Combine the expertise of two of the UK’s finest departments
Year of entry: 2020
QV31
Y50
3 years full-time (plus optional placement year)
AAA (full entry requirements)
September 2020 (term dates)
£9,250 per year (2020/21)
£17,890 per year (2020/21)
Join us on campus or online and find out what studying at York is really like.
Find out moreA combined English and History course offers one of the most wide-ranging and adventurous of university degrees, tackling key aspects of human culture.
You can discover more about the Department of English and Related Literature’s exciting degree programmes by watching our video.
Incredible chronological breadth and thematic scope – find out what it’s like to study History at York.
Both departments are part of our Faculty of Arts and Humanities, which is ranked 42nd in the 2018 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
The Department of English and Related Literature is ranked 2nd in the UK and the Department of History is ranked 7th in the UK in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020.
2nd in the UK for English
Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020)
6th in the UK for History
Complete University Guide 2020
You'll benefit from our interdisciplinary research and teaching with critical thinking and transferable skills.
The Department of English had the highest proportion of world-leading (4*) research of all UK English departments in the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014). In the Times Higher Education's ranking of the REF, the Department of History was second overall for research performance.
It is fantastic to be a part of two amazing departments and explore both subjects in exciting ways. I have been completely supported by both departments and the chance to write an interdisciplinary dissertation with two supervisors is a real highlight of my joint studies.Alex, BA English/History
Our pioneering curriculum offers an international outlook. Our modules span the globe, encompassing over two millennia of history and literature.
All combined course students take 120 credits each year, adding up to 360 credits across the course of your degree. You’ll split your time equally between English and History. In third year, your choice of Advanced Option Modules (English), Special Subject (History) and bridge dissertation topic let you tailor the degree to your own interests and needs.
There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:
In the first year of your degree, we’ll introduce you to the undergraduate study of English and History. Our modules will give you the skills you need to start undertaking literary and historical research, and advice on how to combine the two disciplines.
You'll take the following three modules in English (20 credits each). These modules are designed to lay the foundation of literary study for your whole degree.
Get a feel for the shape of literary history by studying works from the medieval, early modern, eighteenth-century and Romantic, and modern periods.
Key Concepts is a year-long foundation module that provides you with important critical and methodological contexts for the study of literature. In addition, you will be introduced to strategies for developing essay-writing skills, engaging with criticism and critical theory, and revising work to improve its fluency and persuasiveness, as part of the English Department's innovative Writing at York provision.
You'll study three modules in History totalling 60 credits.
Choose one from:
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
In the second year of your degree, you’ll choose from a range of intermediate modules across the English and History departments.
You'll take 60 credits in English in Year 2. You will choose from the same English options as our single subject students.
These include Critical Practice (20 credits) and our Intermediate Option Modules:
These also include our World Literature offerings (30 credits each) and our Topic Modules (10 credits each).
In addition, all English/History students take Texts and Histories (20 credits split between the two departments), designed specifically for their degree pathway and taught by a member of staff from each department. This module is the cornerstone of your combined course programme; it will provide you with a range of critical and analytical skills that are applicable across periods, and that will highlight the possibilities offered by studying two disciplines.
You'll choose one Histories and Contexts module (20 credits). You'll typically be able to choose from around eight options.
Finally, you'll also choose one Explorations module (30 credits). We usually offer around 18 options for you to choose from.
In your third year you will concentrate on your dissertation and take three option modules.
One of the distinctive features of the English/History degree at York, you will undertake a research project that brings the study of English and History together, and is supervised by a member of staff in each department. This year-long advanced module offers you the chance to use all the research and writing skills you will have developed at York.
Please note, modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
| UK/EU | International |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £17,890 |
You'll need copies of the texts set for each module. Where possible, the Department works to arrange digital copies via the University Library. Where this is not practical, you'll be instructed in advance of the start of each term about the texts and editions you'll need to purchase (whether new or second-hand).
UK/EU or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK, EU or international student.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2020/21 throughout the year.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
“Students from all backgrounds achieve consistently outstanding outcomes”
The TEF Panel, Office for Students, June 2018
Our Gold Teaching Excellence Framework award demonstrates our commitment to the delivery of consistently outstanding teaching and learning for our students.
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
In both English and History, you’ll learn through a programme of seminars, lectures, workshops, and one-to-one consultations. We emphasize small-group teaching, which means you’ll mainly be taught in seminars.
York’s English and History degree is renowned for its flexible and innovative approach.
In your first year, you can expect:
| Lectures | 4 hours per week |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 2-3 hours per week |
| Workshops | 0-4 hours per week |
| Film Screening | 0-2 hours per week |
These figures are based on an average student in an average week. Your contact hours will vary throughout the year due to your module choices, non-compulsory classes, exam periods and changes to scheduled activities.
Outside your timetabled hours, you'll study independently. This may include preparation for classes, follow-up work, wider reading, practice completion of assessment tasks, or revision.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during term time. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
You will be based in the Department of English and Related Literature and the Department of History, which are on Campus West.
Your contact hours will be divided between Derwent College, Vanbrugh College, the Spring Lane Building, and other locations nearby on Campus West.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
The Department of English and Related Literature employs a variety of assessment methods, including group presentations and closed exams, but with a strong emphasis on essay writing. Your main mode of assessment will be essays, which will range from short exploratory exercises to more detailed discussions on a topic of your choice, to the 8,000-10,000-word bridge dissertation in your final year.
The Department of History also uses a variety of assessment methods. These include assessed essays from 2,000-4,000 words, closed exams, and open exams. You will complete a 3,000-word group project in your second year and an 8,000-10,000-word bridge dissertation in your third year.
Both departments offer high levels of feedback and ample opportunities for you to meet with staff to discuss your written work.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exams | 38% | 17% | 17% |
| Coursework | 62% | 75% | 83% |
| Practical exams | 0% | 8% | 0% |
The figures above are based on data from 2016/17.
When looking at different universities, York offered me the best flexibility to study English and History together. I love the way the different modules intertwine.Emily, BA English/History
Studying English and History at York will provide you with numerous career possibilities. You’ll learn presentation, language, and critical thinking skills during your combined degree, and gain expertise in complex analysis and research. These skills suit a wide range of careers, from law and teaching to national and local government and the creative industries.
While at York I learned to read fast while absorbing key details and to express myself clearly. I learned to listen and to be generous when sharing ideas. I gained confidence and developed a more independent way of thinking.Sarah Ward-Lilley, BA English
Head of International Bureaux, BBC News
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| A levels | AAA, including English and History (English Language and Literature is also acceptable) |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 39 credits at Distinction, including at least 6 credits in Literature-related units and 6 credits in History-related units, and 6 credits at Merit or higher |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, D3, D3 including English and History |
| European Baccalaureate | 85 overall, with 85 in English and 85 inHistory |
| International Baccalaureate | 36 points, with 6 in all Higher Level subjects, including History and English |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Qualification | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 51 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C |
| C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | 176, with a minimum of 162 each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 17 in Listening, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking, 17 in Writing |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current IELTS scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
To apply to York, you will need to complete an online application via UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).
We look for intellectual and literary curiosity, open-mindedness, and analytical ability.
We encourage mature students to email the Admissions Tutor for consultation and advice.
At the University of York, we are committed to providing the support our students need to achieve their full potential and have an exceptional, transformational experience. The York Access Scheme offers help to those faced with social, personal or educational challenges which have affected their performance in education. We also offer support for care leavers.
Get in touch if you have any questions
Department of English and Related Literature, Department of History
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