BA (Hons) History

Unlock the past and plan for your future with a History degree from the University of Stirling. Create a course combination that matches your career ambitions.

Key facts

  • Award BA (Hons)
  • Start date September 2024, January 2025
  • Duration 48 months or 36 months
  • Mode of study full time, part time
  • Delivery on campus
  • UCAS Code V100
  • Study abroad opportunities

Overview

If you really want to understand the modern world, it’s essential to unlock the patterns of the past. History courses can help you do exactly that – and here at the University of Stirling, we take an innovative approach to guiding you through the major events and periods that have shaped us all.

Our History degree will equip you with a wide range of intellectual and personal skills. You’ll gain an awareness of how different societies across the world have changed over time, by exploring areas such as Scottish, British, European, American and African history. You’ll also engage with different types of history, including political, social, cultural, gender, race, computer and environmental.

History lecturers and staff at Stirling are leaders in their field. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework assessment, we are ranked in the top 15 universities in the UK for research impact in History and 3rd in Scotland for outputs and impact (Research Excellence Framework 2021). That expertise and passion feeds into every aspect of your course to ensure you reach your final year of study functioning as a fully-fledged historian in your own right. Along the way, you’ll enjoy the freedom to not only focus in on specialty areas of history that interest you most, but also to combine your studies with a range of other subjects that broaden your professional possibilities – from journalism to teaching, politics and sociology.

For more of a flavour of what we teach, our approach, and why we’re so passionate about History, check out our History Research at Stirling pages.

Top reasons to study with us

Rankings are based on institutions within the Guardian University Guide

Prizes or awards

History students can be submitted for various prizes, mostly in the final year. Some are dedicated solely for history, others across history, heritage and politics, and others across the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

Environmental History Prize

An annual prize of £100 to be awarded for the best first class dissertation in Environmental History

Gordon Donaldson Prize

An annual prize of £50 for the best graduating student in History.

Robert and Margaret McKean Prize

An annual prize of £50 for the best performance by a final year student in European History

Stirling Guildry Prize

An annual prize of £100 to be awarded for the best dissertation submitted by a student taking History or Scottish History.

Faculty Research based learning prize

The Division of History, Heritage and Politics has been granted £250 by the Faculty to reward undergraduate students for contributions to research through their studies (projects, dissertations and so on).

The Scott Reid Memorial Prize

The £200 prize will be open to undergraduates in their final year of study studying History and/or Politics (including combined degrees with either subject). The prize will be awarded to the student who achieved their degree despite facing adversity during their studies and or who have shown outstanding support and selfless giving for their fellow students, local community or family.

The Alasdair Ross Memorial Essay prize.  

The £200 prize is open to all University honours students who have written an essay between 2000 - 5000 words on a topic within the area of Scottish Studies, with an emphasis on environment and heritage.

Dee Amy Chin Prize for Gender and Feminist Studies

£200 is for the Dee Amy-Chinn prize for Gender Studies and is open to undergraduate students in any discipline within the University and recognises exceptional achievement in the study of gender and/or feminism (essay, dissertation, creative practice).

Entry requirements

Year 1 entry – Four-year honours

SQA Highers
AABB - by the end of S5
AABBB - by the end of S6

GCE A-levels
BBB

IB Diploma
30

BTEC (Level 3)
DDM

Widening access students
Widening access students may be eligible for an adjusted offer of entry. To find out if this applies to you go to our widening access pages.

Care-experienced applicants will be guaranteed an offer of a place if they meet the minimum entry requirements.

Year 2 entry – Three-year honours

SQA Advanced Highers
ABB

GCE A-levels
ABB

IB Diploma
35

Essential subjects
History 

Other Scottish qualifications

Scottish HNC/HND
Year one minimum entry - Bs in graded units.

Access courses
University of Stirling access course - for mature students only. You must pass the course with 50% or above.

SWAP access course - for mature students only.

Email our Admissions Team for advice about other access courses.

