History

Investigate the past and expand your horizons with an inspiring degree designed for historians in the making.

Our exciting BA History degree lets you shape your passion for history according to your interests, using the latest approaches to study the past with a critical eye and make connections to debates in the public sphere.

Our expertise reaches an extraordinary breadth of societies, periods and places, spanning the British Isles, Europe (east and west), Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Our modules give you the opportunity to study both well-established areas, such as political, social, cultural and gender history, or explore areas that might be new to you, such as environmental history or digital history.

Criss-crossing this wide range of time spans and perspectives, our highly respected programme will train you to analyse topics from across the globe, allowing you to put into practice your skills as a historian. Moreover, prestigious collections in the University’s Special Collections and Archives give you access to a wide range of original texts and sources, including some of the world’s oldest printed books.

While sharing our own cutting-edge research in all our modules, we encourage you to re-evaluate existing understandings of the past and to create new and original interpretations of your own. You will become adept at exploring debates, creatively drawing on our robust grounding to examine history of all kinds. In the process, you will develop the skills so advantageous in our digital age: creativity, empathy, critical thinking, persuasive communication skills and the ability to challenge and question.

Your degree culminates with you writing original history, researching a topic of personal academic interest in your dissertation. Studying at Cardiff means engaging in historical and public debate - and becoming a historian in your own right.

Graduating with a range of academic and practical skills – including teamworking, leadership and communication – the confidence to use them and the ability to see the big picture, you’ll be valued by employers and ideally placed to progress into a range of careers. Taught by leading experts in the field, our BA History gives you the skills, training, and knowledge to succeed.

Distinctive Features of the Programme

Tailored to you
Develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the regions, periods and themes which interest you, whilst placing this knowledge into the bigger picture.

Global Relevance
Take modules with a wide global coverage and chronological depth which speak to world issues from social inequality and community belonging to the environment and inclusion.

‘Read’ and ‘do’ history
Learn from world-renowned historians and immerse yourself in projects as you ‘read’ and ‘do’ history and gain skills to communicate your ideas to diverse audiences.

Placement opportunities
Gain skills, confidence and connections through a variety of opportunities to engage with communities and other partners.

A Year Abroad
Expand your horizons; gain experience with study abroad options.