| UCAS code | V102 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Penryn Campus |
| Discipline | History |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: AAB-ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBB-BBC |
| UCAS code | V104 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Penryn Campus |
| Discipline | History |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: AAB-ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBB-BBC |
| UCAS code | V107 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Penryn Campus |
| Discipline | History |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: AAB-ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBB-BBC |
| UCAS code | V108 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Penryn Campus |
| Discipline | History |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: AAB-ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBB-BBC |
Overview
- Thrive within our strong, close-knit community in small classes guided by expert staff.
- Study the events, people, and ideas that have shaped modern history. Our classes emphasise the history of ideas; culture, memory, and heritage; political ideas and party politics; environmentalism and environmental politics; modern conflict, imperialism, and decolonialisation.
- Experience cutting-edge research through current work our expert academic staff are undertaking in British and European history; global history, including the Americas, the Middle East, and the Pacific; and in environmental and global political history.
- Develop your historical expertise along with expanding your knowledge through optional modules across literature, politics, international relations, business, law, and geography.
- Embrace a new language and graduate with a language proficiency.
- Learn and thrive at our modern eco campus near Falmouth on the coast of South Cornwall.
- Benefit from local work placements with museums, galleries, libraries, schools, and heritage organisations.
- The Student-Staff Liaison Committee provides an opportunity to communicate your views and influence, change and shape your degree. The student-run History Society, Politics Society, and Law Society all organise guest speakers, trips and social events.
We are 6th in the UK for research in History
Based on our GPA in REF 2021
Top 100 in world subject rankings for History
QS World University Subject Rankings 2024
90% of graduates in or due to start employment or further study fifteen months after graduation
Based on full-time, first degree, UK domiciled graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes survey 2019/20
Top 10 in UK subject rankings for History
8th in the Complete University Guide 2025
We are 6th in the UK for research in History
Based on our GPA in REF 2021
Top 100 in world subject rankings for History
QS World University Subject Rankings 2024
90% of graduates in or due to start employment or further study fifteen months after graduation
Based on full-time, first degree, UK domiciled graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes survey 2019/20
Top 10 in UK subject rankings for History
8th in the Complete University Guide 2025
I was offered a place at Penryn Campus through Clearing. I’d never been to Cornwall before and after the brilliant open day I decided to confirm my choice.
The beautiful location and the way the university treated me and my family, combined with the opportunity to meet one of my history lecturers prior to study was outstanding. My course has been excellent so far. It is totally different than I expected, for example I never thought I would enjoy looking at the theories and concepts behind History, yet I loved the way it taught me to question and see things in a different light. The same with Global History, originally, I couldn’t see myself studying it but when I came to it, it was really refreshing and rewarding.
Anya
BA History (Cornwall)
Entry requirements (typical offer)
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| A-Level | AAB-ABB | n/a |
| IB | 34/665-32/655 | n/a |
| BTEC | DDD-DDM | n/a |
| GCSE | C or 4 | English Language |
| Access to HE | 30 L3 Credits at Distinction Grade and 15 L3 credits at Merit Grade - 24 L3 Credits at Distinction Grade and 21 L3 credits at Merit Grade | N/A |
| T-Level | Distinction | N/A |
| Contextual Offer | A-Level: BBB-BBC |
Specific subject requirements must still be achieved where stated above. Find out more about contextual offers. |
| Other accepted qualifications | ||
| English language requirements |
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country. |
|
NB General Studies is not included in any offer.
Grades advertised on each programme webpage are the typical level at which our offers are made and provide information on any specific subjects an applicant will need to have studied in order to be considered for a place on the programme. However, if we receive a large number of applications for the programme we may not be able to make an offer to all those who are predicted to achieve/have achieved grades which are in line with our typical offer. For more information on how applications are assessed and when decisions are released, please see: After you apply
Course content
In the first year, you will cover modules such as The Craft of Writing, Introduction to Human Sciences and World History. In year two, expose the complex history of slavery, organised crime and inter-imperial rivalry in the Middle East.
