History

Student profile: Stephen

I first looked at Balliol because it was first in the alphabet. But when I read more about it, I picked Balliol for three reasons: because of the fact that it was the first college to admit ethnic minority students, because of its progressive reputation, and because of its informality. I loved Balliol from the moment I arrived for interviews. I love the way it combines everything that for me is quintessentially Oxford with an easy informality and relaxed atmosphere; we can sit on the grass and turn up to formal hall in a t-shirt and jeans.

Number of places at Balliol

Usually 12

Subject information

Please see the Faculty of History website and the course page on the undergraduate admissions website.

Course requirements

Please see the entrance requirements on the undergraduate admissions website.

College requirements

Candidates are expected to study History to A-level or an equivalent level.

Admissions/Selection criteria

For information on how applicants are assessed, see the Faculty of History website.

History at Balliol

Balliol has long enjoyed an outstanding reputation for History teaching and research. The College’s investment in History is reflected in its provision of four Fellows in the subject, and a Library whose holdings in the subject are second to none. The College’s coverage of the syllabus is correspondingly wide, and there is no attempt to steer undergraduates towards one option rather than another. Balliol History students participate in the exciting opportunities for archival research provided by the undergraduate thesis, and some funds are available to assist students with their research work. Between one-quarter and one-third of our undergraduates typically proceed to postgraduate work in Oxford or elsewhere, and the College maintains a thriving community of graduate students in History. Others move on into careers in the law, the civil service, journalism, television, and many other fields.

Tutors

Lesley Abrams teaches early medieval history and has published on political, cultural, and social aspects of the Viking Age, as well as more general studies of conversion to Christianity.
Martin Conway teaches European and World History of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and has published on themes of inter-war fascism, collaboration, and the re-establishment of democracy in Europe after 1945.
Simon Skinner teaches modern British history, and has published on politics and religion in early Victorian Britain.