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History with Foundation Year

  • BA (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-time
  • 14 September 2026
  • Undergraduate
Main Site
More about University of Derby

Course options

2026-20272027-2028
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Course summary

Our foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence – with extensive support from our expert staff – before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change and want to get to grips with aspects of subjects which are new to you.

History at Derby has been ranked 1st for teaching (National Student Survey 2025), 1st for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2026) and 1st for teaching quality (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025).

History has the power to make us question who we are and how we have come to act the way we do. This History BA will turn you into a critical thinker, ready to challenge traditional beliefs or viewpoints.

WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?
We are one of the top history departments in the country for student satisfaction. Our degree teaches you to apply your historical knowledge to the workplace and focuses on modern and contemporary history – from the First World War to the history of medicine and nineteenth-century slums. There are no exams (you are assessed in other ways) and you can choose to study for a semester in America.

IS THIS COURSE FOR YOU?
You will enjoy this course if you have a sense of curiosity and a desire for a deeper understanding of the world around you.

HOW YOU WILL LEARN
Through lectures, seminars, self-directed study, tutorials, film screenings and work-based learning. You will also go on study visits to places such as the Imperial War Museum and the cities of Chester and Manchester.

OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES
You will interpret the past for the wider community, through projects and placements for arts and heritage organisations. You will also organise and promote a public history conference and present your research at it.

CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY
History graduates have great research and presentation skills, as well as a better understanding of the world around them. It can lead on to a variety of careers – in education, libraries, museums, archives, law, the civil service, marketing – or further study in history, museum studies, archive management or international relations.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Main Site

Study options

  • BA (Hons) • Full-time • 4 Years

Start dates

  • 14 September 2026

Apply by
14 January

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
V101
Institution code:
D39
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-
Points of Entry:
Foundation

University of Derby has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
V101
Institution code:
D39
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

Open days

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff
72 points

We encourage you to outline all your qualifications and achievements in your application to provide us a full picture. Your offer will typically be based on your predicted and/or achieved grades from full level 3 qualifications or above e.g. A levels, BTEC Ext Diploma, Access to HE, etc. Any subject specifics are outlined below in the Further Information section, and these specifics are applicable across all equivalent qualifications. A strong application/performance and appropriate experience will be taken into account where typical criteria is not met.

A level
DDD

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

Access to HE Diploma
D: 0 credits M: 30 credits P: 15 credits

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE Maths and English are preferred, however if you don't have these qualifications you will be able to undertake Maths and English at L2 as part of your course of study.

T Level
P

English language requirements

IELTS overall score at a minimum of 6.0; with at least IELTS 5.5 in each band (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing) or another Secure English Language Test(SELT)at CEFR level B2 or above

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

We have excluded the Grades on Entry data for this course. We may operate some flexibility with entry grades to support widening participation, though most of the students that enrol on this course achieve the published entry tariff or above. Applicants who achieve grades below the published tariff may be offered an alternative course or a 4-year route if there is one available. For further information please contact askadmissions@derby.ac.uk.

Historical entry grades data

This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).

It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.

Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Per year tuition fees

LocationFeeYear

* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

The quoted fee is an indicative fee based on last year’s fees, as the fees for the 2026 term not yet been confirmed.

Related courses

At University of Derby

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