The information on this page is accurate for students entering the programme from September 2024. For students who entered the programme before September 2024, you can find the details of your programme: BA History and Philosophy
Your course
The programme provides for breadth and depth. At level 1, students will be exposed to core topics in each discipline through both compulsory and optional modules. This will allow them to begin to identify areas of personal interest which they may wish to pursue at higher levels. At higher levels, the programme is designed to provide the opportunity to acquire knowledge of and competence in a range of core topics and generic skills in each discipline, building on L1 exposure, or progressively specialise in a disciplinary sub-field (such as normative philosophy, theoretical philosophy, and different historical periods). They may undertake a final year project in either of the disciplines. This enables students to build a personalised portfolio of knowledge and competencies in each discipline, which can be adjusted according to an individual student’s intellectual ambitions, needs, and interests.
The programme showcases the distinctive areas of research strength in Philosophy and History at Leeds. Modules at higher levels will offer the opportunity to engage with current research of academics in each of the Schools, especially at level 3.
At level 2, students have the option to study modules that are specifically focused on developing transferable skills for future employment.
At each level, students may study Discovery modules to expand their knowledge and/or skills beyond their programme of study, which provides a further opportunity to shape their study to their ambitions, interests and needs.
The programme has an international variant, which includes a study abroad year at Level 3, and an industrial variant, which includes a work placement year at Level 3.
Your Future
Students will gain a suite of transferrable skills valued by employers, such as good organisational skills (gained through developing a personal path through their programme, engagement with study-related activities, and meeting assessment deadlines), independent research skills, the ability to analyse and interpret texts or information, the ability to analyse complex information from multiple sources, ability to construct arguments and to effectively communicate their views, and awareness of how cultural or historical context influences scholarship in the disciplines and issues in contemporary society.
Our World
At each level, students will have the opportunity to engage with material that demonstrates how each of the disciplines is relevant to contemporary issues and concerns (e.g., through race, gender, and culture, or debates about oppression, equality, and justice). In doing so, they acquire a developed and informed understanding of contemporary issues, their own stance on those issues, and so gain an understanding of their place in the world. Both history and philosophy have an important role in explicating diverse ways of understanding the world, the experience of different peoples (in place and time), how our world is shaped and can be changed for the better.
(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates must study 120 credits which may include up to 20 credits of Discovery modules.
Candidates must pass at least 100 credits, including any PFP modules and a minimum of 40 credits in History (HIST) and 40 credits in Philosophy (PHIL), to progress to the next year of the programme.
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIST1000 | Exploring History | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PHIL1260 | How To Do Philosophy | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Candidates MUST study at least 20 credits from the following optional Philosophy modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHIL1080 | The Good, the Bad, the Right, the Wrong | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PHIL1090 | Knowledge, Self and Reality | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PHIL1121 | Introduction to the History of Western Philosophy | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Candidates MUST study at least 20 credits from the following optional History modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIST1060 | Faith, Knowledge and Power, 1500-1750 | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| HIST1065 | Diverse Histories of Britain | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| HIST1310 | The Medieval World in Ten Objects | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| HIST1320 | Medieval Lives: Identities, Cultures and Beliefs | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| HIST1510 | Global Empires | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| HIST1520 | Global Decolonization | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| HIST1530 | The Making of the Twentieth Century | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional Philosophy modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHIL1005 | The Mind | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PHIL1007 | Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion | 10 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PHIL1015 | Thinking About Race | 10 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PHIL1022 | Philosophy Meets the World | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules
(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
We are currently refreshing our courses to make sure students have the best possible experience. Full module details for years 2 and 3 are not yet available. Before you enter years 2 and 3 details of modules for those years will be provided.
Candidates must study 120 credits which may include up to 20 credits of Discovery modules.
Candidates must pass at least 100 credits, including any PFP modules and a minimum of 40 credits in History (HIST) and 40 credits in Philosophy (PHIL), to progress to the next year of the programme.
