BA (Hons) History and Creative Writing

Key information

Typical offer:
Entry requirements
Fees: See below
Full details
UCAS code: V1W1
Institute code: H36
Study abroad option
Work placement option
Find out more

The University of Hertfordshire is committed to welcoming students with a wide range of qualifications and levels of experience. The entry requirements listed on the course pages provide a guide to the minimum level of qualifications needed to study each course. However, we have a flexible approach to admissions and each application will be considered on an individual basis.

UCAS points	A Level	BTEC	Accepted T Levels	Access Course Tariff	IB requirement
112–120	BBC–BBB	DMM	112–120 UCAS points Please see additional requirements for accepted T Level subjects	Overall merit profile in 45 credits at Level 3	112–120 UCAS points

Additional requirements

GCSE: Grade 4/C in English Language and Mathematics

Accepted T Levels: Design Survey and Planning for Construction; Design Production, Design and Development; Education and Childcare; Healthcare Science; Health; Science; Digital Support Services; Digital Business Services; Onsite Construction; Building Services Engineering for Construction; Accounting; Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing; Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control; Finance; Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing; Management and Administration; Agriculture, Land Management and Production; Legal Services.

All students from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band.

If you do not have the required IELTS or equivalent for direct entry on to your degree programme, our Pre-sessional English and International Foundation courses can help you to achieve this level.

For more details on the University of Hertfordshire's entry requirements, please visit our Undergraduate Entry Requirements page.

Find out more about International Entry Requirements.

Why choose this course?

Join our award-winning Oral History Team (featured on BBC R4)
Focus on your interests - All History modules optional after 1st year
Be taught by award-winning poets, fiction and non-fiction writers

Are you interested in learning how past events helped shape today’s world? And do you enjoy writing stories, plays or non-fiction? This joint course allows you to do both. Studying History will teach you how human emotions, needs and desires act as political, social, and cultural catalysts for change. You can then apply this knowledge to your writing, whether you prefer fiction or non-fiction. This will make you a versatile writer, who is able to write in depth about the human psyche and how this underlies the changes we see in the world. 

Your History lecturers take part in international research projects, working on the frontline of the latest development in the field. All your Creative Writing lecturers are active writers in their field, which means they have excellent links with the industry. One of them was the editor of Granta, a prestigious British publisher. You’ll benefit from up-to-date knowledge of the writing world, giving you the best chances to succeed. You can join up to 1500 competitions in prose, fiction, drama, and short stories.

Hertfordshire is one of the historic counties of England, known for its rich past, museums and market towns, steeped in history. St Albans, where the traditional hot cross buns are rumoured to have originated, is only a few miles away. You’ll be able to visit the St Albans Cathedral and the Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies (HALS) are only a short drive away in Hertford. Hertfordshire is also known for its writers, including Geoffrey Chaucer and Beatrix Potter. In other words, it’s the perfect place to study both History and Creative Writing. Why choose if you can do both?

You’ll be able to join one of the few Oral History societies run by universities in the UK. This is an optional extra-curricular that is sure to make your CV stand out. You’ll go out and interview real people about the changes and events they have experienced in their own lives. Topics range from retirement to the history of football clubs, immigration and more. The point here is to not only capture factual information, but to allow your interviewee to express their feelings. What did they say? How did they feel? You’ll get a unique insight into real human experience, which will enrich your writing.

History was ranked in the top 25% of UK universities for research impact. (Research Excellence Framework, 2021).

What's the course about?

Creative Writing is more than just writing stories. It’s about learning how to engage your readers, how to capture their attention. It’s about how to communicate with others; to help them see the world through your eyes, while still giving them space to use their own views. You can use these skills in many fields and career paths, including communication, education and even business.

History is about learning to understand the modern world, to reflect on past events and their consequences. You’ll learn to interpret, analyse and critically evaluate historical accounts. You can look at British history, but also international history, including that of America. You’ll look at primary and secondary sources and learn about their reliability.

In your first year, you’ll explore a wide range of historical eras ranging from 1450 to 2000. You’ll take a module on the ‘historians’ toolkit,’ specially designed to help with the transition to university. For Creative Writing, you’ll take a module on ‘becoming a writer,’ where you’ll get hands on with writing different genres in two-hour workshops. You’ll also explore writing for the screen, building different worlds in fiction writing and more.

In your second year, all your modules are optional. This means you will be able to choose those modules that suit your interests best. You can choose to look at poetry, playwriting, or literature for Creative Writing. For History you can opt to learn how to make a historical documentary, which encompasses both subjects. You’ll be able to look at the British empire, crime in 16th to 18th century England, and much more.

Work placement/study abroad option: Between your second and final year, you’ll have the option to study abroad or do a work placement for up to a year. Not only will this give you an amazing experience to talk about but will also give your CV a boost. If you’d rather go straight to your final year, that’s fine too.

In your third year, you’ll really hone in on what you’ve learnt so far. Most of your modules will be workshop and seminar based, with complementary lectures where applicable. You can take on a History project, where you independently research an area of your choosing. You’ll also work on a Creative Writing project, which is the culmination of three years’ worth of studying. For your project you can either choose poetry or prose.

