Explore past movements and people, and how they shaped the present with our expert-led History degree
Immerse yourself in the histories of people, power, and cultures with our innovative BA History degree. You'll study:
- Global, national and local histories
- Course units from the 16th to the 21st centuries
- How history and heritage shape today’s societies
- Related subjects from across the Humanities and Liberal Arts
In common with other Humanities courses at St Mary’s, the BA History is built on three pillars that will structure your progress.
1. History ignites possibilities, giving students the foundations to master the subjects they love and showing them the value of historical study.
2. History for individual and collective flourishing, nurturing students that are creative, engaged and capable of intellectual and cultural appreciation and expression.
3. History for future challenges, equipping students to apply their understandings and abilities in a fast-changing world, balancing human values with political, financial and community demands.
A history course led by experts and research
You'll be taught by experienced tutors who are experts in their fields. In a recent National Student Survey, St Mary’s History recorded 100% positive scores in all key teaching and assessment categories.
You'll have unique opportunities to develop your subject skills and knowledge in professional contexts through our Strawberry Hill House collaboration and connections with other partners. You'll also learn how to make an impact and unleash your creativity, sharing your knowledge of the subject through public facing and creative projects.
BA History works alongside our other Arts and Humanities programmes to equip students to understand the contemporary world, engage creatively with communities and public audiences, and address the challenges of the future - particularly the growth of AI. Together with disciplines such as English, Politics and Filmmaking, our degree emphasises the importance of public engagement, digital storytelling, and partnerships with leading cultural organisations. All these help students to develop the knowledge, judgement and creativity that they need to make a meaningful impact in society.
Our approach works. We continue to be one of the best performing History courses in the country for teaching and student support. And 96% of students are in employment, vocation, or further study within 15 months of graduating (HESA, 2024).
Small class sizes and one-to-one support
We're a community. Our class sizes are small, so you'll get valuable time with your lecturers, as well as one-to-one support. We genuinely care about our students and will encourage you to think critically, so it's no wonder we're:
- Top 10 for student experience (Times Good University Guide, 2024)
- 1st in London for ‘Academic Support’ (National Student Survey (NSS), 2024)
Your lecturers will get to know you quickly and they are committed to your development from the start of the course. When you study History at St Mary's, you get:
- a personal tutor for academic support
- learning and development lecturers to help you build strong study skills
- a university wellness team.
Our student, Dermot, says, "the lecturers [...] [have] always been so open, welcoming, and friendly throughout my whole time at St Mary’s. There really is an open-door policy here, so if you ever need any help or want to chat through anything you have plenty of opportunities to do so. Something that really stands out is how much the teaching staff will get to know you on a personal level. It really is a great environment."
Another student, Meg, added, "I loved my St Mary’s experience! My lecturers knew my name and had an open-door policy."
Hands-on learning in London
Our students tell us that St Mary’s is the perfect location to explore history at London’s many museums, archives and historic houses, such as:
- Migration Museum
- Hampton Court
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Imperial War Museum
- London Museum
- The National Archives.
As a student here, you’ll have easy access to great libraries, archives, galleries and other sites where you can do your own historical research and build your expertise. We have also formed good partnerships with institutions like Strawberry Hill House, Twickenham Film Studios and Hogarth’s House. These connections are important for developing employability skills, understanding what professionalism means in the workplace, and thinking about the public importance of the arts and humanities.
About the Placement Year
A placement year enables you to undertake a year of experience in an organisation between your second and final year.
It will enable you to:
- apply the knowledge and skills you gain from your course in a work setting
- build your commercial awareness and insights into organisations and industries you might want to work in
- develop your professional skills through company training, networking skills and confidence in the workplace
- get some great experience for future job applications or even land a graduate job.
Support from St Mary’s every step of the way
Securing a placement can really help you develop your job search skills and the Employability Service placement and Careers Teams can support you to find and apply for available opportunities.
Please note: in the event that you cannot secure a placement you will be able to transfer onto the three year version of your degree programme.
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Career opportunities
With our History degree course, you’ll learn essential abilities for a successful future career. You'll become highly skilled in research, managing information, critical thinking, analysis, and presenting convincing arguments. You'll also learn how to express yourself clearly and fluently.
Right from the start of your course, you'll have access to our Career Services, which provides students and graduates with impartial advice on their career progression and development.
