BA History and Philosophy

Compulsory modules

Perspectives in History 

Gain a geographically and chronologically broad study of history, discovering the potential pathways available to you throughout your degree. You’ll not only examine specific historical contexts, but also the historiographies, methodologies and theories that have shaped historians’ perspectives.  

Making History 

Embark on your own research project to refine the transferable skills required for studying, and producing, history at university level. You’ll be guided through the process of effective reading, understanding historiographical debate, and how to write in a concise and convincing manner.  

Reason and Argument 

Great Works in Philosophy 

Optional modules

Arriving in Britain: A History of Immigration, 1685–2004  

Examine the experiences of migrant groups in Britain from the early modern period to the early twenty-first century. Consider the different reasons for migration, forms of persecution and economic motivations, the positive and negative reception to migrants, and how migrants have shaped Britain.  

Anti-Semitism: Medieval Christian-Jewish Relations and the Concept of ‘Anti-Semitism’

Explore the concept of antisemitism in relation to one particular period of history: the High Middle Ages (1095-1291). You’ll examine the contemporary idea of antisemitism by setting it in its long-term historical context, and reflect on how understanding earlier periods of history can help us better understand the modern world.    

Doomsday Dystopias: Nuclear Disaster in the Cold war Imagination 

Examine four real Cold War nuclear episodes and the impacts these events had on fictional imagination of disaster: the 1945 Hiroshima/Nagasaki A-bombings which ushered in civil defence in 1950s America; 1962’s Cuban Missile Crisis; 1983’s ‘Able Archer’ NATO exercise that almost triggered war, and 1986’s Chernobyl disaster in the USSR.  

Rape in the United States: From Colonisation to Civil Rights 

Become familiarised with the changing social and legal understandings of rape in the US. Apply your skills to reflect critically upon the historical basis of contemporary ideas surrounding sexual violence, gender and race.  

Warfare in Early Modern Europe 

Consider the relationship between warfare, and its ‘badges, battles and buttons’, with the wider social, economic and political contexts. You’ll be introduced to war and warfare in early modern Europe and study the consequences of war and the historical basis of our contemporary ideas on war.  

War, White Heat, and the Winds of Change: Britain’s Twentieth Century 

Study British history from ‘above’ and ‘below’, examining how social change impacted on politics and society and how socio-economic developments helped transform culture and politics between 1918-1997.  

Hunger and Famines in History 

Examine the significant causes of famine across the modern world and how it impacts different cultures and societies. You’ll explore the diverse methods in which governments and survivors have attempted to tackle famine, and how historical knowledge can be used to address famine in contemporary societies.  

Merlin: Magic and Prophecy 

Explore the rise and transformations of the figure of Merlin and its influence upon ideas of magic, prophecy, natural philosophy and power. Examine a period stretching from the twelfth to the twentieth century to develop an understanding of long-term patterns of historical change.  

Western Imaginaries of the Middle East 

Discover how Western culture has ‘imagined’ and depicted the Middle East, drawing on the influential work of Edward Said and his theory of ‘Orientalism’. You’ll explore the main arguments and criticisms of Said’s work and rely on Orientalism as a lens to understand the stereotypes of the Middle East. 

Radicalism and Protest in Britain: From the Levellers to Occupy  

Explore case studies of British radicalism and protest movements such as the suffragettes, chartism, environmentalism, LGBT activism and more. You’ll consider the tactics used by radicals and the historical context behind the emergence of these movements. 

Everyday Life in a Medieval Town: Reading, 1100-1500 

Explore medieval Reading as a case study to learn more about everyday life in medieval England, drawing on a range of primary materials and developing your analytical skills.  

The Rwanda Genocide of 1994 

Explore the Rwanda Genocide of 1994 and learn of the history of Rwanda. You’ll discover the cause, course and legacy of the 1994 genocide and the possibility of justice and reconciliation, as well as major themes in African History such as the creation of tribes, the impact of colonialism, the challenges of the postcolonial state, and post-conflict resolution.  

Radical Philosophy 

The Meaning of Life 

Philosophical Skills for Life

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Optional modules

People, Power and Revolution: political culture in seventeenth-century England 

Explore the turbulence of the political landscape in the seventeenth century as you study events such as Charles I’s execution and Oliver Cromwell’s rise to power. You’ll consider the extent ordinary people knew of, or were involved in, politics, what events led to revolution, and how politics compared from the beginning to the end of the century.  

