History

Our undergraduate BA History degree at the University of Birmingham will enable you to investigate unfamiliar territory and to question some of the myths, preconceptions and prejudices that surround History.

Our degree gives you the opportunity to explore a wide range of options covering the medieval, early modern and modern periods, over a vast geographical range. You can study political, social, cultural and religious history as well as histories of race and gender. There are frequently opportunities to take modules in other departments such as in Art History, African history, and Anthropology.

During your studies you will also have access to unparalleled resources such as the on-campus Cadbury Research Library. Its collections include a wide range of nationally- and internationally-important archives as well as over 250,000 rare books, some dating back to the 15th century.

Why study this course?

Internationally renowned academic staff - our faculty offer a huge selection of literary specialisms across the full historical range to the present day.  

Present-day application - our modules explore how the past informs the present and provides a global historical understanding from the Middle Ages to this century, all through a modern lens.

Taylor your own undergraduate degree - pursue your passions throughout your degree with a wide range of specialist optional modules that span a huge chronological range and most of the globe.

Unparallelled opportunities – A History degree will equip you with skills that employers value. There’s a chance to learn a new language for free, take our Professional Skills module and take advantage of the paid internships offered exclusively to University of Birmingham students. 92% of our History graduates are in work or further study (Discover Uni stats 2022).

Rewarding student experience - At Birmingham we believe that teaching hours should be complemented by a wide-range of academic opportunities and social occasions. Join our history department community and you'll have access to, among many other things, a student experience team who co-ordinate performances, talks, trips, podcasts, quizzes and celebrations and bespoke academic writing advice.

13th for undergraduate History in the Complete University Guide 2025

43rd for History in the Guardian University Guide

Top 100 for History in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2023