History with Foundation Year

History is the academic discipline that makes sense of the past, drawing on a vast range of sources to reconstruct what happened, explain why it happened, and explore what it meant to the people involved. It trains you in critical thinking, careful reading of evidence, and the construction of clear, well-supported arguments, skills that are among the most valued that a university education can produce. The breadth of historical inquiry is one of its greatest attractions: you can explore the Viking age, the early modern world, the Russian Revolution, or post-colonial Africa, depending on where your curiosity takes you.

At York St John University, this four-year full-time programme with a foundation year is set in the heart of a city with its own extraordinary history, and the surroundings inform the sense of place and past that permeates the degree. The foundation year provides a supported entry into university-level historical study, making the programme accessible to students coming from different educational backgrounds or returning to learning after a gap. The degree then progresses through a wide range of periods and geographies, allowing you to develop both breadth and specialist depth.

The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and a work placement, providing professional and international experience that enriches the academic study and strengthens your graduate profile considerably.

History at York St John is taught by staff who are active researchers, and the curriculum connects you to current debates in the discipline rather than simply covering established ground.

Graduates find careers in education, heritage, museums, the civil service, journalism, law, business, and the voluntary sector. The analytical and written skills the degree develops are directly applicable wherever careful thinking and clear communication are required. The degree also provides a strong basis for postgraduate study in history or related humanities disciplines.