BA History
About this course
BA (Hons) History is a history degree grounded in the study of past societies, political structures, and cultural developments across global contexts. Core topics include Research Methods. Students can undertake a public history project working on an external organisation's brief, and complete a final-year dissertation. The first year covers foundational themes through compulsory modules such as Political Communities in World History, Societies and Economies in World History, Arguments and Analysis, Knowledge and Beliefs in World History, and Evidence and Methods, alongside optional choices like Extraordinary Lives: The Medieval Worlds of Princes, Monks and Unconventional Women. The second year builds historical thinking skills through compulsory study including Public History Project and Historical Thinking, while optional modules explore topics such as Empire and Cultural Exchange in Asia 1500-1700, Black Radicalism, and Ancien Régime France, 1610-1789. The final year centres on independent research through the compulsory Dissertation module. Optional modules in the final year allow specialisation in subjects such as From Colonial to Post-Colonial States? The Twentieth-Century Caribbean, Divided Worlds: The British Empire, 1846-1961, and Imperial Japan, 1890-1950.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A level: AAA including an A in either History or Classical Civilisation IB: 36 points including 6 in History at Higher Level BTEC: DDD with an additional A Level or equivalent qualification in either History or Classical Civilisation at grade A
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Real offers for this course
Applicants have posted 6 UCAS decisions for BA History (V100) at the University of York for 2027 entry so far: 6 offers. The published offer is AAA at A level. The first offer was posted on 6 October.
What students say
Based on about 110 final-year students who answered
- Teaching on my course: 90%
- Learning opportunities: 81%
- Assessment and feedback: 77%
- Academic support: 93%
- Organisation and management: 76%
- Learning resources: 94%
- Student voice: 74%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 190 students who started
- Continued on course: 96%
- Left higher education: 2%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 2%
What graduates do next
Based on about 49 graduates who answered
- Working: 54%
- Working and studying: 22%
- Further study: 13%
- Unemployed: 3%
Most common jobs
- Teaching Professionals: 20%
- Sales occupations: 10%
- Administrative occupations: 10%
- Business and public service associate professionals: 10%
- Elementary occupations: 10%
- Find their work meaningful: 90%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 65%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 40%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 330 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 4%
- North West: 7%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 20%
- East Midlands: 5%
- West Midlands: 5%
- East of England: 13%
- London: 27%
- South East: 10%
- South West: 4%
- Wales: 2%
- Scotland: 1%
Who gets in
Based on about 195 students who started
- A levels: 99%
- Baccalaureate: 1%
- Other HE qualification: 1%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Gold overall, Gold for student experience, Silver for student outcomes.
Modules
- Political Communities in World History
- Societies and Economies in World History
- Arguments and Analysis
- Knowledge and Beliefs in World History
- Evidence and Methods
- Extraordinary Lives: The Medieval Worlds of Princes, Monks and Unconventional Women
- Wonders, Marvels and Monsters in Early Modern Culture
- Ending Slavery and Serfdom
- Reportage and Conflict in the Long Twentieth Century
- Public History Project
- Historical Thinking
- Empire and Cultural Exchange in Asia 1500-1700
- Black Radicalism
- Ancien Régime France, 1610-1789
- Before the Mongols: Nomadic Empires of Central Eurasia, 900-1200
- Using and Abusing the Past in Britain, 1835-2018
- Gender, Enlightenment and Revolution in Eighteenth-Century Europe
- From the Global Shadows: Africa and the World since the 1950s
- Health for all? International Health from Colonial Medicine to Covid Vaccine
- Powerful Impressions: Culture and Politics in the Post-1945 United States
- Heterosexual Africa? Sexuality, Power, and Politics in Africa since 1900
- Persecution and Toleration in Early Modern Britain
- Catherine the Great
- Social Science and Modern Britain, c1880-c1970
- Crime and Society in Britain and Ireland since 1750
- Bankers, Merchants, and Poets: Florence and the Roots of the Renaissance
- Communist Europe: Crisis, Transformation & Memory after the Second World War
- Historical Fictions and Frictions: Fictionalising the Past
- Chivalry, Identity and Love 1350-1450
- Vikings and Historians: Historiographical Dialogues through the Ages
- The Scientific Revolution, 1500-1700
- Containing Multitudes: Inequality and the City in Britain and its Empire post-1800
- Dissertation
- From Colonial to Post-Colonial States? The Twentieth-Century Caribbean
- Divided Worlds: The British Empire, 1846-1961
- Imperial Japan, 1890-1950
- Popular Politics? The History of British Political Culture since 1945
- The French Wars of Religion
- Race, Place and Health in Britain and its Empire, 1880-1960
- Hong Kong: Decolonisation and Development, 1945-97
- Thomas More: Learning, Politics and Religion in England, 1500-35
- Ploughing the Sea? The Spanish American Wars of Independence, 1750-1830
- Rome Reborn: Culture and Society c.1575-c.1655
- Prussia and the Unification of Germany, 1815-1918
- Mao and Maoism
- Reading and Writing in Medieval England
- Exiled Lives: English Nuns in Catholic Europe, 1600-1800
- Poverty and the Welfare State in Post-War Britain
- Joan of Arc
- Revolution in the Streets: Faith, Poverty, & Religious Ferment, c.1200
- Francis Bacon: Myth, Magic and Morals
- Black British History and Decolonisation
- Empires
- Work
- Violence
- Animals
- Commemorations
- Travel
- Beauty
- Communisms
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA History at University of York earn?
The median salary is £29,000 after 15 months, £25,500 after 3 years, £32,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £26,000 and £43,500. The £32,000 median after five years is £1,500 more than the UK median for History.
What do graduates of BA History at University of York do next?
89% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA History at University of York?
90% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA History at University of York?
The typical offer is AAA at A level, or 36 points in the IB. The average entrant had 154 UCAS points. Applicants who posted offers on UniScout for 2027 entry were most often predicted A*A*A*.
When does the University of York send offers for BA History?
For 2027 entry, applicants have posted 6 decisions for this course on UniScout. The first offer was posted on 6 October, and the most decisions so far arrived in October.
Does BA History at University of York include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has an optional placement year and an optional year abroad.
How many students continue on BA History at University of York?
96% of students continued into their second year, and 2% left higher education.