BA History and Economics

Compulsory modules

Perspectives in History 

Gain a geographically and chronologically broad study of history, discovering the potential pathways available to you throughout your degree. You’ll not only examine specific historical contexts, but also the historiographies, methodologies and theories that have shaped historians’ perspectives.   

Making History and You: Practices and Possibilities

Embark on your own research project to refine the transferable skills required for studying, and producing, history at university level. You’ll be guided through the process of effective reading, understanding historiographical debate, and how to write in a concise and convincing manner. 

Principles of Economics 1

Gain an analytical introduction to the modern concepts of economics. You'll learn how the real world works by developing your understanding of key economics concepts, mathematical tools and, microeconomics.    

Principles of Economics 2

Gain an analytical introduction to the modern concepts of economics and develop your understanding of key economics concepts and mathematical tools. You’ll learn concepts of macroeconomics and how they overlap with microeconomics. You’ll also consider key topics such as what can markets do and cannot do, and when can government improve economic performance. 

Quantitative Methods and Data Analysis 

Learn quantitative techniques that are useful in economics and build a foundation for understanding more specialised techniques that will be taught in Part 2 modules.

Optional modules 

After Malthus: Sex, Society, Sustainability and the Politics of Population in the Long Nineteenth Century

Discover the legacy of Thomas Malthus’ ‘population principle’ in shaping a series of debates across the long nineteenth century and its influence upon ideas of birth control, natural selection, ‘Social Darwinism’, and environmental sustainability.

Doomsday Dystopias: Nuclear Disaster in the Cold War Imagination 

Examine four real Cold War nuclear episodes and the impacts these events had on fictional imagination of disaster: the 1945 Hiroshima/Nagasaki A-bombings which ushered in civil defence in 1950s America; 1962’s Cuban Missile Crisis; 1983’s ‘Able Archer’ NATO exercise that almost triggered war, and 1986’s Chernobyl disaster in the USSR.  

Rape in the United States: From Colonisation to Civil Rights

Become familiarised with the changing social and legal understandings of rape in the US. Apply your skills to reflect critically upon the historical basis of contemporary ideas surrounding sexual violence, gender and race.  

Warfare in Early Modern Europe, c.1500-1715

Consider the relationship between warfare, and its ‘badges, battles and buttons’, with the wider social, economic and political contexts. You’ll be introduced to war and warfare in early modern Europe and study the consequences of war and the historical basis of our contemporary ideas on war. 

Merlin the Magician

Explore the rise and transformations of the figure of Merlin and its influence upon ideas of magic, prophecy, natural philosophy and power. Examine a period stretching from the twelfth to the twentieth century to develop an understanding of long-term patterns of historical change.   

Everyday Life in a Medieval Town: Reading, 1100-1500 

Explore medieval Reading as a case study to learn more about everyday life in medieval England, drawing on a range of primary materials and developing your analytical skills.   

US Environmental Diplomacy from Nixon to Obama

Explore the evolution of US foreign policy on environmental issues from the Nixon administration to the Obama administration. You’ll be introduced to key ideas and debates on the role of the environment in US foreign policy and learn to reflect critically upon the historical basis of contemporary ideas about global environmental change.

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Intermediate Microeconomics

Develop an in-depth and rigorous understanding of the core concepts and methods of microeconomics. You’ll learn more about consumer and producer theory, and discover new topics including game theory, bargaining, market competition, general equilibrium and welfare.

Intermediate Macroeconomics

Develop in-depth understanding of the fundamental principles and analytic concepts related to economic growth, inflation, unemployment and interest rates. You’ll gain a deeper appreciation of the interrelationship between macroeconomic variables and government policy, and be able to analyse relevant issues discussed by news and politicians. 

Optional modules

Students intending to write their final-year Dissertation in History should take 'Preparing for your Dissertation' as one of their optional modules in History. 

Going Public: Presenting the Past, Planning the Future

Explore public interpretations of the past and how history has been presented in the world outside of academia. You’ll work collaboratively with external partners on a group project which will challenge you to deal with ‘difficult’ history and conflicting narratives as you engage with wider audiences.  

Preparing for your Dissertation

Prepare for your dissertation under the supervision of a member of the History Department. As well as key elements in research design, you’ll begin to think about how you select and engage with primary source material.

People, Power and Revolution: Political Culture in Seventeenth-century England

Explore the turbulence of the political landscape in the seventeenth century as you study events such as Charles I’s execution and Oliver Cromwell’s rise to power. You’ll consider the extent ordinary people knew of, or were involved in, politics, what events led to revolution, and how politics compared from the beginning to the end of the century.  

