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Department of History

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Single Honours History

Study History for four years. It is possible to spend all or part of the second or third year at one of our partner institutions in other countries.

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Is this course for me?

The single honors degree in history is designed for those who wish to study an extensive history programme.

Course Structure

The Single Honor History programme is of four-years duration.

In the first year all Junior Freshmen take two core modules, entitled Doing History and Interpreting History, both of which seek to introduce students to the sources, methodologies and arguments characteristic of the study of history. In addition, students are introduced to surveys of what are usually unfamiliar periods and topics, such as medieval and early modern Ireland, medieval and early modern Europe and aspects of non-European history.

In the second (Senior Freshman) year, modules cover what is often more familiar territory in modern Irish and European history, along with further options in medieval and early modern history for those who wish to pursue them. As in the Junior Freshman year students learn through a mixture of classroom-based lectures and tutorials, as well as through independent learning, preparing for classes and written work in our excellent library facilities.

At the third and fourth levels Sophister students follow a range of thematic and document-based Special Subjects, which reflect the expertise of staff. While Freshman modules consist of several lectures, there is a growing emphasis on seminars and discussion in the final two years. In the third year students do two five-credit modules of Researching History which delve into historiography and methodology of research. Across all modules each student will produce several essays and other assessment work. In the fourth year a dissertation of 10,000 words represents the summit of historical training for the Single Honor students. Dissertation topics are chosen by students themselves in consultation with their allocated supervisors and students can explore issues outside the normal coverage of the programme.

  • Start Date: September 2025
  • Duration: 4 years
  • Features: Opportunities to study abroad

Modules offered in 2025-26

Freshman (Year One)

Michaelmas Term

  • SH students take all six 5-credit modules for 30 ECTS
  • JH students take either History in the Present or Imagining History, plus two of the 5-credit modules for 15 ECTS

All 5-credit modules consist of one lecture per week plus 4 tutorials over the course of the term.

Hilary Term

  • SH students take the 10-credit Research Project module plus four 5-credit modules = 30 ECTS
  • JH students take the 10-credit Research Project module plus one 5-credit module = 15 ECTS

All 5-credit modules consist of one lecture per week plus 4 tutorials over the course of the term.

Senior Freshman (Year Two)

The following is the single honors route.

Michaelmas Term

  • Students taking 20 credits take Writing History and one 5-credit module in MT
  • Students taking 40 credits take Writing History and three 5-credit modules in MT

Hilary Term

  • Students taking 40 credits in History choose one Special Subject option for 10 credits and two 5-credit modules
  • JH and 20-credit SH students choose one Special Subject option for 10 credits

Special Subject Options

Sophister Specialist (Years Three & Four)

These module descriptions represent the choices that will be available to you during Online Module Enrolment this summer. There is one set of List I modules for both SS students and for JS Single Honours students. The List II modules available to JS and SS students are different.

This year, all students will enrol via Online Module Enrolment. For those who do not have the results for the 2023-24 year yet (because marks from an exchange programme have not yet arrived, or because you will be submitting work during the reassessment period), your enrolment will be conditional on your passing the year. All enrolment is first come, first served.

Junior Sophister, History Single Honours:

  • 10 credits: two terms of Researching History
  • 20 credits: one set of linked modules from List I (10+10)
  • 20 credits: EITHER one List II module in each term (10+10)
    OR a List II module in Michaelmas term and two List III modules in Hilary term (10+5+5)
    OR two List III modules in Michaelmas term and a List II module in Hilary term (5+5+10)

Junior Sophister, History Major A or Major with Minor:

  • 10 credits: two terms of Researching History (5+5)
  • 20 credits: one List II module in each term (10+10)
  • 10 credits: one List III module in each term (5+5)

Junior Sophister, History Minor A, or Senior Sophister, New Minor Subject in History:

  • 10 credits: two terms of Researching History (5+5)
  • 10 credits: one List III module in each term (5+5)

Junior Sophister, History Major B or Minor B or Joint Honours:

  • 10 credits: two terms of Researching History (5+5)
  • 20 credits: EITHER one List II module in each term (10+10)
    OR a List II module in Michaelmas term and two List III modules in Hilary term (10+5+5)
    OR two List III modules in Michaelmas term and a List II module in Hilary term (5+5+10)

Junior Sophister, formerly Joint Honours, now Single Honours in the other subject:

  • 10 credits from one List III module in each term (5+5)

Senior Sophister, Single Honours or History Major B:

  • 20 credits from one set of linked modules from List I (10+10)
  • 20 credits from one List II module in each term (10+10)
  • 20 credits from dissertation

Senior Sophister, History Major A or Joint Honours or HPS with capstone in History:

  • 20 credits from one set of linked modules from List I (10+10)
  • 20 credits from dissertation

Senior Sophister, History Minor A or Joint Honours or HPS with capstone in other subject:

  • 20 credits from one set of linked modules from List I (10+10)

List I Modules

AVAILABLE TO: ALL SS STUDENTS EXCEPT NMS; JS SINGLE HONOURS STUDENTS

Assessment pattern in all List I modules: Michaelmas term source analysis 40%, essay 60%; Hilary term essay 50%, exam 50%.

List II Modules

MICHAELMAS TERM. AVAILABLE TO ALL JS STUDENTS AND TO SS NMS STUDENTS

MICHAELMAS TERM. AVAILABLE TO SS SINGLE HONOURS AND MAJORS TAKING 60 ECTS IN HISTORY

HILARY TERM. AVAILABLE TO ALL JS STUDENTS AND TO SS NMS STUDENTS

HILARY TERM. SS SINGLE HONOURS AND MAJORS TAKING 60 ECTS IN HISTORY

List III Modules

Michaelmas Term - Available to all JS Majors

Hilary Term - Available to all JS Majors