Undergraduate Courses at Bangor University

Medieval and Early Modern History BA (Hons)

Course facts

  • UCAS code: V130
  • Bangor code: BA/MEMH
  • Course length: 3 years

Some modules are available in Welsh. You may write essays and examinations in Welsh if you wish.

Connect with Bangor

Contact us

Admissions Tutor
School of History, Welsh History and Archaeology
Tel: 01248 382118
E-mail: hwha@bangor.ac.uk
www.bangor.ac.uk/history

Twitter: @BangorHistory

Course Overview

The course gives you the opportunity to study the pre-modern period (before 1750) in Europe, Britain and Wales in detail. This is a period that sees the fall of Rome but the continuation of its legacy, particularly in the form of the Church; invasions by Arabs, Magyars, Vikings, and Ottomans; the Crusades; the birth of the universities; the Renaissance; the Reformation; and the development of modern nation states and forms of government.

Of course, although you will specialize in the medieval and early-modern periods, you will still enjoy all the interest, stimulation and experience of a History degree. History remains one of the most popular degree subjects in the UK. It has an established range of concerns, but it is always expanding and changing as it responds to new themes or ideas raised by other disciplines. It is also a very practical subject, and during your degree you will develop various transferable skills that employers value highly. Surveys consistently indicate that History graduates obtain employment more rapidly than graduates in many apparently more 'vocational' subjects.

When making your decision about what you might want to study at Bangor, you should bear in mind that you could choose to read for a degree not only in History but also in Welsh History; History with Archaeology; Heritage, Archaeology and History; History with Journalism; History with Film Studies; and joint degrees including History such as History and English.

Why choose Bangor for this course?

  • Although we are a relatively small School, we offer an unusually broad selection of modules covering the medieval and early-modern periods, taught by lecturers who are experts in their fields. Naturally, our research influences, and is integrated into, our teaching.
  • Our degrees are rigorous and will thus develop your skills of analysis, argument, and criticism, but you will be learning in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Staff are approachable, and enthusiastic. In the most recent National Student Survey, 90% of students thought that lecturers provided enthusiastic teaching, and 91% found their modules intellectually stimulating.
  • You will often be taught in small groups, and because the School admits only about 120 students every year, staff will know your name. In addition, you will have access to various IT resources including our VLE (Blackboard), have the opportunity to go on fieldtrips or attend events like the annual Gregynog medieval colloquium, and attend the School’s research seminars.
  • We recognize the importance of transferable skills to you and your future employers, including the ability to write well and to present clearly and your ability to use a number of different IT packages. These are an integral part of the degree programmes we offer.
  • The local area is steeped in history, with Beaumaris and Caernarfon castles, and Conwy with its castle and the sixteenth century Plas Mawr, on the doorstep. These monuments provide a resource for field work and make Bangor a superb location for study. If you have a particular interest in Welsh History we are a natural place to study the subject.

Course Content

For more on studying degree courses see our Study at Bangor section.

You will have about 8 to 10 hours of lectures, seminars and tutorials per week. There is a high degree of individual tuition, particularly during the dissertations in the third year. Outside formal teaching you will need to read around the subject and prepare for seminars (sometimes involving presentations) and complete coursework and assessed essays.

Some modules include field trips (these are optional if there is a charge). Examples: Hampton Court for William III special subject; Museums in the Isle of Man and Ireland for Viking, Celtic and Anglo- Saxon modules. You may spend one module gaining work experience. This could be working in a local museum, local archives, Gwynedd Archaeological Trust, the National Trust. Assessment is a mixture of essays, projects and examinations. The dissertation is an important part of the final assessment.

The School of History, Welsh History and Archaeology at Bangor is fantastic...it's like a little family.

Olivia Phillips
BA (Hons) History

What will you study on this course?

Year 1

You are introduced to key themes in medieval and early modern history and choose from a range of options to broaden your understanding.

Compulsory modules:

  • Apocalypse Then: the Crisis of the Fourteenth Century
  • The Birth of Modern Europe 1470-1600

Optional modules from a range in disciplines such as:

  • History
  • Archaeology
  • Heritage
  • Welsh History
  • English and Welsh Literature
  • Languages, Music, IT

Year 2

You concentrate on two modules covering periods of European, British or Welsh history before 1750. These provide a background for more specialist study later. The compulsory Debating History module will stimulate your thoughts about the ways in which modern people use images and interpretations from the pre-modern world. You also choose from a variety of topic courses associated with aspects of History (you may include Archaeology or Heritage studies or literature or music or take  a work placement module). Example modules include: Acts of Union – England and Wales, Witchcraft and Magic c.1100-1750, Reformation and Counter-Reformation, The Reign of King Stephen, Gender and Society in the 12th Century, The Lion of Justice – Henry I, Norman Kingdom of Sicily, Holy Wars 1095-1197.

Year 3

You choose a special subject covering the period before c1750 that you will study in depth, working closely with original documents. You will study further topic modules and research for a dissertation (project) which you complete under the guidance of your tutor.

