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History with Anthropology

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B

Access to HE Diploma

D:30

Pass with 45 Level 3 credits including 30 Distinctions and a number of merits/passes in subject specific modules

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

33

With three Higher Level subjects at 655

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H2,H2,H2,H2

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM

Scottish Advanced Higher

B,B,C

Scottish Higher

B,B,B,B,C

T Level

M

Each application will be considered on its individual merits. Where the T Level subject area does not directly match the degree programme being applied for, the personal statement and reference will be particularly important in demonstrating interest, enthusiasm and suitability for the subject.

UCAS Tariff

120-136

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Part-time | 2024

Subjects

History

Anthropology

**This programme offers an exciting and complementary combination of two humanities disciplines which promote the understanding of human life, culture, and society in the past and present.**

BA History with Anthropology is jointly delivered by the Departments of History and Anthropology. The programme is interdisciplinary and stimulating, and enables explorations and analyses of contemporary social, cultural and anthropological issues with a view to historically contextualising those issues. We focus on the relevance and importance of historical understanding for comprehending and analysing the complex present-day world that surrounds us, contributing towards equality, diversity and social justice.

**Why study BA History with Anthropology**
- The study, analysis, and understanding of the past is as important today as it has ever been.

- History continues to make vital contributions to how we comprehend and interact with the world around us.

- This degree is a relevant, dynamic, fascinating and important field of study which, at Goldsmiths, is approached in creative, innovative and exciting ways.

- Exploring contemporary societal and cultural issues continues to make valuable insights into the complex and global world we live in.

- You’ll learn about topics from basic anthropological concepts, such as kinship, ritual, world systems, and development, to investigating anthropology in relation to history, politics, religion, philosophy and psychology.

- You'll learn from leading academic experts. That's why we've been rated top 10 in the UK for anthropology in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023.

Modules

Year 1 Compulsory modules:
Reading and Writing History
Anthropological Ideas
Anthropological Methods
Identity, Agency & Environment 1
Identity, Agency & Environment 2Reading and Writing History
Historical Perspectives
Introduction to Social Anthropology
Anthropological Methods

You will also study one of the following modules, as well as one option module of your choice from a list approved annually by the Department of History.

Global Connections: the violence and exchanges that shaped the modern world
OR
Historical Controversies

Year 2
In your second year, you'll have more freedom to expand your intellectual horizons, with your choice of optional modules to the value of 90 credits. 30 credits of this will be taken in the Department of Anthropology, and up to 30 credits can be a University of London intercollegiate Group II module, and the rest will be taken from the Department of History.

Compulsory modules
The Goldsmiths Elective
Goldsmiths’ Social Change Module

Department of Anthropology optional modules
Working with Images
Anthropology of Religion
Anthropology and Public Policy
Critical Ecologies: black, indigenous and transnational feminist approaches
Indigenous Cosmopolitics, Anthropology and Global Justice

Year 3
In your final year, you will develop your specialist interests and knowledge.

You have the option to take more History-orientated, or more Anthropology-orientated approaches This depends on whether you choose a History Special Subject (with dissertation) or a linked History-Anthropology dissertation.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

Assessment methods

A wide and innovative variety of different methods are used to assess learning, these include essays, reviews, source analyses, blogs, videos, walks, presentations, exams, and dissertations. Some modules are assessed by portfolios of coursework, or by a combination of coursework and an examination. Others are assessed by long essays or dissertations on topics approved with the tutor. Assessments vary in length according to the type of assessment and/or level of module.

Assessment supports student progression across the programme, as assessments in the first year aim to measure a set of baseline skills and competencies which are enhanced, deepened and broadened in subsequent years. Lecturers return assessments and provide useful and constructive feedback in a timely manner so as to ensure that students learn from the feedback and have the opportunity to improve subsequent work.

The Uni


Course location:

Goldsmiths, University of London

Department:

History

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

60%
History
33%
Anthropology

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

History

Teaching and learning

95%
Staff make the subject interesting
91%
Staff are good at explaining things
86%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
84%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

51%
Library resources
77%
IT resources
74%
Course specific equipment and facilities
37%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

92%
UK students
8%
International students
51%
Male students
49%
Female students
76%
2:1 or above
24%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
B

Anthropology

Teaching and learning

85%
Staff make the subject interesting
69%
Staff are good at explaining things
70%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
50%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

53%
Library resources
82%
IT resources
66%
Course specific equipment and facilities
21%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

88%
UK students
12%
International students
25%
Male students
75%
Female students
92%
2:1 or above
22%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

History

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£18,000
med
Average annual salary
95%
med
Employed or in further education
38%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

22%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
13%
Artistic, literary and media occupations
9%
Other elementary services occupations

History is a very popular subject (although numbers have fallen of late) — in 2015, over 10,000 UK students graduated in a history-related course. Obviously, there aren't 11,000 jobs as historians available every year, but history is a good, flexible degree that allows graduates to go into a wide range of different jobs, and consequently history graduates have an unemployment rate comparable to the national graduate average. Many — probably most — jobs for graduates don't ask for a particular degree to go into them and history graduates are well set to take advantage. That's why so many go into jobs in the finance industry, human resources, marketing, PR and events management, as well as the more obvious roles in education, welfare and the arts. Around one in five history graduates went into further study last year. History and teaching were the most popular further study subjects for history graduates, but law, journalism, and politics were also popular postgraduate courses.

Anthropology

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£20,000
med
Average annual salary
81%
low
Employed or in further education
48%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

20%
Other elementary services occupations
10%
Artistic, literary and media occupations
9%
Welfare and housing associate professionals

This is a pretty flexible degree and a good one if you want to keep your options open. Just over 1,250 graduates completed anthropology degrees last year, and they were well spread out across a whole range of jobs — many industries have jobs that can be done by anthropology graduates and unlike a lot of degrees, there aren't many jobs we can point to and say ‘graduates from this degree do that job’. Management, marketing, housing and recruitment jobs are the most popular, though, and many graduates go into the education or social care sectors. Graduates are also rather more likely than average to work in London, or to go overseas to work. This is quite a popular subject at postgraduate level, and if you want to go into research, you'll need to think about postgrad study - and it's one of the few where numbers are on the up at the moment.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

History

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£16k

£16k

£22k

£22k

£27k

£27k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Anthropology

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£16k

£16k

£25k

£25k

£27k

£27k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
Queen's University Belfast | Belfast
Anthropology and History
BA (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 128-152

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here