...

English Literature and History BA(Hons)

Apply Now
Open Days
Order a Prospectus
Select the year

Start Dates

21 September 2026

Duration

3 years full-time 4 years inc. placement year

UCAS Tariff

120-104

Recent Awards For Excellence

Ofsted outstanding provider logo
Find out more about these awards
About this course

Overview

Why choose Huddersfield for this course?

  • Study English Literature and History together to see how each shapes the other.
  • Engage in field trips, archives, and the Huddersfield Literature Festival.
  • History is ranked 12th in the UK (Guardian University Guides 2026) and 9th in the UK (Daily Mail 2026)

If great literature inspires you and history fascinates you, our combined English Literature and History degree at Huddersfield lets you explore both in depth. Studying these subjects together provides a unique perspective, showing how literary and historical contexts shape and inform each other.

On the English Literature side, you’ll explore hundreds of years of writing—from Elizabethan drama and Victorian novels to modernist works and contemporary poetry—developing critical, analytical, and creative thinking skills. History covers a wide range of eras and events, from medieval societies to modern empires, covering such topics as witchcraft, warfare and the suffrage movement, helping you understand how the past shapes the present.

You’ll enjoy a variety of engaging learning experiences, including field trips, access to Huddersfield’s archives, and participation in the Huddersfield Literature Festival, alongside innovative coursework and research projects. Small class sizes and supportive tutors ensure you’re known, understood, and guided throughout your studies.

This interdisciplinary degree equips you with transferable skills in research, analysis, communication, and leadership, opening doors to careers in teaching, writing, media, PR, law, local government, and beyond. Many graduates also choose to continue their studies with a PGCE or Master’s in English or History.

Career opportunities after the course *

Archivist

Conservators

Project Manager

Curators

Bid Writers

*Lightcast

Who can apply?

Entry Requirements

BBB-BCC at A Level.
120-104 UCAS tariff points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications.
Merit at T Level.
DMM-MMM in BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.
Merit in UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma.
Merit in RSL Level 3 Extended Diploma.
Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits at Merit or above.
120-104 UCAS tariff points from International Baccalaureate qualifications.

​Applications from international students will be considered on an individual basis, and with advice from the University's International Office.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

Other suitable experience or qualifications will be considered. For further information please see the University's minimum entry requirements.

What will you learn?

Course Details

This module introduces students to the study of the English language. Students will explore primarily descriptive and some theoretical approaches to the English language and be introduced to a range of sub-disciplinary areas in the field of language study like phonology, phonetics, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and sociolinguistics. The module focuses on the establishing core linguistic concepts relevant to the study of English and building the practical skills necessary to analyse language structure and interpret English language data. The module will familiarize students with a wide range of terminology, concepts, approaches, methods of analysis and key scholars.

This module will focus on the political and social histories of a number of case studies considering the period from the end of the nineteenth century until the eve of the Second World War. Typical countries you will cover include a selection from a range of European and world powers including the USSR, the USA and France. In each case you will focus on the main political themes of the era such as democracy, fascism and communism and then consider them in wider social and cultural contexts. You will receive skills training integrated within the module.

Critical thinking enables us to go beyond the surface of information, using analytical skills to dissect, question, and evaluate ideas with a detective's curiosity and a scientist's precision. This skillset is common to all disciplines in the Humanities, where the challenge lies in unravelling complexities, probing assumptions, and exploring the neglected features of human culture, language and history. The module will hone your intellectual skills in reasoning and close analysis, improve your ability to present arguments effectively, and equip you to plan and conduct an independent research project. This module will also provide support for planning your personal and career development.

This module is your gateway into the world of English literature - from epic adventures and timeless tragedies to modern classics. You’ll explore the major genres that have defined Western literature, and see how writers over time have shaped and broken its rules. Along the way, you’ll pick up the key ideas, tools and skills that will guide you through studying literature on your degree, helping you read deeper, think sharper, and write with confidence.

This module develops the research skills you acquired at Foundation level, giving you the skills and confidence required to complete a major piece of independent research in your final year of your degree. You will learn from expert researchers and archive/heritage professionals. We will discover together how research uses different methods and approaches to answer specific research questions, engaging in scholarly debate to further knowledge. We’ll learn about the ways in which we build on existing research to generate new insight, and how research findings make a difference in the real world. The module gives you the freedom to research a wide range of relevant topics in your discipline with the structure and support of subject specialists.