For a full overview of available modules, please see the section under ‘What will I study?’

Your main campus is College Lane

This is where the creative arts, science and health-related subjects are based. This means you’ll share the campus with future nurses, scientists, artists and more. You can use the common rooms to relax with friends, work out in the 24-hour gym or have a drink in our on-campus pub or cafes. We also have restaurants for you to eat in or grab something on the go. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.

What will I study?

Degree programmes are structured into levels, 4, 5 and 6.  These correspond to your first, second and third/final year of study.  Below you can see what modules you’ll be studying in each.  

Level 4

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Historians' Toolkit	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module provides you with the toolkit of the historical profession. It supports the transition from secondary education, and those returning to education, by teaching you the history skills needed at university, in a hands-on and relevant way. You will learn about the historical development of the discipline, explore the ways historians interpret a wide range of sources, and develop your essay writing skills.
Faith, Magic, and Medicine 1500-1800	15 Credits	Optional
Many of the debates that define the making of our modern era were concerned with the relationships between religion, science, magic, and medicine. This module begins by exploring the early modern ideas and practices that shaped people's understanding of the natural and supernatural world in Protestant England and Catholic Europe, and also how these influenced European colonial views of the religions and rituals of other cultures. The module will question how events like the witch trials affected people's medical, magical, and theological 'world view', and challenge students to consider the extent to which the Reformation and Enlightenment transformed health, faith, and beliefs in everyday life.
The American Century, 1900-2000	15 Credits	Optional
The influence of the American lifestyle extends far beyond the country's borders, and this module encourages you to reflect on the historical roots of often-familiar elements of culture from the United States of America. By focussing on selected moments in twentieth century American music, sport and entertainment, we will consider the historical processes that shaped the continent's social and cultural history. Building on this, we will also examine how and why the country's cultural identity has been internationally transmitted and how it has been received. Each week you will learn to connect a specific individual, event or movement to broader historical issues through the use of video, texts, images, and song.
Imperial Trade and Global Connections 1600-2001	15 Credits	Optional
International trade has a significant impact on the way we live. The food we eat, the clothes we wear, the gadgets we use and the services we rely on are often created in distant places and delivered to us through complex trading networks. This module will introduce you to the long history of global trade and consumption. We will consider how the desire for foreign commodities helped transform economies, polities and cultures around the world. We will explore the lives of the traders who supplied the goods and seek to understand the desires of the consumers who demanded foreign luxuries. We will also see the impact that consumption in one country has on lives in other places acknowledging the Africans who, as enslaved people, were turned into commodities, the farmers forced into the production of cash crops, and the workers expected to toil in sweatshops to produce cheap goods for multinational corporations.
History on the Page, Stage, and Screen	15 Credits	Optional
From the Assassin's Creed video games to the enormously popular Bridgerton series historical events, people, and scenarios dominate our cultural landscape. They are presented in novels, on television, on film, and on the stage. The past is the source of inspiration for societies around the world. Writers use it as the setting for their stories; governments use it to justify their policies; businesses use it to sell their products or services. This module explores how history is represented in popular culture and provides students with an understanding of how historians are involved in shaping these depictions. It asks students to question the extent to which contemporary depictions tell us more about our own times than about the past and to consider the extent to which popular representations of the past connect with debates amongst academic historians.
Global Gender History, 1550-1850	15 Credits	Optional
Gender shaped the lives of people around the world between 1550 and 1850. From the cradle to the grave, gender played a major role in determining how societies understood the 'proper' places of women and men. Taking a global approach, you will chart similarities and differences in the experiences of persons who lived, loved, and worked in places as varied as Britain, China, France, Ireland, the Low Countries, North America, Latin America, Spain, and Sweden. Close attention will be paid to how local factors, like race, religion, and labour status, further refined and defined the gendered lives of individuals. The module begins by introducing you to gender history as both historical field and approach, before moving on to consider the different types of primary sources that enable us to access the gendered intimacies of everyday life. Possible topics may include: Crime, Marriage, Piracy, Reproduction, Sexuality, War, and Work.
Revolutions, Riots, and Social Justice 1776-Present	15 Credits	Optional
This module takes you through 200 years of national and global conflicts over people's rights, and the complex history of the recognition of human rights. Taking a 'history from below' approach, this module will give you critical thinking skills in understanding how global change affects individuals and different communities, and how different social movements fought for rights, including women, sexuality, race, and disability. You will investigate the impact of revolutions and new ideas in inspiring different groups across the world to challenge and defend their social, political, and economic rights.
Africa and the World 1500-1850	15 Credits	Optional
The history of Africa is rich and varied but has all too often been viewed through European lenses of prejudice and self-interest; such perspectives shaped by the experiences of Africa's slave trades and of colonisation. This module explores the history of Africa and its peoples from 1500 to the mid-nineteenth century, and, taking an African perspective, how Africa and Africans encountered and engaged with the people, culture, and religions of the wider world. The module will explore how contact with the nations and peoples of Europe, Asia and America forged new political institutions and global trade networks, changed religious practices and social conventions, and drew Africans – willingly and unwillingly – into a global diaspora.

