Welcome to the School of Humanities

I'm delighted to welcome you to the School of Humanities, a renowned centre for teaching, learning and research in the humanities located in Bristol, one of the most attractive and dynamic cities both in the UK and world-wide.

The School of Humanities is located in the University of Bristol's Arts Complex on and around Woodland Road, which is made up of a series of beautiful Victorian villas, and which has recently been extended with our new, state-of-the-art Humanities Building. Our School houses five departments: Classics and Ancient History, English, History, History of Art and Religion and Theology. We are also home to Bristol's flagship BA/MA in Liberal Arts. Many of you will be studying either for single or joint honours programmes at undergraduate level, or perhaps for a masters or postgraduate research programme. Whatever your chosen programme, you will be among fine company!

Many distinguished humanists have studied, taught and officiated at the University over the years, including three Nobel Laureates: Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965), who was serving as Chancellor of the University in 1953 when he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature; Harold Pinter, who was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters in 1998 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005; and Jean-Marie Gustave le Clézio, who studied English at Bristol in 1958-9, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2008. Bristol humanities graduates – such as authors Angela Carter and Deborah Moggach, actor Emily Watson, writer and filmmaker Asitha Ameresekere, and author and screenwriter David Nicholls – have had their talents recognised by a range of prestigious literary and cultural award-givers, including the Booker Prize, the BAFTAs, the Oliviers and the Oscars. Others feature in some of Britain’s most important media organisations – for example Charlotte Moore (the BBC) and Julie Myerson (the Guardian).

Our School has grown and developed in exciting ways in recent years; your lecturers and tutors will include many young and exciting scholars from all over the world, as well as many established names in our disciplines. Bristol is international, creative and exciting; it's the perfect place to study the humanities. We look forward to learning with you.

Beth Williamson, Acting Head of the School of Humanities