English and History BA (Hons)

Everything has a story, and this course is perfect if you love finding new interpretations. Whether this is through literature, or discovering the secrets of the people, places and events in our past, it is these stories which help us understand the world and ourselves.<br/><br/>This course will combine your love of history with your passion for all things ‘English’. You’ll explore the history of language, and the language of history, through a wide range of disciplinary areas, allowing you to tailor your degree to what you enjoy most.<br/><br/>Along the way you’ll develop a variety of transferable skills including research, debate and critical thinking, preparing you for life after graduation.<br/><br/>This course combines studying the history of Europe and beyond with English language, literature and drama from Old English to the present. You can choose from our wide range of optional modules, tailoring your degree to your interests. From Early Medieval England, to Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe, to Colonial India, you have the chance to explore a wide variety of historical figures, events, and themes, exploring the human experience from the perspectives of both History and English.<br/><br/>As a joint honours student, you will have the chance to see first-hand the way language and culture affects our understanding of the past, and the way an appreciation of historical context informs our knowledge of speech, writing, and performance.<br/><br/><strong>Engaged Arts</strong><br/>All students within the Faculty of Arts can select ‘Engaged Arts’ modules where you’ll approach real world challenges across contemporary themes such as sustainability or equity and justice. These modules have been newly designed to help you gain the skills and analytical abilities that employers are looking for.<br/><br/><strong>Why choose this course?</strong><br/><br/><br/>• Student satisfaction - 95% of students from the Department of History, and 95% of students from the School of English, said the teaching staff were good at explaining things (NSS 2024)<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Get involved - put your skills into practice with Impact Magazine, University Radio Nottingham and more<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Gain experience through volunteering - From running after-school clubs to reading to care home residents, there are plenty of volunteering opportunities to choose from<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Top 20 for English in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 and Complete University Guide 2024)<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Top 20 for History in the UK (Complete University Guide 2024)<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Freedom to explore: following an introductory programme in year one, deepen your knowledge of your favourite topics and explore new ones through a wide range of modules<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Work with our dedicated Faculty of Arts Placements Team to assist with your employability skills development via a range of placements, internships and volunteering opportunities. <br/><br/><br/><br/>• Opportunity to apply for The Letters Page project to gain publishing industry skills<br/><br/><br/><br/>Dual honours allow for more freedom, not having to limit yourself to one subject, which was particularly helpful for someone like me who is notoriously indecisive. This meant I could explore both of my subjects’ interests equally. As the end of my first-year approaches, I definitely believe I not only made the right choice with my subjects but also by the end of the first semester I found both subjects much less complicated to manage, meaning instead of stressing out I could enjoy what I was learning.<br/><br/>Arwen Jenkins, BA English and History - find out more about Arwens experience<br/><br/>You can also access this course through a Foundation Year. This may be suitable if you have faced educational barriers and do not expect to meet the entry requirements for direct entry to a degree course. Please see the UCAS page for the relevant Foundation Year course for further information.