Foundation Apprenticeships
Considered to be equivalent to 1 Higher at Grade B

Other qualifications

English, Welsh and Northern Irish HNC/HND
Merits and Distinctions

English, Welsh and Northern Irish access courses
Access to Higher Education - 60 credits, minimum 45 at QCF Level 3, pass at 60% or above.

International entry requirements

Advanced entry

Year 2 entry
Entry into Year 2 may be possible depending on your HNC/HND course. To find out more go to our articulation pages.

Other qualifications
Advanced entry may be possible depending on your qualifications. For more information, contact our Admissions Team at admissions@stir.ac.uk.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:

  • IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-skill.
  • Pearson Test of English (Academic) 56 overall with a minimum of 51 in each sub-skill.
  • IBT TOEFL 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing.

See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements.

Pre-sessional English language courses

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, our partner INTO University of Stirling offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.

Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses

Course details

In Semesters 1–3, students will take History, plus two other subjects. In Semesters 4 you will take the compulsory module HISU9X4, ‘Back to the Future: putting history and heritage to work’, one other History module from a list of options, and a module in another subject. In Semesters 5 and 6 you can study three History modules per semester from a varied list of topics, including: Environmental; Computing; Social; Political; African; European; American; British and Scottish. Examples of actual modules include, ‘Black People in Britain 1750-1950: racism, riot and reaction’ (taken in semester 5), and ‘Death and Destruction: a history of violence in modern Europe, 1890-1945’ (taken in semester 6).

In Semesters 7–8, you'll choose a special subject that involves the use of printed documentary collections and other source material. Students enjoy a choice of topics, including Revolutionary America, Apartheid in South Africa, or Immigration to Britain, 1800–1971.

To complete the course, students will also write a supervised dissertation of between 12,000 and 14,000 words on a research topic of your own choice supervised by a member of staff. 

Modules

The module information below provides an example of the types of course module you may study. The details listed are for the current academic year (). Modules and start dates are regularly reviewed and may be subject to change in future years.

Course details

Teaching

You’ll be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, individual supervision, workshops and field trips. You’ll also learn from guest lecturers, who bring their specialist knowledge directly to you from a range of different fields.

Fieldwork

A number of the modules offered in both History and Heritage involve fieldwork trips alongside regular seminars in class.  There are also opportunities for assisting with projects within History, the University Archives, and the Art Collection.

Assessment

Throughout your studies in History, you'll be assessed based on a combination of exams and coursework. Coursework may include essays, reports, posters, reviews, oral presentations and other elements. You'll also write a dissertation of between 12,000 – 14,000 words on a research topic of your choice.

Classroom hours

Lectures usually last 50 minutes and are recorded to allow students to listen again. Most teaching is done in small groups. In years one and two, tutorials last one or two hours; in year three seminars last two hours; and in year four seminar in Special Subjects last three hours (with, of course, a break).

Study abroad

As a University of Stirling student, you’ll have the opportunity to broaden your horizons and study abroad through our well-established connections with several international universities.

Find out more about studying abroad.

Fees and funding

Fees and costs

Academic year: 2023/24 2024/25
Scottish students £1,820 £1,820
Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland £9,250 £9,250
International students (including EU) £16,400 £17,200

Scottish students

This fee is set by the Scottish Government and is subject to change.

Although you’re liable for annual tuition fees, if you are domiciled in Scotland you can apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to have your tuition fees paid by the Scottish Government on your behalf.

You will be charged the annual tuition fee each year when you enrol.

If you need to take additional modules or resit modules, you will be liable for an additional fee.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.

Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

This tuition fee may be subject to change depending on guidance provided by the UK Government.

You can apply for financial assistance, including a loan to cover the full cost of your tuition fees, from your relevant funding body. Students from the Republic of Ireland are eligible for a tuition fee loan of up to £9,250 from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).

We also offer additional funding – such as our Honours Year Scholarship – for students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. See our funding opportunities section below for more information.

You will be charged the annual fee each year when you enrol. Your fees will be held at the same level throughout your course.

If you need to take additional modules or resit modules, you will be liable for an additional fee.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.