Candidates will be required to study at least 20 credits from the following optional Philosophy modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHIL2525 | Past Thinkers: History of Modern Philosophy | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PHIL2615 | How Do You Know? Topics in Epistemology | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PHIL2631 | God, Thought and the World: Topics in Philosophy of Religion | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PHIL2906 | Do the Right Thing: Topics in Moral Philosophy | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PHIL2915 | How to Live Together: Topics in Political Philosophy | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PHIL2925 | Reality Check: Topics in Metaphysics | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Candidates will be required to study ONE of the following optional Medieval and Early Modern History modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIST2065 | The Tudors: Princes, Politics, and Piety, 1485-1603 | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| HIST2090 | Sin in Spanish America, 1571-1700 | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| HIST2105 | Medieval Romans and the shape of Afro-Eurasia today | 20 | Not running in 202425 | |
| HIST2112 | Jewish Communities in Medieval Europe | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| HIST2170 | Patient Voices: Medicine and Healthcare in the Middle Ages | 20 | Not running in 202425 | |
| HIST2315 | Mughals, Merchants and Mercenaries: 'Company Raj' in India 1600-1857 | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Candidates will be required to study ONE of the following optional Modern History modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIST2103 | Later Victorian England: Politics, Society and Culture | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| HIST2310 | Russia under the Romanovs, 1812-1917 | 20 | Not running in 202425 | |
| HIST2320 | The Lucky Country? The Social History of Australia in the Twentieth Century | 20 | Not running in 202425 | |
| HIST2432 | Lost Colonists: Failure and the Family in Southern Africa, 1880-1939 | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| HIST2435 | The Popular Caribbean: A History | 20 | Not running in 202425 | |
| HIST2442 | Black Politics from Emancipation to Obama | 20 | Not running in 202425 |
Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules or one module from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSER2206 | Developing Your Professional Identity: Preparing for a Career in Within The Arts, Heritage and Creative Industries | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| FOAH2020 | Towards the Future: Skills in Context | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) |
(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
We are currently refreshing our courses to make sure students have the best possible experience. Full module details for year 3 are not yet available. Before you enter year 3 full details of modules for that year will be provided.
Candidates must study 120 credits which may include up to 20 credits of Discovery modules.
Candidates must pass at least 100 credits, including any PFP modules, and at least 60 credits in History and 40 credits in Philosophy (PHIL or PRHS code), to be eligible for an honours degree.
Candidates who are studying one of the PRHS project modules (PRHS3000, PRHS3001 or PRHS3700) must study one History Special Subject module and 20 credits of History optional modules. They may choose their remaining credits from Philosophy optional modules or Discovery modules.
Candidates who are studying the History Dissertation (HIST3500) must also study one History Special Subject module. They may not study any History optional modules. They must study 40 credits of Philosophy optional modules.
Candidates will be required to study ONE of the following compulsory modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIST3500 | History Dissertation | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
| PRHS3000 | Independent Research Project in Philosophy, Religion or History of Science | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
| PRHS3001 | Integrated Research Project in Philosophy, Religion or History of Science | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
| PRHS3700 | External Placement: Beyond the University | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
Philosophy optional modules
The following list of Philosophy optional modules is indicative as modules are under revision and different modules will be available each year depending on the availability of teaching staff. There will typically be a minimum of three optional modules offered per semester:
- Bioethics (20 Credits)
- Ancient Philosophy (20 Credits)
- Philosophy of Language (20 Credits)
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHIL3112 | Kant | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PHIL3125 | Continental Philosophy | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PHIL3310 | Philosophy of Sex and Relationships | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PHIL3321 | Metaethics | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PHIL3322 | Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PHIL3700 | Feminist Philosophy | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PHIL3723 | War, Terror and Justice | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Candidates are required to study ONE of the following History Special Subject modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIST3025 | History of the Manuscript Book in the Digital Age | 40 | Not running in 202425 | |
| HIST3290 | Popular Belief in the Medieval West 1000-c.1500 | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| HIST3440 | The Photographic Age: Photography, Society and Culture in Britain, 1839-1945 | 40 | Not running in 202425 | |
| HIST3550 | Exploration, Conflict and Cultural Encounter in Early European Expansionism | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| HIST3590 | White Africans: Intimacy, Race and Power | 40 | Not running in 202425 | |
| HIST3760 | A Revolutionary Century: Resistance, Reform, and Repression in Central America, 1900- present | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) |
Candidates who are studying the History Dissertation (HIST3500) may not study a History optional module.
History optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIST3100 | Colonial Bodies: Life and Death in British India, 1757-1900 | 20 | Not running in 202425 | |
| HIST3453 | The Body in Australian History, 1788-2007 | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| HIST3689 | Order and Disorder in Early Modern France: Understanding the French Wars of Religion | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| HIST3723 | Apartheid in South Africa: Origins, Impact and Legacy | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| HIST3726 | In the Shadow of Franco: Terror and its Legacy in Spain, 1936-Present Day | 20 | Not running in 202425 | |
| HIST3790 | Gender and Slavery in Latin America, 1580-1888 | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Candidates may study 20 credits of discovery modules
Last updated: 21/05/2025 16:57:55
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