History

History is the critical study of how the past can be known and what it can tell us about the present. Historians work with documents, objects, images, and other traces left by people who lived before us, asking not just what happened but why, what it meant, and how our understanding of it shapes the world we inhabit now. It is a discipline that develops precision in argument, care with evidence, sensitivity to context, and the capacity to hold multiple interpretations in mind while judging which best fits the available facts.

At Roehampton, this programme takes a contemporary focus, engaging with the cultural, environmental, social, and political challenges that connect historical analysis to the most pressing questions of the present. A foundation year is available for students who need additional academic preparation before entering the main degree. A sandwich year in industry and a work placement are also incorporated, giving you professional experience in settings where historical thinking is applied, from heritage organisations and archives to journalism and cultural institutions.

Roehampton's history provision is designed to be inclusive and relevant, welcoming students who may be new to academic historical study while taking the intellectual demands of the discipline seriously.

Graduates from history programmes go on to work in a wide range of careers, including the civil service, journalism, law, teaching, heritage, archiving, publishing, policy research, and management. The analytical and communication skills the degree develops are valued across knowledge-intensive sectors, and the critical perspective that history provides on contemporary events is an asset in roles that require judgment and context. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in history, education, archives, public history, or related fields.