Overview

The BA (Hons) History at the University of Bristol explores societies, events, ideas, and changes across different periods and geographical contexts. The foundation stage develops the research and analytical skills needed to investigate the past critically and understand how historical knowledge is constructed from diverse evidence.

What You'll Learn

• Historical periods, societies, and developments across different regions and contexts.

• Political, social, economic, cultural, and intellectual history.

• Primary sources, including written records, images, material evidence, and other historical documents.

• Methods for interpreting, comparing, and evaluating historical sources.

• Historiographical approaches and differing interpretations of the past.

• Relationships between historical events, institutions, ideas, and social change.

• Themes such as power, identity, conflict, culture, and transformation.

• Research methods, independent investigation, academic writing, and evidence-based argument.

• Critical thinking, communication, discussion, and presentation skills.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze historical events and developments within their appropriate social, political, cultural, and intellectual contexts. They will understand how historians use different types of evidence to investigate the past and will be able to assess the strengths, limitations, and perspectives of individual sources. Students will develop the ability to compare competing historical interpretations, identify patterns of change and continuity, and construct well-supported arguments. They will also be able to undertake independent historical research, locate and evaluate relevant evidence, and communicate findings clearly in written and spoken forms. Through engagement with diverse periods and perspectives, the course will strengthen students' analytical, research, interpretive, and critical-thinking skills while developing a nuanced understanding of how the past is studied and debated.