Skip to content Accessibility statement

Department of History

Incredible breadth of study driven by world-class research.

Study with us

Join a vibrant intellectual community with a strong tradition of academic support.

Develop a deep historical knowledge through modules with extensive chronological span, as well as geographic and thematic scope.

Discover our courses

Find scholarships and funding

Research and innovation

Groundbreaking expertise spanning the globe.

Our research informs public debate and policy. We’re committed to developing in future generations the critical abilities that are integral to the historian’s craft and essential for understanding our past, present and future.

Explore our research

At York, you'll encounter innovative yet supportive small-group teaching, led by experts whose work receives international awards and stimulates public debate. Our extensive collaborations with partners in our beautiful historic city enable us to offer students and researchers exciting opportunities to apply historical thinking in wider contexts.

Professor Oleg Benesch, Head of Department

Excellent employability prospects
Our alumni include diplomats, MPs, barristers, solicitors, doctors, teachers, museum directors, police detectives, archivists, librarians and journalists.
3rd in the UK
for impact and 11th for the quality of our research in the Times Higher Education ranking of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.
Historical York
The city has roots in Roman, Saxon, Viking and medieval history and is full of museums and sites of significance, including the iconic York Minster and the Shambles.
8th in the UK for History
(Complete University Guide 2026)

News

18 July 2025

The results of the 2025 National Student Survey have revealed the strengths of the Department of History in ‘teaching on my course’.

27 June 2025

Guidelines for expressions of interest to the department of History

17 June 2025

Do you have a ghost story to tell? Come and be part of a University research project capturing local stories passed down through generations

11 June 2025

York is ranked 8th in the UK for history in the latest release of the Complete University Guide league tables (2026).

Events

There are no events to show here right now. Please check back another time.

Information for...