International students (including EU)

Eligible students will automatically receive a scholarship worth between £8,000-£30,000 over the duration of your course. See our range of generous scholarships for international undergraduate students.

You will be charged the annual fee each year when you enrol. Your fees will be held at the same level throughout your course.

If you need to take additional modules or resit modules, you will be liable for an additional fee.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.

Additional costs

There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips. Learn more about additional fees.

Funding

See what funding opportunities and loans are available to help you with tuition and living costs.

Students from Scotland

Find funding opportunities for Scottish students.

Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

Eligible students will automatically receive our Undergraduate Welcome Scholarship, Undergraduate Merit Scholarship, and our Honours Year Scholarship, which are worth between £1,000 and £9,250.

International students

Eligible international students will automatically receive a scholarship worth between £8,000-£30,000 over the duration of your course. Find funding opportunities for international students.

Cost of living

If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.

International (including EU) students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.

Find out about the cost of living for students at Stirling.

Payment options

We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments. Learn more about how to pay.

After you graduate

What jobs can you get with a History degree?

A History degree from the University of Stirling opens up career opportunities in a range of sectors, from museums and heritage trusts to the civil service and worlds of marketing and journalism. Jobs directly related to a history degree include:

  • heritage manager
  • historic buildings inspector or conservation officer
  • museum education officer
  • museum or gallery curator
  • museum or gallery exhibitions officer
  • archivist
  • secondary school teacher
  • civil service fast streamer

Jobs where a history degree will be very valuable include:

  • academic librarian
  • archaeologist
  • journalist
  • civil service administrator
  • editorial assistant
  • politician
  • political researcher
  • solicitor
  • primary school teacher
  • barrister
  • marketing executive
  • business consultant

In the most recent National Student Survey (NSS 2022), History at Stirling scored an overall satisfaction rate of 91%%, above the UK average of 83%. This reflects our capacity to teach History in a way that stretches you, and fosters skills that employers value most. You’ll graduate with the ability to argue a persuasive case, work independently, manage your time and communicate clearly. Studying History also helps you to understand the complexities of the modern world and use critical analysis to solve problems – another skill that is always in demand with businesses and organisations of all kinds.

  • Volunteering on projects, work placements, field trips and visiting speakers from industry all help to prepare you for professional life.
  • Focus your career ambitions by combining History with one of a wide range of other courses.

Companies we work with

In the compulsory Semester 4 module ‘Back to the Future: putting history and heritage to work’, you will have the chance to listen to and meet with outside speakers from a range of employers and external institutions.

Discover Uni

Discover Uni provides official data on each university's undergraduate courses, including satisfaction scores from the National Student Survey, details of graduate jobs and salaries, and other key information for prospective students.

What our students said

Larissa Schulder
Germany
BA History and Politics
Studying history at Stirling gives you the opportunity to connect with the lecturers/tutors as well as your fellow students. This enhances the overall learning experience. You really feel part of the community.
Read Larissa's story

Flexible study

Are you interested in more than one of our courses? You might not have to choose between them. Here at Stirling, we believe in choice and offer more than 170 course combinations.

History can be combined with any of the following courses:
Course nameUCAS code
English Studies UCAS code for this combination: QV31
Film and Media UCAS code for this combination: PV31
French UCAS code for this combination: RV11
Journalism Studies UCAS code for this combination: VP15
Law UCAS code for this combination: MV11
Philosophy UCAS code for this combination: VV15
Politics UCAS code for this combination: LV21
Politics and Education (Secondary) UCAS code for this combination: LX21
Education (Secondary) UCAS code for this combination: VX11
Religion UCAS code for this combination: VV16
Sociology UCAS code for this combination: LV31
Sociology and Education (Secondary) UCAS code for this combination: VXD1
Spanish and Latin American Studies UCAS code for this combination: RV41

For a combined honours degree where the two subjects have different entry requirements, you will usually be asked to meet the higher entry requirement.

Find out more about degree flexibility and how you can take combined courses.