Undergraduate study 2014 prospectus

Course information

The Joint Honours degree courses allow you to gain a first-class exposure to two subjects and to acquire a broader range of skills than a normal single honours degree, whilst at the same time enjoying the benefits of specialisation.

In Years 2 and 3 you may select from a wide range of optional modules, and you will be able to pursue in-depth research on a topic of your own choosing in your final year.

As the common subject, History will provide you with valuable contexts for your other chosen subject.

For example, in History you can study the social, cultural and economic development of modern European societies. You might then want to explore Britain and the European Union (International Relations).

The guiding principle of all Joint Honours courses is that skills and qualities of perception and judgement are acquired cumulatively by the use of knowledge and applied practice in the course of the three years.

History has to be practised by reading, discussion and writing, and engagement, exploration and discovery.

International Semester and Year Abroad

Students are given the opportunity to begin new languages or continue your studies in languages including French, German, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.

In the second semester of the second year, students who do not read a foreign language have the opportunity to apply to spend a semester abroad at a partner institution in the Czech Republic, Taiwan, Sweden, Finland, Denmark or the Netherlands. Teaching and assessment at these institutions are in English.

Students who study a foreign language to a sufficient level as part of their course can opt to take a four-year degree course and spend the whole of their third year abroad.

Students whose native tongue is English and who have received their education in the UK can apply for assistantships, securing paid work teaching English to school children. Other students study at a European University.

Work Placements

We encourage and support students who wish to undertake a year-long work placement during their time at Loughborough.

Placements can be arranged with the help of the Careers and Employability Centre and are usually taken after the second year.

If a placement is eligible for a Diploma in Professional Studies, the degree will be converted to a four year 'sandwich' course.

In previous years, PHIR students have undertaken placements for the CBI in Brussels, IBM and Google.

Career Prospects

The many skills you will learn in History are attractive to employers in virtually any field.

These skills include the ability to think and work independently, the acquisition of critical and interpretive skills, skills in ICT and group work, the ability to communicate effectively and to develop and sustain an argument.

Course structure

The Joint Honours courses are organised on the basis of core and optional modules for each subject of the degree.

There is a progression from broad survey and skills courses in Year 1 to increasing specialisation and sophistication in Years 2 and 3.

Year 1

You are introduced to basic skills and ideas in a What is History? module. There will also be survey courses on the history of Modern Europe and the World.

Year 2

You can choose specialised modules that reflect the research specialism of staff and focus on comparative themes. There will also be a skills module introducing you to conducting primary research.

Year 3

You can now choose optional modules based on primary documents as well as the opportunity to write a 12,000-word dissertation on a subject of your choice, under close supervision of a member of the Department.

Non – History Subjects

Compulsory and optional modules in International Relations are drawn from those listed under the Single Honours course.

If you study a foreign language as part of your degree, you will have the opportunity to spend a third year in a French, German or Spanish speaking country as well as Japan and Taiwan, and to have your degree accredited with a Diploma in International Studies.

Please note that optional modules are subject to availability and timetable permitting.

UCAS codes and entry requirements

The entry requirements for each course should be read alongside the University’s general entrance requirements, which give further details on acceptable subjects, alternative qualifications and minimum English language requirements.

SQA AHScottish Qualifications Authority Advanced Highers IBInternational Baccalaureate Diploma DPSDiploma in Professional Studies DISDiploma in Industrial Studies DIntSDiploma in International Studies