Course details

Summary

History is more than the study of the past; it is a living creative act. History explores past events in order to inform us about who we are and what is happening today. History gives us our cultural roots. It helps us understand ourselves, our neighbors, our nation, other cultures and the world, enabling us to become truly global citizens. We learn a lot from history, and this knowledge helps us to avoid the mistakes of the past and make better decisions for the future, just as we learn from our own experiences.

Studying History supplies students with the skills to analyse complex evidence, present evidence-based arguments and put things in perspective. Such skills developed from studying History can be applied in many careers, as well as to all walks of life.

History is a big subject, at the very heart of the humanities. Everything has a history, and every history can be challenged by a fresh mind. Some types of history and historical evidence are also part of the social sciences, such as Political Science and International Relations, Sociology, and Law (which is a form of 'applied history'). The study of languages and literature is enhanced by knowing about their cultural and historical contexts. Historians too, often use techniques and results from other disciplines. History is a supremely interdisciplinary subject.

Recommended preparation

History has no formal prerequisites. However, a good level of English literacy and writing skills and a willingness to read widely and think hard about problems in the past, are expected.

The Bachelor of Arts requires a minimum total of 360 points:

• at least 255 points from Arts courses
• the remaining 105 points can be from either Arts courses or courses from other degrees.
• A minimum of 225 points must be from courses above 100-level, with at least 90 points at 300-level.

Double Degrees

It is possible to combine an Arts degree with other degrees such as the Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Health Sciences, Bachelor of Laws or Bachelor of Science.

Further study

The College of Arts has a wide range of options for postgraduate and graduate study with excellent research facilities. These include specialised research centres such as the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies, Social Science Research Centre, New Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies, Te Awatea Violence Research Centre and National Centre for Research on Europe.

Career opportunities

History graduates leave university with a distinctive mix of skills which are useful in almost any job involving discovery, analysis, interpretation, independent thought and communication. Studying History allows you to practise making balanced and impartial judgments, considering multiple perspectives and materials.

The Department of History places great importance on training students in research, writing, digital skills and oral presentation. These are the general skills employers most want.

History graduates enjoy a wide variety of career destinations including those in the media (such as journalism and broadcasting), government, Treaty of Waitangi affairs, international relations, arts, culture, heritage, archives, politics, public policy, writing, editing, PR, communications, conservation, tourism, teaching, community development, digital industry, publishing, design, business innovation, advertising or marketing.

Entry criteria

Admission to UC with University Entrance, or equivalent, is required to enrol for a Bachelor's degree. Applicants must have completed New Zealand University Entrance through NCEA; or Cambridge International Examinations (CIE); or International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) or any other equivalent overseas qualification.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 550 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum C+ grade; CAE or CPE minimum score of 169 with at least 162 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 57 and no PTE communicative skills score below 50.