History is a subject for anyone with a sense of curiosity and a desire for a deeper understanding of the world around them.
Prepare for success on a course which consistently achieves great results in the National Student Survey: in 2019, 90% of students were satisfied with their course
History is ranked 1st for satisfaction with teaching in The Guardian University Guide 2020
Explore the broad sweep of British, European and global history from the Renaissance to the twentieth century
Undertake fieldwork at historical locations ranging from country houses to industrial cities
Share your passion for the past by organising and marketing a high-profile public history conference where you present your research
Benefit from the support of a dedicated and enthusiastic teaching team who are published experts in their field
Develop an impressive set of critical, theoretical and transferable skills which will give you a real advantage in securing a graduate career.
In a unique project, you will inspire others by organising and marketing a public history conference and presenting your research to a wider audience. Topics explored at this conference have included the experience of British prisoners-of-war during the First World War, the fight against the Apartheid regime in South Africa, and gay riots in 1960s America.
At our 2014 Public History Conference, students attracted TV and radio coverage with their thought-provoking papers on forgotten aspects of the Great War. They will now see their work in print as published scholars: the conference proceedings are set to be published by an academic publishing house.
Inspirational projects
You will use your research and creative skills to interpret the past for the benefit of the wider community. We provide exciting opportunities for projects involving international arts and heritage organisations, including work placements.
Among current initiatives, our students have worked with Derbyshire County Record Office to encourage young people to take a greater interest in archives and with The National Brewery Centre Museum.
Explore history outside the classroom
We offer study visits and fieldtrips to bring your learning to life. You will explore the practical and intellectual applications of history in museums, art galleries, country houses, parks and heritage sites.
Recent visits have taken us to the Imperial War Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the city of Chester and the urban heartland of Manchester. And, of course, Derbyshire is the ideal location to study history - with its rich industrial past and thriving heritage industry, including a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Study in America
You can choose to study part of your degree at one of our partner universities in America
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
The module introduces you to the study of history at undergraduate level. It outlines the challenges you will encounter in studying and writing about the past, and equips you with the requisite skills of the discipline. You will acquire an understanding of the nature and variety of history and historical inquiry. There is discussion of the methodology and aims of history.
The module allows you to analyse such topics as objectivity, specialisation, narrative, the relationship of History to other disciplines, and the public role of the historian. There is discussion of the role played by journalists, both as witnesses to historical events and as writers of history.
You will engage with debates concerning biography, contemporary history, Marxist historical analysis, the possibility of ‘total’ history and the influence of postmodernism. You will consider issues in historiography through the examination of a case study, concentrating upon an area of historical controversy.
You will gain an understanding of competing theoretical approaches, thus encouraging your conceptual development. The module examines the principal sources available to you as researchers, enabling you to appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of different types of historical evidence. The module looks at practical applications of historical knowledge and skills, highlighting the vast range of potential careers open to graduates in history and other related disciplines.
This module explores Derby and Derbyshire’s global history, as well as examining how this history is portrayed and employed beyond the academy. It concentrates upon a range of significant historical individuals, places, structures and processes that link Derby and Derbyshire with the wider world, including Viceroy Curzon, the Derwent Valley Mills, migration, and the slave trade.
You will be encouraged to think critically about major themes and trends across both global and local history, and to consider the relationship between the two. You will also reflect on the ways in which we can convey these connected histories to wider audiences. Through lectures, seminars, field trips and workshops, you will be encouraged to investigate the theory of public history, to engage with practitioners in scrutinising the production and representation of popular historical knowledge, and to share your research into Derby’s global history via a public-facing assignment.
This module will examine the ways in which international power dynamics have evolved over the course of the modern period and the impact this has had on the experiences of diverse groups of people across the globe.
We will examine the ways in which some political structures – from the Ming dynasty in China to Great Britain in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries – have sought to colonize and influence other parts of the world, and the ways in which these endeavours have created a host of global connections. In particular, we will examine the movement of people, goods and ideas created by these global connections, focusing on issues such as large-scale migration between different parts of the world, the displacement of people as a result of imperial conflicts, the emergence of transnational communities, and the transmission of modern ideologies across different parts of the world
This module explores the impact on the Enlightenment on society, culture and politics in the long eighteenth century. Drawing on examples from Britain, Europe and North America it discusses whether key themes in Enlightenment thinking did shape the lives of ordinary people, and whether it deserves the moniker of ‘The Age of Reason’.
Focusing on responses to monarchical absolutism, the idealisation of nature, the growth of scientific enquiry and the impact of scepticism, the module will consider the extent of socio-economic and political change in this period. You will engage with a range of primary materials in order to explore the ways in which ideas were shared and understood. You will also engage with historiographical debates about the implementation of these ideas and the degree to which there was a shared enlightenment.
This module will cover a period of great change in Europe, charting the rise of the idea of the ‘nation state’. Beginning with the French Revolution of 1789 and the changes brought about by Napoleon Bonaparte, the module will trace the development of nationalism and liberalism across the continent. The revolutions of 1848 will provide an example of the immense historical dynamics that converged in the nineteenth century, with a diverse set of outcomes.
We will examine how political reform in Britain brought about a different idea of ‘the nation’, based on continuity and gradual change, and the avoidance of revolution. Surveying the second half of the ‘long nineteenth century’, you will then explore how nationalism fed into the creation of nation-states in Germany and Italy, how nationalist ideas collided with alternative political ideologies, nationalism and imperialism, and how national rivalries turned into World War.
This module will provide you with a broad overview of some of the most important political, intellectual, social and cultural developments of the early modern period. You will explore the changes that Europe, including the British Isles, underwent during the Renaissance, focusing on the emergence of new forms of thinking, including humanism, and on the development of new approaches in art and culture during this period.
You will examine to what extent these developments, coupled with the nature of early modern politics, led to significant religious change, subsumed under the term ‘Reformation’. You will compare and contrast the motivations of different religious reformers and the processes that led to the Reformation in different parts of Europe. Following this, you will explore the short-term and longer-term impact of the Reformation on both everyday life in Europe and on European politics, focusing on changes in family life and social structures, as well as reactions against the Reformation. Finally, you will examine a number of early modern conflicts, including the Civil Wars in the British Isles and the Thirty Years’ War, in order to discuss the impact of religious change on the international order during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Public Conference: Marketing and Presenting the Past
This module enables you to undertake a piece of collaborative research, culminating in the writing and delivery of a conference paper. You will contribute to the publicity for the conference through a variety of formats, which may include posters, leaflets, and websites.
The module will develop your academic skills as well as highlighting essential transferable skills, such as teamwork, thus enhancing employability. Through preparation for the conference, you will be encouraged to establish links with both local and national archives and with organisations in the heritage industry.
The Cold War: Global Conflict, Culture and Diplomacy, 1945-1991
This module will allow you to examine some of the most important developments in international history since 1945. By focusing on the conflict between the USA and the Soviet Union that emerged after the end of the Second World War, and setting this conflict within its broader global context, you will be able to understand the factors that shaped diplomacy, power relations, ideology, and culture between the mid-1940s and the early 1990s.
You will engage with the historiographical debates relating to the origins of the Cold War and examine the role played by ideological differences as well as the changing structure of international relations. You will also examine the impact of the Cold War on the rest of the American and Soviet spheres of influence. This will include an examination of the ways in which it affected the former colonies in Asia and Africa, allowing you to engage with recent literature on the truly global nature of the Cold War. Finally we will examine the factors that led to the decline of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
This module is designed to develop your research skills and to apply them to different contexts. It will provide an advanced understanding of research methodologies and to consider different ways in which scholars undertake research.
It will then enable you to put these skills into practice into two different contexts. The first of these is a short, group, applied research project, based upon a brief from an external partner. You will then produce an extended piece of academic writing based upon an individually devised research question. The module will encourage you to think about how research skills are transferable beyond university and prepare you for the greater emphasis on independent learning at level 6.
This module explores the ways in which the early modern body was conceptualised, treated, and represented between 1500 and 1850. Considering historical sources from across the early modern world, the module will examine themes such as gender, race, sexuality and beauty.
You will use primary sources and case studies in order to gain an understanding of topics such as early modern medicine, aesthetics, and fashion. The impact of shifting ideas about knowledge, the self, and culture, as reflected by the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, will be debated and discussed. Changes in understandings of science and medicine will be examined. You will also be introduced to key theoretical frameworks and methodologies employed in examining the history of the body, and you will explore the body’s importance for understanding vital issues in the history of the early modern world.
Living with Dictatorship: Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in Comparative Perspective
This module examines the causes and effects of the authoritarian regimes that emerged in Europe during the interwar period. You will analyse the causes for the rise of political leaders such as Hitler and Stalin, and will evaluate the impact authoritarian regimes had on the everyday experiences of citizens across much of Europe, focusing on issues of class, gender, race and ideology.
You will compare and contrast different developments, whilst also paying attention to the historiographical debates about the nature and limits of totalitarianism.
The module examines the evolution of contemporary British society and politics, through a study of key themes and debates in the history of Britain since 1945. This will involve the discussion of issues such as the evolution of the Welfare State; the basis of the post-war political consensus; Britain's economic performance; British identity, nationalism and devolution; the impact of changing social and cultural attitudes in the 1960s and 1970s; immigration and the development of a multi-cultural society; the impact of Thatcherism; the modernising agenda of New Labour; and the consequences for Britain of the global economic crisis in 2008.
The module will also consider the challenges that have faced Britain on the global stage, examining the factors that shaped the retreat from empire and how well Britain has coped with its diminished influence. This will involve discussion of Britain’s military power; the ties with its former colonies; and the significance of its relationship with the United States. There will be an assessment of the complex factors that have influenced Britain's attitude towards European integration and membership of the EU.
This module will introduce you to the history of British country houses and their families, using a thematic and multidisciplinary approach. The architectural history of the buildings will be considered, as well as the development and management of their gardens and estates. The ways that people used the houses in the past will also be examined, especially their roles as family homes, places of employment, centres of economy and bases of political power.
Changing attitudes towards the country house and the aristocracy will also be considered and their representations in art and literature assessed. The module will also encourage you to think about the modern functions of country houses and their families, especially their roles in the heritage industry and in contemporary rural society.
This module provides you with an opportunity to experience working in a cultural, creative, arts, heritage or related organisation and to develop valuable academic and transferable skills.
The main focus is to negotiate and conduct a work-based project with an employer or other outside body. This might be a museum or gallery, a cinema or theatre, a radio or TV station, or an educational establishment, for example. It allows you to bring your academic skills to an organisation, to complete a project that would be useful to them (and, in many cases, the wider community), and gives you the opportunity to gain valuable work experience relevant to your chosen career path.
This module examines how Josip Broz Tito’s relatively stable state degenerated into chaos and conflict by investigating the history and politics of Yugoslavia and the Yugoslav Successor States from Tito’s death in 1980 to the present day.
You will explore the major forces and influences contained within the domestic politics and economies of Yugoslavia including the contemporary economic, social, cultural and political transition. Of special concern will be the nature of religious, cultural and ethnic differences built upon competing interpretations of identity and exclusion, the problems of nationalism, and the growth of pressure groups. You will also study and analyse the key historiographical controversies surrounding the nature of Socialist and post-Socialist societies in South East Europe.
Exploring the Slum: The Politics of Poverty in Britain
In early nineteenth-century Britain the unprecedented rapid growth of industrial cities, and concerns about disease and squalor, led to heightened anxieties about possible revolution. This module examines the ways in which ‘social investigators’ attempted to explore, explain and contain this threat. Looking at how poverty was depicted by government officials, social reformers, public health advocates, philanthropists, investigative journalists, authors and artists, the module considers how the urban ‘slum’ became the battleground for fierce debates about class, gender, and national identity.
The module draws heavily on the excellent range of digital resources available for the study of nineteenth-century society and culture, including newspapers, pamphlets, statistics, and digitised archives. You will engage with a diverse range of representations of the slum to create a collaborative public online exhibition about changing attitudes towards urban poverty throughout the period.
India, Empire, Diaspora: Identity, Violence and Memory Across the Twentieth Century
This module analyses the circulatory flow of ideas and identities between India, its diaspora and the wider world. It does so by focusing on some of the most important (and frequently violent) events of the twentieth century in both global and Indian history, including the two world wars, the Amritsar Massacre, India’s partition, and the destruction of the Babri Masjid [mosque].
You will be encouraged to think critically about the emergence and development of caste, national and religious identities across domestic, diasporic and global contexts. There will also be opportunities to reflect upon the continuing relevancy of Gandhian and Nehruvian ideas in the wider world, and to explore the manner in which key events and individuals are remembered and memorialised in India and the diaspora today.
This module will examine the British experience of the two world wars, enabling a comparative study of the impact of modern warfare on society, culture, economics and politics. It will look at debates on the extent to which the world wars were motors of change in Britain. The contribution of Britain’s colonies to the prosecution of the wars will be assessed with consideration of the implications for British imperial power.
