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History with Foundation Year at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Birkbeck, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Open days

18Jan
Birkbeck, University of London - Undergraduate open day
Undergraduate

Course summary

Our BA History offers you a wide range of history modules, stretching around the world and across thousands of years, taught by world-leading academic researchers. It is designed to support students pursuing specific career objectives as well as lifelong learners seeking to deepen their understanding of history. Why choose this course?

  • This BA History is ideal if you want to be taught by leading experts in the field learning about diverse periods of history and the past experiences of different cultures.
  • It offers you historical knowledge, analytical proficiency and presentational skills all vital in career paths in areas such as teaching, journalism and the arts or media.
What you will learn You will take core modules offering new, global perspectives on ancient, medieval, modern and contemporary history. As you progress through the course you will be able to choose from option modules focusing on periods, cultures or themes, from prehistoric humans to medieval, early modern and modern societies across the world. You can also explore themes within histories of ‘race’, migration, gender and sexuality, or choose to take philosophy or history of art modules. You will hone your research skills, analytical ability and writing proficiency through essays and an original dissertation. How you will learn You will learn through illustrated lectures, interactive seminars and more informal discussions with your peers and tutors. We tailor the course specifically to meet the wide-ranging requirements of a student body diverse in terms of age, background, location, intellectual interests and professional goals. This means that we regularly develop and introduce new modules in response to student interests, new insights from our academic research and to address broader social needs. The course is available to study full- or part-time. It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening. Foundation Year If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. Highlights
  • Birkbeck was ranked in the top eight universities in the UK for its History research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • Situated in historic Bloomsbury, we are at the heart of academic London. Situated very close by are: the Institute of Historical Research and the Institute of Classical Studies, with their specialist libraries, training facilities and seminars; the British Museum and other world-class galleries and museums; and the British Library, the largest national library in the world.
  • The School of Historical Studies at Birkbeck is home to thriving student societies and a number of affiliated research centres that actively run seminars, conferences and other events where some of the world's best scholars present their latest research.
  • Get a flavour of our teaching and research in this area through free online and in-person seminars, workshops and tasters.
Careers and employability On successfully graduating from this BA History, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:
  • a sophisticated use of written and spoken English
  • an advanced ability in situating contemporary issues in their historical contexts
  • facility and precision in the critical analysis of complex concepts
  • strong skills and initiative in researching and writing up clear reports.
Studying this course will prepare you for careers including:
  • teaching
  • museum or gallery curatorships
  • political, cultural or investigative journalism
  • archive organisation and management
  • historical writing/consulting
  • academic research and specialisation.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

Examinations taken at the end of each academic year (May and June), coursework (submitted in autumn and spring terms), and a dissertation written in the final year (submitted in spring term).

How to apply

29Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
55%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
90%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £9535 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535 Year 1
Scotland £9535 Year 1
Wales £9535 Year 1
International £18060 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
History with Foundation Year at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS