Medieval History with Year Abroad
VS90History helps us to better understand the past to make sense of the world we live in. Our BA in Medieval History with Year Abroad opens a world of opportunities through an immensely varied and rich range of modules and the chance of experiencing at first-hand learning and living within different cultures and societies to your own.
![Norman castle on clifftop](/media/Content-Assets/Study/Undergraduate-Courses/Medieval-History-with-YA-1.jpg)
Course overview
On our Medieval History programme, you study the great sweep of history in Britain and around the world, from the transformation of the Roman Empire to Renaissance court politics.
Studying how people lived in the medieval world is highly instructive. The word medieval has become synonymous with lawlessness and brutality, but this was not always the case. Some populations had the vote, trade happened over long distances, and witch hunts were restricted to certain periods. Learning more about the medieval world and why it exerts such a strong hold over our imaginations can help you to better understand the contemporary world.
In Year 1, you take core modules that explore the nature of history as a discipline. You look at the changing assumptions, methods and definitions of history and explore the current concerns of historians. You also select from a range of possible optional modules, including Early Medieval Britain 400-1066 and Europe 1300-1500.
Having acquired research skills and knowledge in Year 1, your studies in Years 2 and 3 are more specialised. You take core modules that deepen your understanding of the study of history, including Reading History and Practicing History, and optional modules focused primarily on the Medieval World. You either concentrate on how to use original sources (in translated ad printed form where appropriate) or explore, through thematic approaches, social continuity and change over long periods.
In Year 3, you produce your dissertation and take core modules in Writing History, and how History Matters. Optional modules take the form of Depth Studies, using primary and secondary sources as evidence, and Comparative Studies, where more than one country and culture is examined. Depth Studies options may include Ruling England in the Second Viking Age, The Wars of the Roses 1450-1499. Comparative Studies options include The Black Death and Popular Protest in Late Medieval Europe.
In Year 4, you produce your dissertation and take core modules in Writing History, and History and the Public Sphere. Optional modules take the form of Depth Studies, using primary and secondary sources as evidence, and Comparative Studies, where more than one country and culture is examined. Depth Studies options may include The Hundred Years' War 1337-1453, Alfred the Great, and The Pax Romana. The Possible Comparative Studies options include Gender and Authority in Early Medieval Europe, Greek and Roman Comedy Theatre, and The Black Death in Europe.
Our degrees, combined with inspiring extracurricular activities, such as field trips both in the UK and abroad, offer a wide and deep experience that opens up numerous career paths. Many Winchester graduates carry on to teaching and heritage roles but our alumni can also be found in political think-tanks, the Civil Service, the BBC, automobile and insurance companies and publishing houses, to mention just a few destinations.
What you need to know
Course start date
September
Location
Winchester campus
Course length
- 4 years full-time
Apply
VS90
Typical offer
104-120 points
Fees
From £9,250 pa
Course features
- History achieved 100% for academic support as rated by final-year undergraduate students in the 2023 National Student Survey
- Learn about another culture first-hand and boost your CV on a year abroad
- Winchester students have secured work placements at leading historic, cultural and entrepreneurial venues such as the Mary Rose and British Museum
- Learn from expert tutors and their cutting-edge research
- Join a student-led history society on trips to sites of historical interest and talks by major historians
- Study in a beautiful city steeped in medieval history
Course details
Our aim is to shape 'confident learners' by enabling you to develop the skills needed to excel in your studies here and as well as onto further studies or the employment market.
You are taught primarily through a combination of lectures and seminars, allowing opportunities to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups.
In addition to the formally scheduled contact time such as lectures and seminars etc., you are encouraged to access academic support from staff within the course team and the wide range of services available to you within the University.
Independent learning
Over the duration of your course, you will be expected to develop independent and critical learning, progressively building confidence and expertise through independent and collaborative research, problem-solving and analysis with the support of staff. You take responsibility for your own learning and are encouraged to make use of the wide range of available learning resources available.
Overall workload
Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity.
