History and English traditionally have a close intellectual relationship, and complement each other very effectively. Relishing controversy and debate, they encourage you to develop your analytical and reasoning skills, to examine texts and ideas in a disciplined and objective fashion, and to communicate your findings with precision and clarity. English also engages with a range of aesthetic and emotional questions in examining how we read poetry and novels, or watch plays and films, and the ways in which our responses are influenced by a range of external factors as well as by the content of the works themselves. In Years 2 and 3 you may select from a wide range of optional modules, and you will be able to pursue in-depth research on a topic of your own choosing in your final year. As the common subject, History will provide you with valuable contexts for your other chosen subject. For example, in History you can study the social, cultural and economic development of modern European societies. You might then want to explore Victorian Literature. The guiding principle of all Joint Honours courses is that skills and qualities of perception and judgement are acquired cumulatively by the use of knowledge and applied practice in the course of the three years. History has to be practised by reading, discussion and writing, and engagement, exploration and discovery.

Career Prospects The many skills you will learn in History are attractive to employers in virtually any field. These skills include the ability to think and work independently, the acquisition of critical and interpretive skills, skills in ICT and group work, the ability to communicate effectively and to develop and sustain an argument. Our graduates go on to work in a variety of disciplines worldwide. Recent examples include: PricewaterhouseCoopers, Trainee Chartered Accountant; Ebony, Writer; Spark Communications, PR Executive; Citreon, Commercial Graduate – Marketing.