Kingship and Crisis in England, c.1154–1330 

Examine continuity and change in English politics from the last twelfth to the early fourteenth century. You’ll learn of the concepts and expectations of kingship (and queenship) and issues, exploring seven reigns spanning the period. 

‘The brightest jewel in the British crown’: The Making of Modern South Asia, 1757-1947 

Discover the role of South Asia in international politics and globalisation, exploring key themes in the making of modern South Asia during the period of British colonial rule over the Indian subcontinent and its impact on the wider imperial world.  

Europe in the Twentieth Century 

Explore the geopolitical dynamics of modern European history from the formation of the German nation state in 1971 to the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. You'll consider why twentieth-century Europe was so violent, how warfare has evolved, and how Europe’s role has changed in a contemporary sense.  

Revolutionary Cities 

Study the themes of hope, idealism and enthusiasm that have fuelled revolutionary moments through a range of times and spaces. With a particular focus on urban revolution, you’ll take a comparative approach to assess similarities and identify continuities and changes among cities such as Florence in 1484 and Petrograd in 1917.  

American Century: United States History since 1898 

Investigate the impact that US foreign policy has had on the development of the modern American state and society since the Spanish-American war of 1898.  

Black Britain: Race and Migration in Post-war Britain

Explore race in post-war Britain and how immigration has rendered contemporary Britain into a truly multi-cultural society. You'll study the influx of immigration from the 40s, 50s and 60s and the restrictive immigration acts that followed, and analyse the experience of migrants and the political responses of both the white population and black power and civil rights groups. 

Women and Medieval History

Explore the role of women throughout the centuries with a particular focus on Western Europe. Learn how social status, cultural revolution, and other social and economic dynamics impacted how these women engaged with, and contributed to, the world around them.  

The Colonial Experience: Africa Since 1879

Survey the history of British – and also German, Belgian, and French – colonialism with an outlook into its legacy in Africa, South of the Sahara, 1879. Reflect on how the colonial experience relates to gender, age, social status and initiative. 

Hollywood Histories: Film and Past

Tackle film aesthetics and off-camera censorship and reception as you study historical films evoking a different past from the present in which they were made. Ranging from silence to epic, to television to slow-burn docudramas, you’ll question how films reflect or shape popular notions of the past.  

Rebel Girls: The Influence of Radical Women 1792-1919

Explore the changing perceptions of Victorian womanhood and the influence of women who defied their social gender expectations and challenged the Victorian double standard. Examine social attitudes to gender, the development of feminism and female politics, and the influence of public women.  

Reform and Revolt in the Modern Middle East: Egypt from Ataturk to the ‘Arab Spring’

Examine the key events, individuals and themes that shaped the Middle East in the 20th century, with a particular focus on Egypt. You’ll explore the origins and impact of Arab nationalism, outline the key Arab-Israeli wars and their consequences, and critically appraise the presidencies of Nasser, Sadat and Mubarak.  

Encountering the Atlantic World, 1450-1850 

Become introduced to the Atlantic World, discovering the impactful connections made between the 14th and 18th century and their turbulent influence on culture, economies and political structures. Explore how these connections have left an important and, at times, unsettling legacy in the modern world.   

Noise Annoys: British Youth Culture, Popular Music and Social Change, 1950s-90s

Trace shifts in youth culture and popular music that drove social and political change in the post-war period. You’ll consider whether youth cultures sparked progress or decay, and if pop music provides a historical soundtrack or cultural gloss. 

'Apocalittici e integrati': Intellectuals and Society in Twentieth Century Italy

Gain insight into the conflicts between the intellectual class and state in Fascist and Republican Italy. Exploring case studies will reveal the relationships between key Italian intellectuals and institutions such as the state, universities, media, and the Mafia.

Medieval Medicine 

Study classical medical theories through to the plague in the fourteenth century. You'll explore religious concepts, the early Middle Ages, transmission of medical knowledge and medical schools, hospitals and charity, diagnosis and prognosis, women’s health and more. 

Being British, Representations of the People: Democracy and Society in Britain 1838-1928 

Explore the changing and contested representations of the British people in the period between the birth of Chartism in 1838 and the achievement of an equal franchise between men and women ninety years later. Analyse the changing understanding of masculinity and femininity, class and race and the impact of the ‘crisis of faith’.  

Business Economics

Develop your understanding of a number of areas of business economics, with a focus on theory. Topics include Economics of entrepreneurship, small business, international business and theories of the firm.

Games and Economic Behaviour 

In this module, you’ll actively participate in one or more models of economic phenomena through an online gaming platform. You’ll gain greater insight into the assumptions and mechanisms underlying models of economic behaviour with the game-based versions of each model.

