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Studies & Degrees in History & Culture

History and culture brings together the study of the past with the study of how societies live, think and express themselves: their art, literature, religion, language and customs. Students read historical documents and other sources, compare interpretations and write about what they find. Courses usually look at one country or region in depth, and they often include visits to archives, museums and historical sites.

The subject has two kinds of students. Some take a full degree in history, humanities or cultural studies. Others study a different subject and add history and culture courses during a semester, a year or a summer abroad, often together with a language course. Most of the schools on this page serve the second group.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degrees. A history degree trains students in research, teaching and the communication of history. The Licenciatura en Historia of the Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico is built on four areas: teaching, research, the organisation of archives and libraries, and public dissemination. Its study plan requires 436 credits in the university's own credit system. In Spain, official bachelor's degrees (grados) in history or humanities have 240 ECTS credits.
  • Master's degrees and doctorates. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. A master's degree or a doctorate is the usual route to professional work as a historian, archivist or curator.
  • Semester and year abroad. The Centre for Advanced Studies in the Humanities of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków lets students from other universities spend one semester or a full academic year as full-time students. Its curriculum is taught in English in five modules: Literature, Culture, Jewish Studies, History and Language. Students take at least five courses and 30 ECTS credits per semester, and most courses carry 5 or 6 ECTS credits. Polish language courses are optional.
  • Study abroad through a provider. Barcelona SAE places students in the International Business & Humanities programme at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, with courses in English and Spanish in fields such as politics, literature, arts, architecture, sociology and history. No previous knowledge of Spanish is required, and the transcript is sent to the student's home institution.
  • Summer schools and short courses. Shorter options include academic summer schools, university summer schools and educational trips for school groups.

Students who need credit for a course taken abroad should agree this with their home university before they enrol. Ask the school which certificate or transcript it issues and how many credits it carries.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 12 active schools for history and culture. Four are in the United States and two in Spain. Mexico, the United Kingdom, Poland, Russia, Iraq, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have one each.

In Spain the list has Barcelona SAE, a study abroad and internship provider in Barcelona, and Educatrip, an educational travel company based in Granada that organises cultural programmes in Spain for schools and Spanish courses. In Latin America, the Universidad de Guadalajara teaches its history degree in Spanish.

In Europe the list includes the Department of International Polish Studies of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Oxford Scholastica Academy, which runs academic summer schools in Oxford, and the summer school of HSE University in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The schools in the United States include Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama, County College of Morris in New Jersey, the American English and Culture Program of Arizona State University and The Institute for U.S. Law in Washington, D.C. The University of Thi-Qar in Nasiriyah, Iraq, and Richmond Vale Academy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines complete the list.

The language of instruction depends on the audience. Programmes for international students are usually taught in English, sometimes with a course in the local language. Full degrees are taught in the language of the country.

Careers

History and culture graduates work in teaching, museums, archives and libraries, heritage and cultural management, publishing, journalism, tourism and public administration. The skills they use most are research, critical reading of sources and clear writing. The Universidad de Guadalajara states that its history graduates are prepared for research, teaching and the dissemination of historical knowledge.

Specialist jobs usually require postgraduate study. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, historians typically need at least a master's degree, although a bachelor's degree in history may qualify for some entry-level positions. They work in museums, archives, historical societies and research organisations. The bureau projects employment of historians in the United States to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035; it is a small occupation, with 3,800 jobs in 2025. Overall employment of archivists, curators and museum workers is projected to grow 4 percent in the same period. Archivists, curators and conservators typically need a master's degree, and museum technicians a bachelor's degree. These figures describe the United States; other countries publish their own data.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study history and culture abroad without speaking the local language?

Often, yes. The study abroad curriculum of the Centre for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the Jagiellonian University is taught in English, and Barcelona SAE states that no previous Spanish is required for its programme at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Will a semester abroad count towards my degree?

It can, if your home university approves the courses. At the Jagiellonian University, study abroad students complete a minimum of 30 ECTS credits per semester. Agree the credit transfer with your own university before you enrol.

How long does a history degree take in Spain?

An official bachelor's degree in Spain has 240 ECTS credits, at 60 credits per academic year. An official master's degree has 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.

Do I need a master's degree to work as a historian?

In most cases, yes. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that historians typically need at least a master's degree, and that archivists and curators typically need one too.