While your actual contact hours may depend on the optional modules you select, the following information gives an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the course.
Year 1 (Level 4): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
- Teaching, learning and assessment: 216 hours
- Independent learning: 984 hours
Year 2 (Level 5): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
- Teaching, learning and assessment: 228 hours
- Independent learning: 972 hours
Year 3: Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
- Placement: 480 hours
- Independent learning: 720
Year 4 (Level 6): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
- Teaching, learning and assessment: 180 hours
- Independent learning: 1020 hours
*Please note these are indicative hours for the course.
Assessment
Our validated courses adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, oral presentations, source-based critical commentaries, reflective journals, seminar response papers, written exams and supervised independent work, including a dissertation in Year 3.
We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.
Percentage of the course assessed by coursework
The assessment balance between examination and coursework depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessed by different assessment modes is as follows:
Year 1 (Level 4)*
- 66% coursework
- 25% written exams
- 9% practical assessment
Year 2 (Level 5)*
- 62% coursework
- 25% written exams
- 13% practical assessment
Year 3*
The Study Abroad year takes place at the end of level 5 study and before the start of level 6 and must be taken on a full-time basis only. The modules taken may be at any level but must be equivalent to 120 CATS credits in total and the marks/grades received will not contribute to the student’s award or classification; instead, the year will be graded pass/fail.
Year 4 (Level 6)*
- 63% coursework
- 21% written exams
- 16% practical assessment
*Please note these are indicative percentages and modes for the programme.
Feedback
We are committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to you on your academic progress and achievement in order to enable you to reflect on your progress and plan your academic and skills development effectively. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback from your course tutors.
Further information
For more information about our regulations for this course, please see our Academic Regulations, Policies and Procedures.
Modules
Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing. The University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed. For further information please refer to winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions
Modules
This module introduces students to the core skills required to study history successfully at degree level. History makes sense of the past by analysing surviving evidence. Such evidence is either secondary, which requires in-depth critical reading, or primary or original, which demands critical contextualisation and analysis. All such evidence has uses to the historian, not necessarily obvious, and all contains partiality, which historians are trained to overcome. Working in small groups with one staff member per group, there will be a balance between developing awareness of these overarching core skills (such as conducting research and mastering referencing conventions) and a case study where students work on academic reading connected to a particular topic. This intensive small group environment will help students adjust to the university environment and provide a venue for delivering other transitional and transferrable skills.
This module takes a broadly chronological approach to world history, examining key themes, events and ‘turning points' from the Classical world to the present day. It will consider the rise and fall of civilizations in Europe and around the world, including Ancient Greece, Rome, China, and the Americas, before moving on to consider the ‘global Middle Ages’, the emergence of more complex states and empires, religious reformations in the Christian and Islamic worlds, scientific and technological innovations, and increasing global connectivity and exchange during the early modern period. Finally, it will address the ‘rise of the modern’ through urbanization, industrialization, and mass politics, including its diffusion, resistance, and the alternative paths societies around the world have taken to get to the present.
This module builds upon Sources & Approaches in History, further developing students’ skills as independent researchers, and giving students an opportunity to do research of a critical nature, using both primary and secondary sources. Continuing to work in the same Case Study groups as, and on a related topic to, Sources & Approaches, students undertake an individual research project, on a topic negotiated with a tutor. In addition, there will be an element of group work as students combine their individual findings, presenting on a subtopic of the module’s overarching theme. As this module concentrates upon developing skills there is an emphasis on training for future employment. Students will be expected to engage with careers service activities in semester 2 and to report their activities in a reflective blog.
This module builds on Perspectives in World History by taking a more thematic approach to the broad sweep of global history. It introduces first year history students to important themes in global history, and challenges them to think critically about the contours that have shaped different cultures over time. It encourages students to explore how various factors have developed and travelled across different social and cultural contexts, placing strong emphasis on the interconnections of societies in the past. This is done with a focus on various themes for example, technology and economy, ecology, disease and famine, migration, gender and religion. Students are encouraged to make comparisons that will enable them to deconstruct the simplistic binaries of ‘science’ vs ‘religion’ and ‘modern’ versus ‘traditional’ societies, to explore more fully how cultural and material exchange occurred between different societies.
