the National Student Survey 2016, 94% of our History students were satisfied with the overall quality of their course. 

History at Kent was ranked 14th for graduate prospects in The Times Good University Guide 2017. Of History students who graduated in 2015, 92% were in work or further study within six months (DLHE).
 

Course structure

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.  

On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.

Year in industry

You have the opportunity to spend a year on professional placement between Stages 2 and 3 as part of this programme.

Year abroad

Going abroad as part of your degree is an amazing experience and a chance to develop personally, academically and professionally.  You experience a different culture, gain a new academic perspective, establish international contacts and enhance your employability. 

You spend your year abroad at one of our partner universities. Places and destination are subject to availability, language and degree programme. To find out more, please see Go Abroad.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching is by a combination of lectures, providing a broad overview, and seminars, which focus on discussing particular issues and are led by student presentations. Lectures and seminars use a variety of materials, including original documents, films and documentaries, illuminated manuscripts, and slide and PowerPoint demonstrations.

The School of History uses a mixture of assessment patterns. The standard formats are 100% coursework or 60% examination and 40% coursework.

The School also has excellent student support arrangements. Alongside our Student Support Officer, each student is assigned an academic tutor. All module convenors keep regular office hours, and the School has a policy of returning at least one essay on each module in a one-to-one personal meeting, allowing for additional verbal feedback and discussion.

Programme aims

The programme aims to:

  • provide students with a firm understanding of the tradition and discipline of history as a means of understanding cultures different from their own and changes in society over time
  • develop students' intellectual curiosity and initiative
  • encourage independent critical thinking and judgement
  • develop new areas of teaching and incorporate the research expertise of teachers into the programme
  • provide stimulating learning opportunities based on well-planned teaching strategies and offer effective support for students from a variety of backgrounds
  • prepare students for a range of careers and roles in a modern complex society or for further study
  • develop a critical understanding of the past
  • provide a flexible degree through which students can adopt a structure for their various interests.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain knowledge and understanding of:

  • the complexities of human existence in the past, while recognising that history does not consist of 'a specific body of required knowledge'
  • texts and other source materials, while addressing questions of genre, content, perspective and purpose
  • the problems inherent in the historical record itself and the limits within which interpretation is possible
  • the value of neighbouring disciplines, recognised through the interdisciplinary nature of history itself
  • more than one country, period (medieval, early modern, modern) and analytical approach (social, political, economic, cultural history, history of science).

Intellectual skills

You gain intellectual skills in:

  • conceptualisation: the ability to relate concept to empirical evidence, and the ability to recognise the relative and contested character of concepts themselves
  • critical thought and independence of mind: the ability to challenge received conclusions and evaluate the work of others
  • the ability to synthesise material from a variety of sources to gain a coherent understanding of issues
  • reflexivity – an understanding of the nature of the discipline and our own involvement with it
  • recognising and distinguishing between the different sources of historical knowledge (epistemological awareness)
  • recognition and employment of what is required to solve particular problems.

Subject-specific skills

You gain subject-specific skills in how to:

  • apply a range of historical methods and analytical approaches with awareness of the relevance of other disciplines
  • access a range of sources of information, including textual and non-textual material
  • present the results of historical work to a critical audience or readership using standard notes, reference systems and bibliography
  • marshal an argument: summarise, analyse and defend a particular interpretation or analysis of historical events.

Transferable skills

You gain transferable skills in:

  • communication – how to organise information clearly; respond to written sources; present information orally; adapt style for different audiences; use of images as a communication tool
  • numeracy – how to make sense of statistical materials; integrate numerical and non-numerical information; understand the limits and potentialities of arguments based on quantitative information
  • information technology – how to produce written documents; undertake online research; communicate using email; process information using databases
  • working with others – how to define and review the work of others; work co-operatively on group tasks; understand how groups function
  • improving own learning – how to explore personal strengths and weaknesses; time management; review your working environment; develop specialist learning skills (such as foreign languages); develop autonomy in learning
  • problem solving – how to identify and define problems; explore alternative solutions and discriminate between them.

