About the Course

The Joint School of History and Economics integrates the 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 (political as well as social) means that you will be equipped to view issues in the real world from a variety of contrasting perspectives.

You will learn both the historian’s careful approaches to evidence and argumentation and the economist’s analytical and quantitative methods, providing 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, whilst introducing you to some of the areas that 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 micro- and macro-economics, including some of mathematical tools used in these subjects.

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.

Further information regarding the course structure and choice of subjects can be viewed here.

Teaching staff

Dr Alexandra Gajda John Walsh Fellow in History.

Dr Matthew Kerry Zeitlyn Fellow and Tutor in History.

Professor Susan Doran Senior Research Fellow in History.

Professor David Nash Senior Research Fellow in History.

Professor Péter Esö Fellow and Tutor in Economics.

Dr Vedanta Dhamija Career Development Fellow in Economics

Dr Philip Schnattinger Lecturer in Economics.

Admissions requirements and course information

Number of places usually available each year at Jesus College: 8 (for History and related Joint Schools)

For detailed information on this course including course structure, entry requirements and how to apply, please use the links below:

Course details

How to apply

Faculty of History

Podcasts from the History Faculty

Department of Economics

 

 

Postgraduate studies and careers

The Faculty of History offers a range of taught graduate courses at master’s level and two research programmes leading to the degrees of Master of Letters or Doctor of Philosophy.

In addition to the traditional fields of historical research, in political, social, and cultural history, History at Oxford embraces more specialised areas, such as medieval history, economic and social history, the history of science, medicine, and technology, and the history of art. For a full list of the postgraduate courses offered by the Faculty of History, please click here.

The Department of Economics has around 200 graduate students. As a research based community, the Department puts great weight on developing its graduate students. The following degrees are offered at postgraduate level:

• DPhil Economics
• MPhil Economics
• MSc Economic and Social History (joint with the History Faculty)
• MPhil Economic and Social History (joint with the History Faculty)
• MSc Economics for Development (joint with the Department of International Relations)
• MSc Financial Economics (joint with Saïd Business School)

Although a History degree is not vocational in any strict sense (and many students undertake the course for reasons of sheer intellectual pleasure) it does equip students with a set of transferable skills applicable to many careers. Historians are used to the sifting of large quantities of often conflicting information; they are skilled in the evaluation of differing interpretations; they are trained in presenting complex issues in a lucid and convincing fashion; their verbal and critical skills are highly developed. These qualities have enabled generations of Oxford historians to excel in a wide range of careers. Oxford historians typically move on to careers in business, the law, investment banking and consultancies, advertising, accountancy, the civil service, publishing, journalism and the media, global charity work, museums, librarianship and archive work, and teaching.