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38% of students drop out or transfer from this specific course. Consider asking why on an open day.
BA History and Languages
About this course
History and languages studied together offer a rich combination that connects the study of the past to the linguistic and cultural tools needed to understand it more fully. History develops your ability to research, interpret evidence, construct arguments from primary and secondary sources, and understand how societies have changed and why. Languages, whether ancient or modern, open access to sources, cultures, and perspectives that would otherwise remain inaccessible, deepening your historical understanding by allowing you to engage directly with texts and communities rather than through translation alone. The Open University's History and Languages programme is studied part time and delivered through distance learning, making it accessible regardless of where you live or what other commitments you hold. The Open University has a long and distinguished tradition of enabling students to study at a high academic level flexibly, and its model is particularly suited to those who are working, caring for family members, or living in areas where campus attendance is not practical. You will engage with historical inquiry across different periods and regions, and with language study at a level appropriate to your starting point and interests, developing both disciplines through structured materials, guided reading, and online tutor support. Studying part time and by distance learning requires self-discipline and the ability to manage your own learning, but it also means you can integrate your studies directly with your personal and professional life, and many Open University students find that their wider experience enriches their academic engagement considerably. Graduates from history and languages programmes pursue careers in education, heritage, archive and library work, journalism, publishing, translation, the civil service, cultural organisations, and international work. The combination of historical understanding and language skills is valued in any context that requires engaging with different cultural traditions and interpreting complex material from the past. Postgraduate routes include history, language study, heritage management, and archive work.
Syllabus & Modules
Typical curriculumStudent Satisfaction
National Student Survey - 225 respondents (57% response rate)
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