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King's College London
You are viewing a course in < History and classics
Undergraduate degree

History BA

UCAS code: V100

Key information

Course type:
Single honours
Delivery mode:
Classroom
Study mode:
Full time
Required A-level:
AAA
Duration:
Three years
Application status:
Closed
Start date:
September 2022
Application deadline:
26 January 2022
Optional study abroad
Optional internships
Apply via UCAS

The History BA at King's covers an extraordinary breadth of periods and places- from Romans and Barbarians to modern China. Studying in London surrounded by world-class lecturers, outstanding museums and resources, you will explore topics you've covered at school as well as many that you haven't, such as the history of Contemporary Africa or sexuality and gender in Modern Britain. Students also have the option to study abroad at one of our partner institutions for the second semester of the second year. 

Key benefits

  • One of the best history departments in the world, and ranked 4th in Europe by The QS World University Rankings by Subject (2021).
  • A wider range of periods and places than most history degrees, from medieval Europe to the modern world.
  • King’s graduates enjoy one of the best employment rates and starting salaries in the UK. Ranked 4th in the UK for graduate employability (Global University Employability Ranking 2020, published in Times Higher Education). Graduates get top jobs in a wide range of sectors, including law, business, government, heritage, finance and teaching.
  • Students have the option to study abroad at one of our partner institutions for the second semester of the second year. Current options include universities in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Singapore, Spain and the USA..
  • Most teaching takes place in small seminar groups providing the opportunity for you to hone their discussion and presentation skills.
  • Studying in a central London location, you will have easy access to world-class museums, collections and libraries.
Henna

“What I enjoy most about my course is the worldly breadth of information and exposure we receive as King's students. Not only does our education span across any thinkable geographical region, but we are gifted with an immersive international staff and student body- all concentrated in the heart of London.”

Henna, History BA

Course Aims

  • History BA at King’s has a world-class reputation, offering graduates excellent career prospects.
  • In your first year, you will explore introductory level modules, building an understanding of the background of historical events over an extensive period across the world. In your second year, you will choose a more focused pathway, exploring themes across a narrower time range while encouraging a more comparative approach to history. Your third year of study will challenge you to think more deeply and broadly about historical developments: you will develop comparative and theoretical perspectives, and select from one of the many specialist topics on offer, studying its primary source materials and writing your research dissertation on it.
  • All of our students have the opportunity to study abroad as part of their History degree. Find out more about studying abroad: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/abroad

Special features

Optional study abroad
Optional internships

Regulating bodies

King's is regulated by the Office for Students

Subject requirements

Required subjects:
None
Preferred subjects:
History A Level (or equivalent) is generally expected, however applications without can be considered where the application clearly demonstrates interest in and engagement with History as an academic subject.

A-Levels

Required grades:
AAA

Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels.

Notes: If you are taking linear A Levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.

Contextual A-Level information

ABB Please note that A Level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A Levels. Notes: If you are taking linear A Levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.

International Baccalaureate

35 points including 666 at Higher Level.

Notes: The total point score of 35 includes TOK/EE.

Contextual International Baccalaureate information

34 points including 655 at Higher Level Notes: The total point score of 34 includes TOK/EE.

Alternative accepted qualifications

Standard requirements

International applicants

Equivalent International qualifications

Course specific subject requirements are indicated in subject requirements above

English language requirements

English language band: B

Selection process

Application deadline: 26th January 2022 - 18:00 GMT

 

Contextual consideration

We make contextual offers for this programme, which can be found in the entry requirements.  As part of the assessment process, we take into account contextual information to gain a more complete picture of each application. More information can be found on the Contextualised admissions website.

Deferrals

Applications can be submitted for deferred entry by choosing the appropriate year of entry on the UCAS application.

If your circumstances change and, therefore, you need to request a deferral after an offer has been made, then we can generally permit these for this programme. However, each deferral request will be considered on a case-by-case basis and we reserve the right to decline any post-offer deferral request. Requests should be submitted via a message on King’s Apply with an explanation of the reason for making the request.

Please note, second deferral requests will only be considered where the request is due to extreme unforeseen extenuating circumstances, for example, health reasons. We are unable to permit deferral requests that go beyond two years and you would need to apply again. This is with the exception of deferrals which are due to military/national service.

