About this course
Study global views on ancient, medieval and modern history with this joint honours ancient history and history degree. Learn how ancient civilisations inspired modern society and examine historical empires and cultures. You can also study literary transformations to develop an understanding of past societies.
You'll look at the different ways historians have approached the past, and study different periods in ancient and modern history. You'll cover the development of historical debates, ways of imagining the past, and topics ranging from ancient history to the war on terror.
As part of BA Ancient History and History you can:
- learn from experts in the ancient world and history (including archaeology, ancient and modern languages and literature, and film)
- spend time at a university abroad in Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea or Australia
- access document collections, including the Wellington, Palmerston and Mountbatten papers, and the Parkes archive, one of the largest Jewish documentation centres in Europe
- learn Latin and Ancient Greek
The history and ancient history degree course combines lectures with small group seminars. You'll learn how to structure an argument, interrogate and contextualise evidence, and evaluate historical controversies.
Year abroad
A year abroad will enhance your understanding of ancient history and history and let you experience a new culture. Discover more benefits and financial support options for studying abroad.
Apply using:
- course name: Ancient History and History with With A Year Abroad
- UCAS code: V1V1
We regularly review our courses to ensure and improve quality. This course may be revised as a result of this. Any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when, and how we might make changes.
Our courses are regulated in England by the Office for Students (OfS).
Course location
This course is based at Avenue.
Awarding body
This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.
Download the Course Description Document
The Course Description Document details your course overview, your course structure and how your course is taught and assessed.
Entry requirements
For Academic year 202526
A-levels
AAB including an essay writing subject*
A-levels additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking. *Essay writing subjects include History, English, Philosophy, Politics, Law, Criminology, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation, Latin or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
A-levels with Extended Project Qualification
If you are taking an EPQ in addition to 3 A levels, you will receive the following offer in addition to the standard A level offer: ABB including an essay writing subject* and grade A in the EPQ
A-levels contextual offer
We are committed to ensuring that all applicants with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise an applicant's potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
International Baccalaureate Diploma
Pass, with 34 points overall with 17 points at Higher Level, including 5 at Higher Level in an essay writing subject*
International Baccalaureate Diploma additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking. *Essay writing subjects include History, English, Philosophy, Politics, Law, Criminology, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation, Latin or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
International Baccalaureate contextual offer
We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
International Baccalaureate Career Programme (IBCP) statement
Offers will be made on the individual Diploma Course subject(s) and the career-related study qualification. The CP core will not form part of the offer. Where there is a subject pre-requisite(s), applicants will be required to study the subject(s) at Higher Level in the Diploma course subject and/or take a specified unit in the career-related study qualification. Applicants may also be asked to achieve a specific grade in those elements. Please see the University of Southampton International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme (IBCP) Statement for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.
BTEC
Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC National Extended Diploma plus A in an A level Humanities subject*. Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC National Diploma plus A in an A level Humanities subject* Distinction in the BTEC National Extended Certificate plus A in an A level Humanities subject* and A in one further A level
RQF BTEC
We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
Additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking. *Essay writing subjects include History, English, Philosophy, Politics, Law, Criminology, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation, Latin or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
QCF BTEC
Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC Extended Diploma plus A in an A level essay writing subject* or Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC Diploma plus A in an A level essay writing subject* or Distinction in the BTEC Subsidiary Diploma plus A in an A level essay writing subject* and A in one further A level
We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
Access to HE Diploma
60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at Level 3, of which 39 must be at Distinction and 6 credits at Merit, to include 6 Distinctions in an essay writing subject*
Access to HE additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking. *Essay writing subjects include History, English, Philosophy, Politics, Law, Criminology, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation, Latin or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
Irish Leaving Certificate
Irish Leaving Certificate (first awarded 2017)
H1 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 including an essay writing subject*
Irish Leaving Certificate (first awarded 2016)
A2 A2 A2 B1 B1 B1 including an essay writing subject*
Irish certificate additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking. *Essay writing subjects include History, English, Philosophy, Politics, Law, Criminology, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation, Latin or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
Scottish Qualification
Offers will be based on exams being taken at the end of S6. Subjects taken and qualifications achieved in S5 will be reviewed. Careful consideration will be given to an individual’s academic achievement, taking in to account the context and circumstances of their pre-university education.
