History (Study Abroad) Lancaster University

As a historian at Lancaster, you’ll explore the challenges that confront our world. You'll build the skills to hunt down and analyse evidence to solve these challenges, making your home in a city whose castle, cathedral and cobbled streets are part of the stories you’ll discover. Our expert historians will guide you through hands-on training, as you prepare to take your place in the world.

Why Lancaster?

• Address the challenges of our world past, present and future, from environmental change to war and conflict, human rights and scientific revolutions

• Develop your skills through training by expert historians with international reputations

• Hone expertise in analysis, critical thinking and persuasive argument to prepare you for a range of ambitious careers

• Study in historic Lancaster, a city steeped in centuries and culture

• Be inspired by the latest research through our centres in Regional Heritage, War and Diplomacy, and Digital Humanities, and benefit from extensive historical resources and archives

Lancaster’s rich history

The city of Lancaster and its surrounds – from the Lake District to the Bay coastline and the Forest of Bowland – are steeped in history. From Bronze Age stone circles to Viking-age graves and medieval abbeys, and from Roman forts to memorials of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the region is rich in the living remains of past cultures for you to explore. Over ten centuries, Lancaster’s Norman castle has been a fortress, court and prison, now the heart of a vibrant historic city.

Become a historian

Our team of expert historians will guide you through hands-on training in primary source analysis, with one-to-one advice and feedback from expert historians.

You’ll learn how to understand the world of others: their cultures, values and beliefs. You’ll observe how individuals coalesce – into families, mobs and gangs, into companies and unions, into parties, armies, nations and empires – and know why and how these units break apart.

From the medieval world to the twenty-first century, across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa you'll learn how to master understanding of a place, from villages to cities, countries and continents. You’ll see how landscapes have shaped peoples and been shaped in turn, and how populations and lands are ravaged and reformed by war, famine, and flood.

You’ll understand how societies across history have struggled with what it means to be human – how to cure and how to die, when to pardon and to kill, the balance of our rights and what we owe to others.

As a historian, you’ll have honed a special skill: how to seek out evidence, and how to analyse and interpret it – from laws, letters and diaries to paintings, photographs and maps, and physical remnants such as buildings and burial places.

Be inspired by our research

You’ll be trained by our world-class historians, whose research expertise stretches across Britain and Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. Lancaster historians work at the cutting edge of the discipline addressing world challenges past and future, from global conflict and trade to the ethics of government and human rights, and from environmental transformations to technological revolutions.

With Lancaster historians you’ll explore the history of:

• War and diplomatic relations

• Rights, crimes and punishments

• Medicine, science and technology

• Societies, nations and empires

• Finance, trade and globalisation

• Environment, landscape and technologies

Study abroad

The study abroad option is an exciting opportunity for anyone who is thinking of working abroad during their career or who simply wants the experience of living and studying overseas as part of their degree. You will study in your third year at one of our international partner universities. This will help you to develop your global outlook, expand your professional network, increase your cultural awareness and develop your personal skills.

Entry requirements

These are the typical grades that you will need to study this course. This section will tell you whether you need qualifications in specific subjects, what our English language requirements are, and if there are any extra requirements such as attending an interview or submitting a portfolio.

A levels

AAB

Access to HE Diploma

36 Level 3 credits at Distinction plus 9 Level 3 credits at Merit

Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales

We accept the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales in place of one A level, or equivalent qualification, as long as any subject requirements are met.

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDD

BTEC in combination with A levels

A level at grade B plus BTEC(s) at DD, or A levels at grade AB plus BTEC at D

International Baccalaureate

35 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 HL subjects

Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers

We are happy to admit applicants on the basis of five Highers, but where we require a specific subject at A level, we will typically require an Advanced Higher in that subject. If you do not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone, we will consider a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers in separate subjects. Please contact the Admissions team for more information.

T levels

Distinction overall

GCSE requirements

English Language grade 4/C.

We will also look at your overall GCSE profile when considering your application as a whole.

We do have flexibility when considering GCSE requirements. Go to our GCSE information for more details.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, we require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component for this programme. English language qualifications for undergraduate study.