History (with Foundation Year) BA (Hons) Undergraduate - September 2025/26* Entry

History is an inspiring, dynamic and relevant subject. It is always expanding and adapting to absorb new ideas and ask new questions of the past. Studying history will also help you develop practical skills valued by employers, such as the ability to collect and analyse data and to construct a clear argument.

Our History (with Foundation Year) option is a four-year course with an integrated foundation year which leads to the same qualification as our three-year honours degree. It has been specifically designed for those wanting to undertake degree-level study but who may not meet the entry requirements or have traditional qualifications.

The Foundation Year (Year 0) offers you the chance to expand and strengthen your confidence, skills and knowledge – ensuring that you are well-prepared and qualified to progress into Year 1 of the undergraduate degree.

Why choose Bangor University for this course?

• Although we are a relatively small department, we have experts in all fields of History from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, who work principally on Britain, Europe and the United States of America. Our research influences, and is integrated into, our teaching.
• Our degrees are rigorous and will thus develop your skills of analysis, argument, and criticism, but you will be learning in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Staff are approachable, and enthusiastic. 
• Our degree is unusually broad because we aim to provide you with a wide a range of modules as possible. You can then choose what to study. You might want to look at a wide range of time-periods and places, or you might want to specialize in Medieval and Early-Modern History or Modern and Contemporary History.
• A local area steeped in history (including UNESCO World Heritage Sites) and provides a resource for fieldwork and a superb location for study.
• You will often be taught in small groups, and because the we admit only around 120 students each year, staff will know your name. In addition, you will have access to various IT resources including our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), have the opportunity to go on fieldtrips or attend events like the annual Gregynog medieval colloquium, and attend the School’s research seminars.
• We recognize the importance of transferable skills to you and your future employers, including the ability to write well and to present clearly and your ability to use a number of different IT packages. These are an integral part of the degree programmes we offer.
• The local area is steeped in history and provides a resource for field work as well as a superb location for study. Whether it be internationally important prehistoric monuments and stone circles, or medieval castles and towns including the World Heritage sites of Beaumaris, Caernarfon and Conwy, to country houses and industrial heritage – at Bangor the past is truly on the doorstep.

Additional Course Options

On this History (with Foundation Year) degree, you will have around 12 hours of lectures, seminars and tutorials each week. You will spend about twice this amount of time reading and completing coursework. In addition to this will be field trips and practical sessions linked to archaeology and heritage modules. Some history modules, especially special subject courses, have involved trips both locally and further afield. You may take a work placement module or participate in an exchange scheme in the second year.

Assessment involves a mixture of examinations, essays, written work, presentations and portfolios.

Modules for the current academic year

Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the History (with Foundation Year) BA (Hons) Modules page.

Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.

General University Costs

Home (UK) students

• The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,250 per year (2025/26).
• The fee for all integrated study abroad years is  £1,385 (2025/26).
• The fee for an integrated year in industry as part of a sandwich programme is £1,850 (2025/26).

More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.

International (including EU) students

• International Student Tuition Fees
• International Student Living Costs and Scholarships

Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:

• If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
• If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).

Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:

1. Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
2. Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
3. Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.

General University Requirements

To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.

We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.

All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.

As part of the University’s policy, we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.

We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.

EU and International Students' Entry Requirements

For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.

Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.

The strength of a History degree is its intellectual breadth and flexibility. This makes our graduates an attractive proposition for employers looking for analytical and lateral thinkers.

You will gain both sound historical knowledge and a range of transferable analytical and presentational skills. With these you will be able to tackle a variety of career options centring on administration and public leadership, for example, in personnel departments in the private sector, the civil service and local government as well as in a range of directly transferable vocations. Bangor History graduates have in recent years gained careers in the heritage industry, commerce, law, teaching and the armed forces.

By studying for a degree in History you will acquire a wide range of valued transferable skills, including:

• An ability to review critically the literature and formulate logical and structured arguments
• An ability to make effective oral presentations
• The development of writing and editorial skills
• An appreciation of the complexity and diversity of situations, events and past mentalities
• Experience gained from carrying out and completing a major research project in the third year – the dissertation
• Excellent IT skills
• Time management skills

These transferable skills are fundamental to other employment sectors, such as the public sector, teaching, tourism, law, accountancy and management.

Opportunities at Bangor

The University’s Careers and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions. 

Internships

Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.

Student Volunteering

Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.