Please see the University of Southampton’s Curriculum for Excellence Scotland Statement (PDF) for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.
Cambridge Pre-U
D3 D3 M2 in three principal subjects including an essay writing subject*
Cambridge Pre-U additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking. *Essay writing subjects include History, English, Philosophy, Politics, Law, Criminology, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation, Latin or other humanities based essay writing subjects.
Welsh Baccalaureate
AAB from 3 A levels including an essay writing subject* or AA from two A levels including an essay writing subject* and B from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate
Welsh Baccalaureate additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking. *Essay writing subjects include English, Philosophy, Politics, Law, Criminology, Sociology, Geography, Religious Studies, Classical Civilisation, Latin or other humanities based essay writing subjects. Students applying without History will need to make a case in their personal statement.
Welsh Baccalaureate contextual offer
We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
T-Level
Not accepted for this course.
Other requirements
GCSE requirements
Applicants must hold GCSE English language (or GCSE English) (minimum grade 4/C) and mathematics (minimum grade 4/C)
Find the equivalent international qualifications for our entry requirements.
English language requirements
If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:
IELTS score requirements
- overall score
- 6.5
- reading
- 6.0
- writing
- 6.0
- speaking
- 6.0
- listening
- 6.0
We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.
If you don’t meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
You might meet our criteria in other ways if you do not have the qualifications we need. Find out more about:
- our Ignite your Journey scheme for students living permanently in the UK (including residential summer school, application support and scholarship)
- skills you might have gained through work or other life experiences (otherwise known as recognition of prior learning)
Find out more about our Admissions Policy.
Got a question?
Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
Course structure
Year 1 modules introduce you to the key skills needed by historians and specialists in the ancient world. This includes archaeological fieldwork for some modules.
In year 2 you'll broaden your studies by choosing options that look at patterns of continuity and change.
Year 3 is an opportunity for you to specialise and develop your expert knowledge.
You can also broaden your studies beyond history by choosing:
- interdisciplinary modules
- language modules, Latin or ancient Greek
- an option to study abroad for a semester
You do not need to choose your modules when you apply. We'll guide you through the process before you start.
Year 1 overview
You'll learn core skills for studying history. You'll explore:
- broad chronological issues
- intellectual history
- the conceptual terminology of history
- the varieties of source materials now available to the historian
Optional modules include topics such as:
- sources and controversies of ancient history
- consuls, dictators and emperors
- death, mourning and remembrance in Victorian Britain
Year 2 overview
You'll engage with larger periods of time, enquiring into broader patterns of continuity and change.
Your optional modules focus on more specific events, allowing you to tailor the course to suit your interests. You can choose from topics such as:
- evolution of US counterterrorism
- power, politics and petroleum in Iraq
- the EU and European identity
Year 3 overview
You'll write an Ancient History dissertation or a History dissertation demonstrating the analytical and research skills you've learned on the degree course.
You'll also choose from modules such as:
- Emperor Julian and the last pagans of Rome
- fashioning the Tudor court
- political culture in modern Russia
Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.
Modules
The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.
For entry in academic year 2025 to 2026
Year 1 modules
You must study the following modules in year 1:
Ancient Sources in Context
The history of the ancient world is hugely significant for understanding subsequent periods of history and the origins of ideas and institutions of global significance. However, the nature of the ancient world continues to be highly debated due to the sou...
History Matters (Object, Image, Text)
History is not just about studying written documents and sources; historians examine the ‘stuff’ of history, including objects, images, and buildings which were made and used by people in the past. We can also ‘read’ these sources, if we know how to appro...
Introduction to the Ancient World
The Ancient World has profoundly influenced subsequent generations of history, and helps us to understand the foundations of today’s world. This module provides an introduction to this momentous period of history from Dark Age Greece to the emergence of I...
World Histories Introduced
In this history department, we have historians working on periods from the ancient world to the contemporary moment, covering the whole world (and beyond!) and working on themes like gender, politics, environment, and technology. This module covers a rang...
You must also choose from the following modules in year 1:
Antisemitism and Islamophobia in modern European history
Reports about the growth antisemitic and Islamophobic speech and acts regularly make the headlines in Europe and globally. In the case of antisemitism, this has led to accusations that left-wing antizionism or postcolonial migration are to blame for the r...