Typical special subjects:

  • The Norman Conquest
  • Henry II
  • Law and Society in Wales, 1558-1640
  • Ruled by an Orange: Britain under William III
  • Saints, Outlaws and Werewolves

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 Medieval and Early Modern History Modules page.

Programme Specification

Careers & Employability

This course provides specialist knowledge and a range of analytical and presentational skills which will enable you to tackle a variety of career options centring on administrative and leadership needs, for example, in company personnel departments, the civil service and local government as well as in a range of directly transferable vocations. Graduates have in recent years gained careers in museum work, law, teaching and the cultural industries

By studying for a degree in course you will acquire a wide range of transferable skills, be they academic or personal. History graduates are desirable employees due to the variety of skills they develop during the course of their degree. These transferable skills include:

  • An ability to review critically the literature and formulate logical and structured arguments
  • An ability to make effective oral presentations
  • The development of writing and editorial skills
  • An appreciation of the complexity and diversity of situations, events and past mentalities
  •  Experience gained from carrying out and completing a major research project in the third year – the dissertation
  • Good IT skills
  • Time management skills

These transferable skills are fundamental to other employment sectors, such as the public sector, teaching, tourism, law, accountancy and management.

Work experience opportunities at Bangor University

Year 2 and 3 students are provided with the opportunity to complete work-placement modules, which can be carried out in the university or through external organizations. These are assessed as part of the final degree. The programme enhances employability prospects and offers an insight into the type of employment opportunities a degree in history offers. Students have undertaken placements in a wide range of workplaces, including archives and heritage centres.

For more information on employment opportunities in history, please click here.

It is now possible to supplement your degree with the Bangor Employability Award. For more information on this award, please click here.

The highlight for me has definitely been taking part in the archaeological excavations at Meillionydd on the Llŷn peninsula. It has provided so much experience and insight into working in the field, as well as being invaluable for my future employability.

Sam Birchall
Archaeology

Employability and the School of History, Welsh History & Archaeology

The great strength of a History and Archaeology degree is its intellectual breadth and flexibility which makes it attractive to almost any employer who wants analytical and lateral thinkers who can adapt to any work in almost any intellectual environment. There is nothing to be lost by studying history and archaeology and a great deal to be gained. It is worth remembering that more specialised and vocational degrees are much more subject to market demand, and much less marketable outside their own subject area.

Transferable skills

By studying for a degree in history, archaeology or a related subject at Bangor University, students acquire a wide range of transferable skills, be they academic or personal.  History and archaeology graduates are particularly desirable employees due to the variety of skills they develop during the course of their degree.  These transferable skills include:

  1. Research skills and the evaluation and manipulation of large bodies of data
  2. Ability to think critically and analytically
  3. Ability to formulate arguments and solve problems
  4.  Writing and editorial skills
  5. An appreciation of the complexity and diversity of situations, events and past mentalities
  6. Experience gained from carrying out and completing a major research project in the third year – the dissertation
  7. For archaeologists a range of practical skills acquired through survey, excavation and the study of material evidence
  8. The ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
  9. Communication and presentation skills
  10. Good IT skills
  11. Time management skills

Career opportunities

These wide ranging skills can be applied to a great variety of careers which means that history and archaeology graduates are faced with a broad spectrum of job opportunities, arising both directly from their studies, or as a foundation for careers in other fields for which a degree in history or archaeology is particularly useful. Examples include:

  1. Archaeological units, archives and librarianship
  2. Museums and heritage management
  3. Researchers and writers for television, radio and film
  4. Journalism and publishing
  5. Teaching in primary, secondary and higher education
  6. Law
  7. Business and finance professions
  8. Commercial, industrial and public service management
  9. Marketing, sales and public relations
  10. Civil service, charities and local and regional government jobs
  11. Military and police
  12. Personnel
  13. Leisure and travel

Work experience opportunities at Bangor University

Level 5 and 6 students are provided with the opportunity to complete work-placement modules, which can be carried out in the university or through external organizations. These are assessed as part of the final degree. The programme enhances employability prospects and offers an insight into the type of employment opportunities a degree in history or archaeology offers.  Students have undertaken placements in a wide range of workplaces, including archives, archaeological units, museums and heritage centres.

Employment Opportunities

Examples of employment opportunities in history and archaeology can be found at the following sites:

Careers and Employability Service

The University’s Careers and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions. Developing your personal skills and enhancing your employability while at university is becoming increasingly important in today’s job market.

Amongst the experiences offered by the Careers and Employability Service to help both your personal and career development are work placements, work taster schemes, part-time work, and volunteering and mentoring opportunities.

Bangor Employability Award

The Bangor Employability Award is designed to enhance the immediate and longer-term career prospects of our students. It offers free opportunities to gain the skills and experiences employers need, based on up-to-date research.

BEA graduates get a certificate, a transcript and formal verification of their extracurricular activities from Bangor University. The Award also offers free training courses, interview preparation, access to online careers software and helps develop a skills portfolio of evidence for employers.