Foundation courses

Applicants studying Foundation Year programmes in the UK are welcome to apply for this programme. Foundation programmes from other universities and further education providers in the UK are considered on a case-by-case basis. Whether or not we can consider a particular foundation year as suitable for study at King's depends on the content of the syllabus and modules studied. In the past we have accepted foundation programmes from a number of other institutions.

We are unable to accept Foundation programmes that are integrated as part of a main degree at another institution. These may be called Year 0 or Integrated Foundations. We are also unable to accept non-UK Foundation courses.

Once you have submitted an application, the Admissions Office may contact you via King's Apply to ask for further details on your qualification, such as a list of modules and course specifications.

The King's International Foundation Programme has guaranteed pathways available for progression onto our King's undergraduate degree programmes, and information can be found on the website.

Graduates

Our general entry requirements are based on A-level or equivalent. However, where an applicant is completing/has completed a degree, we are able to consider the degree study as part of the assessment of the application.

Generally, we would consider a minimum of a UK Bachelor degree with a 2:1 grade profile (or overseas equivalent) as meeting the entry requirements for our undergraduate degrees. However, those who have achieved/are predicted a high 2:1 or a First may be considered more competitive.

Once you have submitted an application, the Admissions Office may contact you via King's Apply to ask for further details on your degree study.

Personal Statement

Your personal statement is one of the many factors in the overall assessment of your application, and is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the university and inform us of your commitment to the programme and how the programme fits into your career plans, as well as any work experience or extracurricular activities you have done.

Resits

We are able to consider applicants who have retaken or are retaking their qualifications.

Transfers

We are unable to consider transfer applications during the 2021/22 admissions cycle for this programme.
We will update the website in September 2022 to confirm whether transfers will be accepted for future admissions cycles for this programme. 

Help for international applicants

International Foundation Year

If you don't have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, we can help with our Foundation year courses.

Pre-sessional courses

If you have an offer from King's, but English isn't your first language, we have courses to help you.

Teaching methods - what to expect

History BA at King’s is a three-year programme where you will take modules totalling 120 credits for each year and will be assessed through a combination of essays, examinations, presentations and dissertations. You will choose from a wide range of modules, which span the Medieval, Early Modern and Modern periods.

Our modules are designed by the academics within the department and reflect their expertise. In the final year, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a research dissertation on a topic that is linked to one of the many specialist subjects we offer, with one-to-one support from academic staff with comparable interests. We are part of the University of London and as second and final-year students, you’ll have the option to study History modules at other institutions, such as UCL, Royal Holloway and Queen Mary, creating an even greater choice of modules

Assessment

    Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment typically include examinations, essays, a dissertation and seminar presentations. Coursework contributes approximately 70% and examinations approximately 30% to your final mark.

    Structure

    Courses are divided into modules. Each year you will normally take modules totalling 120 credits.

    This is a three-year degree course in which you will take a combination of required and optional modules to total 360 credits.

    King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

    Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

    Employability

    Career prospects for King’s History graduates are excellent. Former King’s History students have found employment with national newspapers, law firms, civil service, state and private schools, heritage, banking and business sectors as well as in many different universities across the globe.

    Prominent King’s History graduates include Ronan Bennett (novelist and screenwriter), Janice Hadlow (Controller of BBC Two), Georgina Henry (Executive comment editor of the Guardian newspaper) and Dina Asher-Smith (British athlete).

    Destinations

    Recent graduates have found employment within the following job roles and companies:

    • Recent graduates have found employment as: Academic Historian Dealers' Assistant, Bonhams Research Analyst

    Tuition Fees

    Full time tuition fees UK:

    The UK tuition fee for the 2022-2023 academic year is currently £9,250 per year. This is based on the UK Government’s cap.

    Full time tuition fees International:

    The International tuition fee for the 2022-2023 academic year is £21,840 per year.

    Please note that the International tuition fee is subject to annual increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

    All International applicants to Undergraduate programmes are required to pay a deposit of £2,000 against their first year’s tuition fee. This deposit is payable when you firmly accept an unconditional offer to study with us, and will be offset against your tuition fees when you join King’s.