Debates and Issues in Archaeological Science
The application of scientific techniques is increasingly embedded in archaeological studies and is an area where the UK currently leads the world. Techniques such as dating methods, the use of isotopes to reconstruct past diet or human migrations and the ...
From Constantine to Theodosius: Christians, Pagans and Emperors
The 4th century CE was a time of upheaval and change. Christianity became established as the state religion of the Roman empire, the split between the eastern and western empire was cemented, and the first large group of Goths crossed the Roman border. In...
From Shah to Ayatollah: The Establishment of the Clerical Power in Iran (1979 to Today)
The 1979 Revolution unexpectedly established a clerical regime in Iran for the first time in its history. What were the roots and consequences of this Revolution? This module surveys this history from an anti-Shah movement initiated by university students...
Henry VIII: Reputation and Reality
This module will provide you with an overview of the key events in the reign of Henry VIII including the Field of the Cloth of Gold, the dissolution of the monasteries and war with France in 1513 and 1544. You will have the opportunity to think about what...
Introduction to Ethnography: Food and Culture
Biological science tells us what items in our world are potentially edible, but culture decides what constitutes food. Culture informs us as to whether a specific item is appropriate, appetising, valued, desirable, prohibited, restricted, staple or medici...
Introduction to Historical Archaeology
In a common analogy where the c.4.5 billion years of Earth's geological history are equated to a 24-hour day - modern humans appearing only within the last 4 seconds - written human history begins only in the last 100 milliseconds. That time, though, saw ...
Landscapes and Seascapes of Britain’s Past
The landscapes and seascapes of Britain play host to one of the world’s most varied and intriguing archaeological records. With an occupational history spanning one million years, it tells a complex inter-twined story of social, physical and environmenta...
Masada: History and Myth
The Dead Sea fortress Masada was the last stronghold of resistance to Roman rule in Judea. Following the outbreak of revolt against Rome (66) and the fall of Jerusalem to the soldiers of the Roman emperor Vespasian (70), the fortress was finally taken in...
Peace and Love? Britain in the 1960s
The 1960s are remembered in Britain as a time of dramatic change: political reforms, economic growth, social shifts and cultural freedoms. Sex, drugs, rock and roll; tie-dye, mini skirts and the Beatles. But the 1960s weren’t swinging for everyone. Some p...
The Crimean War
The Crimean War (1853-56) was the most important Great Power conflict fought between the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and the outbreak of World War One in 1914. Yet its causes are uncertain and the way it was fought was often paradoxical: modern te...
Year 2 modules
You must study the following modules in year 2:
Humanities Study Abroad Preparation Module
This module will prepare you for study abroad and also take you through the application process for study abroad. Before you travel, you are required to take out appropriate insurance policies and engage in on-going monitoring of risk and this module will...
Making History Part 1
History has a life which stretches far beyond the ivory tower of academia and university study. This module encourages you to reflect on how historians translate academic knowledge into public history. It introduces you to the many different audiences for...
Making History Part 2
In this module, you will work at the leading edge of historical research, generate new knowledge about a specific subject or topic, and consider how this might be translated into public history for a range of audiences. You will choose one from a wide sel...
Year Abroad Report Module for Humanities Students
This non-credit bearing module is a required element for all Humanities students on a Year Abroad Programme. It builds on the Year Abroad preparation module, HUMA2012. It is taken as a long thin single module whilst on the Year Abroad with a two hour prep...
Year in Employment
The Year in Employment (YiE) is an opportunity for undergraduate students across a range of programmes to undertake a placement year whilst remaining enrolled to the University of Southampton. Students complete their placement after their second year of s...
You must also choose from the following modules in year 2:
Room for Improvement: Building the University of Southampton, 1862-Present
Since its origins in 1862 to today the University of Southampton has been under construction. In this module we will be using the university's architectural history to explore our own story: a chapter in the social history of nineteenth-, twentieth-, and ...
Ancient Greek 2
‘Ancient Greek 1B’ is designed to build on the knowledge acquired by students who have taken ‘Ancient Greek 1A’, but may also be appropriate for those with some previous alternative experience (e.g. a GCSE). The module will improve your ability to read, c...