The History degree programme is made up of compulsory (core) and optional modules, which are worth 15 or 30 credits each. Full-time undergraduate students need to complete modules worth a total of 120 credits each year.
Depending on your programme you can take up to 30 credits each year in another subject, for instance a language or business module, to develop career-related skills or just widen your intellectual horizons.
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
90 credits of compulsory modules, 30 credits of optional modules
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HIC1604 | New Approaches to History | 15 |
| HIC1602 | Crafts of Research and Writing | 15 |
| HIC1605 | European History: Politics and Society | 15 |
| HIC1007 | People's History: Sources and Skills | 15 |
| HIC1610 | An Introduction to Histories of Science and the Environment | 15 |
| HIC1611 | Global History: Twentieth Century Transformations | 15 |
Optional modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HUM1005 | Climate Emergency - An Introduction to Environmental Humanities | 15 |
| HIC1010 | Foundations of Environmental Humanities | 15 |
| BEP1160 | Business History | 15 |
30 credits of compulsory modules, 90 credits of optional modules
Compulsory modules
a - You must select either HIC2200 or HUC2002.
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HIC2200 | Public History Project [See note a above] | 30 |
| HUC2002 | Perspectives on Sources: Independent Study Project in the Humanities [See note a above] | 30 |
Optional modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HIC Stage 2 History Option Modules 2024-5 | ||
| HIC2029 | Histories of Everyday Life in Modern Cornwall | 15 |
| HUC2015 | Revolution and Abolition: History and Legacies of the Atlantic Slave Trade | 15 |
| HUC2013 | Enlightenment and the Age of Reason: Philosophy, Politics, Society | 15 |
| HIC2316 | The Occult in Victorian Britain | 15 |
| HIC2037 | Earth Matters: Soil, Society and the Humanities | 15 |
| HIC2038 | Caribbean Histories: Colonialism, Resistance, and Environmental Crisis | 15 |
| HIC2324 | Organised Crime in USA | 15 |
| HIC2009 | Ecology and Empire | 15 |
| HUC2012 | The Age of Unreason? Modernity and its Discontents | 15 |
| HIC2028 | Art and Archaeology in Post-Colonial Nations | 15 |
| HIC2007 | Apocalyptic Narratives: Disaster Writing | 15 |
| HUC2001 | Humanities in the Workplace (Penryn) | 15 |
Find out more about study abroad or employment experience under Course variants.
With Study Abroad
120 credits of compulsory modules
For your year abroad you will agree a suite of modules in your host institution with the Faculty Study Abroad Coordinator. Details of individual modules that may be taken whilst abroad can be found by accessing the partner institution’s factfile at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/international/abroad/where/ and navigating to the “Course Requirements” section of that factfile where a link to the modules on offer in the partner institution is displayed.
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HAS3999 | Study Abroad (HASS) | 120 |
With Employment Experience
120 credit compulsory placement year module.
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HAP3906 | Work Placement Year | 120 |
With Employment Experience Abroad
120 credit compulsory placement year module
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HAP3906 | Work Placement Year | 120 |
30 credits of compulsory modules, 90 credits of optional modules
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HIC3040 | General Third Year Dissertation | 30 |
Optional modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HIC Final Stage History Option Modules 2024-5 | ||
| HIC3004 | Hippies: The US Counterculture of the 1960s | 30 |
| HUC3045 | Myth in the Modern World: From the Classics to Conspiracies | 30 |
| HIC3009 | Pacific Histories: Environment, People and Politics | 30 |
| HIC3300 | Britain and the Telecommunications Revolution | 30 |
| HUC3048 | Writing Nature | 30 |
| HIC3008 | New American Century: History, Culture, and Crisis | 30 |
| HUC3016 | Irish Stories: History, Politics, Literature and Heritage | 30 |
Course variants
UCAS code: V104
Our four-year ‘with Study Abroad’ degree, offers you the possibility of spending your third year abroad, studying with one of our many partner universities.
