Admissions - Subjects Admissions - Subjects
HISTORY
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The Course These notes describe the admissions procedure and the teaching of History at Queens', and should be read in conjunction with the relevant sections of the Cambridge University Undergraduate Prospectus. The course at Cambridge covers every period of history from the most ancient to the most modern and ranges geographically from Britain, Ireland and the continent of Europe to America, Africa and Asia. Cambridge has long enjoyed a distinguished reputation in the field of political and constitutional history and it has also played a leading role in the development of social and economic history. More recently it has become a major centre for the study of intellectual history. The undergraduate course is designed to make the most of this large reservoir of expertise and to enable students to develop their own special interests as they move through each of the three years. The History course, like all the undergraduate courses at the University, is divided into two parts. Part I of the Tripos covers the first two years. Here the course offers an extensive range of chronologically defined areas of study, which are designed to enable the undergraduate to investigate the historical process in its sweep and breadth as well as in depth, and to gain a critical appreciation of historical methods and interpretations. In constructing their course for Part I each student is free to focus on a particular chronological period, e.g. the early or late medieval periods, the early modern, or later periods into the contemporary era. Normally the periods chosen in the first two terms relate to British history in its political and social and economic aspects; the third term is usually devoted to European history. Then during the second year the student normally branches out into new fields such as the history of North America, of European colonial expansion, of post colonial development, or the history of political thought. In addition one course studies (by means of a set of classes) historical themes, such as holy war, democracy or migrants, from original documents. It is examined by means of a long essay submitted at the beginning of the Lent Term of the second year. Finally a set of seminars is conducted for first year historians which introduce them to the philosophical problems relating to the pursuit of historical knowledge, to historical methodology and to the major traditions of interpretation that have been developed within the discipline. Part II of the Tripos builds on this foundation by introducing the undergraduate to topics that are now at the cutting edge of research. In the nature of things, the approach here is usually thematic, limited in chronological span, and document‑orientated. A wide choice of topics is available. At present these range from Rome in ancient times to Mau Mau and independence in Kenya, and to the growth of the ‘secret world’ (intelligence communities) and international relations in the twentieth century. In addition the possibility is provided to undertake personal research by replacing one of the specified subjects with a dissertation on a topic of the student's own choice under the supervision of a specialist in the field. In general the History course at Cambridge is intended to provide the student not only with a sophisticated historical understanding and a close acquaintance with a wide range of modern historical scholarship, but also with a set of intellectual skills which can be applied either in historical research or in a career in the professions, the public service, the media or in industrial and commercial life. Admissions It is normally not necessary to have taken History as a school subject in order to read it for a degree. Intellectual aptitude and interest are the main prerequisites. Prior to interview, applicants will be asked to submit two pieces of work completed during their normal studies. In common with most other subjects at Queens', History does not have a fixed quota of places. The College has been taking about nine undergraduates to read History each year although the number can vary by two or three either way, depending on the strength of the applicants in a particular year. The usual conditional offer is one of A, A, A at A-level with appropriate equivalents in other examinations. Teaching In History, lectures are arranged by the University, and supervisions by the College. Undergraduates reading History generally have one supervision hour a week individually, based on an essay, which the supervisor has assigned the previous week. The College has four Fellows teaching History: Dr Richard Rex who teaches Early Modern History; Dr Craig Muldrew who teaches Early Modern Social and Economic History; Dr Carl Watkins, who teaches Medieval History; Dr Andrew Thompson, who works on Eighteenth Century European History. In addition the Director of Studies makes arrangements for supervision by Fellows in other Colleges for options outside the scope of the College teachers. Language teaching is also arranged in the first and second years, either to keep up a language already learnt to GCSE or beyond, or to start to acquire a new language. General In addition to undergraduate historians, Queens' also admits research students to work towards a doctorate in History and to master's degrees in International Relations, European Studies, Medieval History, Intellectual History, the History of Medicine and the MPhil in Historical Studies. The College History Society meets about two or three times a term to be addressed by historians, often from other universities, to discuss issues of mutual interest and to share a convivial glass of wine.
January 2003
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