- British Introductory Module: Early Medieval Britain 400-1066
- International Introductory Module: The United States
- International Introductory Module: Early Modern Europe
- International Introductory Module: Europe 1300-1500
- British Introductory Module: English History 1272-1500
- British Introductory Module: Victorian Britain 1815-1914
- International Introductory Module: East Asia 1900-present
- British Introductory Module: Tudor and Early Stuart England 1500-1660
- International Introductory Module: Rise and Fall of Modern Empires, 1783 - 1997
- British Introductory Module: Uniting The Kingdom? Britain, 1660-1837
- International Introductory Module: Modern Europe, 1789-2001
- British Introductory Module: Seventeenth century England
- British Introductory Module: Britain in the Twentieth Century
- International Introductory Module: Europe and The Americas (1763-1914) - change and interchange
- International Introductory Module: Europe in the Early Middle Ages (c.400-c.888)
- International Introductory Module: Europe in the Central Middles Ages (c.888-1200)
Classics modules:
- Introduction to the Classical Greek World
- Introduction to Classical Greek Literature
- Introduction to Classical Archaeology
- Introduction to the Classical Roman World
- Introduction to Classical Roman Literature
- Introduction to Classical Theatre
Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing, for full-time students entering the programme in Year 1. Optional modules are listed where applicable. Please note the University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. For further information please refer to the terms and conditions at www.winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions. The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed above.
Modules
Practising History 1 provides an overview of ‘doing History’ from the Classical period onwards. It examines the ideas that have underpinned historical research and writing, from Herodotus to Post-Modernity, as well as recent theories of history (many of which have been drawn from other disciplines and including post-colonialism, gender and identity, spatial theory) as they have been used by historians. It provides students with an opportunity to think reflexively about the nature of the historical enterprise. Students are encouraged to link their studies in Practising History 1 with their other second-year modules. This module principally examines the ways in which British historians have worked from the early medieval period to c.2000. It investigates the influences which shaped their approaches (including, e.g., the work of foreign scholars such as Leopold von Ranke and the historians of the French Annales School). It also investigates theories of history – e.g. Marxist ideas. It emphasizes the expansion of historical interests and the methodologies which have permitted fresh areas of study in the last thirty years and looks at the current practice of history.
This module considers the planning and preparation of research and the methods and skills used, with particular reference to – but not sole consideration of – the dissertation. A wide range of historical approaches and methods are assessed, including use of local and national archives, databases and online sources, media and newspapers, visual images, standing remains, landscape and the material environment, public history, oral sources and scientific data. Ethics in historical research are also examined.
Work Placement
Group Project
Field Trip
Histories on Screen
Exploring Past Localities
Volunteering for History
Source Studies:
The First English Empire: c. 1100 to c. 1350
Culture and Society in Late Medieval England
Excommunication, False Monks, and Holy Satan: The Papal Imperial Conflict, 1070-1122
Women Writing and Writing about Women in the Early Middle Ages
Emirs and Caliphs of Al-Andalus: Iberia under the Umayyads, 756–1031 CE
The Global Middle Ages
The Golden Age of Spain
Religion, Politics & Society in Early Tudor England, 1485-1558
Theme Studies:
The Age of the Vikings
Societies at War – England and France, 1189-1529
The Crusades
The Iron Century: European Politics and Power in the Tenth Century
Feud, Vengeance and Justice in Europe, c. 1000 to 1600
Food and Drink in Medieval and Early Modern England
The Renaissance Court: Power. Politics and Patronage
Culture, Society and Economy in Early Modern England
Collecting and Constructing Classics: Power and Politics in the Museum
Optional
It is your year to study at your chosen university abroad.