    If you choose the study abroad option with one of King’s partner universities, you will not be charged tuition fees by the host university (although some partners do charge a small administration fee for applying). King’s will continue to invoice for a proportion of King's tuition fees. You should also budget to pay for the associated subsistence costs, such as travel, visas, accommodation and food as well as any vaccination/immunisations required by the country to which you are travelling.  Please see the Study Abroad web pages for details of the relevant partner universities and detailed information on the fees that apply under the Course Essentials tab.

    Additional Costs

    In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

    • Books if you choose to buy your own copies
    • Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
    • Library fees and fines
    • Personal photocopies
    • Society membership fees
    • Printing course handouts
    • Stationery
    • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
    • Printing and binding two hard copies of the dissertation
    • Graduation costs

    Funding

    Course Aims

    • History BA at King’s has a world-class reputation, offering graduates excellent career prospects.
    • In your first year, you will explore introductory level modules, building an understanding of the background of historical events over an extensive period across the world. In your second year, you will choose a more focused pathway, exploring themes across a narrower time range while encouraging a more comparative approach to history. Your third year of study will challenge you to think more deeply and broadly about historical developments: you will develop comparative and theoretical perspectives, and select from one of the many specialist topics on offer, studying its primary source materials and writing your research dissertation on it.
    • All of our students have the opportunity to study abroad as part of their History degree. Find out more about studying abroad: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/abroad

    Special features

    Optional study abroad
    Optional internships

    Regulating bodies

    King's is regulated by the Office for Students

    Subject requirements

    Required subjects:
    None
    Preferred subjects:
    History A Level (or equivalent) is generally expected, however applications without can be considered where the application clearly demonstrates interest in and engagement with History as an academic subject.

    A-Levels

    Required grades:
    AAA

    Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels.

    Notes: If you are taking linear A Levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.

    Contextual A-Level information

    ABB Please note that A Level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A Levels. Notes: If you are taking linear A Levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.

    International Baccalaureate

    35 points including 666 at Higher Level.

    Notes: The total point score of 35 includes TOK/EE.

    Contextual International Baccalaureate information

    34 points including 655 at Higher Level Notes: The total point score of 34 includes TOK/EE.

    Alternative accepted qualifications

    Standard requirements

    International applicants

    Equivalent International qualifications

    Course specific subject requirements are indicated in subject requirements above

    English language requirements

    English language band: B

    Selection process

    Application deadline: 26th January 2022 - 18:00 GMT

     

    Contextual consideration

    We make contextual offers for this programme, which can be found in the entry requirements.  As part of the assessment process, we take into account contextual information to gain a more complete picture of each application. More information can be found on the Contextualised admissions website.

    Deferrals

    Applications can be submitted for deferred entry by choosing the appropriate year of entry on the UCAS application.

    If your circumstances change and, therefore, you need to request a deferral after an offer has been made, then we can generally permit these for this programme. However, each deferral request will be considered on a case-by-case basis and we reserve the right to decline any post-offer deferral request. Requests should be submitted via a message on King’s Apply with an explanation of the reason for making the request.

    Please note, second deferral requests will only be considered where the request is due to extreme unforeseen extenuating circumstances, for example, health reasons. We are unable to permit deferral requests that go beyond two years and you would need to apply again. This is with the exception of deferrals which are due to military/national service.

    Foundation courses

    Applicants studying Foundation Year programmes in the UK are welcome to apply for this programme. Foundation programmes from other universities and further education providers in the UK are considered on a case-by-case basis. Whether or not we can consider a particular foundation year as suitable for study at King's depends on the content of the syllabus and modules studied. In the past we have accepted foundation programmes from a number of other institutions.

    We are unable to accept Foundation programmes that are integrated as part of a main degree at another institution. These may be called Year 0 or Integrated Foundations. We are also unable to accept non-UK Foundation courses.

    Once you have submitted an application, the Admissions Office may contact you via King's Apply to ask for further details on your qualification, such as a list of modules and course specifications.

    The King's International Foundation Programme has guaranteed pathways available for progression onto our King's undergraduate degree programmes, and information can be found on the website.

    Graduates

    Our general entry requirements are based on A-level or equivalent. However, where an applicant is completing/has completed a degree, we are able to consider the degree study as part of the assessment of the application.

