Making an Historian: The Evolution of Historical Thinking is an intellectually ambitious one day online course for academically motivated students who want to explore not only the past, but how history itself is written. Students will encounter some of the greatest historical thinkers from across the world, from Herodotus and Tacitus to Marx, Braudel, R.G. Collingwood, and Joan Scott.
Rather than focusing on historical events alone, this day-long course examines the evolution of historical thinking through five central enquiry questions:
Why has the way we think about the past changed over time?
Why do different historical schools emerge?
What must historians consider when interpreting evidence?
Why do historians write in particular ways?
Is there such a thing as a perfect way to write history?
The course is designed to introduce students to the kind of conceptual discussion and close reading normally associated with university study. Through guided discussion and collaborative analysis students will strengthen their analytical writing, critical thinking, and confidence in discussing complex ideas.
Particularly valuable for students considering competitive university applications in History, Politics, Law, PPE, Classics, English, or related humanities subjects, this course offers excellent preparation for interviews, personal statements, EPQs, and admissions assessments.
For those seeking a course that will genuinely challenge and inspire an able student, Making an Historian offers something distinctive: not simply more historical knowledge, but a deeper understanding of how historians construct our understanding of the past.
Suitable for: Students in Years 11, 12 and 13, or equivalent
Course Date: 3rd August 2026
Course Timings: 8:45am to 3:15pm UK time, with a lunch break from 12:00pm to 12:45pm
Course Format: Live online small group seminar
Course Fee: £150.00 per student
See Terms & Conditions for full details relating to payment, cancellations and student conduct.
Making an Historian: The Evolution of Historical Thinking is an intellectually ambitious one day online course for academically motivated students who want to explore not only the past, but how history itself is written. Students will encounter some of the greatest historical thinkers from across the world, from Herodotus and Tacitus to Marx, Braudel, R.G. Collingwood, and Joan Scott.
Rather than focusing on historical events alone, this day-long course examines the evolution of historical thinking through five central enquiry questions:
Why has the way we think about the past changed over time?
Why do different historical schools emerge?
What must historians consider when interpreting evidence?
Why do historians write in particular ways?
Is there such a thing as a perfect way to write history?
The course is designed to introduce students to the kind of conceptual discussion and close reading normally associated with university study. Through guided discussion and collaborative analysis students will strengthen their analytical writing, critical thinking, and confidence in discussing complex ideas.
Particularly valuable for students considering competitive university applications in History, Politics, Law, PPE, Classics, English, or related humanities subjects, this course offers excellent preparation for interviews, personal statements, EPQs, and admissions assessments.
For those seeking a course that will genuinely challenge and inspire an able student, Making an Historian offers something distinctive: not simply more historical knowledge, but a deeper understanding of how historians construct our understanding of the past.
Suitable for: Students in Years 11, 12 and 13, or equivalent
Course Date: 3rd August 2026
Course Timings: 8:45am to 3:15pm UK time, with a lunch break from 12:00pm to 12:45pm
Course Format: Live online small group seminar
Course Fee: £150.00 per student
See Terms & Conditions for full details relating to payment, cancellations and student conduct.