Level 5

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Propaganda in 20th century War and Politics A	15 Credits	Optional
This broad survey module will encourage students to connect the development of mass communications with domestic and international politics in the twentieth century. Time will be spent on defining public opinion, censorship and propaganda; on examining propaganda channels and techniques; and, on analysing and measuring propaganda effects. Emphasis will be placed on Britain's pioneering role in the new world communications network via its empire, and on the importance attached to the First World War in changing the face of propaganda. A variety of sources, including film, will be used to assess the increasing sophistication of political persuasion thereafter. Particular attention will be paid to Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia and the international conflicts in Vietnam in the 1960s and the Middle East in the 1990s. Seminars will involve group work centred on core interpretative texts.
Writing for the Stage	15 Credits	Optional
Building on critical and practical skills developed at Level Four, this module continues the study of genre but also investigates writing as a collaborative process. Focusing on stage drama, we will analyse a selection of twentieth century and contemporary works. Teaching seminars (weeks 1-8) will explore character, dialogue, the world of the play, action, plot, narrative, and audience. We explore how the playwright evokes the World of the Play through creation of the imaginary place, aspects of setting, music and props. Students will be expected to workshop their own dramatic writing (weeks 9-12) with a view to completing a short dramatic text (8-12 pages in length). They will write a supporting reflective commentary, exploring the craft choices they made in developing their dramatic work.
Language and Imagination: The Art of the Poem	15 Credits	Optional
Building on previous work, this module will develop your knowledge and understanding of poetic craft and technique including voice, sound, patterns and shape, rhyme and rhythm, imagery and metaphor. You will develop your own creative writing through the use of exercises and create your own portfolio of poetry. You will be asked to practise reading and thinking about poems of many different styles and periods, for example, sonnets, villanelles and free verse. You will consider ways in which the material presentation of poetry is significant. For example, you might examine poetry that exists somewhere other than a printed page: written on a wall, as a film, as a performance, etc.
Poetry, Prose and Publishing	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module will introduce you to the world of literary magazine and anthology publishing, considering both print and online publications. In groups, you will work towards planning your own publications and developing your editorial skills. Key questions of craft and motivation will be asked: what are the attributes of a successful publication? What useful selection criteria might an editor employ? Publications studied might include Poetry Magazine, Granta, Ambit and the Paris Review. You will also spend around half the course producing and workshopping your own creative work, and learning to identify suitable outlets for publication.
Hearth & Heart: Family Life in the Long Eighteenth-Century	15 Credits	Optional
This module examines the history of the family in Britain and Ireland over the long eighteenth-century. It will introduce you to the methodological approaches and historiographical debates in the history of the family, and will cover a wide variety of topics, from family size and structure, to representations of ideal families in literature and art, family relationships, deviant sexuality, and the regulation of the family by church and state. Questions it will consider include: What was family life like in this period? Did parents really love their children? How widespread was pre-marital sexual intercourse? And, in what ways did the family change over time? Close attention will be paid to the role that gender and social class played in shaping family life over the period. The module will make use of a rich array of source materials including, letters and diaries, church court minutes, art and census material.
Nation & Identity: Newly Independent States in Interwar Europe, 1918-1939	15 Credits	Optional
This module explores a fascinating period in European history when empires crumbled, and new nation-states emerged. The process of state building is investigated in detail. Through an analysis of the settlements that gave birth to the new states, the module seeks to establish the extent to which they influenced and, in some cases, hindered the states' development. The various political, economic, social, religious, and cultural forces that shaped the states will also be examined and evaluated. Close attention will be paid to the various efforts to create national identity through a range of diverse range of forums, including membership of international bodies, major sporting occasions, state-sponsored art, and religious events. Building on these themes, the module will subsequently address why some states survived and others collapsed with the outbreak of a second world war.
Making a Historical Documentary	15 Credits	Optional
Historical documentaries are one of the key ways that the public learn about the past. The most successful documentaries take complex issues and communicate them in a straightforward and engaging manner. This practical module will guide you through the various stages of television documentary-making, from generating an idea to actually producing your own short twelve-minute documentary. Archive research, scripting, filming and interviewing, and editing are among the basic techniques that will be covered. You will also develop the ability to critically assess documentaries, learning to detect strengths and weaknesses. Over the course of the semester, you will gain and expand a range of practical transferable skills.
Postcards from the Empire: Experiences of British Imperialism	15 Credits	Optional
At the empire's height, Queen Victoria claimed sovereignty over nearly one in four of the planet's human inhabitants. The lives and experiences of each were sculpted by international, national, and local dynamics. This module explores the stories of these everyday lives through snapshots of life in the British Empire up to 1922. Case studies may draw from places including Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, Africa, India, Ireland, Canada, America, and the Caribbean. Themes may include race, gender, class, religion, economics, and adventure. A particular emphasis will be placed on exploring the histories of racialized and colonized peoples, with attention to the historical approaches developed over the past several decades that have changed the ability of historians to identify and engage with these voices.