Why Study Abroad?
Living and studying in a different country is an exciting experience that broadens your academic and cultural horizons, as well as giving you the opportunity to widen your circle of friends. Students who have studied abroad demonstrate initiative, independence, motivation and, depending on where they stay, may also have gained a working knowledge of another language – all key qualities that employers are looking for in today’s competitive employment environment.
Where can I Study Abroad?
We have partnership arrangements with many prestigious institutions across the globe. Exactly where you can apply to study will depend on the subjects you are studying at Exeter. For a full list please visit the Study Abroad website.
Does it count towards my degree?
Credit for academic work during your year abroad is arranged by agreement between the University of Exeter and the host institution. These marks are then translated back into your degree at Exeter. If you are Studying Abroad for a semester or full year, your time abroad will count toward your final degree. Please refer to your Study Abroad co-ordinator for further details.
How does it affect my tuition fee and funding?
For the year that you spend studying abroad you will pay a significantly reduced tuition fee to Exeter, but nothing to your host university – for more information visit our fees pages. If you were previously eligible, you will continue to receive a maintenance loan whilst on your Study Abroad year.
UCAS code: V107
Our four-year ‘with Employment Experience’ degree, offers you the possibility of spending your third year carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements within the UK as part of your degree.
Why choose to include Employment Experience?
Undertaking graduate-level work during your degree unlocks a world of experience that allows you to develop essential employability and interpersonal skills that relate to your degree and future career. A work placement will dramatically boost your confidence, enhance your CV and develop graduate level skills and competencies that employers are looking for.
Where will I do my work placement?
The sector you choose to work within is very much your choice as you will be responsible for finding and organising your placement. We will provide plenty of guidance and support during your first and second years which will prepare you to research and apply for placements. Ultimately, the university will give final approval to your placement to make sure you have a valuable experience.
How does it affect my tuition fees and funding?
For your ‘Year In Industry’ you will pay a significantly reduced tuition fee to Exeter – for more information visit our fees pages. If you were previously eligible, you will continue to receive a maintenance loan whilst on your year of work placement/s.
Find out more
Visit our website to learn more about employment experience opportunities.
UCAS code: V108
Our four-year ‘with Employment Experience Abroad’ degree, offers you the possibility of spending your third year abroad, carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements as part of your degree.
Why choose to include Employment Experience Abroad?
Spending up to a year living and working in a different country is an exciting experience that broadens your academic and cultural horizons, as well as giving you the opportunity to widen your circle of friends. By carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements abroad you can demonstrate to employers your adaptability, cultural awareness, independence and resourcefulness and, depending on where you stay, may also have gained a working knowledge of another language.
Where will I do my work placement?
The sector and country you choose to work within is very much your choice as you will be responsible for finding and organising your placement. We will provide plenty of guidance and support during your first and second years which will prepare you to research and apply for placements. Ultimately, the university will give final approval to your placement to make sure you have a valuable experience.
How does it affect my tuition fee?
For your ‘Year In Industry’ you will pay a significantly reduced tuition fee to Exeter – for more information visit our fees pages. If you were previously eligible, you will continue to receive a maintenance loan whilst on your year of work placement/s.
Is the placement paid?
You will be paid in accordance with the rules of the country you work in and there may be visa restrictions or requirements which you need to consider when applying.
Find out more
Visit our website to learn more about employment experience opportunities.
Fees
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
UK students: £9,535 per year
International students: £24,700 per year
Scholarships
The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships*.
Financial support is also available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.
* Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.
Learning and teaching
How will I learn?
