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HISTORY
The University of Liverpool
9 Abercromby Square
Liverpool L69 7WZ
E: ugrecruitment@liv.ac.uk
www.liverpool.ac.uk/history
MEMBER OF THE RUSSELL GROUP

EB/RH JUN 2013

Histor
The past is a fascinating subject at Liverpool
we bring it to life.

You will combine a genuine curiosity about

history with a desire to develop a set of
advanced skills in a challenging yet friendly
learning environment. You will be able to
choose many different pathways to the past
and learn to think, research and write like
an historian.

Contents
Introduction to History 01
Research in context 04
An investment in your future 06
Programme details 08
Applications and admissions 13

Studying history enhances our capacity

to understand the present and shape the
future. Those of us who study history share
a fascination with, and curiosity about, people,
places and events in the past. Our subject
encompasses the medieval and modern
worlds, and every aspect of human experience:
from war and diplomacy to family life, and from
commerce to culture and the arts. Studying
history also develops the skills and capacities
required for 21st century professional
employment. Above all, history is a process
of critical inquiry: gathering information,
analysing it and communicating our findings
effectively in writing and in person.

WHY CHOOSE HISTORY AT LIVERPOOL?

Exceptional research reputation. In the latest
Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), the
Department of History was rated joint 3rd in
the UK. As internationally recognised leaders
in their fields, our staff provide world-renowned
contributions to the discipline and often produce
prize-winning work. They bring their vast
knowledge and excellence to the classroom,
and do so with unrivalled passion.
Choose from a wide array of topics. From
your first year of studying History at Liverpool,
youll be introduced to a wide array of topics,
especially medieval and early modern history,
modern British and European history and
Atlantic history. As you move into your
second and third year, you will enjoy a
great deal of choice and flexibility over
what you study: we want you to follow
your own interests under our guidance.
Innovative teaching. Whatever your existing
viewpoint or interest, our innovative teaching
and learning methods will help you to gain
the skills needed to analyse, document and
present information. Drawing on the University
Librarys outstanding digital resources, your
tutors will work closely with you to foster a
range of advanced skills for study and future
employment. Our teaching is informed by
a research-led ethos, which means that you
will work closely with your lecturers to unlock
the debates and problems that lie at the heart
of current historical research.

Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > School of Histories, Languages and Cultures > History
www.liverpool.ac.uk/history

01

If you choose to study History at the University

of Liverpool you will be taught by historians
who are world-leading researchers and
committed teachers.

I love history, and if you pick a subject that you really

enjoy you are going to do well in it. I picked this department
because they have such a wide range of staff so you can access
a reallybroad range of modules. You have a lot of freedom
to direct your studies, but youre not just left to yourself.
The lecturers are very good at picking out themes to help
you understand the way people look at history.
AMELIA HAYDEN
HISTORY BA (HONS)

Often using fascinating and unusual sets

of primary source material, you will develop
important skills throughout your degree, such
as project management, critical analysis and
teamwork. Your committed tutors will help
guide you through demanding tasks, such
as the Dissertation in your third year.

02/03

Supportive environment. As a student in

the Department of History you will work with
award-winning teachers and researchers
who share an unwavering commitment to
student support. Small teaching groups will
give you the chance to pursue independent
work to a very high level, and our tutorial
system means that all students are fully
supported throughout their studies. Our
teaching is designed to help you develop
your skills as well as your enthusiasms
over the course of your degree, and will
include detailed written and oral feedback
on assessment tasks.

Student feedback on our teaching reflects

the high standards that we strive for. Recent
second year students who took Race,
Class and Ethnicity in the United States:
Black Americans Since Slavery, thought that
the module was brilliant, and felt motivated
by the tutors enthusiasm for the subject.
Third year students who took Dreams in
the Atomic Age felt that the module was
fantastic and engaging.