Ancient Greeks at War
From the legendary tales of the Trojan War up to the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great, warfare played a central role in ancient Greek history and society. This module allows you to examine ancient Greek warfare from a range of different sources a...
Ancient Rome: the First Metropolis
This module focusses on the city of Rome and its development from its early foundation through to the third century AD. It explores the evidence for one of the most important cities of the ancient world, which at its height was home to approximately a mil...
Bones, bodies and burials: osteology and comparative anatomy
This module examines the variation within the mammalian skeleton from an evolutionary and functional perspective. Additionally, it gives an overview of the main methodological and theoretical issues in the retrieval, treatment and interpretation of bone f...
Celebrity, Media and Mass Culture, Britain 1888-1952
This module explores the development of celebrity in Britain 1888-1952, focusing particularly upon the influence of technologies and mass media. The years between the late 1880s and early 1950s saw a massive expansion in printed and visual media, and this...
Cold War? Post-War Conflict from a Jewish perspective
Cold War is a peculiar conflict. Often seen as a confrontation between the Socialist East and Capitalist West, the Cold War is typically depicted as a bloodless standoff. In such interpretations, the Iron Curtain isolated Western from Eastern Europeans. ...
Contemporary Issues and Debates in Archaeology
Contemporary archaeology operates within a broad remit: its traditional focus on understanding a deep past is now supplemented by studies of more recent material cultures, and issues of heritage, representation and the politics of the past. All of these d...
Data Environmentalism
Data is material. It is produced by people, it is made possible by resource extraction, it needs power to survive, it inhabits and resculpts the landscape. The use of data, then, contributes to climate catastrophe, but that role can be hard to see, hidden...
Data, Culture, and Justice
Data organise our present and shape our future. Those data are never neutral because they are the product of human labour, of choices made by people about what data to record, how to record it, and who is best equipped to do that recording. Drawing on wor...
Discipline and Punish: Prisons and Prisoners in England 1775 - 1898
‘Prisons don’t work’ exclaimed author Will Self to the BBC in 2011 reflecting significant public concerns regarding issues such as cost, reoffending and overcrowding through to the perception of ‘gilded lifestyles’ led by inmates. In this module we will e...
Fight for your Rights: Protest in twentieth century Britain
When we speak about protest in Britain today, it divides our society: from the politicians who want to curb our rights and the columnists who worry about protests going too far, to the activists who argue that protesting is one of our democratic rights as...
Health, Culture, and Discrimination
Deadly illnesses have frequently been invested with a great deal of symbolic and cultural significance. This interdisciplinary module will introduce you to how various diseases and conditions (AIDS, cancers, obesity, Covid-19, and mental health issues and...
Immigration, Race and Ethnicity in France
What developments led to the headscarf and the so-called ‘burka ban’ in France? Why has ‘multiculturalism’ been a taboo subject? To what extent have anti-racism associations been a success in combating racism? This module offers you the opportunity to gai...
Imperial China: From China’s mythical emperors to the 19th century
This module will discuss Chinese history from its mythical beginnings to the 19th century (the time when China encountered the West). We will encounter famous figures like the philosopher Confucius, discuss the origins of the Silk Road and the Great Wall,...
Introduction to Film Studies
This module will familiarise you with the basic principles of film form, narrative and style. It will introduce specialist terminology needed to describe formal elements of audio-visual language and foster your analytical ability in the interpretation of ...
Italian Language Stage 1A
The aim of every language course at the University is to enable you to communicate in your target language (TL) at that particular level and in your particular area of interest. We use the word ‘communicate’ in its widest sense, meaning that you will not ...
Jews in Germany before the Holocaust
German-Jewish history has often been regarded as ‘leading up to the Holocaust’. In this module we will explore the life and culture of Jews in Germany from the late C18th until the eve of the Nazi takeover in 1933. Starting with the Jewish enlightenment, ...
Latin 1
The ability to understand Latin enables direct access to a wealth of primary source material across a vast chronological span, from the ancient world to the early modern period, on subjects ranging from history and literature to philosophy and science. ‘L...
Latin 2
‘Latin 2’ is designed to build on the knowledge acquired by students who have taken ‘Latin 1’, but may also be appropriate for those with some previous alternative experience (e.g. a GCSE). The module will equip you with the ability to read, comprehend, a...
Maritime Archaeology
This course aims to give students a sound introduction to the way archaeology is carried out underwater.
