History and English Literature

History and English literature is a pairing that reveals how deeply these disciplines need each other. History without literature often misses the texture and subjectivity of lived experience; literature without history can float free of the contexts that give it meaning and force. Studying them together allows you to read literary texts as documents that illuminate historical moments and to understand historical change through the ways people have written about their world.

Both disciplines develop your capacity for rigorous research, careful reading, and persuasive written argument, making this one of the most transferable combinations available in the humanities.

At Bangor University, this three-year, full-time degree includes a foundation year for students who benefit from additional preparation before the degree proper. A sandwich year provides the opportunity for professional experience in a relevant field, and work placements are embedded throughout the course. A year abroad is also available, giving you the chance to study history and literature in a different cultural and academic context.

A typical entry tariff of 104 points reflects the accessible standard of entry for this programme, which welcomes students with strong commitment to reading, research, and writing.

Graduates of history and English literature go on to work in education, publishing, journalism, broadcasting, heritage and archives, cultural organisations, the civil service, public affairs, and a wide range of other fields that value research skills and the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly. Many also pursue postgraduate study in history, English, creative writing, or a related area, and the combination of analytical and expressive competencies that this degree develops provides a strong foundation for both academic and professional careers in the humanities.