The module will consider the extent to which the wars have played a vital part in the shaping of British identity and the extent to which their legacy has a continuing influence on contemporary views of Britain and Britishness.
Rise of the Dragon? China and the World Since 1793
Over the past decades, the People’s Republic of China has become one of the most important international players. On this module, you will study the history of China’s relations with the rest of the world since the Opium Wars of the mid-nineteenth century. Examining politics, culture, economics and societies, you will explore and challenge a range of different ideas and myths about China and Chinese history, furthering your understanding of Chinese history and culture beyond simplistic stereotypes and placing it within its global context.
You will analyse the impact of European imperialism on China and China’s role in international conflicts, but also focus on the importance of intercultural contact between China and the West, ranging from the rise of Shanghai as a modern, cosmopolitan metropolis during the 1920s to the emergence of Chinatowns and Chinese restaurants in North America and Western Europe. Finally, the module will examine China’s position in the twenty-first century, its rapid economic growth, as well as some of the domestic and international challenges it is facing.
This module enables you to undertake a substantial piece of historical research in an aspect of modern history. You will need to show engagement with historiographical debates and to undertake critical analysis of relevant sources.
The writing of the dissertation will enable you to develop your ability to construct sustained and coherent arguments, and to show an understanding of relevant theoretical and methodological issues. The skills developed in this module are essential to your future employability and personal development, as well as providing a basis for postgraduate study.
Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.
Campus Tours
Campus Tours are a great way to explore our campuses, facilities and halls of residence. We’ll be running the tours in two-hour timeslots, giving you the best possible experience while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
Delve deeper into the course with our Virtual Open Day, packed with subject and course information to help you make your choice, including tours of facilities, 360° views of award-winning accommodation plus advice and insight from students and academics.
You will learn through lectures, seminars, self-directed study, tutorials, study visits, workshops, and work-related learning. We also use digital learning materials to support you in your studies. We encourage discussion and debate through all our modules, and in individual research projects and student-led presentations, you will have the opportunity to shape your own learning.
Assessment
You are assessed on 100% coursework: there are no exams. Assessment incorporates different formats including essays, document analysis, the examination of material culture and the built environment, book reviews, projects, website design, posters and exhibitions, oral presentations and debating skills.
Supporting you all the way
In the National Student Survey, our students have been particularly positive not only about the quality of teaching on offer but also about the academic support they receive. You will have a personal tutor to help and advise you throughout your degree, and our lecturers are there to provide you with academic guidance.
A vibrant community
There is a friendly, sociable and approachable atmosphere on campus, with a real sense of community for History students. We have an active History Society which organises popular extra-curricular events from fieldtrips to ghost walks, pub quizzes to theatre visits.
Special events such as our annual Disability History Month give you fresh insights into your studies: in 2014 the theme was war and disability.
Who you will meet
You will be taught by our team of engaging, passionate and inspiring subject experts. They include:
Prof Paul Elliott- Paul is an expert in eighteenth and nineteenth-century British history and has published several books on the history of science and medicine, as well as on environmental and landscape history.
Dr Cath Feely- Cath is an expert in the social, cultural and intellectual history of nineteenth and twentieth-century Britain.
Dr Oliver Godsmark – Oliver’s expertise is in late colonial and early postcolonial India, and the histories of the British South Asian diaspora
Dr Ruth Larsen- Ruth is an expert on British social and cultural history, focusing in particular on gender history and the country house.
Dr Kathleen McIlvenna – Kathleen teaches British History and heritage studies, and has special interests in nineteenth-century British social and economic history
Prof Keith McLay – Keith is the PVC/Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities & Education and is a historian with particular interest in early modern military history
Dr Tom Neuhaus- Tom teaches international history, focusing on relations between Europe and Asia in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Prof Ian Whitehead- Ian is an expert on twentieth-century British history, with a particular focus on the First World War
Personal academic tutoring
Your personal academic tutor will work with you to help you get the most out of your time at university. Having someone to talk to about your academic progress, your university experience and your professional aspirations is hugely valuable. We want you to feel challenged in your studies, stretched but confident to achieve your academic and professional goals.
As a Senior Lecturer in History, Ruth Larsen is the Programme Leader for undergraduate History programmes. She has research expertise in British History of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, especially relating to gender history and the history of the country house.