Maladies and Medicine in Early Modern Europe	15 Credits	Optional
Early modern men and women contended with a range of deadly, disabling, and distracting disease throughout their lives. Those offering treatments jostled for attention and clients in a competitive medical marketplace. This module explores the nature of medical knowledge and treatment between c. 1550-1750. We will look at a range of illnesses including mental illness and disability and disfigurement. The course will investigate the treatments offered to patients and who they were treated by. A series of lectures will form the spine of the module introducing the key themes and historiographical debates in this field. The seminars will then consider specific examples and particular historiographical issues in greater depth. The module will move through three main areas; medical knowledge and learning, disease and death, and medical provision in the period.
Crime and Society in England, 1550-1750	15 Credits	Optional
One way of understanding early-modern English society is to examine the nature of criminal activity, and the perception and response to crime in the period. In this module you will be introduced to a wide variety of criminal activities and behaviours, ranging from the pattern and nature of 'petty' crimes, such as poaching and defamation, to more 'serious' crimes, such as murder and treason. You will be encouraged to reflect on the motives for crime and what such activities can tell us about early modern society. Considerable emphasis will be place on understanding the system of justice and the nature of law enforcement in the period. To this end, you will identify, consult and undertake qualitative and quantitative analyses of online historical datasets and databases, such as The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, and will be encouraged to reflect on the ethical implications of using such resources for historical research.
The Age of the Cold War, 1945-1991	15 Credits	Optional
This broad survey module will examine the origins, nature and end of the Cold War in a global context between 1945 and 1991. The first section of the module assesses the nature of the Cold War in comparative historical context, before investigating the origins of the Cold War, the nature of superpower conflict, and the global expansion of the Cold War. The module then adopts a thematic approach, concentrating on the ideological, diplomatic, economic, political, military and cultural dimensions of the Cold War of the 1950s through to the 1980s. The module will consider the conflict between the superpowers, but also the effect of the Cold War on the periphery and unaligned nations. The final section of the module deals with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the People's Democracies in Europe following Gorbachev's rise to power in 1985, and the diplomacy and events that brought the Cold War to an end.
Doing History: Investigating the Historians' Craft	15 Credits	Optional
This module prepares students for Level 6 dissertations and extended essays by equipping them with essential historical research skills. Engaging, hands-on workshops enhance their ability to conduct scholarly enquiry, build confidence, and collaborate effectively. The module also focuses on project development, proposal writing, mastering digital tools, ethical research practices, and exploring diverse approaches. Whether for dissertation preparation or independent research, this course provides a strong foundation and valuable expertise for impactful historical study.
Employability Skills	15 Credits	Optional
Producing graduates who are highly employable is a key aim of the University of Hertfordshire. This module aims to help you bridge gaps between your specialist academic studies and the world of graduate employment. As well as allowing you to reflect on and further develop your employability skills we will explore the changing nature of employers' needs. Using case studies, we will consider a range of issues (legal, gender, equality) that can arise in recruitment and the workplace. The module will also focus on career planning and job searching, as well as recruitment and selection processes including the work of assessment centres and psychometric testing. Overall the intention is that you will be able to develop your job-market awareness and identify and explore potential career pathways. The module is worth 15 credits and may be chosen in place of a 15-credit subject module at Level 5, or as an additional module at Level 6, alongside 120 credits of modules in your subject(s).
The Short Story Workshop	15 Credits	Optional
"For sale, baby shoes, never worn." (very short story attributed to Ernest Hemingway).From flash-fiction to weird fiction, and from historical fiction to dirty realism, this module will deepen and expand the critical and creative study of the short story begun at Level 4. Key questions of craft and motivation will be asked: How does the content of a story relate to its form? What makes a successful anti-hero or -heroine? How do you build suspense? When does a short story become a flash fiction? We will read some of the best short stories from the UK, the US and around the world, and you will develop your own creative writing by working towards a portfolio of short fiction. Authors studied may include Lydia Davis, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Chris Adrian, Sarah Hall, James Baldwin, Stephen King, Raymond Carver, Katherine Mansfield, Miranda July, Angela Carter, Jhumpa Lahiri and William Trevor.
Real Stories Well Told	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module aims to develop understanding of how close reading of non-fiction, including forms such as travel and history writing, biography and memoir, can help develop students' own creative writing abilities within these genres. It aims to explore the nature of the self, its presentation in text, and the depiction of other lives, with the aim of helping students adopt different narrative structures and styles in their own work. The module explores the notion of place and voice in non-fiction writing and aims to give an understanding of how research informs practice. Students will be encouraged to develop an understanding and practice of the range of styles found within the various types of non-fiction writing, as well as gain an understanding of the current creative non-fiction market.