This module examines the history, memory and historiographical controversy surrounding the Nazi era in European History. You will use a broad range of primary and secondary source material to develop a deep historical analysis of the era, rooted in the debates over the consent or coercion of the German population, the limits of the totalitarian model and the nature of victimhood and commemoration. This module falls into the ‘Conflict’ and ‘Communities and Welfare’ research groups.

Gothic emerged as the dark twin of Enlightenment in the eighteenth century and has remained perennially popular ever since. Gothic novels, ghost stories and horror films offer scintillating and often scandalous popular entertainment, while counterbalancing the values of modernity and order celebrated in realism and rational philosophy. This module will explore the origins and development of the Gothic, from its emergence in the age of revolutions and Regency decadence, through nineteenth-century parodies and re-appropriations, to its manifold transformations within the cultural industries of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

You will be expected either to complete a graduate or professional level work placement – or, as an alternative an enterprise or citizenship project with a tangible end product (e.g. feasibility study for turning hobby/idea into a personal business or setting up campaign group/developing volunteering/charity initiative) plus associated documentation – plus a self-reflective evaluation of the process. In preparation for this you will undertake career planning and placement research, supported by workshops and tutorial meetings.

You will also choose 2 optional modules in this year. The current optional modules are:

‘Refugees in Modern World History’ explores the political, social, legal, cultural and emotional history of refugees in the Twentieth Century. It uses the buoyant historical scholarship in refugee studies as well as new archival collections, including those at the Holocaust Learning and Exhibition Centre, to ask how we can capture the refugee ‘voice’ in history and how this can help us reflect on the experience of displacement. It also contextualises current notions of a ‘refugee crisis’ and the contested memory of refugee history in the media.

In this module you will focus on the period 1485-1660, mainly on England, and will examine changes in religious practice and belief, social structure and the development of royal power, especially in terms of central policy and its effects on the localities. You will explore the dramatic religious, social and political changes of the Tudor and Stuart era.

This module deals with the theory and practice of oral history in relation to the history of childhood and youth. You'll conduct at least one interview, and provide all the relevant ethical and archival documentation to accompany it. You'll be introduced to the key problems in oral history of memory, ethics, intersubjectivity and narrative. Finally, in order to write about the experience of childhood and youth in the past, you'll learn the analytical techniques which can be applied to oral history data.

This module focuses on the potential of spoken-word material as a source of data for quantitative and qualitative research in the study of History, English Language and Literature. It aims to improve your skills in data collection through the introduction of the theory and practice of interviewing for research, and aims to enhance your analytical skill set by introducing you to a range of methods from like thematic tagging, concordances, and descriptive and analytical statistics. You will explore the interview as a means of data collection in, for example, sociolinguistics and oral history, conducting your own interviews in line with best practice. You will then use spoken-word data collected by yourself or other scholars as the basis for investigation of textual material using a variety of analytical tools.

This module gives you the chance to study some of the most exciting and experimental novels ever written. Beginning at the start of the twentieth century, with ground breaking works of modernist fiction by the likes of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf, you will study innovative new developments in form, style, and technique, as well as the historical context behind these transformative texts. The module then introduces you to the postmodernist experimentation of the later twentieth century. Together, we will explore new departures in narrative, style and language; the relationship between fiction, history and text; and the breakthrough novels that shaped the twentieth century.

This module takes a tour through modern and contemporary American poetry. We’ll explore history, politics, identity, and competing ideas of what is means to be ‘American’, by studying the work of 10 extraordinary poets. We’ll be exploring American poetry from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day, looking at significant poetic movements and sociopolitical contexts. The module explores a range of poets which may include Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath, Claudia Rankine, and Robert Lowell.

No English degree would be complete without the opportunity to study the greatest writer in the language – Shakespeare. This module is your chance to do just that, both by situating Shakespeare’s plays in relation to their historical and cultural backgrounds, and by considering their rejuvenation in recent film and stage productions. For a greater understanding of Renaissance drama, the module will also compare Shakespeare’s work to some of his contemporaries, such as Marlowe, Jonson, or Webster.