STUDY ABROAD
As part of your History degree programme
you may have the opportunity to study
abroad. Studying abroad has huge personal
and academic benefits, as well as giving
you a head start in the graduate job market.
History students can currently apply to
study abroad at the University of Maryland,
USA, or one of our many other worldwide
partners. For more information, visit
www.liverpool.ac.uk/goabroad

Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > School of Histories, Languages and Cultures > History
www.liverpool.ac.uk/history

See what Amelia had to say about

studying History at Liverpool
www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/video

Researchincontext

04/05

Academic staff in History believe passionately

in the importance of historical research and
sharing it with our students and the wider
community. They are breaking new ground in
many different areas, including political, military,
social, cultural, economic and environmental
history. Our research feeds directly into our
teaching, giving you a taste of the excitement
of practicing history. For instance, in your final
year special subject module you will work first
hand with primary sources that relate directly
to your tutors expertise. You will also have the
chance to pursue your own research interests
in your final year dissertation, with the support
of your supervisor. Historians at Liverpool
are also enthusiastic and committed about
engaging with the world beyond the university,
whether thats through theatrical productions
and museum exhibitions, blogs and Twitter,
or participating in community work and
commemorative events.

An example of how current areas of research

overlap with teaching practice and public
outreach in History comes from social historian
Dr Andrew Davies, whose innovative teaching
techniques were recognised in 2010 with the
award of the prestigious Sir Alistair Pilkington
Award for Teaching Excellence.
Dr Davies works on the social and cultural
history of Britain in the 19th and 20th centuries,
his main research interest being the history
of crime. He is interested in the relationships
between crime and gender, class and ethnicity,
and in the role of the media in forging stereotypes
of the criminal and crime hotspots.
His students work in groups on projects on the
history of crime and punishment using the vast
collection of digital archives available through
the University of Liverpool Library. They devise
their own research questions, collate information,
hone their skills of analysis and interpretation,
and then write individual research papers.
Dr Davies book, The Gangs of Manchester
(2008), was adapted by MaD Theatre Company
as a stage play, Angels with Manky Faces. His
latest book, City of Gangs: Glasgow and the
Rise of the British Gangster (2013) examines
fears of Americanization and copycat crime
in the age of the classic gangster movies of
the 1930s.

Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > School of Histories, Languages and Cultures > History
www.liverpool.ac.uk/history

I really enjoyed my undergraduate degree at

Liverpool, so much so that I chose to undertake a
Masters in Cultural History here, and I am staying
within the department to pursue my PhD research.
The skills that I have gained here have not only
helped me to develop as a student with a firm grasp
of relevant theoretical and methodological techniques
but also as a person. What has made my experience
so enjoyable is the relationship with the lecturers, who
are always willing to share their time and knowledge
and have made this department a really friendly
environment in which to study.
EMILY TRAFFORD
CULTURAL HISTORY MA,
HISTORY BA (HONS)

Graduate
Profile

The University of Liverpool is a research-intensive

university, and many of our academic staff are leading
researchers in their fields. What this means for you as a
student is that your learning will be informed by the very
latest developments in History.

Aninvestment
inyourfuture
QUALIFYING YOU FOR LIFE
A History degree from Liverpool will equip
you with a unique set of transferable skills that
are now so keenly sought by many employers.
On graduating from the Department of History,
we know that you will have acquired advanced
communication skills (written and spoken),
learnt extensive organisational skills and
developed high levels of critical analysis.
We believe in fostering a high degree of
independence in our students, which means
that you will emerge as a confident and mature
graduate, capable of taking responsibility for
complex tasks with a mixture of imagination
and intellectual rigour.
According to the Association of Graduate
Recruiters, employers are looking increasingly
for softer skills such as team-work, informed
judgement, cultural awareness and leadership.
A History degree from Liverpool offers you
the opportunity to develop this enviable range
of skills, offering a flexible platform on which
to base a vast array of career options.

CAREER PROSPECTS
Our graduates progress to a range
of careers including:

06/07

Banking
Law
Financial Consultancy
Retail Management
National and Local Government

Charities
Journalism
Publishing
Arts
Heritage and Culture Organisations
Teaching in Schools and Universities
Archive Management

WORK EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITIES

Work-based dissertations (placements with
National Museums Liverpool). A range of
work placements can be organised through
the Careers & Employability Service.