McCarthyism
‘I have here in my hand a list of 205 names that were made known to the Secretary of State as being members of Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in that State Department.' With these words, asserting both the exi...
Myth and the Ancient World
What are myths and what do they do? In “Myth and the Ancient World” you will explore how the Ancient Greeks used myths to make sense of the world and their position in it. The module covers a time span of some 900 years, from the time of Homer and Hesiod ...
Napoleon and his legend
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) may have been a tyrant in life but he proved to be a surprisingly malleable figure after death. This module traces the emergence in France and Britain of Napoleon’s reputation, whether as tyrant, martial hero, saviour of the...
Nelson Mandela: A South African life
In 1948, Daniel Malan’s National Party took power in South Africa. Malan’s election victory over the Jan Smuts-led United Party and Labour Party alliance was only a slender one, and few of the National Party’s opponents could have envisaged that it would ...
Peasants, Empresses and Holy Virgins: Women in Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity can be narrated as a period of powerful emperors, domineering bishops, and barbarian warlords. In this module we will be looking, instead, at the lives and agency of women during the same period. We look at women’s legal and social status a...
Queering the Digital
In this module, we will investigate and reflect on the various entanglements between Queerness and digital technologies. Drawing from foundational concepts in Queer theory and gender studies scholarship, this module deconstructs and reconceptualises domin...
Ragtime! The Making of Modern America
For the United States, the turn of the twentieth century was a turbulent, transformative time: an age of embattled political parties and insurgent Populists, mass immigration and overseas war, millionaire capitalists and impoverished farmers, all set to t...
Responses to the Holocaust
This module will explore contemporary and post-war responses to the Holocaust more than 75 years after the liberation of Auschwitz. We will explore a range of responses to the genocide and look at: diaries, oral histories, literature, film, museums and mu...
Retail Therapy: A journey through the cultural history of shopping
We are all, in one way or another, participants in the consumer society. Whether we buy for necessity - life essentials such as food - or view it as an enjoyable leisure activity, our purchase of goods is part of a wider cultural movement pushing us to ‘s...
Spanish Language Stage 1A
The aim of every language course at the University is to enable you to communicate in your target language (TL) at that particular level and in your particular area of interest. We use the word ‘communicate’ in its widest sense, meaning that you will not ...
The First British Empire: the beginnings of English dominance, 1050-1300
By the middle of the eleventh century, the various nations of the British Isles were characterised by quite distinct cultures and political and economic systems and elites. Yet the relationships between the various nations were entirely redrawn between ab...
The Global Game: Football in the Modern Era
It is a cliché to say that football is a global game. But in the West the ‘beautiful game’ is still commonly engaged with as a primarily Western sport, dominated by the comings and goings of the Bundesliga, La Liga and, in particular, the English Premier ...
The Knightly World: Ideals and Reality
The knight is one of the most emblematic figures of the Middle Ages, a rich and multifaceted character: from the warrior whose privileged social status was justified by the exercise of violence to the gentleman who embraced a sophisticated aristocratic co...
The Life and Afterlife of the Vikings
Blood, violence, terror, raids, pirates, rape and pillage are just some of the words associated with the Vikings in both the medieval and modern imagination. Their fearsome reputation is underlined by nicknames such as ‘Blood Axe' and ‘Skull-splitter', bu...
The Making of Modern India
India as we know it today did not exist before decolonization in 1947. During British imperial rule, India was a collection of British colonial territories and loosely colonized Princely states. And, for almost three thousand years before colonial rule, ...
Vienna and Berlin: Society, Politics and Culture from 1890 to the Present
This module will introduce you to the social, political and cultural history of Vienna and Berlin in the 20th century, German using a wide range of sources which will include literature, film and architecture. Topics covered may include the following:...
Witchcraft in England, 1542-1736
This module offers you the opportunity to study the history of witchcraft in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries (the period during which the great majority of prosecutions and executions for that supposed crime took place). On the modu...
Year 3 modules
You must study the following module in year 3:
You must also choose from the following modules in year 3:
A Short History of Just War
Wars have been fought throughout the history of mankind. Ethical concerns that they raised, or, in other words, the rights and wrongs of waging war, have been discussed from time immemorial. War has often been seen as an evil, a necessary evil, to be avoi...
