Studying History and English Literature in the UK and Ireland

Two flagship arts disciplines

History and English literature are among the most established undergraduate arts subjects in the UK and Ireland, and they share a common shape: a small number of core modules early on, then a widening menu of optional papers as you specialise.

Both are usually awarded as a BA (an undergraduate MA in Scotland), most often over three years (often four in Scotland and in many Irish programmes). They can be taken as single honours, as joint honours together (English and History is a common pairing), or combined with a related subject such as politics, philosophy or a language. The official course page sets out the exact structure, length and options.

How history is taught: working with sources

A history degree is not memorising dates — it is learning to interpret evidence. You work with primary sources (documents, objects and records from the period) and secondary sources (historians' interpretations), and you learn to weigh, contextualise and argue from them.

Teaching mixes lectures with seminars where you debate set reading, and assessment combines essays, source-analysis exercises, examinations and a final-year dissertation. Most departments let you range across periods and regions — ancient, medieval, early modern and modern; British, European, global — and across approaches like social, political, cultural or economic history. Module availability differs by department, so compare official course lists.

• Primary vs secondary sources, and how to use each
• Skills: evidence handling, contextualising, building an argument
• Specialise by period (ancient to modern) and by region/approach

How English literature is taught: close reading

An English literature degree centres on close reading — analysing how a text creates meaning through language, form and structure — and on situating texts in their historical, cultural and critical context. You read across genres (poetry, drama, prose, and often film or other media) and engage with literary theory and criticism.

Departments usually combine some chronological coverage (for example medieval, Renaissance, Romantic, Victorian, modern and contemporary) with optional modules on themes, authors or genres. Some courses include creative writing options, and many let you write a final-year dissertation on a topic you choose. Check each department's module list to see which periods, authors and approaches it emphasises.

• Skills: close reading, analysis of form and language, critical argument
• Coverage across genres and literary periods
• Theory, criticism and often creative-writing or dissertation options

Specialisation and the dissertation

In both subjects the final year is usually the most specialised. You typically choose optional modules in your areas of interest and write a dissertation — an extended, independent piece of research or analysis on a question you set yourself, supervised by an academic.

This is where the skills built earlier come together: framing a question, gathering and reading widely, and sustaining an argument over thousands of words. For history that often means original work with primary sources; for English it often means a focused critical reading of chosen texts. The dissertation is strong preparation for postgraduate study and a useful talking point for employers.

What distinguishes UK and Irish departments

The core disciplines are similar across the UK and Ireland, but emphasis and structure differ. Scottish degrees are typically broader for the first two years before you specialise, and often run to four years. Irish BA programmes are sometimes taken within a broad arts framework where you begin with two or three subjects and narrow down.

Oxford and Cambridge use a tutorial/supervision model with very frequent essays discussed in small groups, while most universities use seminars. Beyond structure, departments differ in their areas of focus — particular periods, regions, authors or critical approaches. The best way to compare is to read official module lists and go to open days. Entry requirements, modules, length and fees change yearly, so verify the latest details on each university's official website.

• Scotland: broader early years, often a four-year degree
• Ireland: often a broad-arts entry that narrows over time
• Oxbridge: tutorial/supervision model; elsewhere seminar-based
• Departments differ by period, region and critical focus