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History with a Year Abroad BA

London, Bloomsbury

What can ancient, medieval and modern history teach us about societies and life today? Broaden your cultural awareness and develop sought-after research and analytical skills while examining your choice of topics across a vast range of geographical regions and periods, from the third millennium BCE to the present day. Excellent preparation for a career in academia, law, journalism, media, creative arts, politics, health or education. This four-year degree combines the flexibility of the History BA programme with the opportunity to spend the third year studying abroad at an institution overseas.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
4 academic years
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£9,535
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£29,800
Programme starts
September 2026
Application deadline
14 Jan 2026
UCAS course code
V104
Apply via UCAS

Entry requirements

A levels IB Diploma Other qualifications
Grades
AAA
Subjects
History required.
GCSEs
English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4.

Contextual offer information

Grades
ABB more about contextual offers
Subjects
A in History required.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4.
Points
38
Subjects
A total of 18 points in three higher level subjects including grade 6 in History, with no higher level score below 5.

Contextual offer

Points
34 more about contextual offers
Subjects
A total of 16 points in three higher level subject including grade 6 in History, with no higher level score below 5.

UK applicants qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

Equivalent qualification

Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 33 credits at Distinction and 12 credits at Merit, all from Level 3 units. Level 3 units must include elements of History or clearly demonstrated modules with historical approach.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

D3,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects, including History

AAA at Advanced Highers (or AA at Advanced Higher and AAA at Higher), including History at Advanced Higher.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

International applications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

Access and widening participation

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.
Check your Access UCL Scheme eligibility

Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

English language requirements

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

Course overview

The Department offers modules spanning over 5,000 years of history, with specialisms in the ancient Near East, the Americas, the cultural and intellectual history of Europe, and imperial and transnational history.

The flexible programme structure allows you to tailor the degree to match your intellectual interests. Select from various modules spanning an extraordinary chronological and geographical range from within and outside UCL History, including the UCL Institute of the Americas, the School of Slavonic & East European Studies, and other University of London institutions. Subject to availability and eligibility, you can study up to 30 credits a year in modules from another discipline, such as anthropology, archaeology, history of art or a language.

During the year abroad, you take the equivalent of 120 credits at your host university. Students who wish to attend a non-anglophone university in Year 3 will be required to take 30 credits in the relevant language in Years 1 and 2.

We offer innovative modules that challenge you to think differently about slavery and colonialism, magic and medicine, the environment, political activism and much more. To benefit from the chronological range of expertise in the Department, we encourage students to take at least one module in ancient history, medieval or early modern history, and modern history.

Our modules involve project work, essay writing, and active engagement with historical resources, encouraging creative lateral thinking about the past. You study key developments in the discipline of history from the ancient to the modern world, develop an understanding of the practice of history, and study the evolution of the discipline from Herodotus and Thucydides to the twenty-first century.

You learn in a supportive and inclusive environment. Our Year 1 curriculum supports your transition into higher education, introducing fundamental historical approaches and giving you the tools to write, analyse and communicate history.

In your degree, you use resources from London's premier cultural institutions and collections as primary source materials, participating in a public history group project, 'Making History'. 

What this course will give you

Spend your third year studying abroad. In recent years, partner institutions have included Sorbonne Université, the University of California, the University of Toronto, and the University of Sydney.

Our renowned academics bring their research expertise into their teaching, so you benefit from a dynamic curriculum informed by cutting-edge historical research. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework assessment, our research was ranked first in London and fourth in the UK.

You benefit from small class sizes and receive detailed assignment feedback in one-to-one tutorials.

You study in London, the world's best city for students (QS Best Student Cities 2024), with easy access to learning institutions, including the British Museum, Tate Britain and Tate Modern, the Imperial War Museum, the National History Museum, the Wellcome Collection, and UCL's own Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, Grant Museum of Zoology and UCL Special Collections and Archives.

This degree provides excellent preparation for many diverse careers. You build a portfolio of desirable, transferable skills and have access to a dedicated careers support programme, industry connections and an alum network.

Teaching and learning

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Upon successful completion of 480 credits, you will be awarded a BA (Hons) in History with a Year Abroad.

Modules

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

In Year 1, you take three compulsory modules to develop critical skills and bridge the gap between school and university-level study. You take at least one survey module of a particular region and period and may choose another survey module or, subject to availability and eligibility, a module from another department.

In Year 2, you take a compulsory research seminar module, at least one further survey module and a module focused on a particular theme. You may also choose an additional survey or thematic module or, subject to availability and eligibility, a module from another discipline.

In Year 3, you study abroad at an approved institution. Students who wish to study overseas at a non-anglophone university must take 30 credits in the relevant language in Years 1 and 2.

In your final year, you complete a dissertation and take a special subject module based on a study of original source materials. You also take two advanced seminar modules and may take a further thematic module or, subject to availability and eligibility, a module from another department. 