A Short History of the Homosexual
Is sex a biologically-conditioned experience that remains constant over place and time, or is sex and sexuality an ever-changing lived reality that reflects (and shapes) broader shifts within society and culture? This overarching question, fiercely debate...
A Short History of the Populist Leader
As the world responds to the global financial crisis, populist leaders have come to dominate political debate in countries across the world - from India to the United Kingdom to the United States. In engaging with this phenomena, we are faced with a conun...
America and the world, 1945-2000: technology, conflict and the lives of others (Part 1)
The history of the post-war world has been powerfully shaped by the decisions and actions of American political and military leaders, and by the deployment of American defense technologies. This module considers the significance of humanitarian concerns w...
An ambivalent asylum: the histories and memories of refugees in early twentieth-century France
Where does the idea of a stateless person come from? Why did France become one of the foremost nations for refugee reception? How were refugees fleeing from persecution in other parts of Europe treated in France? Why did France establish a system of ‘conc...
Ancient History Dissertation
The dissertation is a key component of your degree; in it you have a chance to show the skills of analysis and research you have learned during the three years of your programme.
Archaeology of Seafaring
Seafaring lies at the heart of human activity across the world and has taken place from the earliest times to the present day. Reflecting this, in recent years the study of seafaring has become an increasingly important area in our understanding of the hu...
Crime and Punishment in England c.1688-1840 part 1
This course will span the period c.1688-c.1840, beginning with the reforms of the criminal code introduced following the Glorious Revolution, known as the ‘Bloody Code’, and concluding in the mid-nineteenth century with the introduction of the police forc...
Crime and Punishment in England c.1688-1840 part 2
This course will span the period c.1688-c.1840, beginning with the reforms of the criminal code introduced following the Glorious Revolution, known as the ‘Bloody Code’, and concluding in the mid-nineteenth century with the introduction of the police forc...
Cultures in Contact: A Diverse Ancient World
Ancient History goes beyond Greece and Rome. The ancient world was incredibly diverse, inhabited by different cultures, religions, and societies which were closely connected and left their mark on each other, through interaction, conflict, and exchange. I...
Cultures in Contact: Resisting Rome
This module explores the Roman Empire, but from the perspective of those who resisted it, fought it, and rebelled against it. The study of the ancient world, throughout its different periods, is greatly influenced by Rome. Starting from its expansion duri...
Framing the Past:Stardom, History and Heritage in the Cinema
This module explores cinema’s relationship to the past, whether distant, as in that of ancient Greece, Rome or Egypt, or from a more recent history.
From Tyranny to Revolution: England 1625-49: Part 1
This module provides an introduction to early Stuart England and explores the troubled reign of King Charles I before the English Civil War.
History Dissertation
The dissertation is a key component of your degree; in it you have a chance to show the skills of analysis and research you have learned during the three years of your course.
Iron Age Societies
Iron Age Europe witnessed the divergence of a ‘classical' Mediterranean world, whose culture included such features as states, towns, coinage and literacy, from a ‘barbarian' world to the north, where these features developed only much later, if at all. T...
Later Anglo-Saxon England
This module examines the major social, economic and cultural developments that took place in England during the period between c. 800 and c. 1100 AD. It makes use of evidence from diverse disciplines, including the study of documentary, archaeological, ar...
Latin Language Stage 1A
The aim of every language course at the University is to enable you to communicate in your target language (TL) at that particular level and in your particular area of interest. We use the word ‘communicate’ in its widest sense, meaning that you will not ...
Living with the Romans: Urbanism in the Roman Empire
The towns in which the Romans lived are some of the most familiar features of the Roman world. Although they seem to look and feel like modern towns, they actually worked in quite different ways, a reflection of the fact that ancient Roman society was dis...
Presenting the past: Museums and Heritage
In this module we will examine how knowledge about the past is presented in museum exhibition and display. We will look at current practices in exhibition design and discuss the contemporary literature on communicating heritage to a range of audiences. Yo...
Society and Politics in Victorian Britain Part 1
In this module we will examine the principal themes of the political and social history of Britain during the Victorian era (c.1830-1900). We will investigate the development of new forms of political participation and examine the ways that men and women...
