History and Economics
Course overview
UCAS code: LV11
Entrance requirements: AAA
Course duration: 3 years (BA)
Subject requirements
Required subjects: Not applicable
Recommended subjects: History, Maths
Helpful subjects: Not applicable
Other course requirements
Admissions tests:
- HAT
- TSA (Section 1)
Written Work: One piece (History)
Admissions statistics*
Interviewed: 37%
Successful: 10%
Intake: 16
Successful for a different course: 2%
Applicant intake for a different course: 3
*3-year average 2021-23
History contact
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 615000
Email: [email protected]
Economics contact
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 271098
Email: [email protected]
Unistats information for this course can be found at the bottom of the page
Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small.
About the course
The History and Economics course integrates these two subjects to form a coherent and intellectually stimulating programme. The combination allows insights that neither subject can realise alone. However, it is possible to specialise primarily in either history or economics while still preserving the benefits of an integrated approach.
The combination of economics, economic history and history will equip you to view real world issues from a variety of perspectives. You will learn both the historian’s careful approaches to evidence and argumentation and the economist’s analytical and quantitative methods. These approaches provide an excellent preparation for a range of professional, financial and academic careers.
The course is designed to equip you with the basic tools of both history and economics, while introducing you to some of the areas which you can study later in more depth.
You will be given a wide choice of subjects. Everyone studies Introductory economics, which is designed to give a solid understanding of the foundations of both Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Statistical Methods. The economics core papers are identical to those for Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) and Economics and Management and students for these courses are generally taught together.
Oxford possesses exceptional library provision for both subjects in the Bodleian Library, the History Faculty and Social Sciences libraries, other faculty libraries and the college libraries.
Unistats information
Discover Uni course data provides applicants with Unistats statistics about undergraduate life at Oxford for a particular undergraduate course.
Please select 'see course data' to view the full Unistats data for History and Economics.
Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small.
Visit the Studying at Oxford section of this page for a more general insight into what studying here is likely to be like.
History and Economics
A typical week
During the first year, you will be expected to attend around five lectures each week, participate in regular meetings with tutors to discuss work, conduct independent research and write at least one essay a week.
In the second and third years you will have the opportunity to write a thesis on Economic history, which will enable you to do a piece of independent research. Generally students are very much in charge of their own timetable throughout their courses.
Tutorials are usually two-four students and a tutor. Class sizes may vary depending on the options you choose. There would usually be no more than around 12 students though classes for some of the more popular papers may be up to 20 students.
Most tutorials, classes, and lectures are delivered by staff who are tutors in their subject. Many are world-leading experts with years of experience in teaching and research. Some teaching may also be delivered by postgraduate students who are usually studying at doctoral level.
To find out more about how our teaching year is structured, visit our Academic Year page.
Course structure
Year 1
Courses | Assessment |
|---|---|
| First University examinations: four timed, written exams. |
Years 2 and 3
Courses | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Final University examinations: seven timed written exams and one compulsory undergraduate thesis. |
Visit the History website and Economics website for the latest information on all course details and options.
The content and format of this course may change in some circumstances. Read further information about potential course changes.
Academic requirements
Qualification | Requirements |
|---|---|
A-levels: | AAA |
Advanced Highers: | AA/AAB |
International Baccalaureate (IB): | 38 (including core points) with 666 at HL |
Any other equivalent qualification: | View information on other UK qualifications, and international qualifications. |
Wherever possible, your grades are considered in the context in which they have been achieved.
Read further information on how we use contextual data.
Subject requirements
| Recommended: | It is highly recommended for candidates to have both History and Mathematics to A-level, Advanced Higher, Higher Level in the IB or any other equivalent. |
|---|
If a practical component forms part of any of your science A‐levels used to meet your offer, we expect you to pass it.
If English is not your first language you may also need to meet our English language requirements.
Applying
All candidates must follow the application procedure as shown on our Applying to Oxford pages.
The following information gives specific details for students applying for this course.
Admissions test
Test: | HAT and TSA (S1) |
|---|---|
Test date: | HAT: 21 October 2024 TSA: 24 October 2024 |
Registration window: | 15 August to 4 October 2024 |
All candidates must take the History Admissions Test (HAT) and the computer-based Thinking Skills Assessment: Section 1 (TSA S1) as part of their application.
All the information you need to arrange to take your test as well as how best to prepare can be found on your test page.
Written work
Description: | All candidates are required to submit one recent marked coursework essay on a historical topic. This should have been written in the candidates’ own time as part of their normal school or college work. Please note that a submitted essay in Economics is not required. |
|---|---|
Deadline: | 10 November 2024 |
Visit our further guidance on the submission of written work for more information, and to download a cover sheet.
What are tutors looking for?
Tutors are looking for intellectual curiosity, as well as a flexible approach to engaging with unfamiliar concepts or arguments and an enthusiasm for history and economics.
If you are shortlisted, you may be asked to discuss your submitted written work and personal statement during interview. Candidates may also be asked to read and talk about a short passage as part of the interview or work through a short problem.
We do not require any previous formal qualification in economics, but we do expect you to demonstrate a real interest in the subject.
Careers
Some of the most popular careers for History and Economics graduates include working in industry, management consulting, the law, teaching and many branches of public service, including the Civil and Diplomatic Services, and the Bank of England.
Recent History and Economics graduates include a management consultant, a charity officer and an economist.
Michael is currently the Managing Director for Thomson Reuters’ Treasury business across Asia Pacific. He says:
‘Running a broad region as diverse as Asia Pacific requires me to think laterally across cultures coupled with a concise and engaging focus – traits that one hones quickly from the tutorial approach at Oxford.’
