When faced with an abundance of choices, why choose History?
You might get asked this question a lot when you start university – you probably have been asked very similar questions about your A level choices. I still haven’t figured out a straight answer to this question, it changes week on week, and I had several moments of doubt before starting my degree about whether history was the right choice; it was only when I started my degree that these feelings began to fade. In high school, the abundance of choices about what to study at university (or whether to go to university at all!) can be debilitating rather than liberating. However here are a few things to consider that might help you decide whether to read history at university.
- Historiography is key – it is important to address the views of other historians in your essays, unpick their arguments and question why they may have said something.
- Make an argument – constructing a balanced argument tends to feature more heavily in secondary school history than history at university where it can be perceived as indecision. Instead, make sure to take up a position and maintain it all the way through your essay.
- Read widely – You will have a lot more freedom in deciding how you study when you study and what you study, this means that you will have very few set texts and must decide for yourself which sources will most help your argument. It is recommendable to start with a general history of a period/theme before going into greater depth.
A typical week
A history student will experience one hour of lectures a week per module (so students studying a straight history degree would expect a total of six hours, for joint honours students this will be less) and an hour seminar every other week in which you will discuss in groups of six to nine students the reading and topics for the seminar.
What is it like studying History at Durham?
Durham History programme has a great deal to offer; the modules available in the first year cover a wide range of topics and within each module, you will have lots of opportunities to explore the questions and areas that most interest you although it is important to keep an open mind when you first arrive – how your interests change or develop might surprise you!
Discover more
Set within the magnificent location of Durham’s World Heritage Site, the Department of History at Durham has established itself firmly as one of the top three in the UK.
Our research and teaching extend from late antiquity and the Middle Ages to contemporary history; from the British Isles and continental Europe to the USA, Africa and East Asia; and across social, cultural, gender, visual, scientific, political and economic history.
Feeling inspired? Visit our History webpages for more information on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
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