In the curriculum: Modules

Teaching in the History Department is research-led, which means that the modules offered to students are based on the research interests of the academic staff in the Department. The modules are continually reviewed and updated, and each year approximately a quarter of modules are retired and replaced with newly created modules, reflecting the latest research expertise within the Department. Students are taught by staff engaged in the very latest research on the topics they are studying.

A full list of the Department's research expertise is available online.

In the curriculum: Dissertation

The undergraduate dissertation, compulsory for single-honours and optional for joint-honours, allows students to undertake a substantive piece of historical research and produce an article-length essay at the end of it. It gives students the opportunity to work in a way similar to an academic historian: identifying a suitable research topic; mastering the relevant historiography; immersing themselves in a wide variety of primary sources, where appropriate; and being able to sustain a coherent and logical argument. As a final-year module it encourages students to put the training received in their earlier years of study to practical use.

Extra-curricular research opportunities

Student Fellowship Programme

The History Department Student Fellowship Programme gives undergraduate students a paid opportunity to join the History Department as a research assistant, student ambassador, or digital ambassador. Students engaged in the programme gain valuable skills and experience, and learn more about the History Department. Find out more on the Student Fellowship Programme website.

Research Seminars

The History Department hosts several research seminar series and reading groups, offering a wide range of events every term. Undergraduate students are very welcome to attend any of these events, details of which are available on the Research Seminars and Reading Groups webpages.

Publications

Undergraduate students are encouraged to go beyond their studies and develop their work for publication. The writing may have an origin in one of the History Department modules, but require additional work and effort to reach the required standard for publication. Recent examples include 'The Functions of Inn Signs and their Place in Early Modern British History', by Catherine Dent in Reinvention 4/1 (2011) and the 50th anniversary 'Voices of the University' oral history project.

British Conference for Undergraduate Research (BCUR)

The History Department will reimburse transportation cost to the BCUR for any current undergraduate History student who has had a paper accepted and will present at the conference. The Department will also reimburse the conference fee for the day the student is presenting their paper. To claim this reimbursement, students must complete an application form and receive confirmation of approval before the purchase of tickets or payment of fees and, following the conference, complete an expenses claim form within three months including original receipts. Students are also required to provide a short report on their experience of presenting at the BCUR. This report may be used on the Department webpage or social media sites.

Examples of Departmental Student Research Projects

URSS Summer Research Scheme

Take a look at Irene García’s blog A Tale of Two Mediterraneans for Think Development and background information about this project

Irene also did a EURSS (a Eutopia URSS) and made this podcast: Irene Garcia Andres' podcast project, Spanish Republican Refugees in Vichy France and the International Brigades: La Revolte des Femmes in Argeles-sur-Mer, 1941.

Enslaved, Exploited and Emancipated: An Investigation of the Slave Registers of St Vincent and Hispaniola by Pravin Daryanani Hispanic Studies with History Student

The Written Word: Muslim Representation in Academia by Maham Mir, English and History Student

Patrick Vasy de la Cruz’ website is also worth a look, Trails of Sustainable Living and background information about this project.

Don't miss Xaymaca Awoyungbo's short film, University Challenge: Decolonising the Curriculum

Some of the students worked with academics in the History Department on research and public engagement projects:

Aysuda Akyan and Curtis Leung worked with Professor Mark Philp on The Diary of William Upcott

Frederick Venables wrote a blog to help promote Professor Benjamin T Smith’s new book as part of a public engagement project.

BCUR

The British Conference of Undergraduate research takes place at a different University in the Easter Break each year the 2024 conference was at the London School of Economics. Students from the History Department at the University of Warwick prepared presentations to help them get feedback and ideas to set up a summer research project for the URSS Scheme or for their undergraduate dissertation.

Finalist, Angel Sun presented on her work on The Art of Justification: Eucation in Hong Kong 1940s-1970s

ICUR

Warwick hosts the International Conference of Undergraduate Research in June each year and there are plenty of opportunities to get involved from presenting on your researc, being a panel chair or helping to organise.

Research opportunities for postgraduate taught students

Dissertation

The postgraduate dissertation, compulsory for all postgraduate taught students, is a piece of original research of either 15,000 or 20,000 words in length. The dissertation is the most important piece of work produced in the course by each student. Supervised by a member of academic staff, students identify a suitable research topic, master the relevant historiography, immerse themselves in a wide variety of primary sources, and write a coherent and logical argument.

Research Seminars

The History Department hosts several research seminar series and reading groups, offering a wide range of events every term. Postgraduate Taught students are very welcome to attend any of these events, details of which are available on the Research Seminars and Reading Groups webpages.