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BA (Hons)

History

Discover how the past has shaped today’s world and open your eyes to an exciting future for yourself.

How to apply Apply through UCAS Book an open day Chat to us

Key Course Details

  • UCAS Code

    V100

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £9,535*

  • International students

    £15,850*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £785*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

History at USW isn’t just about the past; it’s about understanding how it shaped today’s world and our current perspectives. By exploring who makes history and recognising diverse contributions, you’ll become a global citizen ready to make your mark on the world.

DESIGNED FOR

If you want to extend your interest in history, explore the connections between the local area, Europe and the wider world, and open the door to an array of careers, this course is for you. The historical skills you develop serve you in museums and heritage centres, but also across many industries.

Career Paths

  • Teaching
  • Heritage
  • Museums and archives
  • The Civil Service
  • Management

Skills taught

  • Communication
  • Critical thinking
  • Analysis
  • Written, verbal and digital communication
  • Self-management
  • Teamwork skills

We make a difference in practice, not just on paper. Our courses are designed by people who offer jobs - and taught by people who have real work experience.

Books on library shelf
Two students looking at a book and using a laptop in the library.
A large lecture theatre in the Brecon Building on the Treforest campus

Course Highlights

Placement opportunity

Apply your historical skills in career settings, making you industry ready.

Employment prospects

Boost communication, project management, and analytical skills, crucial for diverse career paths and sectors.

Research expertise

Access cutting-edge research and interesting primary sources through our team of active, practising historians.

Immersive field trips

Explore history with field trips, making learning engaging and dynamic.

Module Overview

Explore regional, national, European, American and global perspectives from about 1450 to the present day. You’ll get a thorough grounding in the skills of a historian before branching out further, with choices over the questions you answer and the format you use to present your work.

Year one
Introduction to History
Crime, Vice and ‘Lowlife’ in Nineteenth-Century Britain
Nations and Empires: The Making of Modern Europe
The Atlantic and Making of the Modern World: Old and New Worlds
Science, Magic and Medicine in Early Modern Europe
Germany: Memory, Identity and Public History

Year two
Reflection on Learning in the Workplace
Women in Modern Britain
Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe
Poor Lives: Poverty, Welfare and History
A Global History of the Nuclear Age
The Tudor World, 1485-1603

Year three
Dissertation
Frontiers: A Global History
The Empire Strikes Back: History, Heritage and Race in Contemporary Britain
Vice, Scandal and Depravity: Cities of Sin in Reformation Europe
Understanding Postwar Britain: Evidence and Debates

Explore how new approaches can illuminate the past and establish crucial historical skills such as research, using primary sources, debate and discussion, and academic writing as you’re introduced to major historical themes such as crime in the 19th century and the rise of the Atlantic world.

Introduction to History
Establish key research and writing skills, including reading early modern texts, as you carry out a small research project using a range of digitised sources.

Crime, Vice and ‘Lowlife’ in Nineteenth-Century Britain
Study how views on crime evolved in the 19th century through Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes, public executions and changing societal attitudes.

Nations and Empires: The Making of Modern Europe
Examine liberty, nationalism, and democracy and hone your debating skills. Use primary sources to explore key events that shaped Europe from c1750.

The Atlantic and Making of the Modern World: Old and New Worlds
Find out how a new ‘Atlantic system’ caused millions to be enslaved, changed the way we eat and overturned our conceptions of monarchy.

Science, Magic and Medicine in Early Modern Europe
Explore how religion, ‘monsters’, natural wonders and medicine - the visible and invisible worlds - were viewed in the European Renaissance.

Germany: Memory, Identity and Public History
From the Reformation to the Fall of the Berlin Wall, examine how events have been remembered and understood by Germans, and their impact on German identity.

Begin to direct your skills towards areas that interest you most as you engage in specialist modules taught by our lecturers who are world-leading researchers in their field. You’ll also engage in a work-based placement where you’ll experience how your historical skills apply to the workplace.

Reflection on Learning in the Workplace
Undertake a placement of your choosing or work on one of our history projects. Course staff and the careers team will help you source meaningful work experience.
 
Women in Modern Britain
Examine the people who have driven and opposed change regarding the roles, status and experience of women in Britain over the last two centuries. 
 
Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe
Explore the phenomenon of the threat of witchcraft from the 15th century onwards. Why did it emerge as a problem? Why women? Why in some places more than others? 

Poor Lives: Poverty, Welfare and History
Understand views on poverty and the poor over the last 250 years, the measures put in place to deal with poverty, and how the poor use their limited resources. 
 
A Global History of the Nuclear Age
Explore how the nuclear age connects the world across space and time, and how that question shapes our understanding of ‘the global’. 
 
The Tudor World, 1485-1603
Examine power, authority and the nature of government, propaganda and art through the lens of Tudor monarchs and their contemporary European royal houses.

The final year gives you the freedom to pursue your own passions as you explore a question of your choice for your dissertation. Rich and varied topics such as imperialism, frontiers, and postwar Britain allow you to explore how historical legacies influence our thinking today.

Dissertation
We’ll work with you to frame a question, identify sources, and showcase your historical skills as you delve deeper into a subject or question that ignites your curiosity. 
 
Frontiers: A Global History
Roam across frontiers like the Great American West and the Australian bush and examine the diversity of historical experiences in these wild places. 
 
The Empire Strikes Back: History, Heritage and Race in Contemporary Britain
Learn to think critically about legacies of the imperial past in the present, as well as how these legacies can be confronted. 