The Crisis of Austria-Hungary Part 1
In this module you will study how and why domestic crises struck the Habsburg Monarchy (Austria-Hungary) in the two decades before the First World War, and what the potential consequences were for the Empire’s long-term sustainability. The module particul...
The Great Exhibition of 1851 Part 2: Legacy
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations was an international exhibition which took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1st May to 11th October 1851. It was arguably the greatest of a series of international ‘expositions’ run throughout ...
The Holocaust 1
This module explores the origins of the Holocaust, the dynamics of Nazi persecution up to 1939 and the experience of Jews and other victims up to that point.
War, State and Society: The Hundred Years War (1337-1453), Part 2
The conflict that raged between the Plantagenet and the Valois kings from 1337 to 1453, and spread over the whole of Occidental Europe, turned out to be the longest military struggle in history. In this module, you will explore how the Hundred Years War s...
Learning and assessment
The learning activities for this course include the following:
- lectures
- classes and tutorials
- coursework
- individual and group projects
- independent learning (studying on your own)
Course time
How you'll spend your course time:
Year 1
Study time
Your scheduled learning, teaching and independent study for year 1:
How we'll assess you
- composition portfolios
- dissertations
- essays
- oral presentations
- written exams
Your assessment breakdown
Year 1:
Year 2
Study time
Your scheduled learning, teaching and independent study for year 2:
How we'll assess you
- composition portfolios
- dissertations
- essays
- oral presentations
- written exams
Your assessment breakdown
Year 2:
Year 3
Study time
Your scheduled learning, teaching and independent study for year 3:
How we'll assess you
- composition portfolios
- dissertations
- essays
- oral presentations
- written exams
Your assessment breakdown
Year 3:
Academic support
You’ll be supported by a personal academic tutor and have access to a senior tutor.
Course leader
Eleanor Quince is the course leader.
Careers and employability
The employability and enterprise skills you'll gain from this course are reflected in the Southampton skills model. When you join us you'll be able to use our skills model to track, plan, and benefit your career development and progress.
Download skills overview
Work experience opportunities
Choosing to do work experience is a great way to enhance your employability, build valuable networks, and evidence your potential. Learn about the different work and industry experience options at Southampton.
Careers services and support
We are a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you. This support includes:
- work experience schemes
- CV and interview skills and workshops
- networking events
- careers fairs attended by top employers
- a wealth of volunteering opportunities
- study abroad and summer school opportunities
We have a vibrant entrepreneurship culture and our dedicated start-up supporter, Futureworlds, is open to every student.
Your career ideas and graduate job opportunities may change while you're at university. So it is important to take time to regularly reflect on your goals, speak to people in industry and seek advice and up-to-date information from Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise professionals at the University.
Fees, costs and funding
Tuition fees
Fees for a year's study:
- UK students pay £9,535.
- EU and international students pay £24,200.
What your fees pay for
Your tuition fees pay for the full cost of tuition and standard exams.
Find out how to:
Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.
Explore:
Bursaries, scholarships and other funding
If you're a UK or EU student and your household income is under £25,000 a year, you may be able to get a University of Southampton bursary to help with your living costs. Find out about bursaries and other funding we offer at Southampton.
If you're a care leaver or estranged from your parents, you may be able to get a specific bursary.
Get in touch for advice about student money matters.
Scholarships and grants
You may be able to get a scholarship or grant to help fund your studies.
We award scholarships and grants for travel, academic excellence, or to students from under-represented backgrounds.
Support during your course
The Student Hub offers support and advice on money to students. You may be able to access our Student Support fund and other sources of financial support during your course.
Funding for EU and international students
Find out about funding you could get as an international student.
How to apply
What happens after you apply?
We will assess your application on the strength of your:
- predicted grades
- academic achievements
- personal statement
- academic reference
We normally invite all candidates to an interview.
We'll aim to process your application within 2 to 6 weeks, but this will depend on when it is submitted. Applications submitted in January, particularly near to the UCAS equal consideration deadline, might take substantially longer to be processed due to the high volume received at that time.
Equality and diversity
We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.
Got a question?
Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
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Ancient History and History (BA) is a course in the History subject area. Here are some other courses within this subject area:
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Ancient History
Ancient History and History with Year Abroad
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Archaeology and Ancient History
Archaeology and Ancient History with Year Abroad
English and History
English and History with Year Abroad