RECENT EMPLOYERS
National Museums Liverpool
BBC
Foreign Office
Department for Work and Pensions
HSBC
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Merseyside Police Authority
British Council
Sony Computer Entertainment

POSTGRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES
A range of MA programmes are available,
and can be taken on a full-time or part-time
basis. Current research postgraduates are
working on a broad thematic and chronological
range of topics, from gender in Anglo-Saxon
England to late 20th century Hungary.

Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > School of Histories, Languages and Cultures > History
www.liverpool.ac.uk/history

Prog ammedetails

History BA (Hons)
UCAS code: V100
Programme length: 3 years

Degrees at a Glance

UCAS code

Length (Years)

Page

History BA (Hons)

V100

09

This subject can be taken as part of a Combined Honours degree.

See www.liverpool.ac.uk/combined-honours for further details.
This subject is available as part of the Honours Select curriculum as either
100% (Single Honours), 75% (Major), 50% (Joint Honours) or 25% (Minor) as indicated.
See www.liverpool.ac.uk/honours-select for further details and UCAS codes for Joint
and Minor pathways.
Entrance Requirements
See www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses for current entrance requirements.

You will start by exploring a broad range of

periods and types of history some of which
may be less familiar giving you a good basis
for making choices later in the degree. You will
also have the opportunity to experience a wide
variety of approaches to history. For instance,
some modules focus on political and intellectual
history or the history of warfare. Others place
the emphasis on social and cultural history,
drawing on perspectives inspired by disciplines
such as Sociology and Anthropology.
Importantly, the development of advanced
research techniques sits at the core of the
three year degree structure. This means that
you will graduate with an indispensable set
of transferable skills for the world of work.

HOW YOU LEARN

HONOURS SELECT

PROGRAMME CONTENT

Small group teaching is a vital part of all of our

modules and you will have the opportunity to
pursue independent work to a very high level.
In many modules our students are introduced
to team-work through the use of buzz groups
or joint projects.

From 2014, the Faculty of Humanities and

Social Sciences is offering a new, innovative
way to study.

At Liverpool, you are free to study aspects

of the past that interest you the most. You can
specialise in a particular field or opt for variety.
The programme is designed to move from
breadth to depth and from directed to more
independent learning over the three years.

HOW YOU ARE ASSESSED

Modes of assessment test your capacity to
present material orally and to write effectively,
either with extensive preparation in coursework,
or with immediate readiness in examinations.
In the third year, longer pieces of work test your
research skills.

We are offering a much wider range of Joint

(50:50) degrees across the Faculty. In addition,
we are giving you the option to study two
subjects on a 75:25 basis, focusing 75%
of your time on your Major subject and
25% of your time on your Minor. See
www.liverpool.ac.uk/honours-select
or the separate Honours Select booklet
for further details.
Subjects which combine particularly
well with History include:

08/09

Politics
Modern languages
Philosophy
English

Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > School of Histories, Languages and Cultures > History
www.liverpool.ac.uk/history

In Year One, modules cover modern British

and European history, the Atlantic world and
medieval and early modern history. You will
also be introduced to independent learning,
and begin to develop a range of skills necessary
to succeed at university. In Year Two, the
choice of modules includes a variety of
British, European, American, Asian and African
history options. In the third year, the emphasis
is increasingly on independent study, the
refinement of advanced research skills and
close cooperation between students and
tutors. You will also have the opportunity to
plan, research and write a dissertation under
the supervision of a member of staff.

Year One
8 modules 120 CATS points
6 core History modules
2 optional modules (outside of History)
Core modules:
History Matters
Exploring History
Religion, Politics and Society,
C. 800 To C. 1700
Britain Since 1851: Democracy,
War, and Modernity
Politics, Economy and Society
In Europe, 1870-1939
The Atlantic World Since 1400

Year Two
6 modules 120 CATS points
2 core modules: Rethinking History
and The Historians Craft
4 optional modules (100%)/3 optional
modules (75%)

These subjects are available as part

of our HONOURS SELECT programme.
Choose from over 30 subjects to create
your perfect Joint or Major / Minor Honours
Degree. See www.liverpool.ac.uk/
honours-select for further details.

