Integrated Degree in History (including Foundation Year)

Overview

Modules in the foundation year explore British history at both a local and national level through a focus on the lived experience of ordinary people. Students will be introduced to the principles of post-colonial history and consider how cultural history connects what is local to the global world.

You will also take the Learning to be a Historian module, which will introduce you to the skills and tools necessary for studying history.

During your Foundation Year you study the following modules:

 

	Module title	Credits
	The Battle for the Ballot The Battle for the Ballot 15 credits This module will examine the ‘battle for the ballot’, from the English Civil War through to the 1948 Representation of the People Act. The module will engage students with the development of ‘ideas worth fighting for’ and will provide an overview of how political representation in Britain was increasingly secured for the masses within the broader historical context of widening democracy and participation. The module will examine key moments in this history, including the Industrial Revolution, the New Poor Law, the Reform Acts, the founding of different political parties and ideologies, and the growth and development of the women’s rights movement. Students will engage with social, cultural and political themes including industrialization, urbanization, politicization, radicalism, democracy, liberalism, constitutionalism and national identity. Although there will be an emphasis on the secondary historical debates around those topics, students will also work with a range of primary source documents across a range of time periods. Students will also be encouraged to situate current debates about participatory politics, voting, elections and referendums into their historical context in order to better understand the development of those processes and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.	15 credits
	Empires, Nations and Lines of the Map: Postcolonial Perspectives on World History Empires, Nations and Lines of the Map: Postcolonial Perspectives on World History 30 credits This module provides a basic introduction to the principles of postcolonial history, by looking at how political geography and lines on maps were imposed on the world by the European empires. These lines on maps have dominated political history in the western academy, but post-colonial history asks whether other units of analysis might make more sense, particularly from the perspectives of the global South. Two case studies trace how Britain and other European powers defined geographical spaces as political units, and why these definitions were adopted as national identities by local people in their struggles against those powers. It then considers what a ‘postcolonial’ identity might mean and how it might change the way we study history.	30 credits
	An Everyday History of Modern Britain, 1800-1950 An Everyday History of Modern Britain, 1800-1950 30 credits This module will introduce students to the techniques and methodologies of social and cultural history and, in particular, will focus upon how and why studying the everyday lives and activities of otherwise ordinary people is worthwhile and relevant to historical enquiry and analysis. Students will be equipped with the theoretical and practical knowledge to allow them to access a range of primary and secondary sources and resources relevant for the study of everyday life in modern Britain (broadly defined, in this case, as 1800-1950). The module will cover a wide range of topics, but the focus will always be on uncovering and exploring the everyday lived experiences of the mass of people, rather than the more ‘traditional’ historical approaches which tend to focus more on the great actions of notable people. Topics explored will include; industrialization and urbanization, everyday elements such as food, drink, housing, employment, unemployment, education and entertainment, as well as wider concepts and issues such as immigration, gender, race and finally death and burial. Students will explore historiography through secondary sources, but there will also be an emphasis on the very wide range of primary sources which are often required in order to get access to the everyday lives of ordinary people. These will include working-class autobiographies and memoirs, oral histories and visual sources such as photographs and films. There will also be field trips to illustrate how the everyday past can live on and continue to be visibly represented in the present.	30 credits
	From Local to Global: Identity and Cultural History From Local to Global: Identity and Cultural History 15 credits The module will focus on various elements in south London culture and trace their deeper global historical roots. these elements could include: rap music, curry, hijab wearing, tattoos, Pentecostalism, and Rastafarianism. In focusing on local culture, the module will illustrate how cultural history connects the local to the global. Using these focused case studies, it will introduce students to easily-recognised examples of how history is about change, and the reasons for change. The module will illustrate how historians ask particular types of questions about culture: not just ‘where does it come from?’, but ‘how has it changed?’ and ‘why did this cultural form cross the world and adapt in particular ways, when others didn’t?’.	15 credits
	Learning to be a Historian Learning to be a Historian 15 credits The purpose of this module is to introduce students to the concepts, methods, techniques, sources and approaches employed by historians in their pursuit of history. Students will be introduced to key core ideas and asked to consider and analyse basic tenets of historical thought and practice. The module is intended to provide a grounding in the methodologies and practices employed by historians and to equip students with the necessary skills and tools to understand and investigate how and why history is undertaken and the implications of undertaking it in different ways at different times. Students will also become acquainted with and be trained to recognize and analyse a broad range of the different types of primary sources from which historians derive evidence. The module starts from very first principles by engaging students with debates about historical awareness and the differences between popular perceptions of the past and the rigorous historical investigation of it.	15 credits
	London 1400- 1650: A City in Transition London 1400- 1650: A City in Transition 15 credits This module will explore the social, economic, political and geographical development of London between 1400 and 1650. Emphasis will be placed on assessing the extent of continuity and change across the entire period focusing on the Reformation, immigration and the emergence of London as a worldwide trading centre. How these issues impacted on local government and the lives of Londoners will be explored through the reading of contemporary sources including court rolls, taxation records, maps, diaries and chronicles of the period.	15 credits

You will also take Study Skills for Historians. This module is not assessed. It provides a comprehensive range of academic study skills training in areas such as library and resources orientation, effective reading, note taking, essay structuring and planning, critical thinking, vocabulary development, research and exam techniques, WordPress blogging and website assessment.

