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History Taster Day
Wednesday 16 July

Book your place

Sign up for our taster day to discover what it would be like to study your chosen subject at degree level, meet current staff and students, and explore campus and the benefits of studying at Reading.

As an attendee you will participate in two hands-on sessions, providing you with an understanding of the course content and what it's like to actually study these subjects at university-level.

Sessions

Dracula and History

In this lecture, we will look at how historians can use popular fiction as a resource for understanding the beliefs of a particular historical period. In this case I will be using Bram Stoker’s classic vampire novel Dracula as a text revealing late-Victorian attitudes towards migration, gender identity and technology.

How one does History: Piracy and Maritime History

The lecture will cover the basics around historical research. We will talk about the challenges a historian faces when conducting research, and what goes through a day of a doctoral researcher at the Department of History. The second half of the talk will cover Maritime and Atlantic History, and why they are different from other historical approaches. Lastly, we will focus on Caribbean piracy and how it impacted the development of colonial societies.

This taster day will be held at our Whiteknights campus and will run from approximately 10:00 to 16:00 (or until 17:00 with an optional campus tour), allowing you time to really immerse yourself in the subject and relevant department.

Making the most of your taster day

  • Let us know any accessibility requirements.
  • Check if you’re eligible for a travel bursary.
  • Make sure to arrive with plenty of time. You will be sent a schedule for the day about a week before the event.
  • Think about what you want to get out of the day, prepare any questions for staff and students.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I wear for the taster day?

Wear loose, comfortable clothes and appropriate footwear as we will be touring the university campus.

Can I park on site?

You can park on site for the taster day, but you will need to collect a parking permit and have this displayed in your vehicle for the duration of the event. Parking permits can be collected at the registration point, for more information please email outreach@reading.ac.uk.

Is there somewhere to buy lunch?

We will be providing a free lunch, please make sure you communicate any dietary requirements when you register for the event.

 Travel bursaries 

At the University of Reading we want our outreach programme to be accessible to everybody. You can apply for a travel bursary to cover the entire cost of your travel to on-campus taster events. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply on the event booking form.

To be eligible for the bursary, you must meet at least one of the criteria.

  • None of your parents went to university.
  • You live in a postcode area with low progression into Higher Education (we use the participation of local areas (POLAR) classification to see if your address qualifies).
  • You live in a postcode area of social deprivation (we use the Indices of Multiple Deprivation to see if your address qualifies).
  • You have a disability.
  • You are care-experienced or estranged (read our Care experienced and estranged students support page to see if this applies to you).
  • Either of your parents is in the military (check if you are a service child).
Eligibility criteria for the travel bursary

Get in touch

If you have any queries about the taster day, please email: outreach@reading.ac.uk.

Book your place

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CHOOSE A SUBJECT
2025/26
2026/27
Undergraduates
Postgraduates
Undergraduates
Postgraduates

Subjects A-B

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biochemistry
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Bioveterinary Sciences
  • Building and Surveying
  • Business and Management

Subjects C-E

  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Classical Studies
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management
  • Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminology
  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environment

Subjects F-G

  • Film & Television
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Foundation programmes
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • International Development
  • International Foundation Programme (IFP)
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sciences
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate Studies
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Sociology
  • Spanish
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Surveying and Construction
  • Teaching
  • Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Zoology

Subjects A-C

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Archaeology
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Business (Post-Experience)
  • Business and Management (Pre-Experience)
  • Classics
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management and Engineering
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Creative Enterprise

Subjects D-G

  • Data Science
  • Dietetics
  • Digital Business
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Energy and Environmental Engineering
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Film, Theatre and Television
  • Finance
  • Food and Nutritional Sciences
  • Geography and Environmental Science
  • Graphic Design

Subjects H-P

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • Information Technology
  • International Development and Applied Economics
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Project Management
  • Psychology
  • Public Policy

Subjects Q-Z

  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Social Policy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Strategic Studies
  • Teacher training
  • Theatre
  • Typography and Graphic Communication
  • War and Peace Studies
  • Zoology

Subjects A-B

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biochemistry
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Bioveterinary Sciences
  • Building and Surveying
  • Business and Management

Subjects C-E

  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Classical Studies
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management
  • Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminology
  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environment

Subjects F-G

  • Film & Television
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Foundation programmes
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • International Development
  • International Foundation Programme (IFP)
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sciences
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate Studies
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Sociology
  • Spanish
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Surveying and Construction
  • Teaching
  • Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Zoology

We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2026/27 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2025/26 courses.

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