Culture, Heritage and History BA (Hons)

What is special about this course?

Combining the complementary subjects of culture and heritage with history, this joint degree covers a wide range of subjects from early history through to the modern day.  You will explore culture, history, language, literature and much more, within a national and international context, preparing you for life beyond university. 

As you progress through the course, you will choose from a combination of modules, equally balanced between the two disciplines. You will have the opportunity to participate in an optional museum studies module, as well as possible volunteering positions across the Highlands.

Special features

• Study culture, heritage and history in a global context
• Choose from a range of interdisciplinary subjects to suit your own interests and career path
• Gain and polish your research skills
• Study full-time or part-time to suit your personal circumstances
• Individual modules can be studied for personal and professional development

Accommodation

We offer modern student accommodation at a number of our locations.

Entry requirements

Entry to year one:

• 3 Scottish Highers at grade BBC or above OR
• 2 A levels at grade BC or above
• At least two should be from the list of relevant academic subjects
• Applicants with other relevant qualifications or experience will be considered on an individual basis

Advanced entry to year two:

• HNC Social Science (12 SQA credits) with 3 additional SQA credits at level 7, which is equivalent to 120 degree credit points, and at least grade C in the Graded Unit will be considered for direct entry to year two

Access routes

SWAP Access courses
If you are eligible to undertake Scottish Wider Access Programmes (SWAP), please visit our SWAP access list for further information on grade profiles and available subjects.

Year 1 - CertHE

You will study the following modules.

Culture and Heritage:

• Scotland: the brand OR What is culture?
• Culture. Heritage. What? OR Scotland's music

History:

• What is history?

PLUS one of the following:

• A Middle Age? Europe c. 1000-1500
• People, power and protest: themes in modern British history
• Empire, environment and identity: Scotland 1600-2000

You will choose a further two option modules from a range of history, culture and heritage and other humanities subjects.

Year 2 - DipHE

You will study the following modules.

Culture and Heritage:

• Tradition, custom and belief

Plus one of the following:

• Golden mead and burning hearts
• Languages on the edge
• Displaying the past: museum studies

History:

• Historians and history
• A curious age: Europe 1500-1789
• Themes in American history
• Introduction to medieval and early modern Scotland

You will choose a further two option modules from a range of history, culture and heritage and other humanities subjects.

Year 3 - BA

You will study one of two core modules: Public history 

• An interdisciplinary project 

You will also study a further five options, ensuring a balance of three Culture and Heritage and three History modules.

Modules may include the following options.

Culture and Heritage:

• Perceptions of heritage
• Scotland in film
• Celtic and Celtic revival art in Scotland 600-2000
• The Scottish enlightenment and Highland society*
• People and the natural environment*

* modules run on alternate years

History:

• A study of things: material culture of medieval and early modern Europe
• A clash of civilisations: the Crusades, c. 1096-1198
• War and chivalry in Medieval Britain and France c1100-1400
• Queer Britannia: gender, sexuality and performative identities in Britain, 1800-1950
• Crime, custom and conflict, 1700 - 1850

Students wishing to specialise in Scottish History at Level 10 are advised to take at least one Scottish History option, plus undertake a Scottish topic for their Public History project, or two Scottish History options if they are not taking Public History.

Year 4 - BA (Hons)

You will complete a dissertation in Culture and Heritage or History. You will also study one option module from your chosen dissertation subject, plus three option modules from the other subject.

Modules may include the following options.

Culture and Heritage:

• Visual research methods
• Scottish tradition in philosophy
• Highland journeys
• Faeries and fables – the story of Gaelic literature
• Vikings and Valkyries

History:

• Fight the power: music and the politics of black America
• Gender in American culture and society 1776-1917
• Lordship, colony, kingdom: the making of Ireland
• Reaching the ‘estate of manhood’ in medieval and early modern Europe 
• The Norman diaspora: conquest, colonisation and assimilation

If you wish to exit with a Culture, Heritage and Scottish History degree you must undertake a Scottish History dissertation plus one further Scottish History OR, if you are undertaking a Culture & Heritage dissertation, two of the three History modules must be in Scottish History.

Fees

For students normally domiciled in Scotland, with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

This includes

• EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK,
• EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status in the UK
• EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.

Rest of UK students

For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland, including Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and with a term time address in Scotland studying this course full time, the following fees apply:

4th year free only for students studying full-time, on continuous study, who have paid for the previous three years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Part-time (per 20 credit module) - £1,542.

Fees are payable in advance each academic year unless otherwise agreed.

There are a number of funding options available to UK students to help you pay for your studies and your cost of living while studying.

EU/EEA and Swiss nationals without settled or pre-settled status in the UK

Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, the Scottish Government confirmed that EU/EEA and Swiss nationals, who do not have settled or pre-settled status, will be considered as international for fee purposes.  For 2022-23, students will get an automatic scholarship of £3,000 per annum and the 4^th year of study will be free for those studying full-time, on continuous study, who have paid for the previous three years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.

This includes EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are not self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.

Students will need Student Route visa sponsorship to study on the UK.

International students

For students who do not normally reside in the UK or European Union and with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

Part-time study is not open to international students requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK.

Further information on international course fees.

A no fee increase guarantee is available for self-funding full-time and structured part-time rest of the UK, EU and international undergraduate students for continuous study for the same award, up to the permitted standard time limit for the relevant award.

Funding

External scholarships and financial support may be available. Contact the relevant university partner college for more information.