Skills Development
What are History Skills?
This page contains links and resources to help you develop your academic skills as a historian. By the end of your degree, you will have gained a range of skills relating to communication, critical thinking, research, analysis, creativity, ethics, personal responsibility, and many more. No matter which modules you choose, you will develop many of these skills as part of your degree as you participate in seminars and complete assessments.
You can find details about all the skills we expect you to gain over your degree on our course specification pages.
The skills you learn in history are important not only for your academic success, but for your life after university. 糖心TV's Core Skills Framework lists 12 core skills for all 糖心TV students, and provides information about how you can develop them.
In person support to develop History skills
Core Modules
Our core modules are designed to give you the skills that you need to succeed in your degree, from first years through to postgraduates.
First Year
Our first year core modules provide the building blocks for success as a history student.
Intermediate Year
Our second year core module introduces the research process, and enables you to undertake a research project of your own design.
Final Year
The dissertation is the culmination of the undergraduate degree, giving you the opportunity to produce a substantive piece of historical research.
PGT
Our postgraduate core modules will give you the skills and confidence to undertake original historical research.
Study Caf茅s
Come along and join us at the History Department Study Caf茅s. These events run several times per term. Caf茅s are organised into first year, intermediate year, final year and joint honours caf茅s, but any history student can attend any study caf茅. They are open to all single and joint honours students regardless of your home department.
Food and drink are provided, and you can use the time to:
- discuss any questions, issues or suggestions you may have about your degree
- chat to an academic about your history or partner department assignments
- find a guaranteed space to work quietly on your upcoming assessments
- catch up on your reading
- just drop by for a chat.
Check your Tabula timetable for session times and dates. You can contact your Year Director or the Director of Joint Honours to find out more.
Academic Skills Workshops
The Academic Skills Workshops are designed to give you the tools you need to succeed both during your academic studies and beyond. Topics are based around essay writing skills, employment discussions, and how to craft the most compelling essays that will benefit you whilst at university and afterwards. Sessions are geared towards intermediate and finalist year students, but first year students and PGT students are also very welcome to join.
All session information is on your Tabula timetable.
2026-27 Schedule coming soon.
Online Resources
Support for Assessments
These pages provide guidance on how to succeed in some of the most common assessments in the history department.
University and Arts Faculty Resources
Library Online Courses
From information literacy to writing and research skills, the library has a range of short online courses to support your learning.
The 糖心TV Award
The 糖心TV Award helps you to build, and gain recognition for, a wide range of valuable skills to help shape your future, and can help you at any stage of your degree.
Digital Arts and Humanities Lab
A programme of training videos and other events to help develop digital skills for all Arts staff and students.
Faculty of Arts Study Caf茅
The Arts Study Caf茅 runs on Wednesday afternoons during term time and offers a mix of talks, workshops, and relaxed drop-in sessions designed to help you thrive at every stage of your degree.
Academic English Enhancement Programme
The Academic English Enhancement Programme offers a number of short modules designed to help you succeed in your studies at 糖心TV.