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Explore a wealth of career options and prepare for the workplace through our innovative employability modules, work experience and research opportunities.
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Employabilty modules

We offer a range of modules dedicated to helping you decide upon, and achieve, the career you want.

Our employability modules also allow you to build a strong network of contacts and gain valuable work experience while studying.

Going Public

Presenting the Past, Planning the Future

Our innovative "Going Public" module offers students the opportunity to work on a project with an external body, such as a museum or heritage organisation, presenting history to the wider public.

This experience enables students to develop valuable transferable skills such as teamwork, public engagement and presentation skills.

Previous students have undertaken this rewarding module with our partners such as the National Trust, English Heritage and The Museum of English Rural Life.

History Education

For prospective  teachers

This popular module offers a two-week, history-focused placement in a local secondary school. Following a written application and interview, students are trained by experts from the University's Institute of Education before undertaking their school placement.

Promising a wealth of experience and fantastic insight into the world of teaching, students who have taken this module have since been successful in securing places on teacher training programmes, such as PGCE and School Direct.

Discovering Archives and Collections

For careers in research, archives and heritage

This ten-day placement in a participating repository allows students to explore a career in historical research, archive and heritage sectors, journalism, and postgraduate research.

Emerge well-equipped to apply for postgraduate training in the highly competitive field of archives and records management, and heritage. Gain a wealth of transferable skills for a range of sectors.

You can also opt to take Museum Studies modules, which allow you to think and research like a museum professional while gaining valuable hands-on experience.

We spent some time learning about how the archive worked and catalogued lots of records from the Cliveden House logbook to posters from the University's societies in the 1980s. After I graduated, it was a really great thing to put on my CV, as I wanted to go into something research-based and it showed that I had practical experience.

Ellie Chaston

BA History, and MRes Medieval Studies

Professional placement year

Extend your single honours degree by a year by incorporating a year-long work placement into your degree programme, between your second and final year.

A professional placement will not only help you build your skillset and professional network but also increase your confidence in the workplace and explore your careers options before you graduate.

During your placement year you can go global and previous students have gone as far afield as Australia, China, the US and Zambia. Many of our placement year students receive job offers from their placement providers and return for their final year of study with a secured graduate position.

Training and support 

The placements team is here to help you every step of the way, and you will receive one-to-one support and professional placement training to ensure that you are fully equipped to secure a top-quality placement.

We will also support you whilst you are on your placement and ensure that you have a successful experience. 

Prestigious work places

Boost your employability and gain invaluable skills and knowledge in your chosen field. We have close links with:

  • Parliament
  • The National Trust
  • English Heritage
  • The British Museum
  • The Berkshire Record Office
  • The Museum of English Rural Life
  • Reading Museum

Research opportunities 

Join us not simply to study history, but to become an historian. We offer various opportunities to experience life as a researcher.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP)

UROP offers an exciting opportunity to undertake a paid summer placement with staff in the Department of History, or in other departments across the University.

Develop invaluable research skills and learn directly from an expert supervisor as you tackle a fascinating topic. This project is an excellent springboard for the third-year dissertation and for postgraduate research.

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This was absolutely great, and gave me a love for research!

Beth Snyder, BA History, and MA History

Dissertation

Throughout your degree, we help you to build the skills and confidence you need to find your voice as a historian. In your first and second years, we offer modules that support you in developing these strengths so that you are ready in your third year to undertake your dissertation.

In your first year, we introduce you to the core skills we need, and use, as historians. You will also work on your own research project essay allowing you to explore an area of history of your choice.

The module Historical Approaches and My Dissertation in the second year is designed to prepare you for your dissertation. Focused on lectures and workshops, and based on the primary materials that researchers in History use in their own work, this module encourages you to think about the various approaches we can take to history.

In your final year, you will complete a dissertation of 10,000 words on a historical topic of your choice. This is an independent research project which allows you to show off the full range of skills you have built up as a historian across your time with us. You will be supported and guided by a supervisor throughout.

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Department life

Join our inclusive community. You will be supported throughout your time with us and beyond.

Nancy Astor sits on a mans shoulders in a crowd of people

Our research

The department contributes to a number of important and prize-winning impact projects, seeking to inform the future and influence change.

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Stories

History is no ordinary subject - which makes the stories we have to tell, extraordinary.