English and History

English and history is one of the most natural of academic pairings, because literature and history are deeply intertwined: texts are shaped by their historical contexts, and the history of any period is illuminated by its literature. Major events such as the Norman Conquest, the Reformation, the English Civil War, the World Wars, and the Cold War all transformed the language, the available forms of literary expression, and the subject matter available to writers. Reading literature alongside history enriches your understanding of both, and the analytical and interpretive skills developed in each discipline reinforce those of the other.

At the University of Leicester, this three-year full-time programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study in another country and to encounter both English literature and history in a different academic and cultural context. The English and History BA groups its modules so that they support and enrich one another, allowing you to pursue topics that illuminate the relationship between literary and historical change. You will develop skills in close reading, textual analysis, historical research, source criticism, and sustained written argument in both disciplines, building a profile of analytical and communicative capability that is among the most transferable in the humanities.

You will engage with literary texts across a wide chronological range, examine primary historical sources, and develop your own scholarly voice through essay writing, research projects, and independent study.

Graduates from English and history programmes pursue careers in education, publishing, journalism, the civil service, law, arts administration, heritage, and a wide range of other fields where reading, research, and clear communication are valued. Many pursue postgraduate study in English, history, teaching, or related disciplines. The analytical and argumentative skills developed are valued across the public, private, and cultural sectors.