Level 6

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Close Encounters: Natives and Settlers in Colonial America, 1600-1780	15 Credits	Optional
This module explores the relationship between English settlers and indigenous peoples in Colonial America. When the first English colonists arrived in America in the early seventeenth century, they found themselves living alongside native groups whose languages, belief systems, and cultures were entirely different to their own. This module examines how both parties responded to the sudden presence of an unfamiliar 'other' in their midst. The module will interrogate English efforts to conquer and convert indigenous peoples, and instances of co-existence and cross-cultural exchange.
Year Abroad	0 Credits	Optional
A Study Abroad year is an optional additional year that increases the length of the Honours degree award to a four−year full− time degree. The additional year comprises an agreed programme of study in a partner institution abroad with whom the University of Hertfordshire has an institutional agreement.
Bodies and Sexuality in the Early Modern Period A	15 Credits	Optional
The body was fundamental to gender roles, social relationships and experiencing everyday life. This course will explore popular ideas about the body and sexuality in the early modern period. Through a series of workshops, you will examine a diverse range of primary source material and supporting historiography to evaluate the assumptions that underpinned early modern notions of normal and abnormal bodies. The course will emphasise the ways in which some bodies were thought to be unsuited/suited to sexual activity. The course will then consider the importance of sexuality and sexual behaviours to early modern life. The course will consider whether certain sexual behaviours were thought to be normal or abnormal and will think about how these activities were monitored and policed. The module will provide experience of researching and using a range of unusual source materials including medical treatises, portraits, jokes and erotic literature.
The Humanities Placement Year	0 Credits	Compulsory
The Placement Year provides students with the opportunity to set their academic studies in a broader context and to utilise the intellectual skills they have gained through their degree in the workplace. The module enables students to strengthen their time management, organisational and communication skills as well as develop employability skills. Students gain experience of applying for jobs and of working within a commercial, business or professional environment prior to graduating thus increasing employability skills such as teamwork, communication skills and commercial awareness.
Creative Writing Project Poetry	30 Credits	Optional
The Creative Writing Project module is the culmination of your three years of study of the subject. Over two semesters, you will meet in fortnightly intensive three hour workshops to develop and hone your writing. The workshops will, where possible, be genre specific and all workshops will be led by professional writers. Workshops will also cover how to work as a writer professionally, including how to submit your work to competitions, agents, publishers, producers, etc. You will devise, plan and produce an extended piece of creative writing in a genre of particular personal interest. You will finish the module having a substantial piece of writing you can either submit professionally or continue working on after graduation. The module is also an excellent preparation for pursuing an MA in Creative Writing.
Creative Writing Project Prose	30 Credits	Optional
The Creative Writing Project module is the culmination of your three years of study of the subject. Over two semesters, you will meet for intensive three hour workshops to develop and hone your writing. The workshops will, where possible, be genre specific and all workshops will be led by professional writers. Workshops will also cover how to work as a writer professionally, including how to submit your work to competitions, agents, publishers, producers, etc. You will devise, plan and produce an extended piece of creative writing in a genre of particular personal interest. You will finish the module having a substantial piece of writing you can either submit professionally or continue working on after graduation. The module is also an excellent preparation for pursuing an MA in Creative Writing.
Creative Writing Project Script	30 Credits	Optional
The Creative Writing Project module is the culmination of your three years of study of the subject. Over two semesters, you will meet in fortnightly, one on one tutorials, with your tutor. Tutorials will also cover how to work as a writer professionally, including how to research your work and deliver the appropriate material to producers/production houses or literary agents. You will learn how to re-draft your work and write a one page pitch and logline to accompany your work. You will devise, plan and produce an extended piece of creative writing in theatre or screen. You will finish the module having a substantial piece of writing you can submit professionally to a theatre or production company. The module is also an excellent preparation for pursuing an MA in Creative Writing.
Italy and Fascism	15 Credits	Optional
How and why did Fascism come to power in Italy? Claiming that Italians were the true heirs to the Roman Empire and that the nation had been betrayed and undermined by its former allies, Fascists demanded a new and expanded role for Italy on the world stage and implemented sweeping and dramatic changes at home. On this module, we will explore how the Fascist project advanced in the aftermath of the Great War, setting this in the context of the underlying social, economic, political, and cultural structures and cleavages in Italian history. You will have the opportunity to work with a wide range of visual and textual primary sources relating to Italian Fascism, and all written documents from the period will be provided in English translation.
Popular Protest, Riot and Reform in Britain, 1760-1848 B	15 Credits	Optional
Britain experienced a period of tumultuous social and political upheaval in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This module will examine the development of social and political protest movements, and survey the causes and consequences of popular unrest in Britain, 1760-1848. You will engage with the secondary literature of the subject and with a wide range of primary sources, visual, written and digital. Topics may include the development of ideas of democratic rights through the influence of the American and French revolutions, radical political and social movements in Britain; Luddites and trade unions; Swing rioters and rural unrest; Chartism; anti-New Poor Law Riots.
Everyday Lives: An Intimate History of Twentieth Century Women	15 Credits	Optional
This module offers an intimate history of the everyday lives of women in America, Britain and Ireland. We will explore the lives, roles, experiences and perceptions of ordinary women during the twentieth century. Students will be introduced to an array of sources – including popular and visual culture, objects and digital sources, oral testimony and literature (fiction and memoir) – and to what they reveal about the manner in which women were perceived and represented; how women viewed themselves; and how women of different generations experienced, negotiated and reacted to social change. Fashion, consumerism, courtship, sexuality, and advertising are among the areas considered for what they reveal about women and the world around them. Such themes will be analysed within the context of continuity and change across the twentieth century and three geographical perspectives. The module will conclude by questioning the extent to which women's movements were representative of ordinary women.
Final Year History Dissertation	30 Credits	Optional
With the dissertation, students have the chance to select their own topic to research, subject to approval. Albeit under supervision, this module requires largely independent study and research based partly on primary sources, with students expected to address historical problems in depth by gathering, sifting, reading, analysing and reflecting critically upon historical sources and advanced secondary literature. Students present their research in a poster or presentation format, and submit a draft chapter followed by a dissertation.
Witch-Bottles to Wishing-Wells: The Material Culture of Everyday Ritual	15 Credits	Optional
If a picture can say a thousand words then what can a physical object tell us? This module will consider this question by engaging with the material culture (the physical objects and spaces that shape cultures) of everyday and calendar rituals, from 1650-present. Few people in Britain, both today and in the early modern period, would claim to regularly participate in rituals. However, ritual activities are in fact a large part of everyday domestic and private lives, ranging from the use of bottles in the 18th century to counteract bewitchment, to the blowing out of birthday candles today. Through a series of extended, interactive workshops we will examine a diverse range of objects. These will be analysed and interpreted as primary source material, in order to consider the prevalence of everyday rituals and the value of material culture. Artefacts will vary but may include early modern protective charms; votives and offerings; ritual foods; and contemporary seasonal objects.