This module takes a tour through modern and contemporary American poetry. We’ll explore history, politics, identity, and competing ideas of what is means to be ‘American’, by studying the work of 10 extraordinary poets. We’ll be exploring American poetry from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day, looking at significant poetic movements and sociopolitical contexts. The module explores a range of poets which may include Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath, Claudia Rankine, and Robert Lowell.

For more information on when and how we update our modules please see the ‘Legal Information’ section below.

The placement year is your chance to gain hands-on experience and build on the skills you’ve developed in your first two years of study. You’ll spend up to 48 weeks (minimum 36 weeks) in a graduate-level role, sharpening your professional skills, exploring career options, and boosting your future job prospects. During your placement, you'll reflect on your performance, develop real-world skills, and learn to approach your role with a critical eye. Your placement will be monitored, and you’ll be assessed on your achievements, setting you up for success in your final year and beyond.

This module is the culmination of your degree, allowing you to apply your skills and knowledge to researching and writing an extended piece of work on a subject of your choice, including, if applicable a public engagement output with an external organisation, such as a museum, archive, community heritage group or similar.

You will study the origins of the war, the military course of the conflict, its effect on domestic society and reactions to the war through literature, art and memorial architecture. The focus of the module is on the British experience, though it will consider continental European and imperial experiences too. Throughout the module, you will also reflect upon public commemoration across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

This module aims to develop skills enabling you to communicate the value and importance of literary study to a non-specialist audience. More broadly, you'll be encouraged to think about the real-world applications of a degree in English Literature, and about the role of the humanities in challenging and changing society. The module is based around, and explores numerous strategies for community and public engagement, with an emphasis on considering different ways in which literary study can be taken outside the academy and into society.

World Literature is a module that invites you to look beyond the “Englishness” of English Literature. Your reading list will take you on a voyage of discovery around different cultures, countries, and continents, which you will explore through their literary texts. These texts will reflect both the global reach of the English language and the enthralling experience of reading works in translation. Besides embracing the challenges posed by studying works from unfamiliar cultures and traditions, this module will consider some of the important questions raised by the study of world literature, such as the nature of hybridity, the limitations of the canon, and the globalisation of literature.

You will also choose 2 optional modules in this year. The current optional modules are:

In this module you will study a key era of early modern history with a strong focus on primary materials and the way in which they relate to key historiographical debates.

This module examines the history and memory of the French experience of World War II, focusing on the German Occupation, the Vichy Regime, French collaboration, and the development of internal and external resistance. You will use a broad range of primary and secondary source material to develop a cultural historical analysis of the era, rooted in the debates over silence, truth and representation. This module falls into the ‘Conflict’ and ‘Communities and Welfare’ research groups.

On this module you will study the aftermaths of the First World War and attempts at peacebuilding and post-war reconstruction. You will also consider the idea of the ‘Greater War’ to examine conflicts that extended beyond the armistice in 1918. You will investigate the work of new international organisations such as the League of Nations and Save the Children Fund in this period of conflict and flux, as well as the experiences of individuals and cultural responses. The module’s geographical focus is Britain, but this is set in the context of international movements and global challenges.

This is a specialised module which engages you, through the study of primary and secondary sources, in examining the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603). It aims to develop your understanding of key themes in the early modern era, such as gender, politics, foreign policy and religion.

This module will develop your understanding of the history of late nineteenth and early twentieth century Britain by examining the relationship between the human body and the urban environment. It addresses the key question - how important is the human body to understanding history? To answer this question we’ll examine a range of different aspects of British social, cultural and health history.

On this module we will study the Holocaust through the words of those who survived and/or bore witness to it. Bringing together both literary and historical perspectives, we will approach this bleak yet defining episode of human history in a unique interdisciplinary fashion, focusing on non-fictional texts such as memoirs, diaries, and verbatim theatre. By studying how those who witnessed the events of the Holocaust chose to put the experience into words, we will attempt to understand these events neither in terms of traditional history textbooks nor in terms of their representation in our culture, but in terms of some of the individual stories behind it. This will allow us better to grasp issues such as trauma, memorialisation, the relationship between testimony and truth, and the difficulties involved in putting the events of the Holocaust into words.

For more information on when and how we update our modules please see the ‘Legal Information’ section below.

