History BA (Hons), sandwich with work placement

University of Portsmouth

United Kingdom, Portsmouth

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Home/United Kingdom/Portsmouth /University of Portsmouth/History BA (Hons), sandwich with work placement

University of Portsmouth

United Kingdom , Portsmouth

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

Mix

Course Code

V100

Campuses

London

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 17,900 / year(s)

Next Intake September-2026

History BA (Hons), sandwich with work placement

About

Explore the past to understand the now. Dive into moments of challenge, change and everyday life across six centuries and four continents.

Uncover the ways in which diverse groups of people were shaped by, and themselves shaped, the world they lived in. In doing so, you can reflect on your own values and better understand how history is about the present, and the future.

The city of Portsmouth has its own rich stories to tell, connecting to local, national and global history. Past and present meet on every corner - from its Tudor Castle to the millennial Spinnaker Tower. It's the ideal place to create your own immersive and relevant BA (Hons) History degree.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements

Entry requirements (September 2026 start)

Typical offers for BA (Hons) History

A levels - BBB-BCC
UCAS points - 104-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent, to include a relevant subject (calculate your UCAS points)
BTECs (Extended Diplomas) - DDM-DMM
International Baccalaureate - 24

You may need to have studied specific subjects or GCSEs - see full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept.

English language requirements

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.

See alternative English language qualifications

We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course.

If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

Worried about your grades?

If you're not sure you meet the entry requirements, or need some help to get uni-ready, then we offer BA (Hons) History with Foundation Year through our partners at ICP to bring you up to speed. When you successfully finish, you'll get a guaranteed place on BA (Hons) History.

Find out more about our foundation years with ICP

Typical offers for BA (Hons) History with Foundation Year

UCAS points - 32 tariff points at A level, or equivalent (calculate your UCAS points)

You may need to have studied specific subjects – find full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept.

English language requirements

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 5.5 with no component score below 5.5.

See alternative English language qualifications.

We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course.

If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

Please note this foundation year with ICP isn’t currently open to EU or International students.

We look at more than just your grades

While we consider your grades when making an offer, we also carefully look at your circumstances and other factors to assess your potential. These include whether you live and work in the region and your personal and family circumstances which we assess using established data.

Explore more about how we make your offer

Focusing on your interests with pathways

You can follow optional Sociology or American Studies pathways through this degree, or include History as a pathway in our English Literature or International Relations courses. It'll lead to one of these awards at the end of the course:

How history comes alive in Portsmouth

Portsmouth is a time traveller’s paradise, with historic tales of royalty, naval exploration, and even the odd ghost… join two of our students for a tour around our historic island city.

Archie and Kimberley

Welcome to Portsmouth!

Kimberley

Our city is a time traveller's paradise with historical tales of royalty, naval exploration and even the odd ghost.

Archie

Let us show you around.

Archie

Portsmouth is best known for our naval history, and here at the historic dockyard, you'll find the Mary Rose, HMS Warrior and HMS Victory. People arriving and leaving via ships has helped to shape the city, and the city has helped to shape their ideas and actions.

Kimberley

In 1662, Catherine Duchess of Braganza alighted here from Portugal to marry King Charles II. Their wedding took place here in Portsmouth and you can see their marriage certificate in Portsmouth Cathedral.

Archie

In the cathedral you'll also find a statue of the Duke of Buckingham, who was assassinated not far away in the Greyhound Inn. The Cathedral is also linked to multiple ghost stories and urban legends, including a sighting of Spring-heeled Jack, a fire-breathing demon.

Kimberley

The city wasn't built to keep out demons, but Portsmouth was vitally important in the defence of the Channel Coast. So a protective circuit was built around the city, including Southsea Castle.

Archie

Moving forward in the timeline of the city's defence, the site of popular shopping centre Gunwharf Quays was once home to the ‘stone frigate’ HMS Vernon. This two-tonne monument commemorates its mine warfare and diving heritage.

Kimberley

Like many port cities, Portsmouth welcomes a variety of different cultures and backgrounds, but their histories are not always visible. Historians at the University are working with community activists, curators, archivists and teachers to raise the visibility of black history and to engage locals in the co-production of this knowledge.

Archie

As well as visitors, Portsmouth has many famous faces who were born right here, including novelist Charles Dickens, and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the engineer.

From engineers to writers, royalty to slaves, Portsmouth has had a number of people come and go over the years.

Kimberley

Their impact lives on. Our historians are discovering new stories from the past that helped shape our future.

Archie

Visit us and our historic city. You never know, you might just change its future.

English Program Requirements

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5. See alternative English language qualifications We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course. If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

Career

Studying history will give you transferable skills in critical thinking, collaboration, research, analysis and argument, all of which are highly valued by many kinds of employers.

