History [with Foundation Year] BA (Hons)

Anglia Ruskin University

Take a journey into the past and explore what it means for our present and future. Discover epoch-making developments from histories around the world on our BA (Hons) History degree in Cambridge.

Join a course that scored 95% for Teaching on my Course and 91% for Assessment and Feedback in the National Student Survey 2023.

On our BA (Hons) History degree we’ll take you on a journey into the past, looking at the histories of Britain, Europe, the United States and other parts of the world from 1500 onwards. You’ll encounter major historical figures from Henry VIII to Martin Luther King, and explore epoch-making transitions in human experience such as the development of empires, industrialisation and new technology.

Together, we’ll explore major themes such as the impact of revolutions, imperialism and democracy at the same timeexploring the history of everyday life, including changes in the home, consumerism and popular culture. You won’t just study Hitler and Stalin, but also topics such as James Bond and popular literature too.

You’ll get the opportunity to study different kinds of history, looking at the past both through chronological surveys but also in thematic terms. Your modules will include subjects like the history of crime (from the early modern period up to the present), the treatment of poverty and the media. We’ll explore the history of social structure too, looking at economic change but also gender and race. Together we’ll discover stories in the past that are sometimes inspiring but also challenging, looking at contemporary figures such as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as well as major issues such as climate change, and learning how to place them in a historical perspective.

At the end of your degree, you’ll have an impressive story to tell employers. Our History degree is structured to build up skills that can take you into the world of work. We’ll give you training in research and data analysis, exploring how to gain the most from sources. We’ll also show you how to communicate your research, using formats from the printed page through to podcasts, webpages and exhibitions. You’ll also gain access to museums and archives where you will meet professionals working in the field.

You can choose to take a work placement as well as a sandwich year, where you can gain important experience of employment, helping to propel you into jobs that are fulfilling and rewarding. Our past students have gone on to a variety of careers from business, administration, the media and the Civil Service through to teaching at all levels. Some have also gone on to work in museums and archives.

You’ll have access to award-winning learning facilities, including our on-campus library and a huge range of digital resources to sustain your research. Studying in the ancient university city of Cambridge will also give you access to many more resources, libraries and institutions both in the city and beyond.

At level 5 and 6 you can also choose to learn, or continue learning, French, Japanese or Spanish as part of your course on our Anglia Language Programme modules.

Our teaching team is made up of trained historians with an international reputation for the work they publish. You’ll also have the chance to attend talks by leading historians and other experts.

Join us and share in our passion for the past.

Hands-on learning

All our BA (Hons) History students have the opportunity to:

• carry out research in Cambridge’s museums and archives
• take part in live group briefs
• go on European field trips
• study abroad for a semester, with funding available to help cover the cost
• choose from a range of optional modules and pursue your own areas of interest

Careers

What can you do with a BA (Hons) History degree? Almost anything! Former ARU History graduates now work in the civil service, teaching, museums and heritage management, the police and armed forces and other rewarding careers.