History and Literature BA (Hons)

What is special about this course?

The joint honours degree in history and literature allows you to turn your passion for the past and for writing into an interesting career.

The BA (Hons) History and Literature covers a range of approaches, from thematic modules that cover a variety of places and historical periods, to concentrated and in-depth studies of a particular group of authors or periods of history.

Each year, you will build on your analytical and research abilities through a series of skills modules. 

You can also choose to specialise in Scottish History at the upper levels and graduate with a BA (Hons) Scottish History and Literature degree. 

Special features

• You will explore literature and history in a local and global context
• The degree can be studied full time or part time to suit your personal circumstances
• You can study individual modules for personal or professional development
• You can specialise in Scottish History at the upper levels to enable you to exit with a Scottish History and Literature degree
• The humanities staff at UHI specialise in high quality video-conference teaching supported by a dynamic virtual learning environment and expansive online resources
• There are opportunities to volunteer at local museums and archives, and occasional voluntary field trips in the university's region also enhance the experience of your degree
• Exciting new modules based on staffs' cutting-edge research are offered at upper level

Accommodation

We offer modern student accommodation at a number of our locations.

Entry requirements

Entry to year one:

• 3 Scottish Highers at grade BBC or above, or
• 2 A levels at grade BC or above
• At least two should be from the list of relevant subjects
• Applicants with other relevant qualifications or experience will be considered on an individual basis

Advanced entry to year two:

• HNC Social Sciences (12 SQA credits) with 3 additional SQA credits at level 7 which is equivalent to 120 degree credit points, and at least grade C in the Graded Unit will be considered for direct entry to year two

Access routes

SWAP Access courses
If you are eligible to undertake Scottish Wider Access Programmes (SWAP), please visit our SWAP access list for further information on grade profiles and available subjects.

Other relevant humanities access courses will also be considered on an individual basis.

Year 1 - CertHE

You will study the following history modules:

• What is history?

PLUS one of the following:

• A middle age: Europe 1000-1500
• People, power and protest: themes in modern British history
• Empire, environment and identity: Scotland 1600-2000

You will also study the following two literature modules:

• Theories of literature: an introduction
• Travellers in the wilderness: literature and the theme of exile

You will study two further option modules from a range of history, Scottish history, literature and other humanities subjects.

Year 2 - DipHE

You will study the following history modules:

• Historians and history

PLUS one of the following:

• Themes in American history
• A curious age: European society and culture, c1500-1750

You will also study two literature modules which may include:

• Gaelic poetry: an introduction
• Theatrical powerplay: classical and modern tragedy
• Heroic literature: epic from classical to contemporary
• Medieval literature: texts and contexts

You will study two further option modules from a range of history, Scottish history, literature and other humanities subjects.

Year 3 - BA

You will study: 

• one of the core modules (either Public history or Literary Borrowings: adaptation and appropriation PLUS
• a further five option modules, ensuring a balance of three History modules and three Literature modules in total. 

History modules may include:

• Queer Britannia: gender, sexuality and performative identities in Britain, 1800-1950
• A study of things: material culture of medieval and early modern Europe
• War and chivalry in medieval Britain and France
• Alps, Hills and Plain? Central Europe to 1918
• Crime, custom and conflict, 1700-1850
• Crown-Magnate relations in later medieval Northern Scotland 
• The Jacobites: patriots, rebels or opportunists? 
• Scots in North America 

Students wishing to specialise in Scottish History at Level 10 are advised to take at least one Scottish History option and undertake a Scottish topic for your Public History project, or two Scottish History options if you are not taking Public History.

Literature modules may include:

• Imagining new worlds: renaissance literature and thought
• Romantic genius: Scottish and European literature, 1750-1830
• Risk anything: modernist short story
• Nature writing and ecology

Year 4 - BA (Hons)

You will complete a dissertation in history or literature. This is a double-credit module that runs across both semesters.

You will also study one option module from your chosen dissertation subject plus three option modules from the other subject.

History modules may include:

• War cruel and sharp: a military history of the Hundred Years' War
• Death and destruction: the social impact of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648)
• Lordship, colony, kingdom: the making of Ireland
• Through a glass darkly: the medieval in film
• The empire strikes back: how the British Empire shaped Scotland  
• Noble, Rebel, King: Robert Bruce and medieval Scotland 
• The Highland land wars: origins, aftermath and interpretations 

If you wish to exit with a Scottish History and Literature degree you must undertake a Scottish History dissertation plus at least one further Scottish History and one History module OR if you are undertaking a Literature dissertation, two of the three History modules must be in Scottish History. 

Literature subjects may include:

• Avant-garde literature
• Apocalyptic Fictions 
• Satire: the art of attach 
• Metafiction: self-referential texts

Fees

For students normally domiciled in Scotland, with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

This includes

• EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK,
• EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status in the UK
• EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.

Rest of UK students

For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland, including Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and with a term time address in Scotland studying this course full time, the following fees apply:

4th year free only for students studying full-time, on continuous study, who have paid for the previous three years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Part-time (per 20 credit module) - £1,542.

Fees are payable in advance each academic year unless otherwise agreed.

There are a number of funding options available to UK students to help you pay for your studies and your cost of living while studying.

EU/EEA and Swiss nationals without settled or pre-settled status in the UK

Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, the Scottish Government confirmed that EU/EEA and Swiss nationals, who do not have settled or pre-settled status, will be considered as international for fee purposes.  For 2022-23, students will get an automatic scholarship of £3,000 per annum and the 4^th year of study will be free for those studying full-time, on continuous study, who have paid for the previous three years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.

This includes EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are not self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.

Students will need Student Route visa sponsorship to study on the UK.

International students

For students who do not normally reside in the UK or European Union and with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

Part-time study is not open to international students requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK.

Further information on international course fees.

A no fee increase guarantee is available for self-funding full-time and structured part-time rest of the UK, EU and international undergraduate students for continuous study for the same award, up to the permitted standard time limit for the relevant award.

Funding

External scholarships and financial support may be available. Contact the relevant university partner college for more information.

Additional costs

Participation in any field trips will be at your own expense.