BA (Hons) in English and History, and BA (Hons) in English and History (with a Year Abroad) Programme Specification 2024-25

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1	ACADEMIC QUALITY TEAM
2	Programme Specifications 2024-25
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5	Programme Title			BA English and History.
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7	This document applies to students who commenced the programme(s) in:			2024		Award type			BA
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9	What level is this qualification?			6		Length of programme			3 Years
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11	Mode of study (Full / Part Time)			Full Time
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13	Will the programme use standard University semester dates?			Yes		For York Online programmes, will standard dates for such programmes be used?			N/A
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15	Awarding institution			University of York		Board of Studies for the programme			BA English
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17	Lead department			English and Related Literature		Other contributing departments			History
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19	Language of study and assessment			English		Language(s) of assessment			English
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21	Is this a campus-based or online programme?			campus
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23	Partner organisations
24	If there are any partner organisations involved in the delivery of the programme, please outline the nature of their involvement. You may wish to refer to the Policy on Collaborative Provision
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28	Reference points
29	Please state relevant reference points consulted in the design of this programme (for example, relevant documentation setting out PSRB requirements; the University's Frameworks for Programme Design (UG or PGT); QAA Subject Benchmark Statements; QAA Qualifications and Credit Frameworks).
30	This programme has been designed in accordance with the University's Insitutional Framework for Taught Programme Design and Undergraduate Programme Design Policy, and QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for English (and, where relevant, Creative Writing).
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33	Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
34	Will this programme involve any exemptions from the University Policy and Procedures on Credit Transfer and the Recognition of Prior Learning? If so, please specify and give a rationale
35	No.
36	No.
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38	Exceptions to Regulations
39	Please detail any exceptions to University Award Regulations and Frameworks that need to be approved (or are already approved) for this programme. This should include any that have been approved for related programmes and should be extended to this programme.
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43	Internal Transfers
44	Please use the boxes below to specify if transfers into / out of the programme from / to other programmes within the University are possible by indicating yes or no and listing any restrictions. These boxes can also be used to highlight any common transfer routes which it would be useful for students to know.
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46		Transfers in:	Yes, students may transfer in to or out of the programme in accordance with University Regulations. Transfers will be dependent upon student numbers and available places.			Transfers out:	Yes, students may transfer in to or out of the programme in accordance with University Regulations. Transfers will be dependent upon student numbers and available places.
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49	Statement of Purpose
50	Please briefly outline the overall aims of the programme. This should clarify to a prospective student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
51	How to read; how to understand the past; how to imagine the future. These are the key lessons embraced by students of English and History at the University of York. Students explore the movement of language and ideas across time and space in a programme which combines historical depth with geographical breadth. Our programme is designed to enable you to develop as an interdisciplinary thinker, able to untangle the complex histories which underpin literary texts and their reception, and to draw out the fictional and rhetorical work which has shaped, and continues to shape, the historical record. In your first year, you will develop the building blocks which will allow you to combine your two disciplines in the dedicated second-year bridge module ‘Texts and Histories’, which brings faculty members from the two departments together in the seminar room, and in third year through the dissertation, the capstone of your degree. Supported by world-leading teachers and researchers, you will take an active role in determining your course of study, and developing as a skilled and specialist researcher. You will get to grips with cutting-edge historical research, literary criticism, and theory, and have the opportunity to study the literature and history of every period from the medieval to the contemporary. You will develop distinctive skills in communication, research, analysis, creativity, and collaboration. And you will have the opportunity to pursue career-enhancing experience with partners including museums and heritage organisations, literary, historical and news journalism, civic and social campaigns, schools, and local businesses. Our graduates are highly sought after in a range of fields, including journalism, education, teaching, arts and heritage management, writing and publishing, media, marketing, business, and politics. As a graduate of the BA (Hons) English and History, you will possess a distinctive interdisciplinary toolkit, opening up an array of possible futures, equipping you with the capacity to imagine new futures, and nourishing a life-long passion for the rewards of literature and of the study of the past.