As well as lectures, seminars and tutorials led by internationally respected academics at the forefront of research, you engage in group tasks and independent study: reading or viewing module material, writing essays or preparing for seminars and presentations. We encourage presentation work and coursework. This involves you actively in the teaching and learning process and develops important transferable skills, such as good verbal and visual communication, as well as effective interaction with other people. You will also develop a range of professional skills, such as time management and team working, plus valuable critical and analytical skills.
Modules
Modules encourage you to think about long-term developments and processes of historical change, and to make comparisons between countries and cultures. We emphasise historical questions that require you to identify patterns across time or between countries, and to isolate common or competing trends, instead of concentrating on short-term or single explanations.
Teaching hours
You’ll have on average 1-3 teaching hours per module and will need to allow for up to nine additional hours of private study. You should expect your total workload to average about 40 hours per week during term time. As well as attending lectures and writing essays and assignments, you’ll be expected to make presentations in seminars or tutorials. We encourage your presentation work, because it involves you actively in the teaching and learning process and develops important life skills such as good verbal and visual communication and effective interaction with other people.
Personal tutor
You'll have a personal tutor as well as tutors in individual subjects and they will work with you to monitor your progress, as well as offering pastoral support and other help. You will have a chance to make your mark on the programmes through regular student evaluations and participation in the Student-Staff Liaison Committees and the student History Societies on both campuses.
How will I be assessed?
All the degrees in History have assessments and examinations each year. Although formal examinations are important tests of skill, up to 50 per cent of your marks will come from other forms of assessment, including coursework essays, projects, dissertations and measures of your skill in presentation and oral work. The exact balance will depend on the modules you choose, and you’ll be informed of the methods of assessment before making your choices.
Progression
You must pass your first-year assessment in order to progress to the second year, but the results do not count towards your degree classification. For three-year programmes, the assessments in the second and third years contribute to your final degree classification. For four-year programmes the assessments in the second, third and fourth years all contribute to your final degree classification.
Optional modules outside of this course
Each year, if you have optional modules available, you can take up to 30 credits in a subject outside of your course. This can increase your employability and widen your intellectual horizons.
Proficiency in a second subject
If you complete 60 credits of modules in one of the subjects below, you may have the words 'with proficiency in [e.g. Social Data Science]' added to your degree title when you graduate.
- A Foreign Language
- Data Science
- Entrepreneurship
- Innovation
- Law (Penryn Campus only)
- Leadership
- Management
- Social Data Science
Your future
Employer-valued skills this course develops
History graduates from the University of Exeter have an excellent reputation with graduate recruiters and compete very successfully in the employment market. Alongside in-depth subject knowledge you’ll develop highly transferable skills in researching; analysing and assessing sources; written and verbal communication; managing and interpreting information; developing ideas and arguments; teamwork; and problem solving.
Employer visits
We have a dedicated, award-winning Careers Service, with offices at our Exeter and Penryn campuses, ensuring you have access to careers advisors, mentors and the tools you need to succeed in finding employment in your chosen field on graduation. We offer the Exeter Award and the Exeter Leaders Award which include employability-related workshops, skills events, volunteering and employment which will contribute to your career decision-making skills and success in the employment market. Our graduates compete very successfully in the employment market, with many employers targeting the University when recruiting new graduates. For further information please visit our Careers Service.
Career paths
You will be equipped with skills that are attractive to employers and relevant for a wide range of careers, including graduate-level roles in the heritage and arts sectors as well as other fields of work, including education, retail management, recruitment, charities, finance and accounting, and journalism.
Example careers
- Account Manager
- Archivist
- Business Analyst
- Civil Servant
- Digital Marketing and
- Events Executive
- Event Project Manager
- Global Market
- Researcher
- Historian
- Parliamentary Researcher
- TV Researcher
Further study
A History degree may also lead to further study or research and recent graduates have progressed to postgraduate courses in:
- MA Conflict, Security and Development
- Graduate Diploma in Law
- MA English Literary Studies
- MA History
- MSc International Management
- PGCE
