History and Language

History and language is a degree that brings together the systematic study of the past with the acquisition of practical linguistic competence in a modern European or world language. History develops the skills of critical analysis, source evaluation, and historical argument, while language study opens access to another culture on its own terms, enabling you to engage with its texts, media, and people directly rather than through the filter of translation. The combination is particularly enriching because language and history are deeply connected: understanding a language and its cultural context gives depth and authenticity to historical understanding, while historical knowledge gives language study a richness it might otherwise lack.

At Birkbeck College, this full-time, three-year BA is a carefully structured combination that develops your skills in both disciplines alongside your chosen language, which may be French, German, Italian, Japanese, or Spanish. You will develop the critical and analytical skills needed to assess historical evidence and question conventional wisdom about the past, while also learning to formulate and communicate your ideas effectively both in English and in your chosen language. The combination is delivered by a university known for its commitment to supporting non-traditional learners, and the programme's structure reflects this inclusive ethos.

The typical entry tariff is 104 UCAS points.

Graduates from history and language programmes are well placed for careers in the civil service, journalism, international organisations, education, publishing, translation and interpreting, heritage and archives, and any field where analytical skills and cross-cultural linguistic competence are valued. The specific language studied shapes which international contexts and career paths are most directly available. Postgraduate study in history, modern languages, area studies, or translation is a natural continuation.