Drawing on modules from across the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, particularly the Department of History, the Medieval and Renaissance Studies degree will develop your critical abilities within a vibrant department of like-minded students and expert scholars.On this course the core first year module is designed to extend and deepen your knowledge of the past and introduce you to major historical topics and themes from the ancient world to the present day. You will gain insights into how historians conduct research and interpret the past and develop your own research, essay-writing and presentational skills.Many History students choose to take additional, specialised modules on topics ranging from the fall of the Roman Empire to histories of violence and empire in the modern world. The second part of the degree is mostly taught in collaboration with the Department of English and Creative Writing, the Department of Languages and Cultures and the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion. Drawing on expert advice, you will select modules that allow you to study the history of the period between 300 and 1700 as well as the culture, languages, literature and politics of the time, ranging from Celtic Britain to seventeenth-century Europe.You will have the opportunity to spend Year 3 on placement with a public, private or voluntary organisation in the UK or overseas. This experience will boost your employment prospects and will help you to decide on your career direction and the kind of organisation in which you want to work once you graduate. You will be doing a real, responsible job – with all the satisfaction that brings. Our Placements Team will support you in finding and applying for a suitable placement that will support your professional development. Applying for a placement is a competitive process and the preparatory modules you will complete in years one and two are designed to give you the best chance of success in your placement applications. You will also be provided with dedicated workshops, 1:1 appointments with careers professionals as well as opportunities to speak with employers here on campus.During the placement year you will remain a Lancaster University student which means that you will still be eligible for a student loan, have access to facilities such as the library and receive discounts on transport and council tax. Your tuition fee will be reduced to 20% during the placement year. The placement will enhance your understanding of the connections between theory and practice and this will benefit your final year of study. This is an exciting opportunity to build up experience and transferable skills, as well as to make contacts with potential employers, which will place you a step ahead in the graduate recruitment market.The Department of History is a thriving centre of historical teaching and research. The work of our Regional Heritage Centre puts us at the heart of the local historical community and enables us to offer a pioneering range of placements, with partners such as The National Trust, Cumbria County Council and The Duchy of Lancaster.