English and History

English and History together form one of the most intellectually rich combinations available at degree level. English develops your capacity to read closely, argue precisely, and write with clarity and force, while History trains you to interrogate evidence, situate events in context, and understand how the past shapes the present. Studied together, the two disciplines illuminate each other: literary texts become historical documents, and historical processes reveal the conditions in which great writing was produced.

At Exeter you will study both subjects across three years, with a broad range of periods and themes available in each. The programme runs full time, and a sandwich year and year abroad are both available, offering the chance to experience study in a different academic or cultural setting and to deepen your engagement with one or both disciplines in new contexts. Work placements are also part of the programme, helping you build professional experience alongside your academic study.

The typical entry tariff for this programme is 152 UCAS points. You will be encouraged to make connections across the two subjects, developing an analytical versatility that few single-discipline degrees can match.

Graduates with combined English and History degrees are exceptionally well prepared for careers that require strong communication, critical thinking, and research skills. Common destinations include journalism, publishing, law, the civil service, education, heritage, archives, and public policy. Postgraduate study in English literature, history, or interdisciplinary humanities is a natural next step for those who want to pursue academic research or specialist professional training.

The ability to write persuasively and think historically is valued across almost every professional field, making this combination genuinely versatile.