About the Courses
Study history in Britain’s Ocean City and explore more than five centuries of fascinating history.
Work with world leading experts in history from 1500 to the present day to develop your interests and research. We offer modules in British, American and World History.
Enhance your career options with a degree that helps you develop highly sought-after analytical and communication skills while you home in on your passion.
Participate in local, national and international field trips which are free or subsidised for all students.
Our international exchange programme gives you the opportunity to travel and spend either a semester or an entire year exploring history with one of our partner institutions in the US or Europe.
Make the most of our excellent history resources and partners in the University library, The Box and wider
Study history in Britain’s Ocean City and explore more than five centuries of fascinating history.
Work with world leading experts in history from 1500 to the present day to develop your interests and research. We offer modules in British, American and World History.
Enhance your career options with a degree that helps you develop highly sought-after analytical and communication skills while you home in on your passion.
Participate in local, national and international field trips which are free or subsidised for all students.
Our international exchange programme gives you the opportunity to travel and spend either a semester or an entire year exploring history with one of our partner institutions in the US or Europe.
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.
Modules
Year 1
In your first year, you’ll get to know the key concepts of history, studying six modules designed to give you a firm foundation in historical methodology while helping you develop practical skills. You’ll study the subject from a broad range of perspectives exploring developments in world, US, European and British history.
Core modules
What is History? (HIS4001)
What is History? – provides an overview of how the discipline of history operates, and looks at some of the key skills associated with the subject.
America from Settlement to Empire (HIS4002)
This module aims to provide an introduction to major themes in the political, social and cultural evolution of the United States from 1492 to the end of the 19th Century. It aims to emphasise links to Europe and to give students a broad perspective on their historical studies. It will also provide students with an introduction to use of electronic sources in the study of American history and to the development of vital skills in critical thinking and academic writing.
World History since 1850 (HIS4003)
This module is an introduction to major themes in the political, social and cultural history of the modern world beyond Europe.
Fractured Isles: Britain and Ireland 1640-1990 (HIS4004)
The module is an introduction to the major themes in political, social and cultural history of Britain and Ireland in the period 1640-1900. This module will include 2, 2 hour talks that introduce our School and programme level employability related opportunities and support, including details of the optional placement year.
Fighting for Survival: Living and Dying in Early Modern Europe, 1450-1700 (HIS4005)
This module introduces students to the political, social, cultural and religious history of Early Modern Europe, 1450-1700.
History and Heritage (HIS4006)
This module introduces students to the field of heritage studies. It directs attention to how historians do heritage (and history) for an external audience. It aims to explore the materials and methods used and how they apply to how we understand, interpret and shape how we live with the past today. Students will study a specific topic in history and heritage individually and/or in small groups through problem based learning with an assessment geared towards public engagement.
Year 2
During your second year, you’ll have the chance to choose from a range of modules as you develop your historical knowledge and skills. Experience visual, oral, material and archival research – undertaking interviews with living witnesses, examining visual sources and delving into original sources.In your second year you will have the opportunity to try modules from other disciplines as part of our 21st Century Curriculum.
You can also take the opportunity to study in the USA or Canada for up to a year.
Core modules
Research Methods in Visual, Material and Oral History (HIS5005)
This module investigates the use of oral, material & visual sources as a means of investigating the past. Also, the contextualisation of historical sources and questions in the wider historiographical literature.
Preparing for Dissertation Research (HIS5008)
This module is designed to prepare students for Level 6 dissertation research in History by lectures and workshops that explore key approaches to sources, and practical and theoretical aspects to research in history, before carrying out a small project in independent research. Lectures in the period of the research project will entail an element of choice and also student-generated lectures, based on selection of topics at start of module: with subjects geared to doing research in archives / local studies/ digital resources.