Economics of Social Policy 

Develop your understanding of how economic analysis can be applied to the real-world problems faced by policy makers. You’ll study socioeconomic problems and the role of Government policy. You’ll learn techniques from both microeconomics and macroeconomics to analyse topics such as poverty and inequality, housing, crime, health and education. economics.

Economic History 

Understand how the world economy got to be where it is today, focusing on significant periods of economic change from the commercial revolution of the medieval period through to the modern digital revolution. 

Optional Language or University Wide Modules 

Study a module from outside your Department to enhance your understanding of history and culture. Alternatively, you can learn one of ten languages offered by the University at a level appropriate for you.  

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Dissertation in History

Develop powers of synthesis and analysis and refine your knowledge on your chosen dissertation topic. You'll develop vital research skills as you explore specialised literature and primary sources and articulate a well-versed argument. 

OR

Dissertation in Economics

Work on an independent dissertation project of 8,000 words, under the guidance of a supervisor. You’ll identify the research question, critically evaluate the relevant literature, apply theoretical frameworks and research methods to your research questions, and learn to analyse and synthesise the research findings.

Optional modules

Anarchy in the UK: Punk, Politics and Youth Culture in Britain, 1976-84  

Examine and evaluate primary sources as you survey the history of punk and the 1970s-80s UK punk scene. Reflect on how culture relates to wider political and socio-economic contexts as you use punk culture as a lens into British history.  

Becoming a Revolutionary: the Old Regime and the French Revolution, 1787-1794  

Explore the historiographical debates raised by the French Revolution that ended the Old Regime and the long-term origins and immediate causes of it. In particular, explore how the French became revolutionised and how the process of building a new society promoted a new genre of revolutionaries associated with a new political culture, radicalism and rule of terror. 

Eugenics from 1865 to the Present Day 

Survey the history of eugenics from 1865 to the present day as you reflect on the way eugenic ideas have been expressed in differing historical contexts and the ways the history of eugenics has been understood.  

Heretics and Popes: Heresy and Persecution in the Medieval World  

Gain hands-on experience as you analyse a wide range of primary sources from medieval heresy and heretics. Reflect on the phenomenon of medieval heresy and dissent while considering the ways in which the historiography of medieval heresy has evolved.  

Slavery in America  

Survey the history of slavery in America and reflect on the different perspectives and representations surrounding it. You'll consider the changing ways in which the history of slavery has been understand as you examine a range of primary sources that show it in its wider historical context.  

History Education 

Gain and reflect on practical work experience as you develop your interest in a career in education. You’ll have the opportunity to apply your skills and share your knowledge in schools as you’re introduced to lesson-observation skills, secondary-level teaching strategies, and pedagogy characteristics of initial Teacher Education.  

Discovering Archives and Collections

Develop your interest in careers in the archives sector through placements based internally at the University’s Special Collections or externally at the Berkshire Record Office. You’ll grow a practical understanding of the industry as you develop your research, as well as oral, written, and other professional skills.  

Medieval Magic and the Origins of the Witch-Craze 

Absorb the history of magic as you gain an understanding of medieval practices and theories of magic. You’ll consider the wider social contexts within which they were developed to gain a deeper understanding on why they were welcomed or repressed.  

Battleaxes and Benchwarmers': Early Female MPs 1919-1931 

Assess the aftermath of suffrage and reassess the importance of the 1918 Representation of the People Act on British democracy. You'll examine the impact of the acts in relation to women, and the emergence of female MPs throughout the transformative social, political and economic context of the 1920s.  

Axis at War: Life and Death in Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, 1936-45 

Explore Italian and German society during a war which sparked civil war in Italy and sent millions to their deaths in the Holocaust. You'll examine diaries, letters, secret police reports and Allied Intelligent assessments to gain a view of life under fascism and the differing experiences of the Second World War.  

Politics and Popular Culture: Post-Arab Spring Egypt 

Explore the key themes that defined the Arab Spring protests through exploration of Egypt. You'll reflect on the meaning of revolution and how this was contested and debated in the Egyptian context while exploring the relationship between politics and popular culture of the period. 

From Darwin to Death Camps? Evolution and Eugenics in European Society, 1859-1945 

Examine the reception of Darwin’s ideas and their influence in shaping social theories. You’ll focus on the shifting perceptions of a desirable social and biological order found in attempts by science, medicine and the State to influence heredity and evolution, regulate sexuality and reproduction, and eradicate disease and defect.  

Ireland and the English in the Middle Ages 

Investigate the initiation, consolidation and subsequent decline of English lordship and colonisation in Ireland from the later twelfth to fifteenth centuries. You’ll survey key developments in the relations between England and Ireland and assess the political, social and economic impacts and limitations of English lordship and colonisation in Ireland across the period.  