Modules
It is your year to study at your chosen university abroad.
Modules
The Dissertation (Extended Independent Study) is an 8,000 -10,000 thesis on a subject of a student’s choice. It makes an original contribution to historical knowledge and understanding. It demonstrates an advanced capacity to work as a historian and to employ the conventions of a historian. Students must produce by due deadlines a proposal acceptable to internal scrutineers, evidence of substantial progress by the end of the first module as part of the assessment for the Research Methods module, and a record of supervision completed by the supervisor with the Dissertation.
History Matters asks to students to engage with the process of accessing the past both through History as an academic discipline and alternatively in public history. Through the study of a variety of uses of the past in areas such as politics, journalism and popular media, students will engage with the methodological problems and nuances in studying History at degree level. This module will allow students to develop a more nuanced understanding of both popular and academic approaches to the past and to consider the applicability of academic history in more popular arenas.
This module is taught through small seminar groups only. In these groups, students will be able to explore the nature of historical research and historical debate through reflection on their own dissertation and the sharing of best practice with other students. It will allow a more supportive learning environment whilst ensuring a more active engagement with individual research
Field Trip
Work Placement
Depth Studies:
The Wars of the Roses 1450-1499
Civil War, Revolution and Republic in the British Isles
Ruling England in the Second Viking Age
An Accidental Revolution: the Emergence and Dominance of the Italian City Commune, c.1000-c.1255
The Italian Wars 1494-1516 and 1521-1559
The Anarchy: The Anglo-Norman Civil War 1135-1154
Pax Romana: From the Julio-Claudians to the Severans, AD 14-235
Comparative Studies:
Supernatural and Witchcraft Beliefs in the British Isles, Continental Europe, and America c.1450-1800
The Monstrous Regiment: Gender and Authority in Early Modern Europe
Warfare in the Medieval West from the Ninth to the Twelfth Century
The Middle Ages in Computer Games
Chivalry – Knighthood, Warfare and Culture in Medieval Europe
Popular Protest in Late Medieval Europe
The Black Death
Hostages, Prisoners and Slaves: Captivity in the Middle Ages
Entry requirements
Our offers are typically made using UCAS tariff points to allow you to include a range of level 3 qualifications and as a guide, the requirements for this course are equivalent to:
- A-Levels: BCC-BBB from 3 A Levels or equivalent grade combinations (e.g. BBB is comparable to ABC in terms of tariff points)
- BTEC/CTEC: DMM from BTEC or Cambridge Technical (CTEC) qualifications
- International Baccalaureate: To include a minimum of 2 Higher Level certificates at grade H4
- T Level: Merit in a T Level
Additionally, we accept tariff points achieved for many other qualifications, such as the Access to Higher Education Diploma, Scottish Highers, UAL Diploma/Extended Diploma and WJEC Applied Certificate/Diploma, to name a few. We also accept tariff points from smaller level 3 qualifications, up to a maximum of 32, from qualifications like the Extended Project (EP/EPQ), music or dance qualifications. To find out more about UCAS tariff points, including what your qualifications are worth, please visit UCAS.
In addition to level 3 study, the following GCSE’s are required:
GCSE English Language at grade 4 or C, or higher. Functional Skills at level 2 is accepted as an alternative, however Key Skills qualifications are not. If you hold another qualification, please get in touch and we will advise further
If you will be over the age of 21 years of age at the beginning of your undergraduate study, you will be considered as a mature student. This means our offer may be different and any work or life experiences you have will be considered together with any qualifications you hold. UCAS have further information about studying as a mature student on their website which may be of interest.
If English is not your first language, a formal English language test will most likely be required and you will need to achieve the following:
- IELTS Academic at 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all four components (for year 1 entry)
- We also accept other English language qualifications, such as IELTS Indicator, Pearson PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and TOEFL iBT
If you are living outside of the UK or Europe, you can find out more about how to join this course by contacting our International Recruitment Team via our International Apply Pages.
