BA History

Program Overview

Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) in the United Kingdom offers a stimulating BA (Hons) History degree, providing students with a comprehensive and critical exploration of the past. This program spans a broad chronological range, from ancient civilisations to the modern day, allowing students to delve into historical research across diverse periods and themes, including topics like the Cold War, global fascism, and the Roman era. Situated within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the university provides a unique and inspiring backdrop for historical study, encouraging students to connect deeply with heritage and culture. The degree aims to cultivate vital transferable skills such as analysis, critical thinking, research methods, and effective communication, preparing graduates for a wide array of professions.

Curriculum: The BA History curriculum at CCCU is designed to offer both breadth and depth, allowing students to tailor their studies to their specific interests as they progress. In their first year, students typically explore a range of historical periods and concepts, providing a broad foundation. In subsequent years, they can specialise in particular periods, geographical regions, or types of historical inquiry, culminating in a dissertation in their final year where they undertake independent research under expert supervision. Modules may cover topics such as "Europe in the Age of the Vikings," "Making Your Mark," "Renaissance, Reformation and Revolution in the Early Modern World," "The Cold War and the Making of the Contemporary World," and "The Making of the Modern World." Teaching methods include a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, and relevant field trips. Assessment is primarily coursework-based, involving essays, document analyses, presentations, portfolio assignments, and VLE-based projects.

Research Focus: The BA History program at Canterbury Christ Church University benefits from a team of highly qualified academics who are active researchers and published authors of national and international acclaim. Their research directly informs the curriculum, ensuring students engage with current scholarly debates and cutting-edge historical methodologies. Faculty research specialisms are diverse, including areas within medieval European history, early modern British and Atlantic history, late-medieval local history (English), modern Irish and British history, and modern (North) American history. 1 The History department has a strong research culture, with a significant proportion of its research and outputs rated as 'World-Leading' or 'Internationally Excellent' in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. This vibrant research environment encourages students to develop their own research skills and engage with diverse historical perspectives.  

Industry Engagement: While a BA History degree might not have a direct "industry" in the same way as vocational courses, Canterbury Christ Church University actively works to enhance the employability of its History graduates. The program emphasizes the development of transferable skills highly valued by employers, including empirical research, critical thinking, and clear writing. Students have opportunities to engage with the practical application of history through study visits to significant historical institutions like The National Archives, The Imperial War Museum, and the Canterbury Cathedral Archives. The university also provides broader opportunities through its Careers and Enterprise Hub, including an optional employability module in Year 2, and resources like PebblePad for building a portfolio of skills. The university's Arts and Culture team also offers paid internships for students in areas like event management and content creation, which can be beneficial for History students interested in the cultural or heritage sectors.

Global Perspective: The BA History program at Canterbury Christ Church University inherently offers a profoundly global perspective, exploring how past events and developments have shaped the interconnected contemporary world. The curriculum spans across various historical chronologies and geographical regions, from ancient civilisations to modern global conflicts, ensuring students develop an understanding of diverse cultures and societies worldwide. Modules like "The Cold War and the Making of the Contemporary World" explicitly focus on international dynamics. The faculty's diverse research interests, which include transatlantic and international historical themes, further enrich the global dimension of the program. The historical significance of Canterbury itself, with its roots in Roman history and its role in global events, also provides a unique local context for understanding broader global historical narratives.