The United States and the Cold War 

Explore the evolution of US foreign policy during the Cold War as you examine the impact of the conflict on US domestic politics and the wider influence of the Cold War on US society and culture.  

Modern Science and Empires, 1750-2000 

Examine the relationships between British colonialism and modern science as you distinguish whether European science was misused for the conquest and exploitation of the colonies. You'll analyse whether colonial rule in different parts of the world lead to the creation of new kinds of scientific knowledge while considering how colonised people responded.   

The Romantic Revolution: Culture, Environment and Society in England, c.1790-c.1900 

Explore English Romanticism and the far-reaching, profound ideas of the Romantic artists and writers who drew a distinction between nature and humanity. You'll consider Romanticism in its wider social and political historical context. 

Sexual Politics: Gender, Sex, and Feminism in Britain after 1918 

Explore the factors underpinning gender roles from 1918 to the present to develop a wider understanding as to why attitudes of gender, sex and feminism have evolved, considering wider social and academic reasoning.  

Utopia: The Quest for a Perfect World

Discover the utopian tradition to explore modern and historical attempts to create the perfect world. You’ll explore attempts to put utopia into practice, for example within Yugoslavia, Cuba and Scandinavia.

Poor Law to Hostile Environment: Repatriation, Deportation and Exclusion from Britain, 1800-2016

Considering the concepts of ‘foreignness’, ‘home’ and attitudes towards migration, you’ll examine language and policies of repatriation and expulsion aimed at migrant and minority groups in Britain, from the early nineteenth to the twenty-first century.

The American Civil War 

Reflect on the historical impact on the American Civil War and how it shaped understandings of what it means to be American, particularly in relation to face. You’ll examine issues of contingency and consider how historians have understood the causes and consequences of the conflict.  

Public Economics 

The module aims to examine the rationale for government intervention in the economy. You’ll apply microeconomic theory to contemporary policy issues, analysing some of the principles involved in tax design and the equity and efficiency implications of taxation. 

Environmental Economics 

Get an overview of the theories, methodological tools, and evidence to understand contemporary environmental problems such as climate change, pollution, and sustainable development. You’ll learn the framework to evaluate various important policy questions.

Behavioural Economics 

Understand the limitations of the neo-classical theory in explaining many economic phenomena. You’ll become familiar with the common biases and their implications on decision-making. You’ll also gain knowledge of basic theories of behavioural economics and an understanding of games used to test these theories.

Industrial Organisation 

Learn from theoretical industrial economics  to understand corporate decision-making, such as price-setting, output-setting,  advertising, product differentiation,  and collusive behaviour. In this context, you’ll learn about the role of industrial competition, reflecting on market structure and competition policy intervention. 

Financial Economics 

Learn about the economic reasoning that underpins much of modern finance, including portfolio theory and asset pricing. You’ll apply neoclassical financial analysis  to financial decision making in the world of uncertainty and market imperfections. You’ll also learn about the role of financial intermediation in facilitating investment.

International Economics 

This module is concerned with economic interactions among sovereign nations in terms of trade in goods and services as well as investment in financial and real assets. You’ll explore answers to questions such as fair distribution of benefits, regulation of trade, and financial relations. You’ll also learn to apply the theoretical concepts and models introduced to the policy context of Brexit and EU integration.

Development Economics 

Apply economic tools to the study of issues that are of particular importance to low-income countries, such as microeconomic theory to understand the causes and consequences of underdevelopment. You’ll be equipped with an understanding of relevant economic theory, evidence, and implications for policy. 

Money and Banking 

Build on your knowledge of intermediate macroeconomics as you study the economics of money, banking, and financial markets. You’ll gain in-depth knowledge about financial markets and institutions, central banking and monetary policy, with a focus on analysing the role of money and understanding the financial structure of financial institutions, businesses and the process of banking.

Religion and Politics in the Medieval West, 1050-1492 

Explore religion and politics during the High and Late Middle Ages from a moral and real-politik perspective. You’ll examine religious emotion and devotion, clashes between spiritual and secular powers, and the highs and lows of medieval papacy. 

Gender in Africa: From Eighteenth Century ‘Amazons’ to Twentieth Century Child Soldiers

Develop and demonstrate your skills of working with primary sources to survey the history of gender in Africa. You’ll reflect on approaches in gender history and methodologies applied to recover gendered voices from the past. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: Empire, Slavery, and Society, 1550-1750

Examine ‘piracy’ in terms of its popular connotations, legal definition, and social dimensions. You’ll explore its development and consequences for early modern empires in the Caribbean and reflect on how attitudes towards piracy developed. 

Optional Language or University Wide Modules

Study a module from outside your department to enhance your understanding of history and culture. Alternatively, you can learn one of ten languages offered by the University at a level appropriate for you.  

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.