History  (HSS1)

The Single Subject Major in History is designed to provide students with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the past, and the research skills with which to pursue that knowledge and understanding. It is aimed at anyone who has an interest in history, and no prior qualification in the discipline is required. What we do expect is that students approach the subject in an inquisitive and critical way, and are prepared to consider the history of Ireland and the world from a variety of perspectives. A particular feature of the Single Subject Major is that students are introduced from an early stage to how professional historians conduct research, and given the opportunity to pursue their own research. 

The syllabus takes in the entire sweep of history, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the present, and embraces all aspects of human experience. This includes conflict and political change, the lives of individuals and the fortunes of nations and civilisations. It also includes how people lived, how they thought and how they expressed themselves. The study of history, then, overlaps with the study of such subjects as gender, medicine, the media, religion and literature. Students learn through a combination of lectures, seminars and independent study. Emphasis is placed on students working in small groups with active researchers in the field. 

The objective is not only to learn what happened in the past. It is also about identifying and evaluating historical evidence, and about posing questions and framing answers based their consideration. The Single Subject Major, therefore, allows you to deepen your study of history, while teaching skills that are valuable in any career you choose.

1 - Demonstrate a familiarity with of a broad range of historical periods and situations, Irish and international.
2 - Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of selected fields of historical study.
3 - Appreciate continuities and contrasts between diverse historical periods and situations.
4 - Analyse primary source evidence, place it in context and assess its reliability.
5 - Use primary sources in an ethical and effective way, informed by an understanding of how professional historians conduct research, pose questions and frame answers.
6 - Demonstrate an understanding of diverse academic viewpoints and methodologies.
7 - Deliver oral presentations clearly and confidently, and engage constructively in group discussions.
8 - Submit written work which is coherently argued, backed up by evidence, well-presented, and documented in an academic format appropriate to the discipline.
9 - Research and write a minor dissertation on a specific historical topic in consultation with a supervisor.

History is obviously an enormous subject - which is why some students choose to study it as a single subject. The range of modules takes you from the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of barbarian kingdoms to the impact of US foreign policy in the 20th century.

It is not essential to have studied History to Leaving Certificate. If you read widely and have a good interest in general knowledge, your overall examination performance in English, for example, will offer a fair guide to your aptitude for history. See subject description for History.

In your first year (called Stage 1) you take 12 modules over two semesters. You must study core modules in History and typically two or three other subjects including up to two modules from outside the BA Programme area.

Stage 2 students progress with a major in History. Students also take four elective modules from within or outside their main subject area at Stages 2 and 3 of their degree programme.

In Stage 1 you will be introduced to a range of modules focusing on European and Irish history across a period of almost 2,000 years.

In Stage 2 you will take six core (compulsory) modules and choose from a range of optional modules spanning the Rise of the Asian Tigers, 20th Century Italy, The Age of Mohammed, and a variety of Irish periods including the Vikings, the Normans, Cromwell and the Stuarts, Irish Emigration and the Celtic Literary Revival.

Stage 2 also includes a dissertation in an area of interest to you. You will be shown how to plan a research strategy, how to find primary materials and how to write a major (10,000 word) research dissertation. Completing a substantial piece of primary research is both a challenge and a reward.

You may apply to study abroad for either a trimester or a year through the Erasmus programme or on a non-EU exchange. UCD has over 200 Erasmus partners in Europe and an increasing number of non-EU exchange agreements with universities in the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan and elsewhere.

Please click here to visit the Erasmus section of the UCD Global website.

The year abroad takes place when you have accumulated at least 110 credits and satisfied any subject prerequisites, adding a fourth year to the BA programme and turning it into a BA International.

Opportunities currently include:

• University of Vienna, Austria
• Université de Rouen, France
• Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Germany
• University of Pisa, Italy
• University of Bergen, Norway
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
• University of New South Wales, Australia

History graduates can find employment in:
 

• Broadcasting and Journalism
• Business
• Civil Service
• Law
• Publishing
• Public Relations
• Politics
• Research
• Teaching
• Marketing
• Policymaking
• Tourism
• Heritage
  
  Graduates are also eligible to apply for UCD MA programmes in History, which include specialisms in Irish, European, International and Medieval History, Public History and History of Medicine.