Some examples of job roles and areas of work for graduates of undefined include:
Course content
In each year, you take compulsory (or core) modules that give you a firm foundation in historical skills and how the past is researched and interpreted. Across the three years, these modules ensure that you get proper breadth and depth of historical study. You'll also have space to take some optional modules from neighbouring Humanities and Liberal Arts subjects. This is an important and distinctive part of our course, enabling you to build a degree that reflects your interests and future needs.
Normally, you study six modules in the academic year: three modules in the autumn semester and a different three in the winter/spring semester. The only year-long module we run is the final year History dissertation.
Please note: it is possible that a module listed on the website will not be able to run due to reasons beyond our control. For more information please refer to our course information disclaimer.
Entry requirements
2026 to 2028 entries
Start date
Standard offer
112 UCAS points
Contextual offer
96 UCAS points
About Contextual Offer:
Not sure about your grades? We consider all factors when reviewing your application, as we know not everyone has the same support to reach their potential. So we may make a contextual offer below the standard Tariff if you meet our criteria. Read more about contextual offers.
We understand that sometimes barriers you can't control get in the way of academic achievement. You are more than just your grades. We'll consider your application as a whole, taking into account things like:
- subjects studied at Level 3
- your GCSEs (or equivalent) profile
- non-academic achievements you mention in your personal statement
- your references and motivation.
Fees & funding
September 2026
Home
£9,790
International
£17,445
(£1200 during placement year)
*Please note: Tuition fee increases for undergraduate Home students are subject to regulatory control by the UK Government. The above Home fees for September 2026 are confirmed by the UK Government subject to Parliamentary procedure in early 2026. These fees are annual and may increase as detailed in our tuition fee variation disclaimer.
For more information on foundation year fees for home students, please check the details on our tuition fee page.
For more information about whether you are likely to pay home or international fees, please visit our 'understanding your tuition fee status' page.
Information about tuition fees, student loans, and funding your studies can be found within our fees and funding section.
Scholarships
Find out more about our range of scholarships and bursaries available to undergraduate students.
Living costs
A guide to your living costs has been created by our Student Funding Team.
Accommodation costs vary depending on whether you opt for an en suite room and on-site catering. Take a look at our accommodation options and the prices you can expect to pay.
How the degree is taught
- Contact time
- 17%
- Independent study
- 60%
- Guided learning
- 23%
Teaching methods
You'll be taught on our beautiful and historic campus located in Twickenham, London.
Our tutors are experts in their field, and their research will inform what history you learn and how you learn it. You'll become an independent researcher with a range of critical thinking and analytical skills that are applicable to a wide range of careers.
In the first two years of the degree, you'll usually have three classes in a week. This means that you'll typically have nine hours each week of taught classes. Unlike at larger universities, you won't be taught in crowded lecture halls. We mainly deliver teaching in the form of micro lectures, seminars and workshops. In these, you'll work with other students, discuss ideas, and have lots of opportunities to ask questions. We'll support you in class to develop your ideas and your thinking. We're good at creating positive and supportive environments that encourage learning.
Typical class sizes range from 10 to 25 students.
We regularly take advantage of our location and size to hold classes off campus. You'll visit some great museums, heritage sites and archives in your time with us. As well as adding variety to your learning, these visits help you to think about the wider public role of History and Humanities.
Some teaching is also done through tutorials and supervisions, which are a great opportunity for you to discuss your work with us in detail.
Assessment methods
All our modules are assessed by different forms of coursework. You'll write essays, source reviews, and reflective commentaries. You'll record and deliver presentations. You'll also have the chance to stretch your creative talents, by doing things such as making a short film, designing a historical walking tour, creating a poster, recording a podcast, and curating part of a gallery exhibition.
You'll be encouraged to meet regularly with tutors to discuss your work individually.
No exams
All our modules are assessed by coursework only. Study History with us and leave exam stress behind.
Feedback
We adhere to the university’s policy of providing feedback on assessments within 15 working days.
Apply now
If you're currently living in the United Kingdom and Ireland, you'll need to apply directly through UCAS. You can check our step-by-step application guide for detailed information. You will also need to apply directly if you want to study any course part-time.
If you're an international student and you would like to apply for Foundation and Placement Year courses, you can submit an application directly or add St Mary's University as a choice on UCAS. Check our guideline for more information.
Transferring from another institution?
St Mary's is happy to consider applications from students who wish to transfer from another university. If this is you, please follow these instructions. Please note: we do not currently accept transfers into our LLB courses.
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