Student Volunteering

Student Voluteering is both worthwile in itself but also improves your employbility and widens your experiences. The Students' Union has a dedicated Student Volunteering Office - Student Volunteering Bangor (SVB) within the Students' Union which has over 1,500 members, 600 of whom volunteer on one or more of our community based projects. SVB volunteers currently contribute a total of 600 hours each week which promotes a close relationship between the university and the local community.

 

 

Entry requirements for this course

  • 280-300 points (History preferred)
  • We consider mature students on individual merit but you should usually have recent relevant study experience, for example a successfully completed Access course.

General University entry requirements

Here at Bangor we accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds. We consider each application individually.

All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.

As part of the University’s policy we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.

To study a degree, diploma or certificate course you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points . Normally, all GCE A and AS levels, VCEs and Key Skills can be used to calculate your overall points.

For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see the UCAS website.

Qualifications currently not in the Tariff Framework:

Access courses and mature entry: We welcome your application if you’re taking a recognised Access course. We also consider applications from other older students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more help and advice about being a mature student at Bangor, please visit the Study at Bangor site.

International students entry requirements

For information and further detailed guidance on entry requirements for International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages on the International Education Centre section of our website.

More information

Home/EU students

E-mail for General Admissions: admissions@bangor.ac.uk or write to:

Admissions Office
Bangor University
Gwynedd
LL57 2DG

Telephone: +44 (0)1248 382017

International students

Email to International Education Office: international@bangor.ac.uk or write to

International Education Centre
Bangor University
Gwynedd
LL57 2DG

Telephone: +44 (0) 1248 382028

How to apply through UCAS

Apply online via UCAS

UCAS stands for Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. All university applications are processed through UCAS and then passed on to the universities listed.

Students may apply for a maximum of five courses. For Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary courses students are only allowed to apply for four courses.

The application form is found on the UCAS website, under ‘Apply’.

The early closing date is October 15 for all Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary students. The main closing date for all applications is January 15.

Your Personal Statement

Writing your Personal Statement is the part of the application form that requires most work. You are only allowed 47 lines or 500–550 words to explain why you wish to study the course and the skills you have that are essential for university study.

To write a successful personal statement for your UCAS application you must have a good understanding about the course and its content. Remember that you write only one personal statement for your five choices. Make sure that the courses are similar, if not the same, and make sure that you do not mention a specific course or university.

Read our advice on how to draft a winning personal statement or watch our video guide.

After you’ve applied

You should keep an eye on your application on UCAS ‘Track’. Offers from universities will appear on track and you will be able to accept or decline offers.

You can only reply when you have received all your decisions. The types of reply you can make are firm acceptance and insurance acceptance. Usually students reply in early May.

International Student?

If you are an international student, our International Student pages offer further information on applying.

As an international student applying to study one of our undergraduate programmes you can;

Erasmus student?

We receive around 350 exchange students every year from all over the world. 45% of these students come from Europe and the remainder from as far as Singapore, South Korea and Australia.

The University's International Exchanges Office is responsible for welcoming these students.

Confused about your next steps?

Take a look at our Going to University website for information and advice on getting ready for university.

Why study at the School of History?

  • History has been taught at Bangor since the foundation of the University in 1884 and has a wealth of experience and a strong sense of tradition
  • We have real expertise in modern and contemporary history as well as in a medieval, early modern and Welsh history, archaeology and heritage
  • If you have a particular interest in Welsh History we are the natural place to study – we cover every period of the Welsh past
  • Bangor is located in an area with an outstanding range of archaeology monuments: prehistoric tombs and stone circles, Roman forts, native farmsteads, and medieval castles including the World Heritage sites of Beaumaris, Caernarfon and Conwy
  • You can take advantage of a range of field trips to these monuments
  • Students are encouraged to take part in excavations and there are opportunities to work in the local Archaelogical unit, museums and archives
  • The School has a proven record of research achievement, with the regular publication of books and articles by staff, several of whom have international reputations in their particular fields
  • We have a wide range of courses within the School and a broad range of optional choices
  • The School has an excellent teaching reputation and combines the use of new technologies with small group teaching and personal attention
  • We specialize in small group teaching - no student of ours is just a number

Studying at Bangor

A top 10 university

The National Student Survey (NSS) results place Bangor amongst the UK’s top 10 universities (excluding specialist institutions) and top in Wales for student satisfaction. This reflects the University’s focus on overall student experience.

Enjoy a university experience that’s amongst the best in the UK

The guaranteed accommodation, student support, low cost of living and stunning location all contribute towards this.

Take advantage of the Bangor Student Experience (ranked in the top 20 in the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey) with free membership of student clubs and societies, a new international experience programme and employability award scheme.

Unrivalled location

Choose to study in one of the best places in the UK to be a student. Bangor’s location – close to the mountains and the sea - has been described as ‘the best university setting in the UK’.

Investment in facilities

Benefit from continued investment in facilities and services – with an exciting new Arts and Innovation Centre, new Halls of Residence, and improved sports facilities amongst recent developments.

Guaranteed accommodation

We guarantee accommodation for first year students – in university accommodation that’s rated within the top 10 in the UK (What Uni Student Choice Awards).

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