History and Philosophy BA (Hons)

This course allows you to question your assumptions and trace the origins of modern societies and cultures.

Discover a thousand years of history whilst experiencing all the specialist areas on offer at the University of Reading. The History Department's expertise covers a wide range of regions, from Europe and Africa to America, South Asia and the Middle East. Module choices cover diverse periods and topics, from the Crusades to the 1960s, slavery in America to Tudor monarchy, and Cold War Berlin to medieval magic.

In both subjects, you will be taught in small interactive seminar groups, encouraging discussion and debate with teaching staff and fellow students. We place a great deal of importance on employability skills and offer a range of modules to help students gain relevant work experience as well as explore career options.

Career

Throughout your degree you will complete career and skills related modules, encouraging you to think about what career you would like and what skills you will need. If you would like a career in teaching, or in archives or records management, try our optional third-year modules, History education and Discovering Archives and Collections. We have had a high success rate from students who have completed History Education, with many of our graduates gaining places for Initial Teacher Training, but both these modules develop a wide range of interpersonal, organisational, presentational and research skills readily transferable to other areas of employment.

Our graduates are valued by employers for their research, analytical, teamwork and communication skills. 97% of our Philosophy graduates and 96% of our History graduates are in work or further study within six months of graduating (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey, 2016–17). Previous graduates have found employment in the civil service, journalism, consultancy, finance, local and central government, and recent employers have included The British Museum, Cambridge University Press, The Football Association, House of Commons, MI5, Ministry of Defence, Morgan Stanley, Yellow Media Works, local authorities and other universities.