Bachelor of Arts (History)

Expand all

Course Overview
Key Facts
Course Outline
Further Education
Why Choose This Course?
Course Fees
Find Out More

Entry Points (2024)

340

Course Overview

History is first and foremost about people, the forces that shaped their lives and the ways in which they changed their societies. Studying history makes us aware that our world today took on its current appearance less by chance than as a result of specific developments and decisions taken in the past.

Are you curious about how the modern world came to be? Would you like to find out how past events have shaped our contemporary global world? If so, the BA History is the programme for you. It is an innovative degree that gives coherence and depth to your learning and opportunities to develop key skills for employment.

The BA History is a four-year degree that offers you choice and flexibility in what and how you study:

Students have a choice of three Learning Pathways to follow for their degree.

They can study History with a second Arts subject for their degree (joint honours) OR combine their study of History with two other subjects (‘minors’) that complement History.

Subjects available as minors include Journalism and Global Media, Sociological and Political Studies, Economics, Philosophy, French, German and Italian.

In year three, students will have the opportunity to complete work placements, study abroad programmes and/or a major History research project, before returning to their final year of study.

These pathways will prepare students for careers in the public and private sectors, including international development, the diplomatic and civil service, NGOs, journalism, publishing, marketing and media, the heritage industry, and education.

BA History Outline

Applications and Selections

Who Teaches this Course

This programme is taught by academic staff from Dept. of History (School of History and Philosophy), and by staff from other subjects, depending on the pathway you follow for your degree. History staff are internationally recognised experts in their fields, and offer a range of modules in Irish, European, American and world history from the medieval to the modern periods. To learn more about History staff and their teaching and research interests, click here.

Requirements and Assessment

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, another language and three other subjects recognised for entry purposes.

Additional Requirements

None

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Duration

4 years (BA Degree), 4 years (BA International)

Next start date

September 2025

A Level Grades (2024)

universityofgalway.ie/alevels

Average intake

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

1 (More Info)

Closing Date

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

Award

CAO

GY105

Course code

Course Outline

First Year

On arrival in first year, BA History students select History as their core subject (major) and choose two other subjects (minors) to start on a learning pathway for their degree.

Year	ECTS	Pathway 1 Historical Studies	Pathway 2 History, Politics and Philosophy	Pathway 3 History (joint honours)
Year 1	20 ECTS 20 ECTS x 2	History + Two of the following from the Arts subject groupings: Journalism and Global Media, Sociological and Political Studies, Philosophy, Economics, French, German, Italian	History + Political Science, Sociology and Policy + Philosophy	History + Two other subjects from the Arts subject groupings
Year 2	30 ECTS 15 ECTS x 2	History + Two other subjects taken in first year	History + Political Science, Sociology and Policy AND Philosophy	History (30ECTS) + One of the other subjects taken in first year (30ECTS)
Year 3	60 ECTS	Work placement, Study Abroad and/or History Research Project	Work placement, Study Abroad and/or History Research Project	Work placement, Study Abroad and/or History Research Project
Year 4	30ECTS 15 ECTS x 2	Students continue with History and their other subjects	Students continue with History and their other subjects	Students continue with History and their other subject

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits: You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module: An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Subject: Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
Optional: A module you may choose to study.
Required: A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Required Core Subject: A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
Semester: Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.

Year 1 (60 Credits)

Year 2 (60 Credits)

Year 3 (60 Credits)

Further Education

Completing this programme will enable you to progress to a variety of postgraduate education options, depending on the degree pathway that you choose. Popular choices among our graduates include:

MA History

MA Culture and Colonialism

MA Literature and Publishing

MA Gender, Globalisation and Rights

MA International Relations

MA Journalism

MA Politics and Sociology

PME in Education (for secondary school teaching)

The programme also prepares students to proceed to MLitt and PhD study by research in History.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Tailored Pathways for Study and Career

The BA History is a unique programme taught by leading experts in History and offers students choice and flexibility in what and how they study.

The pathways enable students to combine their study of History with complementary subjects, so that they will gain a range of knowledge as well as valuable skills for careers in international development, the diplomatic and civil service, NGOs, journalism, publishing, marketing and media, the heritage industry, and education.

The Third Year: Study Abroad, Placements and Special Studies

In the third year of the programme, students may apply to study abroad for an academic year or semester in a partner university or undertake a single-semester work placement relevant to their pathway. They may, for example, gain work experience in an archive (such as at the Galway County Council Library and Archives service), a heritage centre, an NGO or media company.

Alternatively, they may complete one or more major Independent History Research Projects drawing directly, and in original ways, on historical evidence and skills honed in Years 1-2.

For study abroad, the university has international links with European universities where students can study History and their other subject(s). In 2023/24, for instance, students attended the University of Ghent (Belgium). Adjusting to life in another country and its university system is a formative experience and students will gain skills that are desirable for many employment areas. They will be able to show independence and maturity, and to provide evidence of commitment and adaptability to future employers.

Such opportunities are much prized and, accordingly, study abroad places and work placements are competitive and subject to availability.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€5,598 p.a. (€5,738 p.a. including levy) 2025/26

Fees: Tuition

€2,598 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Student Contribution

€3,000 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Non EU

€19,000 p.a. (€19,140 including levy). 2025/26

EU Fees are comprised of Tuition + Student Contribution Charge + Student Levy* €140. *Payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI. Further detail here.

For 25/26 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 3.4% per annum for continuing years fees**.
**Excludes Full-Time EU Undergraduate fees. These are fixed and do not change.

Find out More

Dr. Gearóid Barry

School of History and Philosophy

T 091-493342

E gearoid.barry@universityofgalway.ie

URL for School/College webpage

What Our Students Say

Noah Carberry | BA (History)

Third year was by far the best year of my course here, it was optional and though I considered skipping it, I am very glad I did it. In the first semester, I wrote a Historical Research Project. I had complete freedom to write about any topic I wanted. It was a great learning experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed the freedom to write something original. The following semester, I went on Erasmus in Ghent, Belgium. For me, this was an amazing experience and has been my favourite part of the history program. I got to make new friends from all over Europe (and further) some of whom I am still in contact with, and it provided a unique opportunity to experience university life in another country. After university I hope to work either in Foreign Affairs, or as a Historian. The opportunity to study both Political Studies and History has opened the possibility for me to go into either field. As I go into final year, I am happy to still have both pathways open to me. Both in Galway and while on Erasmus in Ghent I took a variety of classes on Globalization and International politics which I feel have prepared me well to go into the field of Foreign Affairs in the future.

Shauna Mulligan | BA (History)

My BA (History) was the most rewarding experience for me. If I am truly honest, I did not know what I wanted to do after my Leaving Cert and chose history because it was my favourite subject in school. The structure of the programme was great because it allowed me to choose from a wide variety of modules. This gave me a firm foundation for understanding the development and continued relevance of different historical periods and issues. I found that the most beneficial aspect of the programme was the small seminar classes, which created an environment of collaborative discussion for developing independent thought and critical analytical skills. This helped me realise that the area I am most fascinated by is the history of civil and political rights. I am now going to do an MA in History, specialising in civil and political rights, with the aim of pursuing a career in academia. But I think the programme can provide a route for many careers, in areas like international relations, publishing and education. Achieving my BA (History) was really worth-while and has definitely provided a pathway for my future – I highly recommend it.