Teaching style

This programme is taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops. You’ll also be expected to undertake a significant amount of independent study. This includes carrying out required and additional reading, preparing topics for discussion, and producing essays or project work.

The following information gives an indication of the typical proportions of learning and teaching for each year of this programme*:

• Year 0 - 43% scheduled learning, 57% independent learning
• Year 1 - 13% scheduled learning, 87% independent learning
• Year 2 - 13% scheduled learning, 87% independent learning
• Year 3 - 13% scheduled learning, 87% independent learning

How you’ll be assessed

You’ll be assessed by a variety of methods, depending on your module choices. These include coursework, examinations, group work and projects.

The following information gives an indication of how you can typically expect to be assessed on each year of this programme*:

• Year 0 - 100% coursework
• Year 1 - 44% coursework, 56% written exam
• Year 2 - 72% coursework, 28% written exam
• Year 3 - 59% coursework, 41% written exam

*Please note that these are averages are based on enrolments for 2017/18. Each student’s time in teaching, learning and assessment activities will differ based on individual module choices. Find out more about how this information is calculated.

Download the programme specification, for the 2019-20 intake. If you would like an earlier version of the programme specification, please contact the Quality Office.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

There are no formal entry qualifications for the four-year degree. Instead of formal qualifications, we look for clear evidence of the skills and abilities you need for an undergraduate degree, and interest in the subject.

Most applicants will be invited to an interview, and you may be asked to provide a sample of recent extended writing to assess your suitability for the course.

International qualifications

We also accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.0 with a 6.0 in writing and no element lower than 5.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for degree-level study.

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2019/20 academic year.

• Home/EU - full-time: £9250
• International - full-time: £14330

If your fees are not listed here, please check our undergraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

If you're an international student interested in studying part-time, please contact our Admissions Team to find out if you're eligible.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries, and our careers service can also offer advice on finding work during your studies. Find out more about funding your studies with us.

If you successfully complete the Foundation Year and progress to degree level, you'll develop your critical and analytical skills, your ability to express ideas clearly and your expertise in gathering insights from a range of subjects. Historical research enables you to gather and select from a range of materials – literary and visual. It teaches you to write with imagination and clarity.

Former students have forged careers in journalism and the media, museums and galleries, the Civil Service, teaching and research, law and the commercial world, but the skills learned are also applicable to many more industries and roles. You can find out more about career options after graduating on our dedicated History careers page.

History at Work

History at Work is an exciting and innovative new initiative which will offer some second and third year students taking History single and joint honours programmes the chance to apply their academic skills within the workplace.

Students spend one day a week over one term undertaking a project within a museum, archive or library: places which collect, process and present the 'raw material' of history.

The project might involve archiving, conservation, building an exhibition, or developing a public engagement project. Students will be invited to apply for places on the programme each February. It should give students a great chance to test out their career ideas, develop skills and increase their employability.

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.  

Rabia

"I've enjoyed every bit of my degree so far, we get taught an alternative History that isn't based solely on Europe."

"I came to Goldsmiths as a mature student after having been out of education for a few years. I was unsure what I wanted to study after my A-levels but after coming in to an open day I was pretty sure I wanted to study History.

I decided on the Integrated History Degree because I felt it would be perfect to get me back into the world of education. Now I am about to go into my final year and I've enjoyed every bit of my degree so far, we get taught an alternative History that isn't based solely on Europe. The university is great, and there is a real community spirit here, frankly I don't want to leave next year, maybe a Masters next!

Writing your personal statement

Instead of formal qualifications, we look for clear evidence of the following skills and abilities:

• enthusiasm for, and engagement with, history
• an understanding of the relevance of the discipline to long term goals, including – for example – work, further training or education
• the ability to work and communicate effectively in groups and alone, demonstrating self-motivation and organisation
• the ability to communicate effectively in written and oral form, including confidence in written English and the ability to read and understand complex texts
• commitment to four years of full-time study within the field
• an understanding of the nature of academic study, including the demands for independent research, changing patterns of thinking, and having new experiences
• the ability to face and overcome personal challenges