Program Overview

Introduction to the BSc (Hons) History and English Programme

The BSc (Hons) History and English programme at Aston University offers a comprehensive and well-rounded education in both historical exploration and language mastery. This four-year programme, which includes an integrated placement year, is designed to foster critical thinking, independence, and advanced analytical skills, preparing students for successful careers in a range of industries.

Course Overview

The programme delves into topics such as nationalism, state-building, war and peace, religious conflicts, and the historical context of globalization. Within the English segment, students master effective communication, analyzing various texts from poetry and plays to social media, and explore how language functions in society. The integrated placement year provides hands-on experience, enabling students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings and develop professional and transferable skills.

Why Study History and English at Aston University?

Aston University is renowned for its excellent teaching quality, with History ranked 8th in the UK (Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2026) and English ranked 1st in the UK for graduate prospects (Complete University Guide, 2026). The university's commitment to providing a high-quality student experience is reflected in its Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF, 2023) and its position among the top 5% of global universities (QS World University Rankings, 2026).

Course Description

The BSc (Hons) History and English degree equips students with an in-depth understanding of modern history and the skills and knowledge required to become expert communicators in the 21st century. The programme is characterized by first-class teaching, applied learning, research-informed teaching, and authentic assessment. As an Adobe Creative Campus, Aston University provides students with access to top-notch software licenses, including Adobe and Solidworks, commonly used in industry.

What You Will Learn

Throughout the programme, students develop historical insight, refine their communication and teamwork skills, and master historical methods and digital technologies. The curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of key historical, linguistic, and literary concepts, as well as the opportunity to specialize in areas of history and English that interest them.

Course Objectives

The programme aims to:

1. Provide a syllabus with historical range, developing students' knowledge and understanding of English language and literature through time.
2. Develop students' skills in close reading and text analysis, literary analysis, and interpretation.
3. Situate analysis and interpretation in historical, comparative, cultural, and social contexts.
4. Achieve in-depth knowledge of contemporary and modern history since 1800, with special emphasis on British and world history.
5. Provide a grounding in a range of methods of data analysis, processing, and interpretation, notably the approaches of digital history.

Modules

The programme consists of a combination of core and optional modules, including:

• The Novel Through Time
• Stylistics
• Introduction to Language Study
• Global History in Perspective
• Making Histories I: Methods, Theories, Controversies
• Contemporary Britain: from the Boer War to Brexit
• Case Studies in Global History
• Making Histories II
• Reading and Society
• Written Text Analysis
• Language at Work
• Language in the News Media
• Post-apocalyptic Fiction
• Introduction to Corpus Linguistics
• Literature in Film
• English Language Teaching
• Spoken Discourse Analysis
• Advanced Topics in Sociolinguistics
• Working with Language Data
• Creative Writing
• Language as Evidence

Placement Year

The integrated placement year is a compulsory component of the programme, providing students with the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings, gain relevant work experience, and develop professional and transferable skills. International students can request permission to opt out of the placement year, but it is strongly recommended that they complete it where possible.

Career Prospects

Graduates of the BSc (Hons) History and English programme are well-equipped to pursue a range of careers across the public, private, and third sectors. The transferable skills developed throughout the programme, including communication, teamwork, and analytical skills, make graduates highly employable in roles such as area manager, English language tutor, tax specialist, journal editor, marketing executive, media researcher, social media executive, education consultant, copywriter, operations support manager, and merchandising assistant.

Entry Requirements

The standard entry requirements for the programme are:

• A Levels: BBC (standard offer), BCC (contextual offer)
• BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM (standard offer)
• IB: 29 points overall in the IB diploma with grades 5,5,4 in 3 higher-level subjects
• Access: QAA-recognised Access Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3, including 15 credits at distinction and the rest at merit or distinction
• T Levels: Accepted qualifications include Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction, Digital Production, Design and Production, Education and Childcare, Onsite Construction, Building Services Engineering for Construction, Digital Business Services, Digital Support Services, Health, Healthcare Science, Science, Accounting, Finance, Management and Administration, Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing, Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing, and Legal Services
• GCSEs: Maths (grade C/4), English Language or English Literature (grade C/4)

Fees and Scholarships

The tuition fees for the programme are:

• UK students: ｣9,535 (2026/27), with a reduced fee of ｣1,250 during the placement year
• International students: ｣22,575 (2026/27), with a reduced fee of ｣2,500 during the placement year Aston University offers a range of scholarships to support talented and hardworking students, including the Aston Ready contextual offer scheme, which can reduce the undergraduate offer by one or two grades.

Assessment

Students are assessed through a combination of written and oral examinations, class tests, individual and group coursework, projects, presentations, and practical assessments, with special emphasis on authentic assessment.

Conclusion

The BSc (Hons) History and English programme at Aston University provides students with a comprehensive education in historical exploration and language mastery, preparing them for successful careers in a range of industries. With its excellent teaching quality, research-informed curriculum, and integrated placement year, this programme is an ideal choice for students who wish to develop their critical thinking, independence, and analytical skills.