History

Course summary

Pupils who choose History as one of their A-levels normally do so because they enjoy the subject and have a natural curiosity about the past. The study of history is both interesting and intellectually rigorous. It develops the skills of research, assimilation, comprehension and analysis of a wide range of material, formulation of a reasoned interpretation and the development of an ability to communicate clear and coherent judgement. Consequently, historians are to be found in a wide range of professions because of the general intellectual training the subject offers. History can be studied as a single honours degree, including Ancient and Modern or easily combined with several other subjects. Many Millhillians have gone on to study History or courses such as History and Politics, History of Art, Economic History, and even History and Law. The study of history develops an array of skills including independent critical thinking, analysis of a range of data, and the ability to process and synthesise vast amounts of information, all of which are crucial in the world of work. The ability to analyse and then prioritise information is vital to decision-making. If studied at an esteemed university, a degree in History can be an impressive and attractive feature on a CV. Graduate prospects in the Top 10 UK universities for History are generally high. Studying History provides a pupil with transferable skills which are invaluable in many jobs. The intellectual training involved in studying History means that after graduating, History pupils go on to forge a wide range of careers in academia, research, the civil service, politics, journalism, consultancy, banking, business, PR, marketing, retail, accountancy and more. Many pupils intending to pursue a career in the legal profession undertake a History degree before taking a law conversion course.