Kingship and Crisis in England, c.1154–1330 

Examine continuity and change in English politics from the last twelfth to the early fourteenth century. You’ll learn of the concepts and expectations of kingship (and queenship) and issues, exploring seven reigns spanning the period. 

‘The brightest jewel in the British crown’: The Making of Modern South Asia, 1757-1947 

Discover the role of South Asia in international politics and globalisation, exploring key themes in the making of modern South Asia during the period of British colonial rule over the Indian subcontinent and its impact on the wider imperial world.  

Europe in the Twentieth Century 

Explore the geopolitical dynamics of modern European history from the formation of the German nation state in 1971 to the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. You'll consider why twentieth-century Europe was so violent, how warfare has evolved, and how Europe’s role has changed in a contemporary sense.  

Revolutionary Cities 

Study the themes of hope, idealism and enthusiasm that have fuelled revolutionary moments through a range of times and spaces. With a particular focus on urban revolution, you’ll take a comparative approach to assess similarities and identify continuities and changes among cities such as Florence in 1484 and Petrograd in 1917.  

American Century: United States history since 1898 

Investigate the impact that US foreign policy has had on the development of the modern American state and society since the Spanish-American war of 1898.  

Black Britain: Race and Migration in Post-war Britain 

Explore case studies of British radicalism and protest movements such as the suffragettes, chartism, environmentalism, LGBT activism and more. You’ll consider the tactics used by radicals and the historical context behind the emergence of these movements. 

Women and Medieval History 

Explore the role of women throughout the centuries with a particular focus on Western Europe. Learn how social status, cultural revolution, and other social and economic dynamics impacted how these women engaged with, and contributed to, the world around them.  

The Colonial Experience: Africa, 1879 to 1980 

Survey the history of British – and also German, Belgian, and French – colonialism with an outlook into its legacy in Africa, South of the Sahara, 1879. Reflect on how the colonial experience relates to gender, age, social status and initiative. 

Hollywood Histories: Film and Past 

Tackle film aesthetics and off-camera censorship and reception as you study historical films evoking a different past from the present in which they were made. Ranging from silence to epic, to television to slow-burn docudramas, you’ll question how films reflect or shape popular notions of the past.  

Rebel Girls: The Influence of Radical Women 1792-1919 

Explore the changing perceptions of Victorian womanhood and the influence of women who defied their social gender expectations and challenged the Victorian double standard. Examine social attitudes to gender, the development of feminism and female politics, and the influence of public women.  

Reform and Revolt in the Modern Middle East: Egypt from Ataturk to the ‘Arab Spring’  

Examine the key events, individuals and themes that shaped the Middle East in the 20th century, with a particular focus on Egypt. You’ll explore the origins and impact of Arab nationalism, outline the key Arab-Israeli wars and their consequences, and critically appraise the presidencies of Nasser, Sadat and Mubarak.  

Encountering the Atlantic World, 1450-1850 

Become introduced to the Atlantic World, discovering the impactful connections made between the 14th and 18th century and their turbulent influence on culture, economies and political structures. Explore how these connections have left an important and, at times, unsettling legacy in the modern world.  

The American Civil War 

Reflect on the historical impact on the American Civil War and how it shaped understandings of what it means to be American, particularly in relation to face. You’ll examine issues of contingency and consider how historians have understood the causes and consequences of the conflict.  

Representations of the People: Democracy and Society in Britain 1838-1928 

Explore the changing and contested representations of the British people in the period between the birth of Chartism in 1838 and the achievement of an equal franchise between men and women ninety years later. Analyse the changing understanding of masculinity and femininity, class and race and the impact of the ‘crisis of faith’.  

Meaning and the Mind 

Global Philosophies 

Aesthetics 

Ethical Argument 

Oppression, Inequality, and the Enemies of Democracy 

Ignorance, Doubt, and Relativism 

Intermediate Logic 

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Students can choose between:

Dissertation in History or Philosophy

Independent Learning Module in Philosophy  

Optional modules

Anarchy in the UK: Punk, Politics and Youth Culture in Britain, 1976-84  

Examine and evaluate primary sources as you survey the history of punk and the 1970s-80s UK punk scene. Reflect on how culture relates to wider political and socio-economic contexts as you use punk culture as a lens into British history.  

Becoming a Revolutionary: the Old Regime and the French Revolution, 1787-1794  

Explore the historiographical debates raised by the French Revolution that ended the Old Regime and the long-term origins and immediate causes of it. In particular, explore how the French became revolutionised and how the process of building a new society promoted a new genre of revolutionaries associated with a new political culture, radicalism and rule of terror. 

