History and Law

History and law is a pairing that makes genuine intellectual sense. Law is not simply a set of current rules; it is the product of historical processes, social struggles, philosophical debates and political decisions that stretch back centuries. Understanding the law well requires understanding how it came to be as it is.

Conversely, history is shaped at every turn by the legal frameworks that governed who could own property, who could vote, who could be punished and on what grounds. Studying history and law together gives you insight into both disciplines that neither alone provides.

At the University of Stirling this four-year full-time programme includes a year abroad, which adds an international perspective to a degree that is already concerned with how different societies have organised and governed themselves. Stirling's four-year Scottish degree structure gives you the time to develop genuine depth in both history and law rather than moving hastily across surfaces. You will engage with historical periods and themes across a range of geographical and chronological contexts, developing your research skills, your ability to analyse primary and secondary sources, and your capacity for sustained historical argument.

Your legal studies will introduce you to the structure and method of law, the major branches of the legal system, legal reasoning and the broader questions of legal philosophy and social justice that law raises.

Graduates from history and law programmes are well placed for careers in the legal professions, typically following further vocational training such as the Legal Practice Course or Bar Professional Training Course. The historical analytical skills are also valued in the civil service, public policy, archival and heritage work, journalism, publishing and academia. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in law, history or public policy.

The course listing notes that places are available for students from England, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, EU countries and international markets.