For current entrance requirements and full

module details, see www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/
undergraduate/courses

Year Three
6 modules 120 CATS points
1 core module: Uses of the Past
1 Special Subject
Dissertation
3 advanced optional modules (100%)/
1 advanced optional module (75%)
Core module:
Dissertation
This subject can be taken as part
of a Combined Honours degree. See
www.liverpool.ac.uk/combined-honours
for further details.

If you choose to do a dissertation in your

final year, you take Rethinking History and
The Historians Craft instead of a 30 credit
optional module. In the third year, the emphasis
is increasingly on independent study, the
refinement of advanced research skills and
close cooperation between students and
tutors. You will also have the opportunity to
plan, research and write a dissertation under
the supervision of a member of staff.
One example of a popular Joint Honours
programme involving History is History
and Politics (UCAS Code LV21, see
www.liverpool.ac.uk/honours-select
for further details).

History
History
The Joint (50%) in History covers the skills
you need as a historian and offers a lot of
flexibility to choose the combination of topics
that best complements your interests.

The Minor (25%) in History gives you

the flexibility to explore those topics that
best complement your Major subject.

PROGRAMME CONTENT
PROGRAMME CONTENT
In Year One, modules cover modern British
and European history, the Atlantic world and
medieval history. You can also take modules
that introduce you to independent learning
and the advanced study skills necessary to
succeed at university. In Year Two, the choice of
modules includes a variety of British, European,
American, Asian and African History options.

In Year One, modules cover modern British

and European history, the Atlantic world and
medieval history. In Years Two and Three,
the choice of modules includes a variety
of British, European, American, Asian and
African History options.

10/11

These subjects are available as part

of our HONOURS SELECT programme.
Choose from over 30 subjects to create
your perfect Joint or Major / Minor Honours
Degree. See www.liverpool.ac.uk/
honours-select for further details.

Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > School

of Histories, Languages and Cultures > History
www.liverpool.ac.uk/history

For current entrance requirements and full

module details, see www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/
undergraduate/courses

70% of research deemed world-leading

or internationally excellent, placing us joint
3rd of History submissions in the UK.
A further 25% of our research is
internationally recognised.
(RAE 2008)

Applications
and admissions
We welcome applications from all over the
world, and its our aim to make the process
of applying as smooth as possible.
The information that follows is a brief guide
to applying for programmes of study at the
University of Liverpool. For full details of our
applications and admissions policy, please
visit our website at www.liverpool.ac.uk/
ug-admissions

MAKING AN APPLICATION
THROUGH UCAS
Applications for full-time undergraduate
study are made via UCAS, the Universities and
Colleges Admissions Service, using UCASs
online application system at www.ucas.com
The University of Liverpool institution code
is LVRPL L41.

WHEN TO MAKE YOUR APPLICATION

For up-to-date information please visit
www.ucas.com

For information on English language entry

requirements, visit www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/
international/countries/english-language or
contact Student Recruitment and Admissions
T: +44 (0)151 794 6730 E: irro@liverpool.ac.uk
ask.liv.ac.uk/help/undergraduate

MATURE STUDENTS
We welcome applications from candidates
who are not applying directly from school
or college, or who have non-standard
qualifications, or who wish work or life
experience to be taken into account as part
of their application. For further information
see www.liverpool.ac.uk/maturestudents

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

We give equal consideration to all applicants
and welcome applications from students
with disabilities. Please contact the Disability
Support Team on T: +44 (0)151 794 5117
to discuss your support needs before
you submit your UCAS application.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
For full details on the programmes we offer
and detailed entrance requirements, visit
www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/undergraduate

12/13

We accept a wide range of other

qualifications, eg EU and international
qualifications. For more detailed information
on entrance requirements, see our online
prospectus www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/
undergraduate/courses

Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > School of Histories, Languages and Cultures > History
www.liverpool.ac.uk/history

DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY

The University of Liverpool attaches the
greatest importance to its policies and
activities to promote diversity and equality
of opportunity. Full details on these policies
can be found online at www.liverpool.ac.uk/
diversity-and-equality

DISCLAIMER
Every effort has been made to ensure that
information contained within this brochure
is accurate at the time of going to press.
However, the matters covered are subject
to change from time to time, both before
and after a candidates admission.