Placement with Study Abroad	0 Credits	Compulsory
Students on this unique module will have the opportunity to undertake both a semester at a partner university and to undertake a semester of placement, thus both improving their cultural awareness and employability. Students who have been on the Placement Year and Study Abroad Year, both normally undertaken after level 5 and before entering the final year, have reported high levels of satisfaction with both and many have said the Placement or Study Abroad year was one of the highlights of their university career. The Placement Year is offered by only a handful of universities offering Humanities subjects, so this module is a fantastic opportunity for students to explore both aspects of Study Abroad and Placement both here and abroad.
Writing Serial Drama	15 Credits	Optional
This is an intensive 12-week module created to enable you to create and write your own pitch and pilot episode for a serial drama. You will learn the craft skills required to create compelling serial drama or comedy and create a pitch document suitable to send to production companies. You will watch episodes and read screenplays from current successful serials, analysing the technique required to create a successful drama series. You will workshop your ideas and pilot scripts under the guidance your module leader. You may write anything from a Netflix serial, continuing BBC Drama or online comedy series for your final submission.
Writing for Popular Fiction Markets	15 Credits	Optional
The module will explore a selection of different popular fiction genres (e.g. romance, historical, crime, fantasy, horror) which illustrate the development of their specific market. The examples will be taken from book texts but also film and television in the various genres covered. You will learn how an analysis of the features and narratives used in these can be used to inform writing practice. Practice at writing for popular genres will be central to the module's syllabus. You will be encouraged to contextualise your own work within the popular genres we consider and gain awareness of commercial positioning and opportunity. Authors whose work we explore typically may include Agatha Christie, Colson Whitehead, Margaret Atwood, Patricia Highsmith, Octavia Butler, HG Wells, Ted Chiang, Audrey Niffeneger. TV shows may include Dexter, Game of Thrones, Poldark; Films may include Doctor Zhivago, Blade Runner and Let the Right One In.
Boom Cities and New Towns in the 20th Century A	15 Credits	Optional
This module explores the rise of 'boom cities' and new towns in Britain and across the world in the 20th century. Hertfordshire was the central county of experiments in urban planning, from garden cities to new towns. You will study the utopian visions of urban planners and postwar governments, and how these ideas were exchanged in new towns across the world, including Poland, India, the USA and Australia. The module also examines the social history of planned settlements. Who moved to new towns and what was everyday life like there? Did 'new town blues' really exist? You will develop your skills in analysis of a wide range of primary sources, including plans, correspondence and oral histories from planned settlements in Britain.
Pacific Histories: Colonisation, Conflict and Connections	15 Credits	Optional
What is the Pacific? Whose histories does it encompass? How have the places and peoples of this vast region been connected since the 18th century? This module embraces recent transnational, global and oceanic approaches to examine histories of the Pacific. We'll go beyond the tourist image to trace key themes including navigation, colonialism, collecting, migration, trade, the rushes for gold, conflict and resistance throughout the long 19th and early 20th century. Pacific histories connect Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, the Americas and Russia, and empires including the French, British, Spanish and Dutch. It is a region where 'worlds meet and pulse together' and where a rich source base awaits the curious historian.
Sinners, Scoundrels & Deviants: Non-Conformity in the Atlantic World A	15 Credits	Optional
How do societies decide what constitutes 'deviant' behaviour, and who is responsible for making that distinction? This module challenges students to rethink societal definitions of 'deviant' behaviour. It will explore why certain groups and certain behaviours were deemed to be deviant at particular points in time. Focusing on the Atlantic World, the module charts changing perceptions of deviant and traditional behaviour amidst a period of immense social, cultural and political change. Drawing on a diverse range of primary source materials, we will explore how the church, state and community responded to differences in sexuality, lifestyle, religion and race, to create acceptable standards of behaviour. Possible 'deviant' behaviours to be explored include incest, alcohol misuse, bigamy, fist-fights, same-sex and inter-racial relationships.
Cold War Film and Propaganda	15 Credits	Optional
The Cold War between 1945 and 1991 saw one of the most intense propaganda conflicts in history. Popular culture played a vital role in the icy stand-off between the East and West. Through media such as popular film, each side promoted the virtues of their respective systems, while simultaneously demonising their opponents. This module uses feature films and documentaries to analyse different aspects of the battle for hearts and minds in the Cold War. Some films will be used to help illustrate the key propaganda themes of the Cold War; others will be viewed as primary source documents--i.e. they will be discussed and analysed in the context of when they were produced and what they tell us about the mindset of Americans and Russians at the time. Combined with in-class discussion and analysis of primary documents, examining Cold War films provides students with an engaging way of exploring the relationship between history, propaganda and entertainment.
The Middle East in turmoil: The Arab-Israeli conflict since 1948	15 Credits	Optional
The Arab-Israeli conflict stands as one of the most enduring and, some claim, most intractable political issues in the modern Middle East, if not the whole world. This module offers a detailed examination of this ongoing conflict from its beginnings in the First World War until the present day. It explores the growth of the Zionist movement, the emergence of Palestinian nationalism, the impact of the critical years of 1948 and 1967 that saw the birth and consolidation of the state of Israel and the continuing dispossession of the Palestinians, and the ongoing attempts of forging a political solution since that time. The module is broadly chronological in shape, but uses primary and secondary sources to explore a range of issues including Israeli state and society, European and American intervention in the Middle East, terrorism and war, religion, and efforts to bring peace.
Delivering British Justice? Law in the British Empire, 1760-1965	15 Credits	Optional
What does 'justice' look like in an unequal world? Is the law ever truly neutral or objective? Does law shape society and culture, or the other way around? In this module we will explore the multiple and contested ways in which law was created, resisted, and understood in the British Empire between 1760 and 1965. The perception – both at the time, and one often still referred to in the 21st Century – that the British Empire was 'fairer' than other European colonial powers was an extremely important one for justification of the imperial project both at home and abroad. The ways in which law was imposed, negotiated and resisted in the empire was fundamental to this belief, often framed as delivering 'British justice' to colonial subjects. Exploring a range of themes and case studies from across the globe, we will use law as a window into understanding politics and society.
Tell It Slant: Writing and Reality	15 Credits	Compulsory
'Write what you know' is often the first instruction given to new writers of fiction. But just how may we do so, and how far may we go? This module examines the aspects, strategies and approaches as well as the ethical quandaries that come from writing fiction 'from reality' from the world and the lives around us. What exactly is the line between fact and fiction and how can they feed one another creatively? What happens when a writer crosses the line, and who decides? Authors studied may include Marcel Proust, Annie Ernaux, JM Coetzee, Rachel Cusk, Marguerite Duras, Awaeke Emezi, Ayad Akhtar, Toni Morrison, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Sheila Heti and Ocean Vuong among others.