2024/25 Course Tuition Fees
UK / Republic of Ireland |
Channel Islands / |
International* |
|
---|---|---|---|
Year 1 | £9,250 | £9,250 | £16,700 |
Year 2 | £9,250 | £9,250 | £16,700 |
Year 3 - Year Abroad | £1,385 | £3,700 | £6,680 |
Year 4 | £9,250 | £9,250 | £16,700 |
Total with Year Abroad | £29,135 | £31,450 | £56,780 |
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Additional tuition fee information
If you are a UK student starting your degree in September 2022, the first year will cost you £9,250**. Based on this fee level, the indicative fees for a three-year degree would be £27,750 for UK students.
Remember, you don't have to pay any of this upfront if you are able to get a tuition fee loan from the UK Government to cover the full cost of your fees each year. If finance is a worry for you, we are here to help. Take a look at the range of support we have on offer. This is a great investment you are making in your future, so make sure you know what is on offer to support you.
UK Part-Time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £77.08 and a 15 credit module is £1,156. Part-time students can take up to a maximum 90 credits per year, so the maximum fee in a given year will be the government permitted maximum fee of £6,935.
International part-time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £139.14 and a 15 credit module is £2,087
*Please note, the tuition fees for students from the EU (excluding UK and Republic of Ireland) are yet to be confirmed by the University.
**The University of Winchester will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year.
Additional costs
As one of our students all of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including, lectures/guest lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities. You will also have access to a wide range of student support and IT services.
There might be additional costs you may encounter whilst studying. The following highlights the mandatory and optional costs for this course:
Optional
Dissertation work
Students working on dissertations in Year 3 may incur costs (mainly travel) of visiting archives, dependent upon the specific nature of the dissertation and availability of online resources for a specific subject. This would typically involve either travel to a local archive (e.g. Southampton, Portsmouth or further afield if the student chooses to study a locality away from Winchester) or a national archive, usually in London (TNA, British Library, Women's Library, etc.). If the dissertation work is based in Winchester, then costs will be far less.
Field Trip
Optional week long History fieldtrip in Year 2 - costs vary depending on location and number of students going on the trip. Indictative costs vary between £300-£700.
Placement
If students decide to complete an optional History work/volunteering placement it may incur travel costs, which are dependent upon where the student undertakes the placement (if local it may be zero, but costs go up when public transport is used to travel). Students will have a say in where their placement is located. Indictative costs vary from £0 - £300, dependent on location of placement and number of visits required.
Year abroad
Students going on a year abroad pay significantly reduced tuition fees for that year but will need to cover costs for health and travel insurance, accommodation and living expenses; travel costs; visa costs. These will vary depending on which country you are travelling to.
Visit the Study Abroad as part of your degree page for the latest information.
Mandatory
Books
Some modules require students to have access to books with an approximate cost of £100 if bought new over the course of a year (but texts can often be purchased at considerably reduced rates second hand). Mandatory modules might also require some core texts. Cost £150 per year.
SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND AWARDS
We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards page.
CAREER PROSPECTS
Graduates have become historians working in museums, heritage sites, teaching and in many other sectors including in retailing, the arts, press, publishing, marketing and in governmental and non-for-profit organizations at local, regional, national and international level.
The University of Winchester ranks in the top 10 in the UK for graduates in employment or further study according to the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021, HESA.
Pre-approved for a Masters
University of Winchester students studying Bachelor Honours degrees are pre-approved to start a Masters degree at Winchester. To be eligible students must apply by the end of March in their final year and meet the entry requirements of their chosen Masters degree.
OUR CAREERS SERVICE![Student with careers staff member](/media/Content-Assets/Winchester-Life/Careers-Hub-1.jpg)
![](/media/Content-Assets/Study/Course-Testimonial-Images/Sam-Jenkins-profile-1500x906.jpg)
Being a History student has enabled me to learn more about the factors that influence change, both in the past and in the present day. I am applying that knowledge as an advocate of social action. The scope of opportunities I have had is incredible!
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