BA History and English
The History and English joint degree at Oxford University combines two major disciplines, enabling students to explore the close connections between history and literature. This interdisciplinary programme develops critical thinking by encouraging learners to examine similarities, differences, and overlapping boundaries between the fields. Students analyze historical records—such as government documents, diaries, speeches, and letters—not only as factual sources but as interpretive texts shaped by perspective, language, and rhetoric. Simultaneously, literature—including novels, plays, and poems—is studied as both creative expression and historical interpretation, reflecting the culture, society, and values of its time. By integrating historical and literary analysis, this comparative approach equips students with versatile academic skills, fostering deeper insights into past events, cultural contexts, and societal developments, while preparing them for diverse career paths and advanced research opportunities.
A Typical Week History and English
As a History and English student at Oxford, your week combines tutorials, lectures, and classes. You’ll typically have up to two small-group tutorials per week, allowing in-depth discussion and detailed feedback on your work. Alongside tutorials, three to four lectures introduce new topics and debates in both history and literature, providing the background needed for essays and tutorials. In your first two years, interdisciplinary classes taught jointly by History and English tutors prepare you for the second-year bridge paper, an extended essay combining both fields. In your final year, two academic advisers guide your interdisciplinary dissertation, an independent research project integrating historical and literary analysis. Class sizes are generally small, often under 12 students, fostering active discussion and close tutor engagement. Most teaching is delivered by experienced tutors and world-leading researchers, with some sessions led by postgraduate students, offering fresh perspectives and up-to-date scholarship.
Course Structure
The History and English course at Oxford combines tutorials, lectures, and interdisciplinary classes to provide a well-rounded academic experience. Students participate in small-group tutorials, allowing in-depth discussion and personalized feedback on their work. Lectures introduce essential historical and literary themes, providing the background needed for essays and tutorials. Interdisciplinary classes prepare students for the second-year bridge paper and final-year dissertation, where they integrate historical and literary analysis. In their final year, students work with two academic advisers to complete an independent research dissertation, developing critical skills and expertise across both disciplines.
Year 1
In your first year, you will take four courses:
- Introduction to English Language and Literature – This is an interdisciplinary component that helps you explore the study of English texts alongside historical perspectives.
- One English period paper – Chosen from the single-honours English Language and Literature course.
- One British History paper – Taken from the single-honours History course.
- One additional History course, chosen from the following:
- Approaches to History
- Historiography (the study of how history has been written and interpreted)
- Optional subject (from single-honours History).
Assessment:
- Three timed written exams (the first university examinations).
- A submitted portfolio of two essays (each 2,000 words) for the Introduction to English Language and Literature
You must pass these exams to progress to the next stage, but the marks from the first year do not count towards your final degree classification.
Years 2 and 3
In your second and third years, the course becomes broader and more flexible. You will take seven courses in total:
- One interdisciplinary bridge essay (6,000 words).
- Two English papers – chosen from the single-honours English Language and Literature course.
- One History paper – either on the British Isles or on European/world history.
- Specialisation in History and English:
- Either one History special subject (which counts as two papers),
- Or a combination of two papers chosen from:
- European/world history (History single-honours).
- Further subject (History single-honours).
- One of the first six papers from English single-honours.
- One interdisciplinary dissertation (12,000 words).
Assessment:
- Final University examinations at the end of Year 3.
- Between three and five written exams.
- A mix of extended essays, the bridge essay, and the interdisciplinary dissertation.
This structure ensures you have the freedom to explore topics that interest you most, while always maintaining a balance between history and literature.
Academic Requirements
To be admitted onto the History and English degree at Oxford, students are expected to have very strong academic results.
- A-levels: AAA
- Scottish Advanced Highers: AA or AAB
- International Baccalaureate (IB): 38 points overall (including core points), with 666 at Higher Level.
- Other qualifications: Oxford also accepts a wide range of international and UK qualifications, as long as they meet the standard required.
Oxford does not just look at grades in isolation. Your results are always considered in the context of your school, background, and personal circumstances. This means tutors take into account the environment in which you achieved your results.
Subject Requirements
- Essential: You must have studied English Literature, or English Language and Literature, at an advanced level (A-level, Advanced Higher, Higher Level IB, or an equivalent).
- Recommended: It is strongly encouraged (though not strictly required) that you also have studied History at an advanced level. This helps prepare you for the demands of the joint degree.
- If any of your science A-levels include a practical component, you are expected to pass it.
- If English is not your first language, you will need to meet Oxford’s English language requirements.
Astrophoria Foundation Year
If your educational or personal background has made it difficult for you to reach the standard entry requirements, Oxford offers a Foundation Year for History and English. This programme is designed for motivated students who are capable of succeeding at Oxford but may not meet the standard grades.
Applying
All applications for undergraduate study at Oxford must be submitted through the system. The deadline for applications is 6pm on Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Admissions Test
For 2025 entry, no written admissions test is required for History and English applicants.
Written Work
You will, however, need to submit:
- One piece of written work for History
- One piece of written work for English
These are usually essays you have already written as part of your schoolwork, but they must meet Oxford’s guidelines. The deadline for submission is 10 November 2025.
Careers
A degree in History and English provides skills that are valued in many different careers. Graduates of this programme are trained to:
- Work independently.
- Evaluate different forms of evidence.
- Construct clear, persuasive arguments in both writing and discussion.
Because of this, they are well-prepared for careers in areas such as:
- Media and publishing.
- Law and public administration.
- Teaching and academia.
Business, management, and finance.
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
- Home (UK) students: £9,535 per year (for 2025/26 entry, subject to government confirmation).
- Overseas students: £43,600 per year.
Fees usually rise slightly each year. Oxford provides guidance on likely increases.
Living Costs
Living costs at Oxford can be lower than you might expect because colleges provide affordable accommodation and meals. The estimated costs for the 2026 academic year are:
- Between £1,405 and £2,105 per month while living in Oxford.
- Students usually spend around six months of the year in Oxford, though you may want to budget across nine months to cover holidays.
Financial Support
- Home students: Eligible for a tuition fee loan to cover course fees in full. Oxford also offers one of the most generous bursary packages in the UK.
- Extra support is available for students from households with an income of £50,000 or less, and additional funding for those from households earning £32,500 or less.
- Islands students (from the Channel Islands or Isle of Man) receive different funding through their local governments.
- Overseas students may apply for scholarships through Oxford’s bursary and scholarship programmes.
College Life
Every Oxford student belongs both to the University and to a college. Your college provides a smaller, supportive community within the larger university.
Each college has:
- A Porters’ Lodge (the reception and entrance area).
- A dining hall.
- A college library (often open 24/7).
- Accommodation for students (guaranteed for first years).
- Teaching rooms, green spaces, common rooms, and often chapels or music facilities.
In your first year, you will live in college accommodation alongside other new students (“freshers”), which makes settling into university life easier. Many colleges also provide accommodation for later years, though you can choose to live independently if you wish.
Colleges are not just about academics—they also support students’ welfare, social life, and personal development. Tutors, welfare officers, and trained peer supporters are available to help with both academic and non-academic matters.