BA (Hons.) - History Application Form at UPES 2027

The BA History program focuses on the History of Modern South Asia and Global History, alongside thrust areas such as Global Intellectual History, Indian Political Thought, and the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine.

Graduates of the four-year research honours program would have domain expertise in South Asian pasts, and show academic rigour to produce novel research. Students have the option of pursuing exchange semesters in globally reputed institutions. Current students have been invited to present their research at conferences at various foreign universities. Our classrooms are truly global, as foreign exchange students learn alongside their Indian peers. The program also organizes distinguished lectures by faculty from top-ranked international institutions, alongside research trips and fieldwork for hands-on learning.

Pursuing a BA in History from UPES would equip one for a variety of roles, besides academic research in leading institutions of the world. The courses would augur well for students interested in the Indian civil services through the UPSC examination, local and regional administration, investigative journalism, insurance claims management, research for OTT and documentary platforms, building digital archives, etc.

The program offers holistic training in empirical archival research practices while focusing on public and applied histories. It covers ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary periods to prepare students to become successful researchers, academics, administrators, and policymakers. The program also has a strong focus on transdisciplinary learning where students pick up ethnographic methods, data collation survey skills, etc.

One of the key strengths of the program is its distinguished faculty. Students will be taught by eminent academics who have global standing in their subjects. Teachers in the program have been trained in historical studies at leading universities of the world and are specialists in their focus areas. Faculty in the program have been associated with the University of Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Cambridge, Jadavpur University and the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta. In addition to teaching textual and archival research practices, the program places significant emphasis on developing skills that are vital for historians in a changing world. The specialized value-added courses would also offer real-world skills in heritage conservation, ecology and sustainability, archives and records management, decoding cinema, policymaking, etc.

Minimum 50% marks in class X and XII

The BA in History program emphasizes the significance of engaging with history in the public sphere, extending beyond academia. This approach opens up opportunities for students to pursue MA/PhD positions in prestigious institutions worldwide. In India, where history plays a crucial role in public and administrative services, the undergraduate program at UPES offers an in-depth focus on South Asia, making it an excellent choice for those aspiring to enter civil services. The program's emphasis on empiricism equips students for various roles in archival research-driven public and private sector organizations, including museums, galleries, journalism, policy think tanks, and content creation for biopics and historical OTT platforms. With increasing demand for archiving and repository management in the private sector, graduates from this program are well-suited for future employment. Furthermore, language training in Indian and European languages prepares students to become global citizens, making them suitable for international organizations like the UN, UNICEF, World Bank, and institutions focused on emerging economies.