History and Law Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)

Studying history lets you explore different times and places from medieval Scotland and revolutionary America to Victorian Britain and modern Africa. History helps us to:

* understand the modern world,

* debunk myths,

* see all sides of an issue.

At Stirling, we help turn your passion and curiosity for history into practical skills that employers value.

By studying history you’ll develop skills such as:

* critical thinking

* communication

* research

* problem‑solving

* evidence evaluation

* data analysis

* interpersonal relationships

These are many of the capabilities that are needed across UK labour market (NFER – Essential Employment Skills (EES) November 2025).

### What you’ll learn on our History degree

* Explore how different societies across the world have changed over time. You can investigate Scottish history from the Viking period to the present day. Also British, European, American and African history since around 1700.

* Engage with various types of history including political, social, cultural, gender, race and environmental.

* Learn how to locate and evaluate historical interpretations in secondary literature.

* Develop and demonstrate an understanding of the problematic nature of the past.

* Become adept in communicating arguments and analysis, both independently and within peer groups.

* Use historical concepts to interpret and draw conclusions from primary sources.

* Gain an understanding of how forms of historical enquiry inform specific professional sectors and areas of employment.

* Apply your learning to produce an extended piece of research in an area of history you’re passionate about.

All single honours history students take a history special subject in the final year.  It’s an intensive module studied in small groups and led by an expert in the area. You’ll gain great experience in engaging with key historiographical debates and handling and interpreting a range of primary sources from the period.

You’ll be taught by staff whose research placed us in the top 15 in the UK for research impact and 3rd in Scotland for research outputs and impact (REF 2021). See more about history research.

Law

Law underpins every area of society. Our BA Law degrees do full justice to exploring this diverse and fascinating subject. From Scottish law to international human rights, from family law to environmental law, we cover the full range.

If you want to qualify as a solicitor in Scotland, you will need to study our LLB (Hons) Law. But this course is ideal for a broader academic experience. We look at law in a wider social and economic context.

### What you’ll study

From day one, you’ll develop key legal skills. You’ll learn how to interpret legislation, use case law, and analyse legal problems. You'll gain the confidence to to analyse complex issues and communicate clear, well‑reasoned arguments.

You’ll study:

* Public Law and Human Rights

* Criminal Law

* Family Law

* Business Law

In your final years, the course aligns closely with our LLB with a range of optional law modules available. Select from topics such as environmental law, labour law, sports law and others. You can also access international options on commercial law as well as human rights. Our approach equips our graduates to enter diverse careers in public, private and third sectors.