About You

Above all else, you have a curiosity about and a passion for understanding events, people, societal transformation in the past; you love to read and engage with historical debates about the past; you are excited about ‘discovery’ and rise to the challenge of working with original sources and documents. You want to give yourself the opportunity to read path-breaking historical works and to learn more about the writing of history. You want to engage with past events and processes that have helped us to understand ourselves and the world that we live in. You want to know more about culture, in the broadest sense. You have an ability to both narrate and analyse phenomena, and you want to express yourself as eloquently and effectively as possible. You are open to new ideas, and to the power of the past to inform, influence, and convince.

Why Study History at UL?

The historians at UL are acknowledged leaders in their fields of research, and are committed to student-centred learning; they offer exciting and innovative modules throughout the four years of study. The programme at UL will enable you to develop critical and analytical skills through an appreciation of primary sources, historiography and key events and changes, as well as through the study of the social, cultural and historical contexts in which change was produced. You will learn about source analysis, the processes informing history writing from the fifteenth century to the contemporary world. You can choose electives to suit your own interests, in Irish, European, American, Australian and Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean history; you can focus on political, social, cultural, urban, gendered approaches to history.

History at UL has a number of key components or themes that run throughout the four years of the programme leading to specialist options in the final year, among these are the following:

• Documentary sources analysis and theory, critical historical practice.
• Historical schools/eras in history- writing/historiography since classical times until the present day.
• General electives in late-medieval European history (Renaissance/ Reformation/Counter-Reformation); warfare and diplomacy in 17th Century; political history of Irish nationalism/ republicanism; the cultural and social history of everyday life in Ireland since the 18th Century; America/Irish relations; Europe and the Middle East since the 19th Century; historiography.
• Specialist electives on sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Spain; Ireland and America; Holocaust; the cultural history of the city in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Germany; cultural history of the Weimar Republic.

History Joint Honours Pathway

Modules are subject to change.

History is also available as Single Honours

Applicants are required to hold at the time of enrolment the established Leaving Certificate (or an approved equivalent) with a minimum of six subjects which must include: Two H5 (Higher level) grades and Four O6 (Ordinary level) grades or four H7 (Higher Level) grades. Subjects must include Mathematics, Irish or another language, and English.

Note: Grade F6 in Foundation Mathematics also satisfies the minimum entry requirements. Foundation mathematics is not reckonable for scoring purposes.

In addition, students wishing to study a Language must hold a minimum H4 grade in that language, with the exception of beginners German or beginners Spanish where a H4 grade in a language other than English is required. Specialist requirement in Mathematics also for those studying Economics or Mathematics.

For certain subjects, additional special qualifications specific to individual subjects or disciplines may be determined by the respective departments in accordance with Academic Council regulations.

Applications are especially welcome from Mature Students. Mature applicants must apply through the Central applications Office (CAO) by 1 February.

QQI Entry

Certain QQI Awards are acceptable in fulfilling admission requirements for this programme. go to the UL Admissions QQI page for a full list of modules.

• Professional administration/ management
• International/European organizations
• Archivist/Museum curator/ Librarian
• Development and research in voluntary organizations/NGOs
• Public service, nationally or locally
• Research and teaching at third level
• Teacher (Professional Master of Education required)

Follow-On Study

• MA History
• MA History of the Family
• MA Local History
• Grad Dip/MA Journalism
• MA in Public History & Cultural Heritage