We don't want anyone who has the academic ability to get a place to study here to be held back by their financial circumstances. To meet that aim, Oxford offers one of the most generous financial support packages available for UK students and this may be supplemented by support from your college.
Fees
For more information please refer to our course fees page. Fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on likely increases to fees and charges.
Living costs
Living costs at Oxford might be less than you’d expect, as our world-class resources and college provision can help keep costs down.
Living costs for the academic year starting in 2025 are estimated to be between £1,425 and £2,035 for each month you are in Oxford. Our academic year is made up of three eight-week terms, so you would not usually need to be in Oxford for much more than six months of the year but may wish to budget over a nine-month period to ensure you also have sufficient funds during the holidays to meet essential costs. For further details please visit our living costs webpage.
Financial support
Home | A tuition fee loan is available from the UK government to cover course fees in full for Home (UK, Irish nationals and other eligible students with UK citizens' rights - see below*) students undertaking their first undergraduate degree**, so you don’t need to pay your course fees up front. In 2025 Oxford is offering one of the most generous bursary packages of any UK university to Home students with a family income of around £50,000 or less, with additional opportunities available to UK students from households with incomes of £32,500 or less. The UK government also provides living costs support to Home students from the UK and those with settled status who meet the residence requirements. *For courses starting on or after 1 August 2021, the UK government has confirmed that EU, other EEA, and Swiss Nationals will be eligible for student finance from the UK government if they have UK citizens’ rights (i.e. if they have pre-settled or settled status, or if they are an Irish citizen covered by the Common Travel Area arrangement). The support you can access from the government will depend on your residency status. |
Islands | Islands students are entitled to different support to that of students from the rest of the UK. Please refer the links below for information on the support to you available from your funding agency: |
Overseas | Please refer to the "Other Scholarships" section of our Oxford Bursaries and Scholarships page. |
**If you have studied at undergraduate level before and completed your course, you will be classed as an Equivalent or Lower Qualification student (ELQ) and won’t be eligible to receive government or Oxford funding
Additional Fees and Charges Information for History and Economics
There are no compulsory costs for this course beyond the fees shown above and your living costs.
Contextual information
Unistats course data from Discover Uni provides applicants with statistics about a particular undergraduate course at Oxford. For a more holistic insight into what studying your chosen course here is likely to be like, we would encourage you to view the information below as well as to explore our website more widely.
The Oxford tutorial
College tutorials are central to teaching at Oxford. Typically, they take place in your college and are led by your academic tutor(s) who teach as well as do their own research. Students will also receive teaching in a variety of other ways, depending on the course. This will include lectures and classes, and may include laboratory work and fieldwork. However, tutorials offer a level of personalised attention from academic experts unavailable at most universities.
During tutorials (normally lasting an hour), college subject tutors will give you and one or two tutorial partners feedback on prepared work and cover a topic in depth. The other student(s) in your tutorials will be doing the same course as you. Such regular and rigorous academic discussion develops and facilitates learning in a way that isn’t possible through lectures alone. Tutorials also allow for close progress monitoring so tutors can quickly provide additional support if necessary.
Read more about tutorials and an Oxford education
College life
Our colleges are at the heart of Oxford’s reputation as one of the best universities in the world.
- At Oxford, everyone is a member of a college as well as their subject department(s) and the University. Students therefore have both the benefits of belonging to a large, renowned institution and to a small and friendly academic community. Each college or hall is made up of academic and support staff, and students. Colleges provide a safe, supportive environment leaving you free to focus on your studies, enjoy time with friends and make the most of the huge variety of opportunities.
- Each college has a unique character, but generally their facilities are similar. Each one, large or small, will have the following essential facilities:
- Porters’ lodge (a staffed entrance and reception)
- Dining hall
- Lending library (often open 24/7 in term time)
- Student accommodation
- Tutors’ teaching rooms
- Chapel and/or music rooms
- Laundry
- Green spaces
- Common room (known as the JCR).
- All first-year students are offered college accommodation either on the main site of their college or in a nearby college annexe. This means that your neighbours will also be ‘freshers’ and new to life at Oxford. This accommodation is guaranteed, so you don’t need to worry about finding somewhere to live after accepting a place here, all of this is organised for you before you arrive.
- All colleges offer at least one further year of accommodation and some offer it for the entire duration of your degree. You may choose to take up the option to live in your college for the whole of your time at Oxford, or you might decide to arrange your own accommodation after your first year – perhaps because you want to live with friends from other colleges.
- While college academic tutors primarily support your academic development, you can also ask their advice on other things. Lots of other college staff including welfare officers help students settle in and are available to offer guidance on practical or health matters. Current students also actively support students in earlier years, sometimes as part of a college ‘family’ or as peer supporters trained by the University’s Counselling Service.
FIND OUT MORE
Our 2025 undergraduate Open Days will be held on 2 and 3 July and 19 September.
Register to find out more about our upcoming Open Days.
Top-ranked history department in the UK
With more than 180 historians, Oxford's submission to REF 2021 was by far the largest in the United Kingdom.
More than 50% of our research* was ranked as 4* (world leading) putting us no. 1 in the country for 'research power'.
*Overall profile, impact and environment. Visit the REF website for more detail.
RELATED PAGES
Related courses
- Other History courses
- History of Art
- PPE
Feel Inspired?
Why not have a look at some History magazines such as History Today or BBC History (which also has weekly podcasts).
You may also like to explore the British Museum website or BBC Radio 4 archives, both of which have excellent links to historical materials.
For the study of economics, an indispensable introduction to economic analysis, is The Economist or the economics pages of newspapers.
Paul Krugman’s writings are also highly recommended, while Begg, Fischer and Dornbusch’s Economics is a useful introductory textbook.
