BA (Hons) History Bachelor's degree at Goldsmiths, University of London
BA (Hons) History at GUL combines core theory with research methods, applied practice and specialist options, culminating in an independent project.
About this course
BA (Hons) History is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at GUL, based in Goldsmiths College. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For History and archaeology graduates from this provider, 100% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 40% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £25,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for History, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 100% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 85% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 5 modules
- Global ConnectionsCompulsory30 credits
- Power, Emotions and EnvironmentCompulsory30 credits
- Reading and Writing HistoryCompulsory15 credits
Module details
This module provides guidance on how to develop and perfect the skills that you need to write an undergraduate-level history essay. We'll emphasise the centrality of problem-solving and critical thinking, demonstrating how essays should be used to explore academic debates. You'll learn skills specific to the discipline of history, such as identifying primary and secondary sources, evaluating their suitability and analysing them to answer historical questions. You'll also gain the necessary skill
- Historical ControversiesCompulsory30 credits
Module details
This module introduces you to a range of historical controversies in order to engage you in a critical manner with competing perspectives on a range of different issues and events. The module will contain six, three-week blocks on various sub-disciplines within history, including, social, cultural and political history, across different periods and geographic areas. Throughout, it will focus on work on historiography, considering issues such as the influence of issues contemporary to authors on
- Academic Skills for the Social Sciences/HumanitiesCompulsory15 credits
Year 2 11 modules
- Radicalism and RevolutionCompulsory15 credits
- Communication, Propaganda and PowerCompulsory15 credits
- Race, Bodies and EmpireCompulsory15 credits
- Environment, Disease and the AnthropoceneCompulsory15 credits
- History at WorkCompulsory15 credits
Module details
This half unit will be based on work experience, to take place in a cultural institution. You will spend one day per week (day to be negotiated with the individual institution) over one term working with the chosen institution on a relevant project, which might involve archiving, conservation, building an exhibition, responding to public enquiries, developing a public engagement project, etc. You will conduct individual research in support of this project and keep a regular online journal of you
- The Goldsmiths ProjectCompulsory15 credits
- Art and PowerOptional15 credits
- A History of ViolenceOptional15 credits
- Black and British: A Critical HistoryOptional15 credits
- Sex, Drugs and Colonial Control: Race, Vice and Deviance in the British EmpireOptional15 credits
- Islam and the WestOptional15 credits
Year 3 13 modules
- Researching and Writing: Crafting and Presenting Your WorkCompulsory15 credits
- Special Subject DissertationCompulsory30 credits
- Future Histories: Skills for the Twenty-First CenturyCompulsory15 credits
- Pleasure, Power and the Raj: Leisure, Society and Social Networks in 19th Century IndiaOptional15 credits
- Global Cold WarOptional15 credits
- Witchcraft, Diabolic Possession and the Occult in Early Modern EuropeOptional15 credits
- WARGAMES: Fighting, Narrating and Understanding Modern BattleOptional15 credits
- Workers of the World Unite: Marxism, Modernity and Revolution in the Twentieth CenturyOptional15 credits
- How Democracy Dies: the Rise of the Nazis and the German Republic, 1918-33Optional15 credits
- From Emancipations to Nations: Histories of Caribbean DecolonisationOptional15 credits
- Rebellions in Paradise: Caribbean Emancipations 1791-1914Optional15 credits
- Heresy and the ApocalypseOptional15 credits
- Work PlacementOptional15 credits
Module details
This optional module will involve spending two days each week from week 2 to week 9 (16 days in total) on a work placement. Placement providers will include a range of organisations in the NGO sector such as charities, think-tanks and pressure groups, bodies connected with international organisations, appropriate businesses, and political parties. There will be a pool of guaranteed places which will be allocated on the basis appropriateness of the placement to the student's interests. However, w
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study the discipline of historical inquiry from foundations through to independent research. A course like this normally opens with how historians work, reading sources, using archives and building arguments, alongside broad surveys of medieval, early modern and modern world history. In Year 2, you'll move to focused special subjects examined through primary documents, explore how historical interpretations change over time, and encounter history beyond academia through museums and heritage work. Year 3 deepens this with advanced document-led study, specialist options in areas such as modern history, medieval studies, global and imperial history, social and cultural history, public history and heritage, and archival research, culminating in an original dissertation based on primary evidence.
Who it's for
This course suits students with strong interest in historical analysis and research. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent qualifications, typically with a UCAS tariff of 112–127 points. You should be prepared for sustained independent study and written work. The course welcomes students seeking to develop critical thinking and subject expertise, whether for further academic study or professional careers beyond academia.
Careers & job market
Across History courses nationally, 85% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 55% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. Graduate earnings figures (national data) show starting salaries of £23,500–£31,000 at 15 months; after three years, £20,400–£28,800; and after five years, £25,500–£36,000. These reflect the broader graduate population, not a guarantee. History graduates enter diverse fields including education, heritage, publishing, public service and research.
University & format
This BA (Hons) is studied full-time over 3 years at Goldsmiths, University of London, a public university founded in 1891. The course is taught in English and leads to a nationally recognised Bachelor's degree. Goldsmiths received a Bronze award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 90% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 5% |
| Other | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code V101). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at GUL →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What History graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £25,000 | £20,000 – £28,500 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £24,000 | £18,500 – £29,500 | 115 |
| 5 years after | £29,500 | £23,500 – £34,500 | 120 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in history · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs History nationally
National figures for History graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with History courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,423 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Media ProfessionalsSOC 2020 249 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £40,895
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 35; response rate: 60%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How History graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where History graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Museums & archives
- Heritage bodies
- Schools
- Civil service & media
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit History graduates.
History & Humanities Lead, Flexible, Impactful TeachingChartereastdulwichHistory & Humanities Lead, Flexible, Impactful TeachingThe Charter Schools Educational TrustHistory Teachers in Kirklees and HalifaxCV-LibraryHistory TeachersSABIS NETWORK SCHOOLSIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
100% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £25,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.9 out of 10: NSS 83.3% · in work or study 100% · continued 85%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Goldsmiths College
Historical, philosophical and religious studies across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Goldsmiths College
754 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is History right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to GUL from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £22,000 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check GUL’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with GUL and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at GUL
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
Request information about BA (Hons) History
Prospectus, key dates, entry and funding, free to your inbox.