BA History and English

UCAS code: QV31
Length: 3 years

Summary of course aims

This is a multi-disciplinary course which aims to provide students with subject specific knowledge and more general skills, including knowledge of a variety of different kinds of literary and historical texts, from a range of different periods, as well as perspectives on different methods of critical and interpretative analysis. The course also aims to foster an independent approach to formulating problems and arguments, using the close reading, analytical skills and knowledge base that are fundamental to the disciplines of English and History.

Skills which all students are expected to have obtained by the end of their degree course.

• critical judgement and problem-solving, both through collection, collation and analysis of substantial quantities of material and its communication and presentation.
• awareness of numeracy through chronology, periodisation, and basic quantification
• the development of powerful tools of research, analysis and presentation associated with information technology is reflected in several ways, such as in the location and retrieval of bibliographic and source material
• the production and presentation of student work, and, where appropriate, the use of more sophisticated databases and exploitation of the internet
• fluency in writing and oral communication, the ability to formulate and evaluate their own arguments and those of others
• to translate subject-specific knowledge and skills to new environments
• the ability to find and use relevant information resources, to manage their time effectively

Course content

The course is divided into 3 Parts (years). You must take 120 credits in each Part.

Part 1 introduces students to the disciplines through study of historical causation,

contextualisation and the utilisation of both primary and secondary sources in History and, in English, through textual analysis, criticism, and genre.

Part 2 students are required to engage with a broad span of historical and literary topics which develop both their range of knowledge and their analytical/critical skills. In addition in Part 2, 5 are taken up by Career Management Skills .

Part 3 involves the study in depth of Topics or a Special Subject which require that students apply their analytical skills in focussed areas and undertake independent research, especially in the Dissertation.

For a full description of this degree course with the required compulsory and optional modules, please download the programme specification. Please note that you are advised to check that this course is running for the next academic year.

http://www.info.reading.ac.uk/progspecs/prog-index.asp

Career prospects

History and English graduates are trained in clear thinking, research skills, diligence, independence, adaptability and the ability to understand people and situations in the world at large. As such they are eagerly sought after by employers.In addition they are given specific vocational training and orientation through a second year Career Management Scheme in conjunction with the Careers Advisory Service. Past graduates have used their degree as a springboard for various areas of employment such as accountancy, banking and commerce, law, publishing, journalism, the media, public relations, information science, museum work, teaching and social work. Many also enter the business world through management training schemes operated by national companies in retailing, marketing, sales, computing, while others go into the civil service and local government. Graduates go on to postgraduate study in both at MA and PhD level, at Reading and elsewhere.

Opportunities for study abroad

Students may, with permission, opt for a four-year degree course which involves spending their third year abroad, at one of the European universities with which Reading has an exchange agreement. They would actively participate in academic courses abroad, experience the teaching and learning processes of another institution, learn or improve their knowledge of a European language.