This programme is designed to encourage students to pursue their interests in European history in depth and to obtain training specifically designed for undertaking research in European history. Geographically, the degree deals with West, Central, Eastern and Southern Europe and regions such as Scandinavia and the Balkans. It offers the opportunity to study European History in a cross-national perspective and at the same time to focus on specific European countries or regions. There are optional courses on the history of single countries such as France, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia and the Soviet Union among others. Students are introduced to different theoretical, methodological and historiographical approaches of writing European history. They are taught in several sub-disciplines of history and can choose options in areas including social and economic history, political history, cultural and intellectual history, gender history, diplomatic and military history.

We are located in Bloomsbury, just a few minutes walk away from the exceptional resources of the British Library, the British Museum and the research institutes of the University of London, including the Warburg and the Institute of Historical Research. There are very few History Departments in the world so close to so many world-class resources. The Department enables all students to make the most of these exceptional riches.

The position of UCL History as a world-class Department was confirmed by the results of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, in which universities across the UK submitted research published during the period 2001-7 for competitive peer-review. The History panel classified 40% of our work as ‘world-leading’ (4), plus a further 25% as internationally excellent (3) and a further 25% as ‘internationally recognised’ (2). 40% in the 4 category was the highest score awarded by the History panel, and only two other departments achieved it. At the level of ‘world-leading’ research UCL History was ranked equal with Cambridge and above Oxford.