Study abroad

An opportunity for an amazing experience, which will help make you stand out from the crowd. With more and more companies working internationally, experience of living in another country can make a great impression on future employers.

This course offers you the opportunity to enhance your study and CV with a sandwich year abroad. The University has partnerships with over 150 universities around the world, including the USA, Canada, Asia, Africa, Australia, South America and closer to home in Europe.

If you study abroad between your second and third year of study, you’ll pay no tuition fee to the partner university and no tuition fee to us either. We’ll ask you to make your decision in your second year, so there is plenty of time to think about it.

Find out more about Study abroad opportunities
Work placement

Graduate with invaluable work experience alongside your degree and stand out from the crowd.

This course offers you the opportunity to enhance your study and CV with a work placement sandwich year. It’s a chance to explore career possibilities, make valuable contacts and gain sought after professional skills.

Our dedicated Careers and Employment team are here to help guide you through the process.

If you take up a work placement between your second and third year of study, at the University of Hertfordshire you’ll pay no tuition fee for this year. We’ll ask you to make your decision in your second year, so there is plenty of time to think about it.

Find out more about work placements
What if I need support?

You’ll get a personal tutor to guide you through your course, all the way to graduation.
You might also want or need extra support during your time with us. Rest assured, no matter what you study, we’ve got you covered. For help with study skills, including referencing, essay writing and presentations, you’ll have access to our academic support services. You can attend workshops, 1-to-1 sessions, and online tutorials. Both our LRCs (Learning Resources Centres) run drop-in study skills sessions. And the best thing is, it’s all free

Check out our student blogs

Alumni Stories

Eleanor Pilcher

Meet Eleanor Pilcher who since graduating in 2016 has taken the publishing industry by storm. Eleanor currently works as a Marketing Manager at Avon, HarperCollins Publisher.

Read more stories Find out more about this course

Current job role	Marketing Manager
Year of graduation	2016
Course of study	BA (Hons) History and Creative Writing

University experience and employability

Eleanor is a keen writer with great creative ambitions. During her degree she undertook a six-month internship at a literary agency in her final academic year. In 2016, shortly after her studies, Eleanor landed a placement at Penguin before getting a job in publishing recruitment. After developing her skills within the industry and amassing and impressive amount of knowledge and experience, Eleanor began her current role at HarperCollins Publishers.

