History and Philosophy

History and philosophy together constitute one of the most enduring combinations in the humanities, bringing together two disciplines that have always been in close conversation. History asks what happened, why it happened and what it meant; philosophy asks what knowledge is possible, what makes an action right, what is the nature of reality and consciousness, and whether we can be certain of anything at all. The two disciplines illuminate each other: historical study raises deep philosophical questions about evidence, interpretation, progress and causation, while philosophy provides the conceptual tools to think more precisely about what history is and what it can tell us.

At the University of Nottingham, this three-year programme allows you to develop genuine competence in both disciplines, moving between the empirical and archival work of historical research and the argumentative and analytical work of philosophy. You will study political, social, cultural and intellectual history across different periods and regions, as well as the history of ideas and the philosophical traditions that have shaped how we think. Philosophy will introduce you to metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy and the philosophy of mind, developing your ability to construct and evaluate arguments with rigour and precision.

The skills the combination develops are broad and highly transferable: close reading of complex texts, the critical evaluation of evidence and argument, sustained analytical writing and the ability to hold competing perspectives simultaneously and assess them fairly.

Graduates go on to careers in law, the civil service, policy, journalism, education, public affairs, heritage and archives, publishing and many other fields where analytical and communicative capabilities are valued. The combination of historical and philosophical training is particularly relevant to roles in research, policy analysis and public discourse. Further study in history, philosophy, political thought, ethics or related disciplines is also a common route.