BA History and Music

Develop your skills in performance and composition, and your academic knowledge of music, while exploring the great events, extraordinary documents and remarkable people that have shaped our culture and society.

You’ll study past societies from the late Roman through to the modern period, focusing on political, social and cultural themes. You’ll be engaged in real research from the beginning of your course, learning to exercise independent judgement, to be critical of accepted opinion and to construct effective arguments.

Our music curriculum and expertise span seven different areas: performance, composition, musicology, ethnomusicology, music psychology, musical industries, and music technology.

We offer an impressive array of modules, with academic and practical study in most music genres, including classical, pop, jazz, folk and world music. You’ll develop your skills as a musician and music researcher, and have the freedom to follow your own interests.

As a dual honours student, you’ll divide your studies between the Department of History and the Department of Music. You’ll be required to take a minimum number of credits within both departments each year, but how you choose to divide your modules after this is up to you: split your modules evenly between history and music or choose to weight your degree in favour of one subject or the other.

Throughout your degree, you’ll be studying in an environment dedicated to high-quality teaching, world-leading research, and innovative public engagement. We have cutting-edge facilities, including purpose-built music practice rooms, recording studios and music psychology labs.

Outside of your degree, there are many ways to develop your interests, insights and critical faculties. Opportunities include student-led reading groups, multiple ensembles, active student societies, and our University Concerts series, which hosts over 100 musical events and performances every year.

Modules

A selection of modules are available each year – some examples are below. There may be changes before you start your course.

For history, the first year programme is designed to help you to make the transition from studying History at school or college to studying it at degree level. Building your confidence and broadening your knowledge.

It introduces you to core academic skills and provides a solid grounding in historical study and research, giving you the foundations you’ll need to deepen your understanding of historical events and processes throughout your degree and setting you off on the path to becoming an independent historian.

Our first year history option modules introduce you to our main areas of teaching and research and give you insight into what you can study in the coming years, so that you can better shape your degree to your individual interests.

For history, the second year programme builds on what you’ve learnt so far and introduces you to new and exciting topics. It’s designed to help you hone your research skills and start to look outwards beyond your degree.

You’ll choose from two core modules designed to enhance your independent research skills with a focus on ‘theory and practice’, reflecting on the intellectual development of our discipline and its place in the world today. You’ll learn to challenge assumptions and appreciate the bigger picture. If you choose to take the Uses of History, you’ll also diversify your employability skills through group work and creating a pitch for a historical artefact such as a TV documentary, a podcast, or a journal article.

These modules will lay the groundwork for the in-depth research involved in our final year special subject and dissertation modules.

Our wide range of option modules mean you can explore key periods, themes and events in history and develop your knowledge and interests ahead of choosing a specialist topic in your final year. 

You’ll normally take one core module and two option modules.

For history, the final year is designed to support you to become an expert in your chosen area and hone how you present your findings.  

All students have the opportunity to take a Special Subject and a dissertation, as we think that they are important staples of a history degree. These modules are where you can focus on one of the areas of history that you’re most passionate about and have the opportunity to become an expert in your chosen topic. You’ll use the academic skills and historical knowledge you’ve gained in years one and two to undertake focussed primary source research supported by one of our internationally renowned tutors.

Our thematic modules give you the opportunity to enhance your ability to look at history from different perspectives: you’ll engage with the study of change over time and consider the comparative dimensions of a topic across time and space.

While our presentation module offers you the chance to further develop your employability skills by creating a digital artefact, such as a video presentation, podcast, virtual exhibition or dynamic poster, designed to communicate your research to a non-specialist audience.

You will normally take 60 credits in history.

Entry requirements

The A Level entry requirements for this course are:
AAB
typically including History or Classical Civilisation and Music (or grade 8 Practical (ABRSM/Trinity/Rockschool or equivalent) + grade 5 Theory (ABRSM/Trinity))

A Levels + additional qualifications ABB typically including History and Music (or grade 8 Practical (ABRSM/Trinity/Rockshool) + grade 5 Theory (ABRSM/Trinity)) + B in a relavnt EPQ

International Baccalaureate 34, typically with 5 in Higher Level History and Music (or grade 8 Practical (ABRSM/Trinity/Rockschool or equivalent) + grade 5 Theory (ABRSM/Trinity))

BTEC Extended Diploma DD in Music + A at A Level typically in History or Classical Civilisation

Scottish Highers + 2 Advanced Highers AAABB + AB typically in History and Music (or grade 8 Practical (ABRSM/Trinity/Rockschool or equivalent) + grade 5 Theory (ABRSM/Trinity))

Welsh Baccalaureate + 2 A Levels B + AA, typically in History or Classical Civilisation and Music (or grade 8 Practical (ABRSM/Trinity/Rockschool or equivalent) + grade 5 Theory (ABRSM/Trinity))

Access to HE Diploma 60 credits overall in a relevant subject, with 45 credits at Level 3, including 36 credits at Distinction (to include History units) and 9 credits at Merit

English language requirements | 

You must demonstrate that your English is good enough for you to successfully complete your course. For this course we require: GCSE English Language at grade 4/C; IELTS grade of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component; or an alternative acceptable English language qualification

Fees and funding

Fees

Applications for places on courses starting the following September (except Medicine and Dentistry) should be submitted to UCAS between:

• 1 September and 25 January to be guaranteed equal consideration with other applicants
• 26 January and 30 June for further consideration, although we may not be able to consider your application if all the places on the course you’ve applied for have been filled

Applications for places on Medicine and Dentistry courses must be submitted between 1 September and 15 October.