English and History, BA (Hons), University of Portsmouth

the United Kingdom

Study options for this course

The award	How you will study	Study duration	Course start	Domestic course fees	International course fees
BA (Hons)	Full-time, Sandwich	3 - 4 years	September	-	-

About English and History, BA (Hons) - at University of Portsmouth

Overview

With expert-led teaching, archival research, and hands-on analysis, this BA (Hons) English and History degree equips you with the critical tools to question, interpret, and engage with the world around you.

Explore the ideas and events that have shaped societies across time. Investigate power, identity, and conflict through the lens of history and the written word.

Examine how narratives shape our understanding of the past and present—and how you can challenge them to build a better future.

Course Highlights

Explore how literature and historical events shape culture, identity and society – and how they continue to influence the modern world
Analyse a wide range of texts and sources, from novels and newspapers to archival records and political speeches
Investigate representations of race, gender and class, and learn how to challenge misinformation and ‘fake news’ with evidence-based thinking
Develop critical skills that employers value – including problem solving, communication, project management and independent research
Be taught by passionate, expert researchers in English and History, and study as part of the School of Education, Languages and Linguistics
Study in a unique coastal city with a rich literary and historical heritage – walk the same streets as Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, H.G. Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle
Have the opportunity to do a work placement year after your second or third year on this Connected Degree - we're the only UK university to offer flexible sandwich placements for undergraduates
Graduate with the skills and insight to pursue socially valuable careers – from teaching and journalism, to heritage, the NHS, policy, law and more
Be equipped to engage with major global challenges, including those set out in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Choose to learn a foreign language for free as part of your degree, from a selection of Arabic, British Sign Language, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin or Spanish

Careers and opportunities

You’ll graduate with specialist expertise in English Literature and History, along with highly transferable skills that employers value across a wide range of sectors. These include:

critical thinking and problem solving
communicating clearly and persuasively
constructing evidence-based arguments
resilience, adaptability and independent learning

If you decide to pursue a career directly related to your degree, you could apply your skills in sectors such as publishing, heritage, education or journalism. Or you might choose to build on your research and analytical expertise with postgraduate study in areas like law, history, literature or interdisciplinary studies.

This degree allows you to follow your interests and shape your own path. You’ll be equipped to engage with big global issues, from sustainability to social justice, and contribute meaningfully to careers in both the private and public sectors.

What areas can you work in with an English and History degree?

Previous English Literature and History graduates have gone on to work in roles including:

teacher
researcher and writer for TV
museum curator
archivist
political researcher
NHS manager
development editor in publishing
barrister
assistant to a Member of Parliament
senior policy advisor (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government)
communications officer (House of Commons)
civil servant (Department for the Cabinet Office)

They’ve worked for employers such as:

British Council
National Trust
Office for National Statistics
Serco
West Midlands Police
Government of Jersey

Many graduates also continue their studies with postgraduate degrees – including Master’s and PhD programmes in English, History, or interdisciplinary areas – or progress into specialist fields such as law, publishing or public policy.

Placement year (optional)

After your second or third year, you’ll have the option to do a paid work or self-employed placement year. This gives you the chance to apply what you’ve learned in a real-world setting, develop new skills, and explore possible career paths – all while enhancing your CV.

We’ll help you find a placement that fits your goals, whether in the UK or abroad, and you’ll receive full support from careers advisers and placement staff before, during and after the experience.

Previous placement destinations have included:

Shrewsbury Museums
Darton Law Ltd
Freedom from Torture (human rights charity)
Narrativia (independent production company)
Kings Theatre Portsmouth
Ghent City Council, Belgium
Centerprise International (IT solutions)
local schools and legal firms

Both the placement year and in-course experience are assessed through reflective portfolios, helping you recognise how your skills and confidence have developed and how your learning connects to your future career.

Entry requirements

104-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent.

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.

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English and History, BA (Hons), University of Portsmouth

Study options for this course

About English and History, BA (Hons) - at University of Portsmouth

Entry requirements

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