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

Compulsory modules





Optional modules


The Mediterranean World c.800-c.500 BC

The Roman Empire from Augustus to Theodosius I


Empire in Eurasia

Divided Societies: The Mediterranean World in the Age of the Crusades


Compulsory modules



Optional modules

American History in Hollywood Film





Gothic: From High Culture to Subculture

The Great Caliphs, 632-1000 CE

Performance and Social Meaning in Africa


Compulsory modules






Optional modules

Roman Religion: Belief, Culture and Politics

Intelligent Design? Science, Religion and Material Culture 1500-1830

Europe¿s First World War, 1911-1923

Better Worlds? Jewish Migration and Settlement in Britain and North America

The City of London in the Age of Global Capital 1870-1914

Passages to Jerusalem: The Crusades and the Medieval World, 1095-1291

Identity, Cosmology and the Supernatural in the late Middle Ages


Personal Testimonies of Twentieth Century Britain



Your learning

We teach via lectures, seminars and one-to-one tutorials. Our approach to learning emphasises active student participation in seminar discussions. Some modules, particularly in Year 1, will also include lectures. We always return your essays with constructive, personal feedback in face-to-face tutorials. We cap all our seminar groups at a maximum of 16 students and final-year dissertation subjects at 12.

Typical contact hours vary between 8 and 12 hours per week, depending on the year of study and module choice, and include lectures, seminars, practicals, and workshops. Students also undertake independent study of approximately 20-25 hours per week, for example, by engaging with key topics and required readings in preparation for the discussions promoted in the programme and for assessments and e-learning activities.

Assessment

Your work will be assessed by a mixture of examinations, written coursework and other outputs. Significant weight is given to an extended essay based on original sources produced in your final year.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: History Q&A (AM)

—

Join us for an engaging online Q&A session, where you can ask any questions you may have about the programmes offered in the Department. Speak directly with the Programme Director to gain a thorough understanding and clarify any uncertainties. This interactive session is designed to provide you with valuable insights, helping you make an informed decision about your academic future. Don’t miss this chance to explore what the programme has to offer! 

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: History Q&A (PM)

—

Join us for an engaging online Q&A session, where you can ask any questions you may have about the programmes offered in the Department. Speak directly with the Programme Director to gain a thorough understanding and clarify any uncertainties. This interactive session is designed to provide you with valuable insights, helping you make an informed decision about your academic future. Don’t miss this chance to explore what the programme has to offer! 

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: History of Art Q&A (AM)

—

Join us for an engaging online Q&A session, where you can ask any questions you may have about the programme. Speak directly with the Programme Director to gain a thorough understanding and clarify any uncertainties. This interactive session is designed to provide you with valuable insights, helping you make an informed decision about your academic future. Don’t miss this chance to explore what the programme has to offer!

The foundation of your career

Popular career paths for UCL History graduates include accountancy and financial services (17.1%), teaching and other educational activities (10.9%), publishing, journalism and translation (7.0%), policy and government (5.8%), PR, advertising and marketing (4.7%), charities, NGOs and international development (4.3%), health and social care (3.5%), law (3.5%) and consultancy (3.1%).

Employers of our graduates include the Houses of Parliament, the UK Government, NHS, Santander, PwC, Amazon, Ministry of Justice, EY, Deloitte LLP, Teach First and University College London. 21.4% of our students continued to postgraduate study.

*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of graduates in the 2017-2021 cohorts.

Employability

We have designed our programme to teach many transferable skills, including:

  • How to gather, organise and analyse evidence,
  • How to persuade an audience using a structured argument and clear written and oral communication, and
  • How to deploy a global outlook and intercultural awareness to collaborate with diverse people.

You graduate with skills that are extremely desirable to employers across various sectors.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £9,535
Tuition fees (2025/26) £29,800

Fees are for Undergraduate 2025/26 entry and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases and are subject to the passing of secondary legislation. Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2025/26 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

There are no programme-specific costs for this programme apart from those associated with study abroad.

Please note that study abroad during your programme at UCL is likely to incur additional costs. Studying abroad may cost between £200–£1,000 per month depending on where you choose to study. The cost of studying abroad can be difficult to predict as it will depend on your priorities and choices. There is more information available on the UCL Study Abroad website.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Funding your studies

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Scholarships

The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.

Next steps

Your application

We seek intellectually ambitious applicants who express a genuine interest in studying history and can evidence independent engagement with the subject. We are interested in hearing about your opinions and experience. For instance, if you have undertaken additional reading, tell us what you thought about the topic discussed. Relevant skills include communication, critical evaluation and creative thinking.

How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

We are keen to attract students from a wide range of backgrounds as this helps us to maintain an intellectually and socially stimulating community. Applicants will typically have studied History, English and related subjects. Studying a language at a higher level is also an advantage.

Apply via UCAS
Application guidelines
Download prospectus

Got questions? Get in touch

History
History

history.programmes@ucl.ac.uk

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