Vice, Scandal and Depravity: Cities of Sin in Reformation Europe
Examine the underbellies of society and place popular and state reactions to them into the wider contexts of toleration and persecution.
 
Understanding Postwar Britain: Evidence and Debates
Interrogate widely held assumptions about this period and how it shaped present-day preoccupations, pursuing topics of your choice.

Course Highlights

How you'll learn

You’ll learn, discuss, and debate through interactive lectures, seminars, and workshops. These are taught in blocks, offering flexibility to balance with other responsibilities. Beyond traditional essays, you'll express history in diverse ways, integrating crucial digital skills for modern careers. You'll create podcasts, heritage guides, wiki pages, virtual exhibitions, and digital maps. Many modules let you choose how to approach questions and showcase your understanding. In your second year, you’ll also gain practical experience through a placement, enhancing your learning journey.

Teaching staff

Our staff, all holding PhDs in their specialist fields, offer exceptional teaching and deep expertise. This allows you to explore your interests in assessments and dissertations. With a small class size, you’ll build strong relationships with your entire teaching team. They’ll get to know you well and assist in finding placements and job opportunities that align with your strengths and career goals.

Placements

The skills you learn in a history degree are highly sought after by employers. In your second year, you’ll undertake a work placement that helps translate your historical skills into real-world experience and prepares you for a graduate career. Our course staff and the USW careers team will assist you in finding placements in traditional history settings like museums, archives, and schools. Alternatively, you can join projects with external partners or explore placements in other fields, such as HR or supply chain management.

Facilities

Your lectures, seminars, and workshops are held in modern classrooms, with extensive facilities for independent study. You'll become familiar with the library, where a dedicated faculty librarian is available to help you find relevant sources. Digital skills are integrated throughout the course, so you'll have access to essential digital facilities. You can use podcasting suites and IT labs, with dedicated support teams ready to assist with any technical needs.

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

USW history graduates enjoy excellent employment prospects. You’ll develop valuable skills in communication, research, analysis, critical thinking, organisation, and project management, sought after across various sectors. Recent graduates have secured roles in museums, archives, and heritage sites like Cyfarthfa Castle. Many have entered teaching, while others have launched high-value careers in civil service or management.

Careers support

We focus on building your graduate skills throughout the course. In your second year, the ‘Reflection on Learning in the Workplace’ module offers hands-on experience through history projects or career-related placements. You’ll also develop key digital skills for modern jobs. The course lets you explore your interests and strengths, with support from our staff and careers team to guide your career path. We also invite alumni to share their career experiences and insights.

Industry Partners

We maintain strong connections with museums and heritage bodies, offering placements, industry engagements, and site visits. Our collaborations have extended to institutions in the US, Europe, and Australia. USW’s History Research Group is recognised for its world-leading and internationally excellent impact. This research builds connections with the Welsh Government, the National Museum of Wales, and other key organisations, where our staff serve as historical advisers. Additionally, our staff deliver courses and talks with the Historical Association, providing valuable opportunities to engage with cutting-edge research.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

UCAS points: 104 (or above)

Typical qualification requirements:

  • A Level: BCC 
  • Welsh BACC: Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C/B in the Skills Challenge Certificate and BC - CC at A Level 
  • BTEC: BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction Merit Merit 
  • Access to HE: Pass the Access to HE Diploma and obtain a minimum of 104 UCAS tariff points.
  • T Level: Pass (C and above)

Additional requirements include:

GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances. 

International applications welcomed:

We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.

English language requirements

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 72 overall and a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing or equivalent.

Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.

If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.

If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

 

We're here to help

Whether you a have a question about your course, fees and funding, the application process or anything else, there are plenty of ways you can get in touch, and we'd love to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.

 

Fees and Funding

UK Full-time Fee

£9,535

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£15,850

per year*
UK Part-time Fee

£785

per 20 credits*

Further Information

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy.  We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

 

Fees and Funding Scholarships and Bursaries Cost of Living Support

Additional Costs

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.

*Obligatory

Costs covered for domestic trips starting from campus (with exception of local transport in some cases). Any international trips vary from £0-£250 depending on subsidies available.

Cost: Up to £250

Students may require a DBS check if they choose to undertake a work placement with young / vulnerable people. In this case, they are responsible for covering the cost. The fee covers the cost of the enhanced check, online admin fees and the post office checks.

Cost: £55.42

Students undertake a work placement of their choice in the second year. In this case, they will be responsible for travel costs and may need to budget for suitable workplace attire depending on their chosen placement. These figures assume at most two hours' local travel for a two-week (70 hour placement) and purchase of one work outfit.

Cost: Up to £100

University Quality Assurance

At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

Life at USW

Halls are a big part of your student experience and there’s accommodation at all three of our locations. If you don’t want to live near the campus, there are great transport links to keep you connected.

A student sat smiling and talking to friends off camera in Treforest Student's Union
Student Life
The University's Ty Crawshays building at Treforest, Pontypridd.
Pontypridd Campus, Treforest
A double room at our Pontypridd accommodation featuring a large window.
Accommodation

How to apply

All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS. You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time.)

Advanced entry

If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.

International admissions

International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.
 

Related Courses

History including Foundation Year - BA (Hons) Learn more
Sociology - BSc (Hons) Learn more

Next Steps

How to apply
Apply Through UCAS
Book an Open Day
Chat to Us