Eleanor's degree encompassed a broad spectrum of critical, analytical and evaluative skills and helped shape her as a writer. Throughout her studies she had been writing a novel, which she submitted to literary agencies after being encouraged by her tutor to do so. It was Eleanor's passion for writing that uncovered her interest in working for a literary agency. Due to the fantastic lecturers on her course and the invaluable industry networks available to students, Eleanor managed to secure impressive opportunities in her chosen industry that have informed her career.

Sher recognises the impact the University has had on getting her to where she is today. 'For me the advice and feedback I received on both my History essays and Creative Writing finals was incredibly useful to my academic and professional development. I learnt to take criticism and to harness it and also write more because of it.'

Ambitions for the future

Eleanor has established herself in her chosen industry yet still has ambition to continue pursuing new goals. On her hopes for the future, she says: 'I hope to run a marketing department within a publishing company, possibly the one I'm at now. I hope to publish a novel and continue my freelance writing and public speaking on the side.'

Alumni Stories

Callaghan French

Meet Callaghan. Callaghan’s love of history inspired him to study at Herts and now he is teaching in Italy.

Current job role	English as a Second Language Teacher in Italy
Year of graduation	2022
Course of study	BA (Hons) History

A love of history

Callaghan’s love of history started in primary school, and it stuck with him up until it was time to apply to university. He visited Herts for an open day and was impressed. He says, ‘Herts offers the opportunity to study a wide range of historical topics, they have a huge library, and extensive resources available to students. I also had a compulsory academic support module in the first year which was very helpful for my studies.’

His time at Herts was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but one of Callaghan’s favourite moments was when he and fellow committee members were able to revive the History Society once restrictions were lifted. He says, ‘Working together to achieve this after such a tough period is an experience I will always value. I’d recommend that everyone join a society!’

Callaghan says that the most interesting part of his degree was his dissertation because he had the opportunity to research a topic of his choosing and present it to his lecturers and course mates.

Teaching in Italy

Callaghan is now a Teacher in Italy, where he teaches English as a Second Language. He says, ‘My course shaped me into a strong and confident speaker, which has greatly helped me in my current role. I was able to practice this skill in seminars and the occasional presentation.’

Callaghan is considering a career in academia or the Civil Service. His advice to current or future Herts students is to, ‘Work hard, but ask for help if you need it.’

View our Alumni profiles

Eleanor Pilcher Callaghan French

Course fact sheets
BA (Hons) History	Download

Programme specifications
BA (Hons) Creative Writing	Download
BA (Hons) History	Download

Additional information
Sandwich placement or study abroad year	Optional
Applications open to international and EU students	Yes
Course length	Full Time, 3 Years Sandwich, 4 Years
Location	University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

International/EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Apply through our international/EU application portal

Home and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

Apply using the links below:

2025

Start Date	End Date	Year	Location	Link
23/09/2025	31/05/2026	3	UH Hatfield Campus	Apply online (Full Time)
23/09/2025	31/05/2026	1	UH Hatfield Campus	Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)
23/09/2025	31/05/2026	2	UH Hatfield Campus	Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)

2026

Start Date	End Date	Year	Location	Link
23/09/2026	31/05/2027	3	UH Hatfield Campus	Apply online (Full Time)
23/09/2026	31/05/2027	1	UH Hatfield Campus	Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)
23/09/2026	31/05/2027	2	UH Hatfield Campus	Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)

Fees and funding
Fees 2025
UK Students
Full time
- £9535 for the 2025/2026 academic year
EU Students
Full time
- £15965 for the 2025/2026 academic year
International Students
Full time
- £15965 for the 2025/2026 academic year
*Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University’s Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed “When tuition fees change”), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.

View detailed information about tuition fees

Read more about additional fees in the course fact sheet

Other financial support

Find out more about other financial support available to UK and EU students

Living costs / accommodation

The University of Hertfordshire offers a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

View detailed information about our accommodation

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BA (Hons) History and Creative Writing

Key information

Typical offer:

Fees: See below

UCAS code: V1W1

Institute code: H36

Study abroad option

Work placement option

Additional requirements

Why choose this course?

What's the course about?

Your main campus is College Lane

What will I study?

Check out our student blogs

Student Blogs

My week at a glance

Student Blogs

Things you need to know before studying History at Herts

Student Blogs

What I love most about my course

Student Blogs

Alumni Stories

Meet Eleanor Pilcher who since graduating in 2016 has taken the publishing industry by storm. Eleanor currently works as a Marketing Manager at Avon, HarperCollins Publisher.

University experience and employability

Ambitions for the future

Alumni Stories

Meet Callaghan. Callaghan’s love of history inspired him to study at Herts and now he is teaching in Italy.

A love of history

Teaching in Italy

International/EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Home and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

2025

2026

Fees 2025

UK Students

Full time

EU Students

Full time

International Students

Full time

Other financial support

Living costs / accommodation