School of History
Our School is a vibrant learning community of staff and students. We cover a wide range of periods and regions, from Medieval to Modern, from Britain and Europe to America, the Middle East, and Asia.
We believe strongly that studying history is about exploration. The exceptionally wide range of options and choice throughout our degree programmes allow our students to shape their own intellectual journey. We subscribe to the philosophy that the best way to research is to be teaching-active, seeing students as partners in our wider professional practice.
Our graduates go on to exciting careers in a wide range of fields, such as law, the civil service, heritage, finance, and teaching. We embed skills training into every aspect of learning and teaching and offer a comprehensive programme of curricular and extra-curricular events and training sessions to enhance our students’ employability, including modules with work placements, a semester abroad, learning activities developing digital skills for the creative economy, and workshops on pathways into future career destinations. Our courses equip students with highly-transferable skills, such as the ability to communicate effectively and to research, analyse, and present data on complex subjects.
The student-led History Society is one of the most active at UEA. It provides peer-support, organises social and cultural events, and runs its own field trips within East Anglia and Europe and produces a reguar newspaper.
Courses
Postgraduate Research in History
To Understand Our World, Sometimes We Need To Look At Our Past. This Is What Our Researchers And Members Of Staff Do Every Day. Our Postgraduate...
Early Modern History
Don’t just study history: write it. Our Early Modern History Master’s degree will equip you with the tools you need to examine and interrogate primary and...
History and Politics
Our History and Politics BA is the perfect course for anyone who’s interested in the way history and politics impact on one another. It’s an exciting opportunity...
Modern History
Imagine reading Queen Victoria’s diaries, analysing Nazi reports on the Olympic Games, or considering the social and political power of African American jazz....
History
Dive into the past and uncover the rich history of many different periods, countries and cultures. You’ll explore and study civilisations, events and individuals...
Landscape History
The English landscape has been described as the richest historical record we possess. Society has developed in geographical pockets, as reflected in our...
Medieval History
Study for your Master’s degree in a region steeped in Medieval History. Taught by internationally recognised scholars, our course will help you get to grips...
Modern History
On our MA Modern History you will examine contemporary trends through historical lenses, by focusing on the deeper histories of nationalism, imperialism and...
Research
School of History
How can we tackle inequalities?
Understanding how and why gender matters is vital to the arts and humanities, whether our interests lie primarily in artistic, social and cultural questions or...
Indian researcher and historian wins 2020 John Pickstone Prize
Vernacular Medicine in Colonial India: Family, Market and Homoeopathy, written by Dr Shinjini Das of UEA's School of History, wins this year’s British Society of...
Paston Footprints Heritage Walks: Photography Competition 1 Sep - 29 Oct
- Sep 1, 2021 00:00AM
- Norwich, Blofield, Paston, Bacton, Gresham, Mautby, Oxnead and North Walsham
- Competition
- Free
Can you capture the spirit of Paston country? Explore historic Norfolk and discover the 15th to 17th century Paston story on 8 new heritage walks across Norfolk, and 2 cycle trails. Take a photograph on your Paston Heritage Walks for a chance, every month, to win a prize. Prizes include 5 people day passes to Norfolk Museums, an online course with the National Writer's Centre, Sainsbury's Centre of Visual Arts exhibition tickets, and lots more creative and cultural experiences. Walks are self-guided, with Paston characters acting as audio tour guides, the off the beaten track countryside walks are circular and way-marked, with GPX codes and accessibility audits. Creative, wellbeing and children's activities are to be found on the walk overviews on the website.
Paston Footprints Talks and Workshops - Weds 1 Sep - 27 Oct
- Sep 1, 2021 13:00PM
- Norfolk Record Office and Online
- Lectures
- Free
To accompany the 'Finding Paston Footprints' exhibition at the Norfolk Record Office, a series of free talks (book to attend in-person or online) runs every Wednesday lunchtime in September and October. Hear the latest research and talks by creative practitioners exploring how to tell the 15th to 17th century Paston story. There are also readings from the archives, workshops on 'weaving your own story' and 'data visualization', as well as two free online training courses in late 16th to early 18th century palaeography and archives hacks (title deeds etc) where Paston documents feature alongside a range of early Norfolk archives. Paston Footprints is a collaboration between Dr Karen Smyth (UEA), the Norfolk Record Office and the Paston Heritage Society, kindly supported by the National Heritage Lottery Fund. Talks (in person at NRO or book online) 'The Paston Treasure: Mysteries and Discoveries' (Dr Francesca Vanke, Keeper of Art at Norwich Castle) ‘Paper is Deynty’: The Significance of Paper in the Paston Letters (Dr Orietta da Rold, University of Cambridge) Finding Life in Margaret Paston’s Will (Prof Joel Rosenthal, SUNY) Peerage to Penury: The Last Hundred Years of the Paston Family, 1632- 1732 (Dr Jean Agnew, retired NRO) The Royal Game (Anne O'Brien, Historical Novelist) The Heraldry of the Pastons (Dr John Alban, UEA) Paston Heritage and the Support of Wellbeing (Dr Rob Knee, Paston Heritage Society) Finding New Footprints of Paston and Oxnead Halls (Mr Peter Stibbons, Paston Heritage Society) Touching Paston Lives (Dr Karen Smyth, UEA) Workshops (all online) Reading from the Archives: Early Pastons (various) Reading from the Archives: Later Pastons (various) Weave your own Paston Story (Dr Holly Maples, University of Essex) Data Impact Visualisation (Dr Karen Smyth, UEA) Courses An Introduction to the Handwriting of Tudor to Hanoverian Norfolk ( six weeks online) Tithe Deeds: an Introduction to their Form, Purpose and Interpretation (six weeks online)
Exhibition: Finding Paston Footprints Until 29 Oct
- Aug 10, 2021 00:00AM
- Norfolk Record Office,
- Art Exhibition
- Free
The Paston family letter collection is the largest and earliest in the world, and includes the earliest surviving Valentine letter. Yet little of the Paston story after the 15th century has been told until now. Visit the exhibition to dig deep into the letters to find family gossip, tender love and political manoeuvrings, and chart how the Pastons made their mark on the landscape and buildings that surround us in Norfolk today. As well as viewing the archives, watch animated Paston characters tell their stories and view 3D digital reconstructions of major Paston homes and buildings (such as Paston and Oxnead Halls, Gresham Castle and Bromholm Priory). Bring your mobile phone to scan QR codes that link you to letter readings, early dance moves and recusant music. Paston Footprints is a collaboration between Dr Karen Smyth of UEA, the Paston Heritage Society and the Norfolk Record Office, kindly supported by the National Heritage Lottery Fund. Visit the NRO between 10th August and 29th October (Tuesday – Fridays 10-12.30 and 2-4.30) for this free exhibition.