How you'll study

Our means of assessment is not just examinations and essays; in fact, there are no examinations at all for the core modules in your first year.

We vary our coursework to help equip you with the skills most desired by employers. These include delivering presentations individually and in groups, critical thinking, teamwork and time management.

Writing reflective reports encourages you to explore ideas of identity and a sense of self; to think critically about what you are doing, and to develop your ability to understand and respond to problems.

We offer a variety of employability modules, placement and research opportunities to enhance your understanding of history and prepare for your future.

You'll test your knowledge in real situations, sharpening your understanding of your own subject and gaining invaluable communication and organisational skills.

View our practical learning opportunities

In each module, you will read material and then analyse it to develop answers to particular questions in written assignments.

The largest piece of analysis you will do is your final-year dissertation when you will write a paper of 10,000 words on a historical topic of your choice, supervised by staff with research expertise in your chosen area.

We encourage you to get involved with digital humanities from writing and producing wikis, blogs and vlogs for social media to the development of online exhibitions working with academics and external partners.

You may also have the opportunity to work with academic staff on digital research and the communication of their own research to digital platforms.

We have a Digital Humanities Research Hub in the Library which provides training, support and designs new approaches to knowledge exchange.

We encourage a collections-based learning approach. We teach our students using a variety of the nationally and internationally significant collections held by the University Special Collections. Students are also encouraged to use these resources themselves in their studies. 

Highlights include:

• The Nancy Astor Papers
• The Evacuee Archives
• Roof tiles from Hiroshima
• The Robert Dawson Romany Collection
• Museum of English Rural Life (MERL)
• British Museum Archaeological Research Collection

Our location in Reading offers excellent access to resources important to the study of history.

Located a short distance from both London and Oxford and with excellent transport connections, our close proximity gives students access to the historical collections National Archive at the British Museum, the British Library and the Bodleian Library.