History

History at the University of Liverpool is a discipline that asks how the world we inhabit came to be, tracing the forces, decisions, and contingencies that have shaped societies, economies, political systems, and cultures across time. Studying history at university means learning to interrogate primary sources, to engage with the competing interpretations of historians, and to construct original arguments from evidence that is always incomplete and sometimes contradictory. These are intellectual skills of genuine breadth and value, applicable across a wide range of professional and personal contexts.

This three-year full-time programme at Liverpool includes a year abroad, which is a significant and enriching feature. Spending time studying history in another country gives you a different vantage point on the discipline, exposing you to different historiographical traditions, archival resources, and the ways in which other national contexts shape the questions that historians ask. It also develops independence, resilience, and cultural awareness that are increasingly valued by employers.

Throughout the programme, you will study historical periods and themes drawn from British, European, and world history, developing skills in source analysis, historiographical debate, and academic writing.

Liverpool is a city with a rich and complex history of its own, from its role in the Atlantic trade and the slave economy to its position as a centre of immigration, maritime commerce, and working-class culture. This gives the study of history at Liverpool a live, concrete dimension that goes beyond the classroom, and the university has particular research strengths in areas including Atlantic history, colonial history, and the history of the port cities of the world.

Graduates of history degrees work in education, heritage and museums, journalism, the civil service, law, publishing, policy research, and the wide range of careers where analytical thinking and clear communication are central. The year abroad strengthens the degree's practical and international dimensions, and postgraduate study in history or related disciplines is a natural further step.