Cambridge A Level History

[Mariu Carlton]

Wenormally require an A-level or equivalent in History, but beyond that, there are no specific requirements; students have come to us having studied a whole range of subjects, from Drama to Further Maths. Specifics about admission requirements may be found on College websites, which may set further requirements. Take a look at the central University page for History to learn more.

This is because while the Faculty of History provides the teaching and lectures to history undergraduates, it does not handle admission assessments and interviews. Those are handled by individual Colleges, which specify their own entry requirements. In short, when you apply to read History at Cambridge, you are actually applying to read History at one of the Cambridge colleges. Therefore, for specific questions, you should contact the Admissions Tutor of the college(s) you are interested in applying to. You can find their details here.

No, the Faculty of History provides teaching to all students irrespective of College. The vast majority of lectures and seminars are offered centrally by the Faculty, and are given by historians from different Colleges; you may also be supervised by historians at a different College to your own. However, some forms of teaching under the new Tripos will be entirely based at your College: for example, the first-year paper Introduction to Historical Thinking.

The History Admissions Assessment (HAA) is a source-based assessment designed to test your ability to think critically and historically about a set of primary sources. You will usually be given a pair of historical sources and asked to compare and contrast them in a short essay. The sources can be about anything -- from slavery in West Africa to early modern kitchens in Europe (two examples from recent years) and you will not be expected to have studied the time period, region, or topic before. Rather, you will be asked to comment on the tone of the source, the type of source it is (a diary entry or newspaper article, for example), its origin and reliability , imagery, source bias, and so on. The good news is you can practice doing this yourself or with your friends; check out our resources here or look around you for a historical source you can use: an old newspaper, a political speech you found online, or even a story told by a grandparent.

Some colleges will also conduct an at-interview assessment. This may take the form of a primary or secondary document provided to you in advance of your interview, which will form the basis of a subject-specific interview. Different Colleges will run this differently: some provide this document to you on the day of the interview, while others might send it to you several days in advance. As suggested above, queries about this are therefore best directed to individual Colleges:

The Colleges are all, in their various ways, aiming to gather information about whether an applicant will be a good fit for the Cambridge course. Each College therefore chooses the most informative aspects for their own applications process. This means that some may lay greater emphasis on the coursework essays you submit with your UCAS application, while others will pay closer attention to the HAA, and still others might value the interviews most highly. In general, the admissions process at Cambridge is a holistic one, and all elements of your application, from your UCAS personal statement to the HAA, will be taken into account in order to give the College the best chance at figuring out whether you are a good fit for them, and whether you are likely to thrive and be successful in your Cambridge History degree.

This is a decision that only you can make, and will depend on your priorities and particular interests. The Single Honours History programme of learning is not subject to the same kinds of constraints as the Joint Degrees. HP and HML students can take classes from different faculties -- POLIS (the Department of Politics and International Relations) or MML (Medieval and Modern Languages), respectively -- but must choose their History options from among a smaller subset of History papers than are available to single Honours students. So if you are interested in learning about history across many different time periods and places, the Single Honours History degree offers you the widest range of options.

However, there is more overlap than you may think. For instance, many of the papers offered as part of the HP degree which feature political theory -- Hobbes, Locke, Marx, Wollstonecraft and so forth -- are, in fact, originally History papers. Single honours History students are free to take these papers in Political Thought and Intellectual History, alongside a broad range of History papers in US History, World History and others. Where HP differs from Single Honours History is the provision of options from POLIS, which offers more contemporary topics, like the study of international organisations or comparative politics of the present.

The material taught in the History of Art Tripos will appeal to those with a particular interest in the history and criticism of art and architecture in Western Europe. Cambridge is an ideal place in which to study History of Art, since it has a rich legacy of architectural masterpieces. Trinity, in common with other colleges, possesses many fine paintings, illuminated manuscripts, and rare books. The Fitzwilliam Museum, the whose staff contribute to teaching in the Department of History of Art, has a collection of international importance.

The Tripos consists of a one-year Part I and a Part II which may be studied over one or two years; the one-year option is designed for those who have already taken a two-year Part I in another subject. Emphasis throughout the course is placed on first-hand contact with works of art and architecture. Travel is therefore encouraged and the College offers grants for this purpose.

There are many choices of A-levels that are suitable for History of Art, although Italian, German, Greek, Latin, French, History, or English would all provide a useful preparation for the course. An A-level in History of Art is not necessary: what the interviewers will be looking for in candidates is not specialist knowledge but intellectual potential, visual sensitivity, and evidence of enthusiasm for the subject.

More information about the Tripos is given in the course brochure; if you would like a copy, please write to the Secretary, Department of History of Art, 1 Scroope Terrace, Cambridge CB2 1PX. You can also visit the departmental website.

In grade 9, students will take World History, 1880-present. This course is required for graduation and is offered at the Honors level only.

In grade 10, students will take Earned Honors Option Critical Issues in US History; this course is also required for graduation.

In grade 11, students choose at least one History or Social Science elective to meet the basic graduation requirements. Many colleges and universities require students to earn 4 units of History and Social Science as an entrance requirement, so seniors are encouraged to take another history elective or explore other areas of the social sciences.

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History and Politics at Cambridge is an exciting Honours degree that offers subjects from our highly regarded History and Politics and International Relations courses, together with bespoke papers which will allow students to explore the space between the two disciplines.

Students will develop skills in analysing the operation of power across institutions and societies around the world, and explore how different forms of evidence can be used to understand the past and the present. They will be able to choose from a wide range of topics in British, European, US and World history, the history of political thought, international relations, and comparative politics.

Cambridge is uniquely placed to teach History and Politics and International Relations together. Both Faculties are widely regarded as world-leading. The History Faculty is one of the largest in the United Kingdom and is consistently ranked as the best in research and teaching assessments. It has internationally recognised experts in all relevant fields of study. The Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) is a medium-sized department with about 30 academics with a huge range of specialisms. It has particular research strengths in international politics, international history and international law, comparative politics and political thought.

Staff in the Faculty of History and the Department of Politics and International Studies have a wide range of shared interests in political and international history, the origins of contemporary politics and international relations, and the history of political ideas. This new degree balances a strong grounding in the two component subjects with the opportunity to explore the ways in which historical and political understanding together illuminate the modern world. A relevant reading list, which may be of interest to those interested in Politics, is included on the HSPS page.

Peterhouse historians such as Herbert Butterfield have played a prominent role in developing the fields of modern historical scholarship and the history of political thought. Our Director of Studies for History and Politics are Dr Geraint Thomas and Dr Magnus Ryan. Dr Geraint Thomas is a historian of twentieth-century Britain, with teaching interests spanning the political, social and cultural history of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Britain. Dr Magnus Ryan is a University Lecturer in the History Faculty, teaching the history of political thought, beginning with Plato and finishing in 1600, as well as general medieval European history from 900 to 1450.

The Peterhouse History Society and the Peterhouse Politics Society, organised by our undergraduates, meet regularly to hear from distinguished speakers from outside Cambridge. Peterhouse is also home to the renowned Centre for Geopolitics, a research hub dedicated to the application of historical lessons to contemporary geopolitical problems. The Ward Library houses one of the most complete collections of historical and related material in the University, tailored to the needs of undergraduates studying History & Politics.

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