Careers

Graduate destinations

Our graduates are prepared for a wide range of career options in areas including:

  • journalism and the media
  • management and administration
  • civil service and local government
  • museum and heritage management
  • law, commerce and banking
  • teaching and research
  • library work
  • armed services and defence analysis.

Examples of the positions some of our graduates have moved into include:

  • Stonehenge Custodian
  • producer at the BBC
  • Warden at Windsor Castle
  • CEO of EasyJet.

Help finding a job

The School of History runs employability sessions to help you hone your job-hunting skills, and these include input from highly successful alumni.

The University also has a friendly Careers and Employability Service, which can give you advice on how to:

  • apply for jobs
  • write a good CV
  • perform well in interviews.

Career-enhancing skills

You graduate with an excellent grounding in historical knowledge and become adept at:

  • research
  • analysing large quantities of information from often conflicting sources
  • assessing complex arguments.

To help you appeal to employers, you learn key transferable skills that are essential for all graduates. These include the ability to:

  • think critically
  • communicate your ideas and opinions
  • manage your time effectively
  • work independently or as part of a team.

You can also gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.

Independent rankings 

History at Kent was ranked 16th for graduate prospects in The Guardian University Guide 2017 and 17th for graduate prospects in The Complete University Guide 2017. Of History students who graduated in 2015, 92% were in work or further study within six months (DLHE).

The average starting salary for graduates of this degree is £19,000, according to Which? University (2017).

Kent’s facilities are extensive and easy to access. The Templeman Library is full of great resources for History students.

Charlie Hall History BA

Entry requirements

Home/EU students

The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice. 

It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.

New GCSE grades

If you’ve taken exams under the new GCSE grading system, please see our conversion table to convert your GCSE grades.

Qualification Typical offer/minimum requirement
A level

ABB including Classics-Ancient History,  Classics-Classical Civilisation or History grade B, excluding Critical Thinking and General Studies 

Access to HE Diploma

The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. 

If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma)

The University will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF; OCR) on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further advice on your individual circumstances.

International Baccalaureate

34 points overall or 16 points at HL including History 5 at HL or 6 at SL

International students

The University welcomes applications from international students. Our international recruitment team can guide you on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country.

If you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes.

Meet our staff in your country

For more advise about applying to Kent, you can meet our staff at a range of international events. 

English Language Requirements

Please see our English language entry requirements web page.

Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme. 

General entry requirements

Please also see our general entry requirements.

Fees

The 2017/18 tuition fees for this programme are:

UK/EU Overseas
Full-time
Part-time

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

UK/EU fee paying students

The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.

In accordance with changes announced by the UK Government, we are increasing our 2017/18 regulated full-time tuition fees for new and returning UK/EU fee paying undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses will also rise from £4,500 to £4,625. This was subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. This fee will ensure the continued provision of high-quality education.

For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* 

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.

Fees for Year Abroad/Industry

As a guide only, UK/EU/International students on an approved year abroad for the full 2017/18 academic year pay an annual fee of £1,350 to Kent for that year. Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status. 

Please note that for 2017/18 entrants the University will increase the standard year in industry fee for home/EU/international students to £1,350.

General additional costs

Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.

Funding

University funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details. 

Government funding

You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.

The Government has confirmed that EU students applying for university places in the 2017 to 2018 academic year will still have access to student funding support for the duration of their course.

Scholarships

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.

The scholarship is also extended to those who achieve AAB at A level (or specified equivalents) where one of the subjects is either Mathematics or a Modern Foreign Language. Please review the eligibility criteria.

Full-time

Part-time

The Key Information Set (KIS) data is compiled by UNISTATS and draws from a variety of sources which includes the National Student Survey and the Higher Education Statistical Agency. The data for assessment and contact hours is compiled from the most populous modules (to the total of 120 credits for an academic session) for this particular degree programme. Depending on module selection, there may be some variation between the KIS data and an individual's experience. For further information on how the KIS data is compiled please see the UNISTATS website.

If you have any queries about a particular programme, please contact information@kent.ac.uk.