History with Foundation Year

History at Birkbeck College is taught by world-leading academic researchers, and the BA History with Foundation Year is a four-year full-time programme that makes this exceptional research environment accessible to students who need additional preparation before entering the main degree. The programme offers a wide range of history modules spanning the world and thousands of years, and is designed to support both students with specific career objectives and those who are pursuing history as lifelong learners who want to deepen their understanding of the past.

The foundation year provides the historical knowledge, research skills, and academic writing development that students need to engage confidently with the demands of a research-led history degree. In the main programme, you will work with primary sources, engage with competing historiographical interpretations, and develop the analytical and writing skills that historical study at university level requires. The breadth of Birkbeck's history curriculum, stretching across global history from multiple time periods and regional perspectives, means you have the freedom to pursue your own historical interests while developing the rigour of method that the discipline demands.

Birkbeck's distinctive character as a university designed around part-time and flexible study reflects its particular commitment to making high-quality education accessible to students from a wide range of backgrounds.

History graduates move into a wide range of careers. The civil service, journalism, teaching, law, heritage and museums, archival work, publishing, the voluntary sector, policy research, and communications are among the most common professional destinations. The skills that history develops, above all the ability to research rigorously, evaluate evidence critically, and communicate clearly in writing, are consistently valued by employers across these sectors.

Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in history, law, journalism, public policy, or teacher training. The combination of Birkbeck's research environment and the flexible accessibility of its programmes makes the history degree a genuine opportunity for students at any stage of their educational journey.