At least a C in Classical Studies, History, Politics or similar at A-level (or equivalent qualification)
Specific requirements at GCSE
GCSE Maths and English Grade C/Grade 4 (or above) or equivalent qualification
IELTS
6.0 (with 5.5 in each skills area)
Interview / Audition
N/A
Portfolio
N/A
Alternative entry qualifications:
BTEC - DDM
Access to HE Diploma - 60 credits: 45 at level 3 with a minimum of Dist: 15 Merit: 24 Pass: 6
We usually consider an A-level in General Studies as a supplementary qualification. A good application/performance will be taken into account if you do not meet the criteria/offer conditions.
Our entry requirements for this course should be read together with the University's general entry requirements, which details subjects we accept, alternative qualifications and what we're looking for at Derby.
September 2021 typical entry requirements
Requirement
What we're looking for
UCAS points
120
Specific requirements at A-level
At least a grade C in Classical Studies, History, Politics or similar at A-level (or equivalent qualification)
Specific requirements at GCSE
GCSE Maths and English Grade C/Grade 4 (or above) or equivalent qualification
IELTS
6.0 (with 5.5 in each skills area)
Interview / Audition
N/A
Portfolio
N/A
Alternative entry qualifications:
BTEC - DDM
Pass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits, with 45 at Level 3. Must include passes in compulsory Level 3 subjects
We usually consider an A-level in General Studies as a supplementary qualification. A good application/performance will be taken into account if you do not meet the criteria/offer conditions.
Our entry requirements for this course should be read together with the University's general entry requirements, which details subjects we accept, alternative qualifications and what we're looking for at Derby.
Full-time students applying to start in September should apply for this course through UCAS or you can apply directly to the University for an undergraduate course if you’re not applying to any other UK university in the same year.
Part-time students should apply directly to the University.
Full-time students applying to start in September should apply for this course through UCAS or you can apply directly to the University for an undergraduate course if you’re not applying to any other UK university in the same year.
If you don’t have a place at uni, have had a change of heart about your course, or maybe your gap year plans are on hold – don’t worry. Call our Clearing hotline on 01332 592020 and explore your options.
At Derby you will gain attributes beyond those traditionally associated with History graduates. You will not only build your academic capabilities but also apply your historical knowledge to the workplace. We encourage you to develop skills in areas such as presentation and teamworking, which will help you stand out in the job market.
You can approach your future career with confidence: latest Unistats figures show that 92% of our students were in work or further study six months after completing their course.
Wide-ranging career opportunities
With a History degree you can follow a wide range of careers in the education profession, libraries, museums, archives, law, the civil service, management, marketing and the uniformed services. Recent graduates have, for instance, taken up professional roles in local authorities; in marketing for major national businesses; and in project consultancy advising global companies.
A growing number of our graduates also use their degree as a platform for rewarding postgraduate study in subjects such as History, Museum Studies, Archive Management and International Relations.
Ensuring you’re ‘work-ready’
Our Careers and Employment Service will provide you with support from day one of your course to ensure you leave Derby as a ‘work-ready’ graduate - industry aware, motivated and enterprising. Throughout your studies, you will also benefit from our Personal Development Planning (PDP) scheme which enables you to reflect on your learning and develop your career ambitions. The support continues once you have completed your course too: you are entitled to further help and guidance from the Careers and Employment Service for up to three years after leaving the University.
If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.
Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.
Additional costs and optional extras
We’re committed to providing you with an outstanding learning experience. Our expert teaching, excellent facilities and great employability prepare you for your future career. As part of our commitment to you we aim to keep any additional study costs to a minimum. However, there are occasions where students may incur some additional costs.
The information below is correct for entry in the academic year September 2020 - August 2021 only. Entry for future academic years may be subject to change.
Included in your fees
All compulsory reading materials available in digital format. Additonal reading based on library and/or digital resourses
Compulsory study trips (approx. 10 across 3 years of programme depending on options selected)- previous visits have included Imperial War Museum, York, Chester, Various Country Houses.
Mandatory costs not included in your fees
Printing and binding of one copy of dissertation, cost approx. £6
Optional costs not included in your fees
Purchase of reading materials - approx. £30 per text but cost varies depending on source
There may be costs associated with non-complusory field trips
Please note: Our courses are refreshed and updated on a regular basis. If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.
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