History and Philosophy

History and philosophy is a pairing that has deep intellectual roots: the two disciplines share a concern with how ideas develop over time, how evidence is interpreted, and how human beings make sense of their existence and their world. History grounds philosophical ideas in the contexts of their production, showing how thinking about knowledge, morality, politics, and reality has changed across centuries and cultures. Philosophy provides the conceptual tools to examine historical questions with greater clarity and rigour.

Studied together, they produce graduates who can think with both depth and breadth.

This four-year full-time programme at the University of Dundee includes a year abroad, taking your studies into an international academic environment. Dundee is a Scottish institution, and studying in Scotland means you will engage with a distinct legal, political, and intellectual tradition alongside the wider British and European histories that both disciplines cover. You will read the great works of historical scholarship and philosophical thought, attend seminars where ideas are discussed with care, develop your own extended arguments through essays and independent research, and build the analytical and communication skills that define a strong humanities graduate.

The year abroad broadens your perspective and may take you to institutions with different approaches to both history and philosophy.

Graduates from history and philosophy programmes pursue careers in the law, the civil service, journalism, academia, politics, publishing, the charitable sector, teaching, and a wide range of other professions where analytical thinking and clear communication are valued. The combination is particularly strong preparation for graduate legal training, given the emphasis on argument and evidence in both disciplines. Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in philosophy, history, political theory, ethics, or law, and the research skills developed in the programme provide an excellent foundation for doctoral work.