History and English

History and English is a combination that develops two of the humanities' most fundamental skills simultaneously: the historian's ability to understand change over time and evaluate evidence from the past, and the literary scholar's ability to read closely, analyse how texts create meaning, and situate writing in its cultural context. The two disciplines illuminate each other, since literature is itself a primary source for historians and history provides the context within which literature is produced and received. Together they develop exceptional analytical and communicative abilities.

Aston University's four-year full-time degree in history and English includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study at an international partner institution. Aston's programme combines rigorous academic training in both disciplines with a practical orientation that reflects the university's strong connections with professional life in Birmingham and the West Midlands. You will study British, European, and global history across different periods alongside English literature from medieval to contemporary, engaging with the critical and theoretical frameworks that shape both disciplines.

The year abroad adds a comparative dimension that enriches your historical and literary perspective, as all literature and history is in some sense a product of its national and cultural context.

Graduates from history and English programmes go on to work in journalism, publishing, education, the civil service, law, heritage, arts administration, communications, and a wide range of roles where the ability to research, write, and analyse is central. The combination of historical perspective and literary sensitivity is valued wherever organisations need people who can engage thoughtfully with complex texts and communicate clearly about them. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in history, literary studies, or education, and some pursue doctoral research at the intersection of the two fields.