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62	If there are additional awards associated with the programme upon which students can register, please specify the Statement of Purpose for that programme. This will be most relevant for PGT programmes with exit awards that are also available as entry points. Use additional rows to include more than one additional award. Do not include years in industry / abroad (for which there are separate boxes).
63	Exit Award Title			Is the exit award also available as an entry point?	Outcomes: what will the student be able to do on exit with this award?			Specify the module diet that the student will need to complete to obtain this exit award
64	N/A
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69	Programme Learning Outcomes
70	What are the programme learning outcomes (PLOs) for the programme? (Normally a minimum of 6, maximum of 8). Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme and represent the outcomes that students progressively develop in the programme and achieve at graduation. PLOs should be worded to follow the stem 'Graduates will be able to...'
71	1	Display broad and deep understandings of the history and literature of a wide range of periods, and engage creatively and critically with a variety of conceptual, theoretical, and methodological frameworks;
72	2	Read diverse texts closely and critically, interpreting them with reference to the period and tradition in which they were produced, and synthesizing information from secondary sources where appropriate. They will be able to evaluate the arguments of others and assess the value and significance of different forms of evidence;
73	3	Write clearly, accurately, and persuasively, articulating ideas and presenting arguments, their own and other people’s, to a deadline and to a professional standard. They will demonstrate advanced skills in oral communication, presentation, and collaboration. They will be expert in debate and adept at using evidence to support an argument;
74	4	Make comparisons and connections between different periods, places and societies and understand a situation from a range of perspectives. They will be able to analyse the emotional power, and the cultural and political impact, of language and narrative. They will use this awareness, along with an advanced understanding of historical precursors and examples, to better understand the world and influence others;
75	5	Demonstrate highly developed research skills. They will be able to identify useful material, understand sources in context and construct meaningful research questions. They will be skilled at engaging with a variety of different forms of information including digital resources, material culture, visual imagery, texts, databases and statistical information, and in identifying and utilising the most appropriate resources to achieve a desired result;
76	6	Initiate and complete projects of their own which contribute to pressing contemporary debates;
77	7	Exercise independent thought and judgement, and be skilled in interrogating their own assumptions;
78	8	Demonstrate the ability to work in collaboration with others. They will know how to extend their knowledge and skills within a team context, and have the qualities to lead a project and execute a programme of work in a timely and professional manner.
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80	Diverse entry routes
81	Detail how you would support students from diverse entry routes to transition into the programme. For example, disciplinary knowledge and conventions of the discipline, language skills, academic and writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity.
82	New skills modules in both Years 1 and 2 are designed to help support students from diverse entry routes in gaining skills required to study literature and history. The titles of these modules - Reading Now in Year 1 and Texts and Histories in Year 2 (the specific bridging skills module for English and History combined course students) refer to specific skillsets around reading, writing, and interdisciplinary research that will enable students to complete the programme successfully.
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91	Inclusion
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93	Please confirm by ticking the box on the right that the design, content and delivery of the programme will support students from all backgrounds to succeed. This refers to the University's duties under the Equality Act 2010. You may wish to refer to the optional Inclusive Learning self-assessment tools to support reflection on this issue.									TRUE
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95	Employability
96	Please give a brief overview - no more than 5 sentences - of how the programmes helps develop students' employability. Your Faculty Employability Manager can help reflection on this issue. This statement will be used by Marketing as the basis for external content with respect to employability.
97	The PLOs make explicit the skills that will prepare graduates for a range of employment and further study. In addition to traditional knowledge acquisition, the revised PLOs also emphasise the management and dissemination of information, to the benefit of students joining the workforce within a changing knowledge economy. PLOs 4 and 5, for instance, are linked in their focus on autonomy and self-direction in relation to projects requiring independent thought and initiative. PLOs 2 and 6, on the other hand, highlight the importance of clear and effective communication, both written and oral. Across the PLOs, this reframing of concrete attributes will help graduates articulate and account for their transferrable skills, while promoting opportunities for work-related learning and ensuring alignment of professional skills development across the curriculum. The year abroad will also provide students with new components for their CV, such as language and communication skills that are attractive to future employers in a highly competitive and international work landscape.
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