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Check eligibility →MA (Hons) History/Philosophy Bachelor's degree at the University of Glasgow
MA (Hons) History/Philosophy at University of Glasgow. You'll examine historical texts, philosophical arguments and evidence alongside one another, developing the critical skills to question established narratives and construct evidence-based arguments across both disciplines.
About this course
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MA (Hons) History/Philosophy is a Bachelor's degree (MA (Hons)) at the University of Glasgow, based in Glasgow Campus. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For History graduates from this provider, 88% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 50% 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)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 88% (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 4 modules
- History 1A: Scotland's Millennium: Kingdom, Union and Nation c 1000-2014Core
- History 1B: A Medieval Mosaic: Europe and Its Neighbours in the Middle Ages, c.400-1500Core
- Introduction to Scottish Culture Semester 1
- Introduction to Scottish Culture Semester 2
Year 2 2 modules
- History 2A: The Social and Cultural History of Europe, 1500-2000Core
- History 2B: An Introduction to Global HistoryCore
Years 3-4 30 modules
- Demanding The Impossible: European Societies In The 1960sOptional
- Patriarchy, Sex and Gender in Early Modern EuropeOptional
- Rebellion, Treason and Political Opposition - 1066-1352Optional
- Anarchy & Society: The Reign Of StephenOptional
- Oral History Theory and Methods (Hons)Optional
- The Highland ClearancesOptional
- Punishment, Internment and Containment: The History and Archaeology of Prisons and CampsOptional
- Scottish Radicalism and Scottish Society, 1790-1945Optional
- The Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Development of Plantation SlaveryOptional
- France, 1789-1914: Nation, Revolution and EmpireOptional
- Society and Religion in the Medieval Crusader StatesOptional
- The Mongols and the West, c.1200 - c.1500Optional
- The Medievalists: the Middle Ages in 20th century Eastern and Central EuropeOptional
- Plantation and Civility in the Hebrides and in Ulster, c1541-1639Optional
- Century of the refugee: refugees & statelessness in the long twentieth century, c.1900-presentOptional
- The Making of Britain? Scotland and Ireland, 1707-c.1815Optional
- Czechoslovakia: A case study of a country in Europe through the history of filmOptional
- A Global History of Giving: from Begging to Basic IncomeOptional
- Genocide in the Modern WorldOptional
- Urban Lives: Gender, Culture and Society in the Eighteenth-Century TownOptional
- History through film and literature: Crisis situationsOptional
- What's in a Cup? The Global History of CoffeeOptional
- Islands at War in the 20th Century: Invaders, Occupiers and LiberatorsOptional
- From the Space Race to Star Wars: US Conflict and Cooperation in Orbit, 1945-2019Optional
- Imperial States: Race, War, and Expansion in American History, 1860s-1920sOptional
- Becoming an HistorianOptional
- Rwanda: Peace, Conflict and the Politics of HistoryOptional
- The Making of the Spanish Empire: Indigenous American, African, Asian and European perspectivesOptional
- From Scrolls to Screens: the Materiality of Manuscripts in the 21st CenturyOptional
- Surviving and Resisting Enslavement in the British CaribbeanOptional
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
This degree combines philosophy and history, grounding you in historical method and the history of ideas. A course like this typically begins with foundational modules in archival research, historical sources and historiography, alongside broad surveys of medieval, early modern and modern periods. From Year 2 onwards, you'll move into focused special subjects studied through primary documents, alongside modules in public history, heritage and the development of historical interpretation. In your final year, you'll pursue advanced specialist options, such as modern history, medieval studies, global and imperial history, social and cultural history, public history and heritage, or archival research, and undertake a substantial original research project drawing on primary evidence. The philosophical dimensions deepen your critical engagement with how historical knowledge is constructed and interpreted.
Who it's for
You're suited to this course if you're genuinely curious about how the past explains the present, and you enjoy unpicking complex ideas on paper and in discussion. You should be comfortable reading widely and thinking analytically, you'll work with primary sources, historical scholarship and philosophical texts. You'll appreciate both breadth and depth: the course invites you to range across periods and schools of thought, then focus intensely on questions that matter to you. Most accepted students arrive with A-levels or equivalent qualifications, typically around 208–223 UCAS tariff points.
Careers & job market
Nationally across History graduates, 85% are in work or further study fifteen months after finishing their degree. Of those working, 55% are in highly skilled roles or continuing their studies. Graduate earnings across the nation vary: starting salaries typically range from £23,500 to £31,000; after five years, £25,500 to £36,000. You'll develop research, writing and analytical abilities that transfer widely, into law, policy, education, heritage, media and public institutions, as well as postgraduate research.
University & format
This is a 4-year full-time Bachelor's degree (MA Hons) at the University of Glasgow, a public research university and Russell Group member founded in 1451, located on Glasgow Campus. Instruction is in English. The degree is a recognised UK degree-awarding qualification with national recognition. As an indicative guide, recent entrants typically held A-levels or equivalent, with the most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students being 208–223 points.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 83%.
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.
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 | 95% |
| an Access course | 5% |
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
Set under Scotland's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at University of Glasgow →If you normally live in Scotland
For eligible Scottish-domiciled students at an eligible Scottish provider, SAAS can pay tuition directly. Living-cost support can combine bursary and loan and depends on household income and student circumstances. Students from elsewhere use their home funding body.
Check the current amounts with SAAS →Paying for it
- SAAS tuition payment: paid directly to the university for eligible Scottish-domiciled students, applied for through SAAS.
- Living-cost support: a mix of bursary and loan from SAAS, depending on household income.
- Repayment: only above the Scottish repayment threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Scotland runs its own system through SAAS; check saas.gov.uk for current rates.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
Named awards published by the university. Compare the eligibility and application route before budgeting for one.
Amounts, exclusions and deadlines can change. An award is not guaranteed unless the university confirms it.
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 | £22,000 – £32,000 | 30 |
| 3 years after | £23,500 | £18,500 – £30,000 | 210 |
| 5 years after | £30,000 | £23,500 – £37,000 | 220 |
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.
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Welfare ProfessionalsSOC 2020 246 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £39,047
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
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: 60; response rate: 50%. 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.
Is this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Fees for this course are set under Scotland's own student-finance system, not the England cap; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Tuition for eligible Scottish-domiciled students is paid by SAAS directly to the university, applied for through SAAS and not Student Finance England. Living-cost support is a mix of bursary and loan, and you repay only above the Scottish threshold.
Where graduates go
88% 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 84.3% · in work or study 88% · continued 95%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Glasgow
Historical, philosophical and religious studies across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
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 Glasgow from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Glasgow; 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 Glasgow’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 Glasgow and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Glasgow
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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