History Reading Lists

The main challenge in the step up from school to university for History is the quantity of reading, and analysis of that reading, that you will be expected to complete. Aside from getting into the swing of things by practising now, wider reading at this stage allows you to expand your A Level knowledge, giving you the opportunity to rely on a familiar knowledge base to engage with complex historical theories.

You may also choose to branch out from your school syllabus to take on an entirely new topic - just make sure you rely on reputable historians before turning to the more marginal arguments. Below are the recommended readings we have compiled to prepare you for undergraduate study, written by Oxford and Cambridge History of Art graduates.