About This Course
This degree offers the opportunity to study a wide range of periods with a specialism in Welsh History. This course enables you to understand the evolution of Wales, its politics, society, industry and religion through the centuries, and to place this in the context of developments in British, European and American History from the Middle Ages to the present day.
Why choose Bangor University for this course?
- Bangor is the leading centre for the study of the history of Wales. We have a long-standing excellent reputation for research in this field and our teaching staff are all active researchers.
- We have expertise in modern and contemporary history, medieval, early modern and Welsh history as well as archaeology and heritage.
- The School has an excellent teaching reputation and remains committed to small-group teaching and a student-centred approach.
- The course is taught using a great variety of resources which include our extensive library holdings, own University archives, local record offices and museums.
- The local area is steeped in history, with internationally important sites on the doorstep – spanning prehistory to the Industrial Revolution.
Course Content
You will have about 12 hours of lectures, seminars and tutorials each week. You will also spend a considerable amount of time in guided study – reading, researching, writing essays and preparing tutorial presentations. Some modules make particular use of documents, films and documentaries, as well as oral history. Others include trips to see relevant sites in Wales and elsewhere. You will also have the opportunity to take a workplace module in a local archives or museum and carry out a project.
Assessment involves a mixture of examinations and essays or projects as well as the final-year dissertation.
What will you study on this course?
Year 1
Compulsory modules:
- Past Unwrapped*
- Wales: Princes to Tudors*
- Wales in the Modern World*
and at least one of:
- Apocalypse Then: the Crisis of The Fourteenth Century
- Birth of Modern Europe 1470-1600
- Introduction to Modern History 1815-1914
You will choose your remaining credits from the variety of modules offered by the School in History, Archaeology or Heritage, with the opportunity to take modules worth 20 credits from other Schools.
Year 2
You will study periods and themes in greater depth with a variety of thematic modules to choose from. Many modules make use of original sources and a workplace module is also available. You will also have the opportunity to further develop your research and presentation skills.
Compulsory modules:
- Debating History*
Optional History modules (choose 2):
There are a wide range of options available. Examples include: The Nazi State, Europe in the High Middle Ages, 1000-1200, Holy Wars, 1095-1197, USA 1945-2001, Europe 1945-1992, Thatcher’s Britain, The Tudors, Britain 1780-1832, Royal Propaganda, Britain in the Jazz Age.
Optional Welsh History modules include (choose 2):
- The Acts of Union: Wales and England#
- Reigniting the Dragon#
- Welsh History Workplace Module#
- Wales 1600-1789#
- Wales & Europe in the Renaissance#
- Owain Glyndŵr and his Movement#
Year 3
You will select a Special Subject in History or Welsh History – this is a module which uses original sources and is based on the research of the tutor. You will also write a dissertation which gives you the opportunity to carry out your own research. In addition, you will complete other optional modules (see Year 2 above).
Special Subject options may include: The Norman Conquest, Going to the Devil – Henry II, Land and Power in England & Wales 1780-1888, Home and Front during WW1, Britain in the 1960s, Ruled by an Orange, Law and Society in Wales 1558-1640, Celtic Revival, 1800–1920.
*These modules are also available in Welsh.
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Welsh History and History Modules page.
Careers
This degree combines sound historical knowledge with a range of transferrable analytical and presentation skills. This course also provides specialist knowledge of Wales within a European context. With these you will be able to tackle a variety of career options centring on administration and public leadership especially, but not exclusively, in Wales. In, for example, the personnel departments of private companies, the Civil Service and local government, as well as a range of directly transferrable vocations. Graduates have in recent years, gained careers in political research, archives, the welfare services, teaching and the heritage industry.
EXPLORE MORE IN HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY AND HERITAGE
History, Archaeology and Heritage are complementary subjects – which together provide a richer understanding of past peoples and societies. At Bangor we offer a range of courses that allow you to study one or more of these.
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