Undergraduate Degrees

The BA History (with Foundation Year) gives students the opportunity to progress on to the three year History programme following the successful completion of a Foundation Year. This allows students who have not met the entry criteria for the BA History, or a related degree course, to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed on the school of History’s most popular programme. The BA History (with Foundation Year) will give you the greatest range of choice in your third and fourth years and is undoubtedly the option to choose if you are interested in most areas of historical study, or are unsure of the types and periods of history in which you want to specialise.

Course Structure

Year 1

Level 0: The Foundation Year is an intensive course where you will study alongside students who aim to progress on to a variety of degree programmes within the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. With an average of 18 guided learning hours per week you will participate in lectures, seminars, reading and study groups, as well as visits to organisations such as the East Anglian Film Archive and the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. You will also be given individual tutorial support to ensure you are reaching your full potential and are able to progress on to the full honours programme with confidence. Over the course of the year you will be introduced to a wide range of academic subjects such as literature, history, philosophy, film, television and media, American studies, politics and the history of art. You will gain a foundational knowledge of many of the concepts, methods and techniques you will study in more detail at level 1 and above. In addition, you will develop a wide range of transferable skills in areas such as written and verbal communication, research, collegiality, time-management and language skills which will significantly enhance your employability in the future.

Year 2

Level 1: In your second year you will be given a detailed introduction to both in the main periods in British and European history from the high Middle Ages to the 20th century as well as an introduction to more specialised historical themes such as witchcraft and the environment. You also have the opportunity to reflect on how historians write history during the module Doing History. Year 3 Level 2: In your third year the wide range of modules available, combined with the fact that you are virtually guaranteed your first choice of selected modules, enables you to focus, for example, on medieval history, the political and international history of Britain and Europe since 1789, social and cultural history across time, early modern and modern Britain or modern Europe. The important thing is that you choose.

Year 4

Level 3: In your final year the emphasis switches to more intensive Special Subject modules where you work and research in small groups on a specialised topic close to the research expertise of each member of faculty. You also complete an extended project or dissertation to demonstrate the skills you have acquired during the degree programme.

Assessment

During the Foundation Year you will be assessed in a variety of ways which will allow you to exercise different learning styles and familiarise yourself with the format and expectations of assessment in Higher Education. There will be a strong emphasis on formative assessment with feedback on drafts of written work and group tutorials which will help you to clearly see how you can improve and develop, enabling you to learn from your peers as well as teaching staff. This in turn will help you to build confidence in your abilities and become a more independent learner.

Your progress will be monitored through individual tutorials to ensure that you are happy on the course and achieving your full potential. You need to achieve a minimum of 40% overall with a pass in all modules in order to progress on to the History programme.

At levels 1, 2 and 3 key issues and ideas are introduced in lectures given by all members of faculty. These are accompanied by more specialist study, undertaken in small groups. You will be assessed at the end of each semester on the basis of coursework, and at the end of each year by coursework. In your final year, you will write a dissertation on a topic of your choice and with the advice of tutors. There is no final examination. Your final degree result is determined by the marks you receive in Years 3 and 4.

Course Organiser:Ms. Rowena Burgess

The Foundation Year offers you an alternative to retaking your A-levels specifically designed to prepare you for study in Higher Education, and gives you the opportunity to study at one of the UK’s top ranked Universities.

Based in the School of Humanities, you will be taught by experienced staff who are familiar with the challenges and expectations of undergraduate study and you will receive targeted support to ensure you meet your full potential. You will receive significantly more contact time than you would in Sixth Form or at undergraduate level 1, as well as benefiting from smaller group sizes, giving you lots of opportunities to actively participate in your learning. Of course, you will also be a registered undergraduate at UEA and therefore able to take full advantage of all the excellent facilities, events and activities that we have to offer.

Following your successful completion of the Foundation Year you will be transferred to the School of History which was founded in 1994 when historians from three of the university's interdisciplinary Schools came together out of a belief that a School of History could provide a better focus for historical activity at the University of East Anglia. Since then we have gone from strength to strength and in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, 90 per cent of our research was classified as being of international importance or better. We concentrate on British and European history from the medieval to the contemporary period, which allows us to offer a very wide degree of choice within these areas to our students.

History is one of the most intellectually and challenging forms of training. Through the study of documents, their interpretation and interpreters, we have a chance to view both past achievements and failures, and establish some patterns and meaning. Through History we have an insight into past civilisations and cultures which were both similar and different from our own. At the University of East Anglia we use a wide range of teaching methods including lectures, seminars and tutorials. Students benefit from the existence of an active research-led culture amongst staff, many prominent visiting speakers and international links within the School.

If, after your first semester at UEA, you decide you would like to progress on to a different programme to BA History, you will be able to discuss your options with the Foundation Year Co-ordinator. Transfer decisions will need to be confirmed by January as your choice of continuing degree programme may also have an effect on which modules you select in your second semester.

Entry Requirements

A Level:

CCC

International Baccalaureate:

28 points

Scottish Highers:

Please contact institution for further information

Scottish Advanced Highers:

Please contact institution for further information

Irish Leaving Certificate:

Please contact institution for further information

Access Course:

Please contact institution for further information

HND:

Please contact institution for further information

European Baccalaureate:

60% overall

Students for whom English is a Foreign language

We welcome applications from students from all academic backgrounds. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading). Recognised English Language qualifications include:

• IELTS: 6.5 overall (minimum of 6.0 in Reading and Writing and no less than 5.5 in any component)
• TOEFL: Internet-based score of 92 overall (minimum 20 in Speaking component, 19 in Writing, 18 in Listening components and 20 in Reading components.
• PTE: 62 overall (minimum 55 in Reading and Writing and 51 in any component).

If you do not meet the University's entry requirements, our INTO Language Learning Centre offers a range of university preparation courses to help you develop the high level of academic and English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study.

Interviews

The majority of candidates will not be called for an interview. However, for some students an interview will be requested. These are normally quite informal and generally cover topics such as your current studies, reasons for choosing the course and your personal interests and extra-curricular activities.

Gap Year

We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year, believing that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry and may wish to contact the appropriate Admissions Office directly to discuss this further.

Intakes

The School's annual intake is in September of each year.

Alternative Qualifications

If you are studying the BTEC National Diploma please contact us for further information.

We encourage you to apply if you have alternative qualifications equivalent to our stated entry requirements. Please contact us for further information.

GCSE Offer

All applicants are required to have a minimum of 5 GCSE's including GCSE English language and Mathematics (or equivalent) at a minimum of Grade C.

Fees and Funding

Undergraduate University Fees

We are committed to ensuring that Tuition Fees do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds.  Full time UK/EU students starting an undergraduate degree course in 2013 will be charged a tuition fee of £9,000.  The level of fee may be subject to yearly increases.  Full time International students starting an undergraduate degree course in 2013 will be charged a tuition fee of £14,400.  The level of fee may be subject to yearly increases.

Scholarships and Bursaries

Home/EU - Students studying a Foundation Year may be eligible for a bursary of £4500.00 during their first year.  Further details of eligibility can be found at http://www.uea.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/finance/university-financial-support      

International Students -  The University offers around £1 million of Scholarships each year to support International students in their studies. Scholarships are normally awarded to students on the basis of academic merit and are usually for the duration of the period of study.    Our University international pages gives you more details about preparation for studying with us, including Fees and Funding http://www.uea.ac.uk/international