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History  (HSW1)

BA (NFQ Level 8) · Academic Year 2025/2026
School
School of History
Attendance
Full Time
Level
Undergraduate
NFQ Level
Award
Bachelor of Arts
Mode of Delivery
On Campus
Programme Director
Assoc Professor Fionnuala Walsh
Overall Programme Credits:
Programme Credits:
Stage 1
Core/Option: 55 Electives: 5
Stage 2
Core/Option: 50 Electives: 10
Stage 3
Core/Option: 50 Electives: 10
Major/Minor Core & Option Credits:
Stage 3: 30
Stage 4: 30

Curricular information is subject to change.

History is the pursuit of how we got here and the stories that we tell ourselves to explain the past. We explore histories of race, class, gender, migration, capital, medicine, violence, religion and environment within the dynamics of an ever-changing world. Working from ordinary to extraordinary, local to global, fact to fiction you will develop critical thinking, argument and analysis skills that lie at the heart of careers in media, government, culture and education.

The History programme is designed to provide students with a knowledge and understanding of the past, and the tools 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. 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, working with active researchers in the field and interacting with their peers. 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 History programme, 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 - Demonstrate a knowledge of research skills that are fundamental to historical inquiry and more broadly applicable.

UCD is Ireland’s Global University and its largest university with a track record in empowering students to enter a diverse range of careers that reflects the most diverse curriculum on the Island of Ireland. Consistently, over 90% of graduates are employed or in further study or training 9 months following course completion. The QS World Ranking on Graduate Employability has placed UCD at number 1 in Ireland for Graduate Employability since 2018. On the global stage UCD leads the Irish higher education sector and is the only Irish university to be ranked inside the world’s top 80 for Graduate Employability.

At University College Dublin we are aware that for many students, programme outcomes in terms of graduate jobs and career options is important. The purpose of this statement is to help you understand and appreciate the range of skills you may develop during your time at UCD and how you may develop your employability. Visit the UCD Careers Networks website and MyCareer, the UCD Career management Platform, to access career information, internships and graduate roles as well as information about the range of initiatives, supports and events available to you.

This programme provides opportunities for students to develop in areas such as:
  • Writing
  • Researching
  • Oral Communication
  • Written Communication
  • Presentations
  • Teamwork
  • Leadership
  • Negotiation
  • Networking
  • Project management
  • Creativity
  • Professionalism, e.g. internships, work experience
  • Global awareness
  • Social responsibility
  • Critical thinking
  • Self-awareness
  • Life-long learning


This programme supports students’ career development and employability through:
  • Career development initiatives with UCD Careers Network
  • Career and professional development e.g. internships and work placements
  • Cultural awareness, resilience and self-confidence e.g. Study Abroad/ERASMUS
  • Language skills e.g. Chinese and Spanish via UCD Centre for English & Global Languages
  • Social responsibility e.g. UCD In the Community and UCD Volunteers Overseas
  • Enhancing digital literacy skills
  • Development of critical thinking, problem solving skills and decision-making e.g. through individual and group projects and assignments
  • Development of self-reflection skills


Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31280 Rise, Fall, Rise of Modern Japan Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31320 The Irish Revolution, 1910-1923 Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31400 British Atlantic History, 1607-1776 Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32430 Florence 1200 - 1400 Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32540 Women, War and Irish Society 1914-1923 Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32690 Revolution and War in Twentieth-Century Vietnam Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32730 The Digital Humanities Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32800 History from below: Rural life in the middle ages Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32880 Sexuality and Society Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32950 Weimar Germany Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32970 The 1641 Rebellion Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32980 Britain's War Northern Ireland Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33200 The 'Papal Revolution': Religion, Power, and the Transformation of Medieval Europe, c.1049-c.1123 Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33230 The Health Raj: Medicine and Society in British India, 1750-1900 Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33240 Rurality in modern Middle East Autumn  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31700 Origins of the First World War Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31900 Roads to Heaven & Hell Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32620 International Relations in the Asia Pacific, 1890s-1950s Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32710 Manufacturing Truth in the Modern World Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33170 Capitalism, colonialism and climate change: Historical perspectives Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31250 Old Germany Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31310 Madness and Civilisation Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31500 Past, Present and Future in Medieval England Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31510 Catholic state?: Religion, secularism, and the development of Independent Ireland, 1922-1968 Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31760 Irish Foreign Policy, 1919-73: A Place Among the Nations Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31840 The First World War: cultures and consequences Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32350 Alcohol, Drugs & Society Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32720 Frontiers of Empire Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33000 Political Violence in Ireland Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33010 Global History before AD 1000 Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33100 The United States and the Vietnam War Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33110 Queer History in Practice: A Global Methodology Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33190 Constitutionalism in the United States: A History Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33220 The Penal Laws Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33260 Conquest: 1066, 1169: The Norman Invasions of England and Ireland Spring  10
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 2 of:
Students should take 2 x 5 credit modules, one each trimester
 HIS32460 Conquering Ireland, 1579-1691 Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 2 of:
Students should take 2 x 5 credit modules, one each trimester
 HIS32900 Questions in History Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 2 of:
Students should take 2 x 5 credit modules, one each trimester
 HIS32310 Revolutionary Russia, 1905-1921 Spring  5
Stage 3 Options - C) Min 2 of:
Students should take 2 x 5 credit modules, one each trimester
 HIS32380 Genocide & Mass Violence in the Twentieth Century Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31280 Rise, Fall, Rise of Modern Japan Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31320 The Irish Revolution, 1910-1923 Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31400 British Atlantic History, 1607-1776 Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32430 Florence 1200 - 1400 Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32540 Women, War and Irish Society 1914-1923 Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32690 Revolution and War in Twentieth-Century Vietnam Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32730 The Digital Humanities Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32800 History from below: Rural life in the middle ages Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32880 Sexuality and Society Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32950 Weimar Germany Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32970 The 1641 Rebellion Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32980 Britain's War Northern Ireland Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33200 The 'Papal Revolution': Religion, Power, and the Transformation of Medieval Europe, c.1049-c.1123 Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33230 The Health Raj: Medicine and Society in British India, 1750-1900 Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33240 Rurality in modern Middle East Autumn  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31700 Origins of the First World War Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31900 Roads to Heaven & Hell Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32620 International Relations in the Asia Pacific, 1890s-1950s Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32710 Manufacturing Truth in the Modern World Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33170 Capitalism, colonialism and climate change: Historical perspectives Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31250 Old Germany Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31310 Madness and Civilisation Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31500 Past, Present and Future in Medieval England Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31510 Catholic state?: Religion, secularism, and the development of Independent Ireland, 1922-1968 Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31760 Irish Foreign Policy, 1919-73: A Place Among the Nations Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS31840 The First World War: cultures and consequences Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32350 Alcohol, Drugs & Society Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS32720 Frontiers of Empire Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33000 Political Violence in Ireland Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33010 Global History before AD 1000 Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33100 The United States and the Vietnam War Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33110 Queer History in Practice: A Global Methodology Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33190 Constitutionalism in the United States: A History Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33220 The Penal Laws Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A)2 of:
Students must complete two modules from the following list, one in each trimester.
 HIS33260 Conquest: 1066, 1169: The Norman Invasions of England and Ireland Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - C) Min 2 of:
Students should take 2 x 5 credit modules, one each trimester
 HIS32460 Conquering Ireland, 1579-1691 Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - C) Min 2 of:
Students should take 2 x 5 credit modules, one each trimester
 HIS32900 Questions in History Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - C) Min 2 of:
Students should take 2 x 5 credit modules, one each trimester
 HIS32310 Revolutionary Russia, 1905-1921 Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - C) Min 2 of:
Students should take 2 x 5 credit modules, one each trimester
 HIS32380 Genocide & Mass Violence in the Twentieth Century Spring  5

See the UCD Assessment website for further details, including worked examples of how degree award GPAs are calculated

Module Weighting Info
 
  Award GPA
Programme Module Weightings Rule Description Description >= <=
BHACS023 Stage 3 - 70.00%
Stage 2 - 30.00%
 Standard Honours Award First Class Honours

3.68

4.20
Second Class Honours, Grade 1

3.08

3.67
Second Class Honours, Grade 2

2.48

3.07
Pass

2.00

2.47
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