    Generally, we would consider a minimum of a UK Bachelor degree with a 2:1 grade profile (or overseas equivalent) as meeting the entry requirements for our undergraduate degrees. However, those who have achieved/are predicted a high 2:1 or a First may be considered more competitive.

    Once you have submitted an application, the Admissions Office may contact you via King's Apply to ask for further details on your degree study.

    Personal Statement

    Your personal statement is one of the many factors in the overall assessment of your application, and is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the university and inform us of your commitment to the programme and how the programme fits into your career plans, as well as any work experience or extracurricular activities you have done.

    Resits

    We are able to consider applicants who have retaken or are retaking their qualifications.

    Transfers

    We are unable to consider transfer applications during the 2021/22 admissions cycle for this programme.
    We will update the website in September 2022 to confirm whether transfers will be accepted for future admissions cycles for this programme. 

    Help for international applicants

    International Foundation Year

    If you don't have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, we can help with our Foundation year courses.

    Pre-sessional courses

    If you have an offer from King's, but English isn't your first language, we have courses to help you.

    Teaching methods - what to expect

    History BA at King’s is a three-year programme where you will take modules totalling 120 credits for each year and will be assessed through a combination of essays, examinations, presentations and dissertations. You will choose from a wide range of modules, which span the Medieval, Early Modern and Modern periods.

    Our modules are designed by the academics within the department and reflect their expertise. In the final year, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a research dissertation on a topic that is linked to one of the many specialist subjects we offer, with one-to-one support from academic staff with comparable interests. We are part of the University of London and as second and final-year students, you’ll have the option to study History modules at other institutions, such as UCL, Royal Holloway and Queen Mary, creating an even greater choice of modules

    Assessment

      Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment typically include examinations, essays, a dissertation and seminar presentations. Coursework contributes approximately 70% and examinations approximately 30% to your final mark.

      Structure

      Courses are divided into modules. Each year you will normally take modules totalling 120 credits.

      This is a three-year degree course in which you will take a combination of required and optional modules to total 360 credits.

      King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

      Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

      Employability

      Career prospects for King’s History graduates are excellent. Former King’s History students have found employment with national newspapers, law firms, civil service, state and private schools, heritage, banking and business sectors as well as in many different universities across the globe.

      Prominent King’s History graduates include Ronan Bennett (novelist and screenwriter), Janice Hadlow (Controller of BBC Two), Georgina Henry (Executive comment editor of the Guardian newspaper) and Dina Asher-Smith (British athlete).

      Destinations

      Recent graduates have found employment within the following job roles and companies:

      • Recent graduates have found employment as: Academic Historian Dealers' Assistant, Bonhams Research Analyst

      Tuition Fees

      Full time tuition fees UK:

      The UK tuition fee for the 2022-2023 academic year is currently £9,250 per year. This is based on the UK Government’s cap.

      Full time tuition fees International:

      The International tuition fee for the 2022-2023 academic year is £21,840 per year.

      Please note that the International tuition fee is subject to annual increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

      All International applicants to Undergraduate programmes are required to pay a deposit of £2,000 against their first year’s tuition fee. This deposit is payable when you firmly accept an unconditional offer to study with us, and will be offset against your tuition fees when you join King’s.

      If you choose the study abroad option with one of King’s partner universities, you will not be charged tuition fees by the host university (although some partners do charge a small administration fee for applying). King’s will continue to invoice for a proportion of King's tuition fees. You should also budget to pay for the associated subsistence costs, such as travel, visas, accommodation and food as well as any vaccination/immunisations required by the country to which you are travelling.  Please see the Study Abroad web pages for details of the relevant partner universities and detailed information on the fees that apply under the Course Essentials tab.

      Additional Costs

      In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

      • Books if you choose to buy your own copies
      • Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
      • Library fees and fines
      • Personal photocopies
      • Society membership fees
      • Printing course handouts
      • Stationery
      • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
      • Printing and binding two hard copies of the dissertation
      • Graduation costs

      Funding

      Key information

      Course type:
      Single honours
      Delivery mode:
      Classroom
      Study mode:
      Full time
      Required A-level:
      AAA
      Duration:
      Three years
      Application status:
      Closed
      Start date:
      September 2022
      Application deadline:
      26 January 2022
      Optional study abroad
      Optional internships
      Apply via UCAS

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