Course summary

Our BA History degree offers you a huge range of history modules, stretching around the world and across thousands of years.   Our expertise underpins our teaching. We are one of the very few history departments in the UK to include archaeologists, classicists and historians working on every period from prehistoric humans to Ancient Greece to medieval, early modern and modern societies. Our expertise encompasses much of the globe from Ancient Rome, medieval Armenia, modern China, India and Africa to Tudor London and Nazi Germany and more. In addition to pursuing interests in British, European and global history, and to exploring themes within histories of ‘race’, migration, gender and sexuality, you will have the opportunity to take modules from allied disciplines like politics and international relations, literature, philosophy and geography. Our history degree offers temporal and geographical breadth in a carefully structured programme. It gives you the opportunity to develop analytical skills and critical approaches that will enable you to assess historical evidence, and question accepted wisdoms about the past. There are lots of things you can do with a history degree, and your career prospects will be enhanced by developing the ability to formulate and communicate your own ideas effectively. 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 with access to unparalleled research resources. 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.

• In history, classics and archaeology, 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 the wide range of free online and in-person seminars, workshops and tasters; check out our Discover the Past and taster courses as well as events at the Raphael Samuel History Centre, a leading centre for public history which the department co-directs.

• heritage manager

• museum/gallery curator

• higher education lecturer

• archivist.