Teaching and Assessment

Discover what to expect from your tutor contact time, assessment methods, and feedback process.

Read more

Global Professional Award

At Huddersfield, you’ll study the award-winning Global Professional Award (GPA) alongside your degree* — so you’re ready for the career you want, whatever subject you choose.

Read more
Interested in a placement?

Placements

The course offers a compulsory 5 week work placement in Year 2. If you’re studying full-time, this course also offers an optional one-year (48 weeks) work placement after the second year, in the UK or abroad. This will give you the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience, insight into your chosen career and open up your graduate employment prospects. Our Placement Unit and academic staff have excellent industry links and can support you in applying for and finding your placement(s), as well as during your placement year.

Recent graduates have taken placements at The Royal Armouries, Wilson Solicitors, National Coal Mining Museum, Transline Group, West Yorkshire Archives Service, Kirklees TV, Numberworks & Words and a range of primary and secondary schools including Dixons Kings Academy.

Find out more
I was attracted to the University because of the History department's good reputation. As part of the course I did a 6 week placement in a High school in Halifax. It was a useful, challenging experience, which allowed me to develop many transferable skills.

- Debbie Kearns
English Literature and History BA(Hons)

Where could this lead you?

Your Career

As an English Literature and History graduate, you are valued for the advanced skills you have developed in analysis and communication, self-motivation, teamwork, creative problem solving and persuasiveness. Studying history alongside English allows you to keep your career options open.
Our graduates have gone on to a variety of careers within teaching, writing, local government, archives, the media, PR, law, politics and accountancy.
A selection of organisations that have employed Huddersfield graduates in recent years include BBC, Roma Publication, Emerald Group Publishing, House of Commons, the Civil Service, Royal Armouries Museum, National Mining Museum and British Red Cross. Others have opted for PGCE study and have become teachers, or continued their studies at Master's level.**
**Source: LinkedIn

80-85%
Percent of graduates from these subject areas were in work or further study 15 months after graduation

* HESA Graduate Outcomes 22/23, UK Domiciled

I am currently working for Shane English School in China, teaching children, from 3yrs to 18yrs. Work experience at a Community School as a classroom assistant, helped me to understand how children learn. The way I was supported throughout my time at Huddersfield was fantastic.

- Deborah Ann Seed
Graduated English Literature and History BA(Hons) and is now in the process of writing a novel

How much will it cost?

Fees and Finance

£9,790 per year

This information is for Home students applying to study at the University of Huddersfield in the academic year 2026/27.

Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X) and/or Government policy. 

From January 2027 the UK government is launching a new student funding system for people starting university education. Read more about the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE).

For detailed information please visit https://www.hud.ac.uk/study/fees/

£17,600 per year

This information is for international students applying to study at the University of Huddersfield in the academic year 2026/27.

Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X) and/or Government policy. 

For detailed information please visit https://www.hud.ac.uk/international/fees-and-funding/

Home

The tuition fee for a placement year is £1000. If you go on work experience or work placement, you will need to fund your own travel and/or accommodation costs to and from the placement.  Please be aware that if your placement is outside of the UK, you will still be responsible for your travel and living expenses and may need to consider issues like health care and insurance costs.

International

The tuition fee for a placement year is £3,300. If you go on work experience or work placement, you will need to fund your own travel and/or accommodation costs to and from the placement.  Please be aware that if your placement is outside of the UK, you will still be responsible for your travel and living expenses and may need to consider issues like health care and insurance costs.

Academic resources for your studies will be provided throughout the course, including access to library facilities and digital learning platforms. However, you will need to purchase certain set texts required for your modules. These texts are essential for seminar preparation and assessment.
The approximate costs for these purchases are:
• Year 1: £20-50
• Year 2: £20-50
• Year 3: £50-100
The actual amount may vary depending on whether you choose to buy new or second-hand books, or access digital editions where available. We will provide links to free electronic copies of texts wherever these are available.

Scholarships and Bursaries

Discover what additional help you may be eligible for to support your University studies.

Home
International

Tuition Fee Loans

Find out more about tuition fee loans available to eligible undergraduate students.

Find out more

What’s included in your fee?

We want you to understand exactly what your fees will cover and what additional costs you may need to budget for when you decide to become a student with us.