A global survey of 1000 business leaders by the Harvard Business Review [...] found that the skills most in-demand by employers are those in which Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts graduates specialise – from communication, problem solving and creativity, to research and analysis.

Ian Diamond, The British Academy

What can you do with a History degree?

As a qualified historian, you can move forward to further study and research or put your degree to work in areas such as:

archives and information management
corporate governance
creative industries
heritage
law
primary and secondary education
higher education
charity / not-for-profit organisations
publishing and media
trade unions

Graduate roles and destinations

Roles our graduates have taken on include:

administrator for social enterprise
barrister
case worker for MP
development editor in publishing
exhibitions project manager
founder of a digital solutions company
researcher and writer for TV
teacher
workplace financial education consultant

Portsmouth alumni have worked with organisations including:

central and local government
higher education
National Trust
National Maritime Museum
NHS
the probation service
Royal Navy

Graduate roles and destinations

Roles our graduates have taken on include:

administrator for social enterprise
barrister
case worker for MP
development editor in publishing
exhibitions project manager
founder of a digital solutions company
researcher and writer for TV
teacher
workplace financial education consultant

Portsmouth alumni have worked with organisations including:

central and local government
higher education
National Trust
National Maritime Museum
NHS
the probation service
Royal Navy

Hear from BA (Hons) History graduate, Emily

Emily Fryer graduated in 2018 with a BA (Hons) History degree from the University of Portsmouth. She is now a HR Manager. Find out what Emily’s role entails and how she’s applying the skills she learnt during her time with us.

Emily: I am Emily Fryer. I went to Portsmouth three years ago and I studied history.

I've always loved history, it's been my passion since I've been little. My dad loves history as well. We would always go on trips to the museum. We would go to the Imperial War Museum in London loads.

When I was sort of picking what I wanted to do at uni, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do for a career. History is a subject that I loved the most and then when I was speaking to the Careers Advisors, they were saying about how many transferable skills history has.

I visited three different universities and Portsmouth was by far my favourite. I think it helped when I visited, it was super sunny and Portsmouth in the sunshine is the loveliest place ever. You've got it all really. You have the student life, but you've also got the beach and all the history. It was just the place really more than anything else that sold me, like I would love to live here for three years.

All the lecturers that I met were so lovely, really passionate and they are all actively researching and publishing as well. So you really get experts in each of their fields. One of my lecturers was Rob James, I ended up getting a first overall, and I think that was largely down to him. Always knowing that I could do better and pushing me and really believing in me.

When I graduated with my history degree, I was kind of unsure about what to do, what career path to take because it is so varied, you can really do whatever you want. I found a job at Cath Kidston. I got a job in HR and it's just something that I've realised is a perfect mix of all of my skills, all of my passions, all into one job.

My degree has actually had a huge impact on my career. I wanted to learn all of the theory behind the stuff I've been doing at work for the last two years. That's why I was so keen to do my CIPD.

I don't even know where I'd be without the University of Portsmouth, it was such a big part of my life. Living here and studying here and all of the people that I met and the tutors. Kind of more than anything, it's instilled that thirst for knowledge and always wanting to know more and always wanting to question things. I think a huge part of history is you're always questioning a source, and the lecturers would say, don't just believe everything at face value, always question things and always want to know more. What really drives me is that I just want a job that I enjoy, a life that I enjoy. That is what makes me want to continue studying so I can just progress in my career and continue enjoying what I'm doing.

Ongoing career support – up to 5 years after you graduate

Get experience while you study, with support to find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, and work experience.

Towards the end of your degree and for up to five years after graduation, you’ll receive one-to-one support from our Careers and Employability Service to help you find your perfect role.

This course allows you to take the Learning From Experience (LiFE) option. This means you can earn credits towards your degree for work, volunteer and research placements that you do alongside your study.

Placement year (optional)

After your second or third year, you can undertake an optional work placement year. This is an exciting opportunity to get invaluable work experience relevant to your intended career path.

The University can provide support and advice to help secure a work placement best suited for you. You can find placements in the UK or beyond, depending on your identified career plans.

You could also choose to set up your own business, or take a voluntary placement.

Placement destinations

History students undertake placements in a variety of areas, including in the not-for-profit sector, in museums and heritage sites, in digital content management and with legal firms.

Current and recent students have secured placements at:

Freedom from Torture, a charity which supports survivors of torture who seek protection in the UK
Shrewsbury Museums
Darton Law Ltd
Posada & Company (Law)
Everyday Loans
Narrativia (independent production company)

We'll help you secure a work placement that fits your aspirations. You'll get mentoring and support throughout the year.