BA

History

Key Facts

V101

  • UCAS Tariff

    120 - 96

  • Course duration

    3 years

Available for September start 2025

Further details on entry requirements

Apply Now

By choosing to study History at Aberystwyth University, you will be studying one of the most valuable of subjects. Most of us are curious about the past and the way in which human societies have evolved over time. A degree in History will allow you to place the past in context and equip yourself with the skills of interpretation, analysis and communication that are so essential to our everyday lives and ones that employers value highly.

Course Overview

Why study History at Aberystwyth University?

  • History has been taught at Aberystwyth since 1872, which makes our department the oldest in Wales and one of the foremost in the UK.
  • Our degrees are innovative, ensuring that you get the best qualification.
  • We receive high scores from our students in the annual National Student Survey (NSS).
  • Our subject areas range from early history to modern history, political history, social history, economic history and cultural history.
  • The National Library of Wales, one of only five copyright libraries in the UK, is situated just below the campus.
  • We can offer you exciting exchange opportunities.
Our Staff

Staff in the Department of History and Welsh History are active researchers and experts in their field of History. Most are qualified to PhD level and hold PGCHE. To find out more about our staff, please visit our departmental staff page.

Modules September start - 2025

Please note: The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery during the next academic year and may be subject to change. They are included here to give an indication of how the course is structured.

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
'Hands on' History: Sources and their Historians HY10420 20
Europe and the World, 1000-2000 HY12420 20
Medieval and Early Modern Britain and Europe, 1000-1800 HY11420 20
People, Power and Identity: Wales 1200-1999 WH11720 20
The Modern World, 1789 to the present HY11820 20

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Careers

What will I be able to do with a degree in History?

Our graduates have been successful in establishing careers across a wide range of areas, incuding:

  • education
  • law
  • archiving
  • publishing
  • politics
  • the Civil Service
  • media
  • the armed forces
  • entrepeneurship.

As a department, we are very proud of our notable alumni amongst whom are:

  • Dr Tîm Brain, ex-Chief Constable of Gloucestershire
  • Guto Bebb, Member of Parliament
  • Dr Joanne Cayford, BBC
  • Berwyn Davies, Head of Welsh Higher Education in Brussels
  • Iwan Griffiths, Sports commentator S4C.

What opportunities are there for gaining work experience while I study?

Click here to learn about the various opportunities that our Careers Service offers.

Enhance your career opportunities with Go Wales and our Year in Employment Scheme which are managed by our Careers Service.

Student placements in the heritage sector

Our department has strong connections with the heritage sector, and an established portfolio of student placements. In the past, students have spent up to three weeks in the National Library of Wales (including Welsh-medium opportunities), the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, and the London Society of Antiquarians. These places provide the opportunity to gain practical experience and an understanding of the heritage sector, and they also look good on any CV!

International opportunities

Aberystwyth University offers the chance of a lifetime to study, volunteer or work in another country, for one academic year, one semester or a few weeks during the holiday. Explore other cultures, challenge yourself and gain experiences that will help you with your career. The time spent exploring a new country and culture can refine your interpersonal skills, improve your language skills, and expand your international mindset. Find out where you can go.

Mentoring by alumni and graduate skills

The Mentoring Scheme by Alumni can enable you to connect with past graduates across a variety of careers in a safe and supportive environment. History and Welsh History also organises sessions where alumni talk about different periods of their careers. Some of the most recent talks have included 'From university to a careers in cultural heritage: the first steps', given by a recent graduate who has secured a place on a renowned training scheme in Tate Gallery.

Teaching & Learning

What will I learn?

The summary below will give you an idea of what you may study on this three-year degree scheme.

In your first year you may discover:

  • new concepts and skills in history
  • new methods and historical periods
  • Welsh History 1250-1800
  • the First World War and Britain
  • modernism and the creation of Asia
  • exciting recent historical works.

You will also choose from our range of other modules that reflect a wide range both chronologically and thematically.

During your second year you may explore:

  • historical methods, looking at the way in which meaning, methods and writing about history have changed over time
  • the history of Europe
  • Germany and Naziism
  • the British Empire: Britain and Ireland 1850-1914
  • looking at the craft of the historian's.

You will also choose from our range of other modules that encompass different subjects and periods.

In your final year you may study:

  • a special subject that will allow you to undertake intense research, using primary sources that will enable you to use the critical research skills of the practical historian
  • sexuality in History
  • British society and the French revolution
  • history, religion and divination
  • Stalin and Russia.

How will I be taught and assessed?

The different learning, teaching and assessment methods that we use in the department will enable you to develop skills in the form of: giving presentations to small groups (in Seminars and during oral assessments), formal writing (essays), research and developing ideas in writing (dissertation), and working as part of a team (seminars and student conferences, such as the yearly Medieval Colloquium in Gregynog). History and Welsh History also holds individual academic tutorials with all students, which is unusual outside Oxford and Cambridge. We also have a system of supportive personal tutors. Through this one-to-one contact, you will be able to discuss with academic mentors possible career opportunities, or perhaps the options of going on to further studies.

Student Testimonials

I came here on an open day and fell in love with the place and its atmosphere, so I decided to come and study here. I got a scholarship to come here, and that was a great help. It was easy for me to settle in here. Since it's such a small town, everything is close together and it's full of students. There's a homely atmosphere here, and it doesn't take you long to make friends. The Department of History and Welsh History is fantastic. It's easy to communicate with departmental staff and they are always there for you if you have any problems. Since I'm studying Welsh History, the National Library is very useful - every single book is available there with it being a copyright library. I'm a member of the UMCA, the union for Welsh speaking students. There are plenty of societies here, which is brilliant. By becoming a member of societies, you mix with other students. The thing I like most about Aber is the social life, the warm atmosphere in town, and the fact that everything is close together. The only thing I don't like is the hill! I would definitely recommend to others that they study at Aberystwyth University. This is the best experience you'll get! Ceri Phillips

I was very happy to accept a Incentive Scholarship from the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and every penny is helpful to me as I start my degree in Aberystwyth. Welsh is my first language and having studied all my school subjects through the medium of Welsh, it was a natural choice for me to do the same at university. The things that attracted me to the place were the good name of the Department of History and Welsh History and the Welsh society here. Heledd Eleri Evans

Typical Entry Requirements

UCAS Tariff 120 - 96

A Levels BBB-CCC

GCSE requirements (minimum grade C/4):
English or Welsh

BTEC National Diploma:
DDM-MMM

International Baccalaureate:
30-26

European Baccalaureate:
75%-65% overall

English Language Requirements:
See our Undergraduate English Language Requirements for this course. Pre-sessional English Programmes are also available for students who do not meet our English Language Requirements.

Country Specific Entry Requirements:
International students whose qualification is not listed on this page, can check our Country Specific Entry Requirements for further information.

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma or T-level qualifications, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas or T-levels as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.
Our inclusive admissions policy values breadth as well as depth of study. Applicants are selected on their own individual merits and offers can vary. If you would like to check the eligibility of your qualifications before submitting an application, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for advice and guidance.

Back to the top