Find out more

If you have any questions about Fees and Finance, please email the Student Finance Team.

Email us  
What does the univsersity offer?

Gallery

See below for a glimpse at some of our facilities

heritage quay

Heritage Quay

Heritage Quay

Heritage Quay curved screen

Holocaust Centre

Three history students in library

Library

Explore More

Our facilities

Discover our industry standard facilities in the School of Arts and Humanities.

School Brochure

Discover more about The School of Arts and Humanities in our brochure

Learn more

Connect with the School of Arts and Humanities

Keep up to date with the School of Arts and Humanities news and events.

Follow us
hlf-logo

Huddersfield Literature Festival

The Huddersfield Literature Festival is an international literature festival which attracts some of the biggest and best writers in the world. Our students are at the centre of this festival, planning, programming, curating and stewarding events. This has led to a number of our students securing professional careers in festival management.

See more

Undergradute Open Days

Visit our Undergraduate Open Day to explore our courses, tour the campus, and meet academics and students who can answer your questions.

Learn More

Why Hud

Explore the unique opportunities and resources that make our institution a top choice for students seeking a well-rounded and future-focused education.

Decorative
01

Explore Huddersfield

Make Huddersfield your home. A Yorkshire town, surrounded by beautiful countryside, with easy access to neighbouring cities; Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield. You’ll find plenty of places to eat, drink, shop and socialise, there’s ambitious plans for future development. Our campus is situated next to the town centre - making your commute a breeze.

Find out more
Decorative
01

Your Student Experience

Get involved in great opportunities helping you to make friends from all across the world and create lifelong memories. Join one of over 100 societies with the Students’ Union, experience new cultures through global events, earn whilst you learn and build your skills via our Global Professional Award.

Learn more
Decorative
01

Budget Friendly

Huddersfield is not only one of the friendliest towns, it also offers you a lower cost of living than most big cities. This means you could have more money to spend, making your uni experience even better. On campus you’ll also find plenty of facilities and services to help you budget and make your money go further.

Find out more
Decorative
01

Sustainability Matters

We’re committed to sustainability and aim to be carbon neutral by 2030. Our plan includes reducing emissions, enhancing biodiversity, and improving wellbeing through sustainable buildings. We’re investing in digital solutions, low-impact travel, and embedding sustainability into teaching and research, investing over £1m in carbon reduction.

Find out more
Decorative
01

Committed to Your Future

Since 2015, we’ve invested £198 million to create spaces where you can learn, collaborate and thrive. We’re continuously investing in our campus with your wellbeing in mind—adding features that make our buildings healthier, more supportive and better places for you to succeed.

Read more
Need more details?

More Info

Careers support

We know you’re coming to university to study on your chosen subject, meet new people and broaden your horizons. However, we also help you to focus on life after you have graduated to ensure that your hard work pays off and you achieve your ambition.

Find out more about careers support

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you’ll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you’ll soon discover that you’re never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey.

See our support services

Teaching Excellence

Great teaching is engaging and inspiring — it helps you reach your full potential and prepares you for the future. We don’t just teach well — we excel — and we have the awards and recognition to prove it.

Find out more

Inspiring Academics

Our researchers carry out world-leading work that makes a real difference to people’s lives. Staff within the Department of Media, Humanities and the Arts may teach you on this course.

Find out more about our staff

Research Excellence

You’ll be taught by staff who want to support your learning and share the latest knowledge and research.

Find out more

Accommodation

Looking for student accommodation? Huddersfield has you covered. HudLets has a variety of accommodation types to choose from, no matter what your preference. HudLets is the University’s approved accommodation service, run by Huddersfield Students’ Union.

Take a look at your options

Further Study

If you want to continue your learning beyond your undergraduate degree, there is a range of financial support available for postgraduate study, including discounts for Huddersfield graduates.

Discover postgraduate courses

Legal information

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons:

Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and if you are unhappy with the change we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes

We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff being unable to teach due to illness, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to pandemics, other disasters (such as fire, flood or war) or changes made by the government.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will consult with affected groups of students and any changes would only be made in accordance with our regulations. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you let us know before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for any additional tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so and you may be eligible for an exit award depending on how far through your course you are.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

Ask us a question