Learning and assessment
How you will learn
You will be taught via a mixture of large-group lectures and smaller, interactive seminars. You might also be taught through tutorials and supervisions. These are one-to-one meetings or discussions with an academic tutor.
All students are assigned a personal tutor at the start of each academic year. Your personal tutor oversees your academic development and personal welfare.
Teaching quality
97% of our class of 2019 graduated with a 1st or 2:1 degree classification. University of Nottingham Degree Outcomes statement
In the past six years, two of our academics from the Department of History have won Lord Dearing Awards. These awards recognise outstanding student learning and are nominated by students and academic colleagues.
29 of our academics from the Department of History have received Advance HE recognition for their contribution to education, becoming Teaching Fellows.
Peer mentoring
All new undergraduate students are allocated a peer mentor, to help you settle into life at Nottingham. Find out more about the support on offer
Teaching methods
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Tutorials
- Workshops
- Field trips
How you will be assessed
Your assessments will vary according to the topic studied. The majority of assessment is by essay and exam. However, other forms of assessment include:
- individual or team presentations
- work on the interpretation of document sources or images
- poster presentations
- reviews and reflections on the process of study
Assessment methods
- Essay
- Portfolio (written/digital)
- Presentation
- Reflective review
- Written exam
- Dissertation
Contact time and study hours
You’ll have at least the following hours of timetabled contact a week through lectures, seminars and workshops, tutorials and supervisions.
- Year one: minimum of 12 hours
- Year two: minimum of 9 hours
- Final year: minimum of 7 hours
Your tutors will also be available outside these times to discuss issues and develop your understanding. In the latest National Student Survey (2020), 95% of students from the Department of History reported that they ‘were able to contact staff’ when they needed to.
We reduce your contact hours as you work your way through the course. As you progress, we expect you to assume greater responsibility for your studies and work more independently.
Your tutors will all be qualified academics with PhDs. Some of our postgraduate research students may also support teaching after suitable training. You will have a personal tutor from the Department of History and a joint-honours adviser from the School of Politics and International Relations.
Lectures on our largest modules, 'Learning History' and 'Introduction to Political Theory', are typically attended by up to 350 students. The corresponding seminars have a maximum size of 25. Year-two module lectures may be attended by up to 75 students. History special subject groups are limited to a maximum of 20.
As well as scheduled teaching, you’ll carry out extensive self-directed study such as:
- reading, researching and note taking
- analysing primary sources
- planning and writing essays and other assessed work
- collaborating with fellow students
As a guide, 20 credits (a typical module) is approximately 200 hours of work (combined teaching and self-directed study).