Eugenics from 1865 to the Present Day 

Survey the history of eugenics from 1865 to the present day as you reflect on the way eugenic ideas have been expressed in differing historical contexts and the ways the history of eugenics has been understood.  

Heretics and Popes: Heresy and Persecution in the Medieval World  

Gain hands-on experience as you analyse a wide range of primary sources from medieval heresy and heretics. Reflect on the phenomenon of medieval heresy and dissent while considering the ways in which the historiography of medieval heresy has evolved.  

Slavery in America  

Survey the history of slavery in America and reflect on the different perspectives and representations surrounding it. You'll consider the changing ways in which the history of slavery has been understand as you examine a range of primary sources that show it in its wider historical context.  

History Education 

Gain and reflect on practical work experience as you develop your interest in a career in education. You’ll have the opportunity to apply your skills and share your knowledge in schools as you’re introduced to lesson-observation skills, secondary-level teaching strategies, and pedagogy characteristics of initial Teacher Education.  

Discovering Archives 

Develop your interest in careers in the archives sector through placements based internally at the University’s Special Collections or externally at the Berkshire Record Office. You’ll grow a practical understanding of the industry as you develop your research, as well as oral, written, and other professional skills.  

Medieval Magic and the Origins of the Witch-Craze 

Absorb the history of magic as you gain an understanding of medieval practices and theories of magic. You’ll consider the wider social contexts within which they were developed to gain a deeper understanding on why they were welcomed or repressed.  

Battleaxes and Benchwarmers': Early female MPs 1919-1931 

Assess the aftermath of suffrage and reassess the importance of the 1918 Representation of the People Act on British democracy. You'll examine the impact of the acts in relation to women, and the emergence of female MPs throughout the transformative social, political and economic context of the 1920s.  

Axis at War: Life and Death in Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, 1936-45 

Explore Italian and German society during a war which sparked civil war in Italy and sent millions to their deaths in the Holocaust. You'll examine diaries, letters, secret police reports and Allied Intelligent assessments to gain a view of life under fascism and the differing experiences of the Second World War.  

Politics and Popular Culture: Post-Arab Spring Egypt 

Explore the key themes that defined the Arab Spring protests through exploration of Egypt. You'll reflect on the meaning of revolution and how this was contested and debated in the Egyptian context while exploring the relationship between politics and popular culture of the period. 

From Darwin to Death Camps? Evolution and eugenics in European society, 1859-1945 

Examine the reception of Darwin’s ideas and their influence in shaping social theories. You’ll focus on the shifting perceptions of a desirable social and biological order found in attempts by science, medicine and the State to influence heredity and evolution, regulate sexuality and reproduction, and eradicate disease and defect.  

Ireland and the English in the Middle Ages 

Investigate the initiation, consolidation and subsequent decline of English lordship and colonisation in Ireland from the later twelfth to fifteenth centuries. You’ll survey key developments in the relations between England and Ireland and assess the political, social and economic impacts and limitations of English lordship and colonisation in Ireland across the period.  

The United States and the Cold War 

Explore the evolution of US foreign policy during the Cold War as you examine the impact of the conflict on US domestic politics and the wider influence of the Cold War on US society and culture.  

Modern Science and the Imperial World, 1750-2000 

Examine the relationships between British colonialism and modern science as you distinguish whether European science was misused for the conquest and exploitation of the colonies. You'll analyse whether colonial rule in different parts of the world lead to the creation of new kinds of scientific knowledge while considering how colonised people responded.   

The Romantic Revolution: Culture, Environment and Society in England, c.1790-c.1900 

Explore English Romanticism and the far-reaching, profound ideas of the Romantic artists and writers who drew a distinction between nature and humanity. You'll consider Romanticism in its wider social and political historical context. 

Sexual Politics: Gender, Sex, and Feminism in Britain after 1918 

Explore the factors underpinning gender roles from 1918 to the present to develop a wider understanding as to why attitudes of gender, sex and feminism have evolved, considering wider social and academic reasoning.  

Chinese Philosophy 

Christian, Islamic, and Jewish Mediaeval Philosophy 

Fairness 

Business Ethics & Social Responsibility 

Society & State in Ancient Greece 

The Morality of Abortion 

The Scandal of Film  

Free Will and Responsibility  

Hume and Wittgenstein (proposed) 

Speech Attacks: bullshit, lies, propaganda 

Philosophy of Language: Animals, Babies, Colours, and Language Death 

Paradoxes 

Metaphysics 

God, Time and Freedom 

Philosophy of Religion 

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.