History

History is the discipline that investigates the past through its surviving evidence, asking how events unfolded, how people at the time understood them, and what they mean for how we comprehend the world today. It is a discipline that demands precision in the use of sources, rigour in argument, and the ability to hold multiple perspectives in mind simultaneously. Good historical thinking resists simple explanations and comfortable narratives, and it is precisely for this reason that history graduates are valued in so many fields beyond academia.

This three-year, full-time programme at Liverpool Hope includes a placement year and a year abroad, both of which offer significant opportunities for professional development and broader intellectual formation. The historical content covers rich and varied territory, including the First World War and its aftermath, the rise of fascism in Europe, the Spanish Civil War, the Second World War and the Holocaust, anticolonialism and decolonisation, the Cold War, postwar migration, and the revival of nationalism in the 1990s. This range of topics gives you deep grounding in modern and contemporary history while also developing the research skills and critical judgment to tackle historical questions across any period or geography.

History graduates move into careers in education, journalism, law, the civil service, public policy, heritage and museums, publishing, broadcasting, and business. The analytical and communication skills developed by the degree are genuinely valuable across a wide range of professional contexts, and the ability to research, synthesise, and argue clearly is sought after wherever complex information must be understood and communicated. The placement year and year abroad add practical and international experience that strengthen graduates' profiles.

Further postgraduate study in history, area studies, law, or politics is a common route for those who wish to develop specialist knowledge or pursue academic careers.