Combine the expertise of two of the UK’s finest departments
Year of entry: 2022/23
QV31
Y50
3 years full-time (plus optional placement year)
AAA (full entry requirements)
September 2022(term dates)
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Discover YorkTimes and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022; QS World Rankings by subject 2021
Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022; QS World Rankings by subject 2021
A combined English and History course offers one of the most wide-ranging and adventurous of university degrees, tackling key aspects of human culture.
Our pioneering curriculum offers an international outlook. Our modules span the globe, encompassing over two millennia of history and literature.
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.
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
We're proud to announce that we've been shortlisted for two prestigious University of the Year awards.
Our combined English and History degree fosters a sense of interdisciplinarity: building on the subject specific skills developed in Year 1, you’ll begin to think about the relationship between the two disciplines in the Year 2 module Texts and Histories. This innovative module invites you to bring together your understanding of historical phenomena, narrative structures, and the particularities of close textual analysis in a module co-taught by a member of staff in each department.
In Year 3, you will undertake a bridge dissertation supervised by a member of staff in each department, combining your two subjects together. Alongside this independent research project, you’ll also choose from the full range of Advanced Option Modules offered by English and Special Subjects offered by History.
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.
Your core modules in English 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.
Establish important critical and methodological contexts for the study of literature. You will develop strategies for essay writing, engaging with criticism and critical theory, and revising work to improve its fluency and persuasiveness, as part of the Department’s innovative Writing at York provision.
Your core modules in History will cover topics such as:
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:
Our bridge module is designed specifically for English/History students 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.
In addition, you’ll choose from a range of intermediate modules across the English and History departments.
You will choose from the same breathtaking range of English options as our single subject students. These include Writing Now, Research Now, and our Intermediate Option Modules, which allow you to deepen your understanding of the relationship between literary works and the cultural, historical, and political contexts in which they were produced. These may include topics such as:
You'll also be able to choose from subjects included in our World Literature modules. Recent offerings have included:
You will choose from a selection of Histories and Contexts option modules. Recent examples have included:
You will choose from a selection of Explorations option modules. Recent examples have included:
In your third year you will concentrate on your dissertation as well as choosing topics to focus on with our option modules.
In English, you will choose from the department’s Advanced Option Modules. These reflect the wide-ranging and cutting-edge research expertise of the Department, and our options cover literature from the classical period to the twenty-first century, as well as film and creative writing. Students can typically choose from around 25 options. Recent offerings include:
You will choose from a selection of History Special Subject option modules. Recent examples have included:
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.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
Our course structures are changing in September 2023. Find out more about how this course may be affected.
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.
The fees and funding figures below are for 2022/23 entry. If you take a placement year - for example a year abroad or a year in industry - you'll pay a reduced rate of fees for that year
| UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £19,600 |
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status
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.
In English, you'll need copies of the texts set for each module. Where possible, the Department of English and Related Literature 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). In History, you will have to pay for the cost of printing some assignments for submission as assessed work in Years 2 and 3.
| Type | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Printing, photocopying and dissertation binding | Optional additional expense | £0 |
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2022/23 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.
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
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| A levels | AAA, including English Literature 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 |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDD with additional A Levels or equivalent qualifications in English Literature and History at grade A. |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, D3, D3 including English Literature and History |
| European Baccalaureate | 85% overall, with 85% in English Literature and 85% in History. |
| International Baccalaureate | 36 points, with 6 in all Higher Level subjects, including English Literature and History |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to three A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | If you achieve A or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| Duolingo | 110 overall, with a minimum of 100 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C |
| LanguageCert International ESOL SELT | B2 Communicator High Pass with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component |
| 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 English language test 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.
Get in touch if you have any questions
Department of English and Related Literature, Department of History
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