Newcastle University

English and History BA Honours
UCAS Code: QV31 (3 Years)

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‌New for 2014 entry!
(pending full university approval)

This degree builds on the long-established partnership between the School of English and the School of History. We work together on this degree to offer students the best of both disciplines.

Your module choices span centuries and continents, giving you the chance to study topics from around the world, from the Dark Ages right through to the contemporary era, from Beowulf to Blasted.

Many of the two Schools’ courses dovetail in theme and period: for example, you might study the history of colonial India followed by a module on India’s postcolonial literature; or the French Revolution alongside British writers’ responses to it; or explore the emergence of consumerism in eighteenth-century society and its literature.

We have modules which are co-taught by English and History in the second and the third year. There is also the choice of taking a module offered by any other school within the university, including several language options.

So on this degree you will unite your literary and historical knowledge to research topics you are passionate about.  

You will learn the skills of close-reading, literary analysis and working with concepts. You will acquire the ability to evaluate and synthesis a wide range of evidence. These will combine to create a graduate who can think flexibly, argue cogently and communicate fluently to a wide range of audiences.

Why choose Newcastle?

Study English and History at Newcastle and benefit from:

• our multi-award-winning University Library Service, with over one million books, a huge range of electronic resources, and a Special Collections department with excellent historical and literary books and manuscripts
• the University-led Great North Museum, adjacent to campus, including world-class archaeological treasures and a resource-rich library
• our Guardian award-winning student-run newspaper, The Courier, and our radio and TV stations, providing excellent training for students with journalistic ambitions
• heritage on your doorstep, in our historically rich region
• Newcastle's rich cultural life, including theatres, poetry and book readings, and various amateur dramatics societies

Teaching and assessment

The content of modules in both English and history is shaped by the research specialisms of our staff, many of whom are international leaders in their field. This means you have access to the very latest ideas and discoveries in your subject, as well as exploring new and exciting areas of study. 

In English, our research is focused in five key areas:

• Literature
• English Language and Linguistics
• Creative Writing
• Children's Literature
• Film

In history, the geographical range of our research encompasses:

• Asia
• the Americas
• the Middle East
• Europe and the British Isles

You can normally expect to spend 9-10 hours per week attending lectures, seminars, workshops and film screenings. You will be expected to supplement this with around 25 hours per week on class preparation, reading, writing, and other kinds of independent research recommended by your tutor.

Your work will be assessed through a variety of traditional and innovative assignments, including essays, documentary commentaries, individual and group presentations, discussion-board postings and end-of-semester examinations. Teaching and assessment methods may vary from module to module; more information can be found in our individual module listings.

Study abroad

You may study abroad either in Europe via the Erasmus programme or further afield via the Non-EU Study Abroad exchange programme.

Erasmus Programme

You will have the opportunity to study abroad for one semester in your second year through the Erasmus programme. The work that you do and the grades you achieve are counted towards your final degree. You can study at universities in:

• Belgium
• Czech Republic
• Finland
• France
• Italy
• Holland / Netherlands
• Poland
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Turkey

Non-EU Study Abroad Exchange Programme

We have study abroad links with universities in:

• Australia
• Canada
• Hong Kong
• Singapore
• the USA

Studying at Newcastle

As a Joint Honours student, you will divide your time between the School of History, Classics and Archaeology in the recently refurbished Armstrong Building and the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics in the Percy Building.

The School of History, Classics and Archaeology brings together undergraduate and postgraduate students and staff. We have a very popular student-run History Society and our staff go above and beyond to ensure you feel welcomed both academically and socially.  

In the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics you will join a lively community of students, academics, authors and professionals. The School also has a thriving literary student society, EngSoc, which organises social and academic events around a literary theme.

In addition, the University has an active student drama scene and one of the best student newspapers in the country, The Courier, which won The Guardian Student Media award for Student Publication of the Year in 2012.