BA (Hons) Philosophy and History Bachelor's degree at the University of Exeter
BA (Hons) Philosophy and History at University of Exeter. Studying at Exeter's Streatham Campus, you'll join a public, research-intensive Russell Group university founded in 1955, and the course has been assessed Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
About this course
Explore what Exeter graduates do | Career Zone | University of Exeter Section links Career Planning Reflect on yourself Explore your options Exploring Postgraduate Study Employment Sectors Explore what Exeter graduates do Anthropology Arab and Islamic Studies Archaeology Art History and Visual Culture Biosciences Class From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Philosophy and History is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of Exeter, based in Streatham Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For History graduates from this provider, 80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 64% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £30,000. (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)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 80% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2021-23. Continuation 95% (2021-23; 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 12 modules
- Understanding Medieval and Early Modern HistoryCompulsory30 credits
- Understanding Modern HistoryCompulsory30 credits
- Becoming a Historian: CoreCompulsory15 credits
- Knowledge and Reality 1Compulsory15 credits
- Knowledge and Reality 2Compulsory15 credits
- Evidence and Argument 1Compulsory15 credits
- Introduction to Philosophical AnalysisCompulsory15 credits
- Philosophy of MoralityCompulsory15 credits
- Climate Emergency! An Introduction to Environmental Arts and HumanitiesOptional15 credits
- Sources and Skills: ModernOptional15 credits
- Sources and Skills: Early ModernOptional15 credits
- Sources and Skills: MedievalOptional15 credits
Year 2 36 modules
- Philosophy of Mind 1Compulsory15 credits
- Body and MindCompulsory15 credits
- MetaphysicsCompulsory15 credits
- Philosophy of LanguageCompulsory15 credits
- Philosophical ResearchCompulsory15 credits
- Moral Agency in Social ContextCompulsory15 credits
- Study AbroadCompulsory120 credits
- Employment ExperienceCompulsory120 credits
- General Third-Year DissertationCompulsory30 credits
- Philosophy DissertationCompulsory30 credits
- Adventures in Environmental Arts and HumanitiesOptional30 credits
- Forgetting Fascism, Remembering Communism: Memory in Modern EuropeOptional30 credits
- Deviants and Dissenters in Early Modern EnglandOptional30 credits
- Rebellion! Uprisings in England and France, 1173-1569Optional30 credits
- From Gallows to ASBOs: Crime, Punishment, and Society in Britain and IrelandOptional30 credits
- Strategy and Success in the Second World WarOptional30 credits
- Vikings and Other Invaders: Europe under Siege in in the Tenth CenturyOptional30 credits
- Beyond Bridgerton: A Peoples' History of Britain, 1688-1834Optional30 credits
- Atlantic History, 1500-1850: Communities, Identity and EmpireOptional30 credits
- Creating an American Empire: From Westward Expansion to Colonial EmpireOptional30 credits
- Hunger Games: Poverty, Famine, and EnvironmentOptional30 credits
- Russia’s Empires: Societies, Peoples and CulturesOptional30 credits
- Beyond the Tudors: Europe’s Worldview Transformed c.1500-1600Optional30 credits
- Uses of the PastOptional30 credits
- Doing History in the Digital AgeOptional30 credits
- PhenomenologyOptional15 credits
- ExistentialismOptional15 credits
- Symbolic LogicOptional15 credits
- Philosophy of ScienceOptional15 credits
- Critical Theory: The Frankfurt School and Communicative CapitalismOptional15 credits
- AestheticsOptional15 credits
- History of PhilosophyOptional15 credits
- Philosophy of PsychiatryOptional15 credits
- Philosophy of LawOptional15 credits
- The Deep Past, History and HumanityOptional15 credits
- Ethics of Emerging TechnologiesOptional15 credits
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
The course is structured to build steadily from foundations to independent work. You'll begin with core theory in both disciplines, establishing the vocabulary, arguments and historical frameworks that later modules build on. Alongside this, research & methods teaching introduces you to how philosophers construct arguments and how historians handle sources, archives and competing interpretations of the past. As you progress, applied practice modules ask you to put these skills to work on real problems and case studies, while specialist options let you follow particular interests, such as strands of philosophical thought or periods and themes in history that appeal to you most. Professional skills teaching runs through the degree, helping you communicate complex ideas clearly in writing and discussion. The degree culminates in an independent project, giving you the chance to design and carry out a substantial piece of work in an area of philosophy or history you've chosen yourself, drawing together everything studied across the previous years.
Who it's for
This course suits people who enjoy questioning assumptions and following an argument wherever it leads, but who are equally drawn to the detail and texture of how societies have actually changed over time. If you're the kind of person who reads a historical account and immediately starts asking why events unfolded as they did, what people believed and whether those beliefs were justified, the combination will feel natural rather than forced. You should be comfortable with sustained reading and writing, since both disciplines rely heavily on constructing and defending written arguments, and willing to sit with ambiguity, history rarely offers neat answers, and philosophy often complicates them further. It's a good fit for students aiming towards careers or further study where analytical thinking, clear communication and the ability to weigh evidence matter, whether or not that path stays close to either subject. Most students on courses like this arrive having studied A-levels or equivalent, with typical UCAS tariffs in the 224–239 range, though these reflect what recent entrants held rather than a fixed requirement, what matters more is genuine curiosity about ideas and the past.
Careers & job market
Graduates of History courses nationally show that 85% are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating, and 55% of those working are in roles classed as highly skilled or have continued into further study, figures drawn from Graduate Outcomes data across History nationally, not specific to this university or course. National earnings data (LEO) for this field show starting salaries 15 months after graduation typically ranging from £23,500 to £31,000, though this dips slightly to between £20,400 and £28,800 after three years, before rising again to between £25,500 and £36,000 after five years, these are national ranges reflecting the spread of outcomes across graduates, not guaranteed figures for any individual. Around 90% of students on comparable courses continue past their first year, suggesting most who start this kind of combined degree find it sustains their interest. The blend of philosophical reasoning and historical analysis this course offers can lead towards further academic study, as well as roles in areas such as policy, education, publishing, law-adjacent work, or other fields where analytical and communication skills are valued, though specific destinations depend on individual choices and experience gained alongside the degree.
University & format
The University of Exeter is a public, research-intensive institution and a member of the Russell Group, founded in 1955. It holds a Gold rating in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 for teaching quality. This BA (Hons) is delivered full-time over three years at the Streatham Campus, taught in English.
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.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Placement year. 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% |
| an Access course | 10% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
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. 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
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at University of Exeter →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 | £30,000 | £25,000 – £39,000 | 30 |
| 3 years after | £28,000 | £22,500 – £34,500 | 360 |
| 5 years after | £36,000 | £29,000 – £46,500 | 405 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23.
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: 2022-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. 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.
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
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: 75; 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
80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £30,000. 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 8.6 out of 10: NSS 84% · in work or study 80% · continued 95%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Exeter
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 Streatham Campus
1,452 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 University of Exeter from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Exeter; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. 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 University of Exeter’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 University of Exeter and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Exeter
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
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What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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