English and History BA

University of Nottingham

United Kingdom, Nottingham

University RankQS Ranking

109

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University of Nottingham

United Kingdom , Nottingham

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Course Code

QV31

Campuses

Nottingham

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 3 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 24,700 / year(s)

Next Intake September-2026

English and History BA

About

This course combines studying the history of Europe and beyond with English language, literature and drama from Old English to the present. You can choose from our wide range of optional modules, tailoring your degree to your interests. From Early Medieval England, to Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe, to Colonial India, you have the chance to explore a wide variety of historical figures, events, and themes, exploring the human experience from the perspectives of both History and English.

As a joint honours student, you will have the chance to see first-hand the way language and culture affects our understanding of the past, and the way an appreciation of historical context informs our knowledge of speech, writing, and performance.

Engaged Arts

All students within the Faculty of Arts can select ‘Engaged Arts’ modules where you’ll approach real world challenges across contemporary themes such as sustainability or equity and justice. These modules have been newly designed to help you gain the skills and analytical abilities that employers are looking for.

Why choose this course?

Student satisfaction - 95% of students from the Department of History, and 95% of students from the School of English, said the teaching staff were good at explaining things (NSS 2024)
Get involved - put your skills into practice with Impact Magazine, University Radio Nottingham and more
Gain experience through volunteering - From running after-school clubs to reading to care home residents, there are plenty of volunteering opportunities to choose from
Top 20 for English in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 and Complete University Guide 2024)
Top 20 for History in the UK (Complete University Guide 2024)
Freedom to explore: following an introductory programme in year one, deepen your knowledge of your favourite topics and explore new ones through a wide range of modules
Work with our dedicated Faculty of Arts Placements Team to assist with your employability skills development via a range of placements, internships and volunteering opportunities.
Opportunity to apply for The Letters Page project to gain publishing industry skills

"Dual honours allow for more freedom, not having to limit yourself to one subject, which was particularly helpful for someone like me who is notoriously indecisive. This meant I could explore both of my subjects’ interests equally. As the end of my first-year approaches, I definitely believe I not only made the right choice with my subjects but also by the end of the first semester I found both subjects much less complicated to manage, meaning instead of stressing out I could enjoy what I was learning."

Arwen Jenkins, BA English and History - find out more about Arwen's experience

Foundation Year

You may also progress to this course from our Arts and Humanities Foundation Year, subject to eligibility.

Explore more

Your departments

See the School of English and Department of History websites to find out more about what it's like to study with us.

Important information

This online prospectus has been drafted in advance of the academic year to which it applies. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate at the time of publishing, but changes (for example to course content) are likely to occur given the interval between publishing and commencement of the course. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply for the course where there has been an interval between you reading this website and applying.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

IB score: 34 Points overall or 666 in 3 Higher Level Certificates IB requirements:

Higher Level grade 6 in one of English Literature, English Language and Literature, any Language subject, Geography, History, Philosophy, Global Politics, Psychology, World Religions, Social and Cultural Anthropology

IELTS:

6.5 (no less than 6.0 in any element)

English language requirements

For presessional English or one-year foundation courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations.

If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a Presessional English for Academic Purposes (PEAP) course. Our Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

High school qualifications:

Check our country-specific information for guidance on qualifications from your country.

A level: AAA Required subjects:

A in one of English Literature, English Language, English Language and Literature, any Language subject, Geography, History, Ancient History, Medieval History, Classical Civilisation Law, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology; plus a GCSE at level 4 (grade C) or above in English

Excluded subjects:

A-level subjects not accepted: General studies, critical thinking and citizenship

Additional entry requirements:

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2026 entry.

Please note: Applicants whose backgrounds or personal circumstances have impacted their academic performance may receive a reduced offer. Please see our contextual admissions policy for more information.

Non-UK entry requirements:

Alternative qualifications

We recognise that applicants have a wealth of different experiences and follow a variety of pathways into higher education.

Consequently we treat all applicants with alternative qualifications (besides A-levels and the International Baccalaureate) on an individual basis, and we gladly accept students with a whole range of less conventional qualifications including:

Access to HE Diploma
Advanced Diploma
BTEC HND/HNC
BTEC Extended Diploma

This list is not exhaustive. The entry requirements for alternative qualifications can be quite specific; for example you may need to take certain modules and achieve a specified grade in those modules. Please contact us to discuss the transferability of your qualification. Please see the alternative qualifications page for more information.

RQF BTEC Nationals

RQF Level 3 BTEC National Extended Diploma - unfortunately we are unable to accept this qualification on its own due to the subject specific requirements at A Level.

Mixed qualifications accepted if taking A Level English (or other required subject) alongside

D in BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/ Extended Certificate + AA including A Level English Literature, English Language, English Language and Literature, any Language subject, Geography, History, Ancient History, Medieval History, Classical Civilisation Law, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology

Access to HE Diploma

Pass Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at level 3 of which 36 credits must be at Distinction and 9 credits at Merit.

15 level 3 credits must be from English modules with 9 of these English credits at Distinction.

12 level 3 credits must be from History modules all at Distinction

Visa restrictions

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

If you have already achieved your EPQ at Grade A you will automatically be offered one grade lower in a non-mandatory A level subject.

If you are still studying for your EPQ you will receive the standard course offer, with a condition of one grade lower in a non-mandatory A level subject if you achieve an A grade in your EPQ.

Mature students

At the University of Nottingham, we have a valuable community of mature students and we appreciate their contribution to the wider student population. You can find lots of useful information on the mature students webpage.

English Program Requirements

As well as IELTS (listed above), we also accept other English language qualifications. This includes TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, GCSE, IB and O level English. Check our English language policies and equivalencies for further details. For presessional English or one-year foundation courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a Presessional English for Academic Purposes (PEAP) course. Our Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK. If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

Career

As an English and History graduate, you will have gained the following key transferable skills:

problem-solving and analysis
planning and researching written work
gaining evidence and communicating findings
objective thinking
communication, both oral and written
presenting ideas and information, including collaboratively
writing for different audiences

Read our School of English and Department of History student and alumni profiles. Find out more about the range of skills you will gain, as well as the careers which our graduates go into.

You can also learn more about subject-related careers opportunities from our Careers and Employability Service.