Looking through WW11 British Propaganda posters - MSS

Ways to study history

Find history everywhere you go

A thread of history runs through many of our courses, offering insights into the language, society and culture that shape our world today.

If you're passionate about history, you can take a single module or choose a full history degree. And don’t worry if you didn’t study history at A level, many of our options welcome students from all backgrounds.

Discover all the ways to study History at Nottingham - without taking a history degree 

Discover all the ways to study History at Nottingham - without taking a history degree 

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Explore history through these subjects

History is fundamental to the disciplines of classics and archaeology.

Classics covers not just dates and facts, but also literature, philosophy and art allowing you to explore cultural values, mythologies, social structures and artistic expressions.

Archaeology offers you the chance to explore the past through material items and without their historical context, such objects would lose their meaning.

Studying classics and archaeology will help you understand the history of people and their societies better.

Find out more about classics and archaeology at Nottingham

Music can be seen as a mirror reflecting the voices, opinions and experiences of those who create and listen to it. Composed within a particular period, the study of music allows you to explore both sides of the story and uncover the experiences of marginalised voices who can often be overlooked within traditional history studies. 

Find out more about musicology at Nottingham

Our modern language courses go far beyond vocabulary and grammar. We want you to become truly immersed in the language and the cultures where it's spoken. Understanding the history of those cultures is key to making sense of the countries and their people today. Studying a modern language also gives you the chance to explore history from another country’s point of view, offering fresh perspectives on the world.
 

Find out more about modern languages at Nottingham

Art movements, trends, and styles emerge from specific moments in history and often give voice to people who might not appear in traditional history books. Studying art history and visual culture helps you uncover the stories of marginalised groups throughout history.
 

Find out more art history and visual culture at Nottingham

Liberal arts lets you choose modules from across the faculty and beyond, so you can study history alongside subjects such as music, literature, art history, education, sociology and many more. This interdisciplinary approach gives you a unique opportunity to explore themes, connections and ideas that cross traditional subject boundaries.
 

Find out more about liberal arts at Nottingham 

Philosophy, theology and religion are subjects where history isn’t just important, it’s essential. These disciplines are deeply rooted in the development of human thought, belief systems and traditions over time. Studying history through this lens offers a unique perspective that goes beyond events, helping us explore how people have sought meaning, truth and moral guidance across centuries.
 

Find out more about philosophy, theology and religion at Nottingham

Studying medieval English allows you to better understand a crucial moment in the formation of Great Britian. The texts studied are embedded in historical context and will help you discover more about the social structures, religious beliefs and political conflicts of their time. Understanding these foundations of British history will equip you with critical tools for interpreting how history shapes language, identity and storytelling.
 

Find out more studying English at Nottingham

History gives rise to the language, politics and culture of our world - understanding the past helps us make sense of the present and imagine the future. You may choose to study history as a single subject or combine it with another, allowing you to develop an interdisciplinary approach to your studies.
 

Find out more about history at Nottingham

Your pathway into degrees with a historical focus


The BA Arts and Humanities Foundation Year offers a supported route into university and leads to a wide range of arts-led degrees. It’s ideal if you’re interested in subjects with strong historical themes and want to build towards studying them at degree level. 


Learn more

History and your future

Studying history, whether directly or as part of another degree, helps you gain skills such as:

  • critical reasoning and analysis
  • problem-solving and critical thinking
  • planning and researching written work
  • gaining evidence and communicating findings in a clear structured manner
  • communication both orally and written
  • objective thinking plus the ability to consider and reflect on a range of viewpoints
  • presenting ideas and information, including collaborativelydigital capability

These are skills that employers across all sectors value, including law, accountancy and finance, marketing and public relations, journalism, information management and education.

What our students say... Ciara


"One of my modules was called ‘Classics and Comics’, where I studied how the ancient world was depicted in comics. Being able to choose things that sound fun as well as really interesting to study is a really important thing for me. It’s being able to do something just totally different and be graded in a different way."

 

- Ciara, Classical Civilisation BA


What our students say... Francis


"I very much enjoyed the module Virtue, Ethics and Literature, which looks at applying religious ideas but to literary text and the real world. We covered a wide range of texts from Plato and Aristotle to Iris Murdoch. It’s a great module to help discuss theology with students outside the discipline as everyone has an understanding of morals and ethics and access to books."

 

- Francis, Theology and Religious Studies BA


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