The 2023 A-Level results, for students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, were released on 17 August 2023. They follow the 2023 results for Scottish Highers, published on 8 August.
Both sets of data allow for observations on the uptake and relative popularity of History in 2022-23. The following draws on figures from the Joint Council for Qualifications (for England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and the Scottish Qualifications Authority. Representation of these data is also available from the British Academy.
For further guides to History in UK Higher Education, please see the Royal Historical Society’s Toolkit for Historians and our listing on Data on the UK Historical Discipline and Profession.
1. History and 2023 A-Level entries (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)*
1.1. History in 2023
- Of the 24 A-Levels classed as Arts, Humanities and Social Science (AHSS) subjects in 2023, History has the second highest number of subject entries (48,378) after Psychology (80,493).
- History comprises 9.26% of all A-Level entries in AHSS subjects.
- The number of students taking History A-Level in 2023 rose 3.33% on 2022 (compared with a 2.10% increase for A-Levels in all AHSS subjects, and a 2.21% increase for all A-Level subjects).
- History is the fifth most popular A-Level subject from the 37 available (48,378 entries / 5.57% of all A-Level entries for England, Wales and Northern Ireland). The subjects above History are: Mathematics, Psychology, Biology and Chemistry.
- In England, History is the sixth most popular A-Level subject from the 33 available (44,154 entries / 5.53% of all English A-Level entries). The subjects coming above History are: Mathematics, Psychology, Biology, Chemistry.
- In Wales, History is the fifth most popular A-Level subject from the 37 available (1,889 entries / 5.73% of all Welsh A-Level entries. The subjects coming above History are: Mathematics, Psychology, Biology and Chemistry.
- In Northern Ireland, History is the fifth most popular A-Level subject from the 37 available (2,121 / 6.44% of all Northern Irish entries). The subjects coming above History are: Biology, Mathematics, Health & Social Care and Business Studies.
1.2. A-Level History in context
- In 2023, History comprises 9.26% of all A-Level entries in AHSS subjects for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In 2020 History comprised 9.5%, and 10.0% in 2018.
- The number of students taking History A-Level in 2023 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland is a 7.75% increase on that in 2020 (in which year a demographic deficit saw a decline in History A-Level entries and all A-Levels). The number of students taking History A-Level in 2023 is a 1.14% decline on that in 2018.
- Between 2020 and 2023, A-Level entries in all AHSS subjects rose by 11.5% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This was due to sizeable increases in enrolments for Sociology (21.6%), Psychology (23.3%), Economics (24.6%) and Law (25.5%). A-Level for all subjects rose by 11% between 2020 and 2023.
- In 2023, History’s position as the fifth most popular A-Level subject, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (48,378 entries), compares to:
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- Sociology (6th, 47,436)
- Economics (9th, 39,141)
- Geography (11th, 38,264)
- Political Studies (14th, 22,136)
- English Literature (12th, 36,743)
- Law (18th, 14,703)
- Spanish (24th, 8110)
- French (26th, 7063)
*Data drawn from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ, Examination results, published 17 August 2023).
2. History and 2023 Higher entries (Scotland)*
2.1. History Highers in 2023
- Of the 32 Highers categorised as AHSS subjects in 2023, History has the second highest number of subject entries (10,115) after English (35,515).
- History comprises 8.85% of all Highers entries in AHSS subjects.
- The number of students taking History Highers in 2023 rose 2.53% on 2022 (compared with a 2.44% increase for Highers in all AHSS subjects, and a 1.91% increase for all Highers subjects).
- History is the fourth most popular subject for Highers entries from the 50 subjects available (10,115 entries / 5.3% of total entries). The subjects above History are: English, Mathematics and Physical Education.
2.2. History Highers in context
- In 2023, History comprised 8.85% of all Highers entries in AHSS subjects. In 2020 it comprised 9.0% and 8.86% in 2018.
- The number of students taking History Highers in 2023 is a 1.99% increase on 2020. The number of students taking History Highers in 2023 is a 1.98% decline on that in 2018.
- Between 2020 and 2023, Highers entries in all AHSS subjects rose by 2.9%. Highers entries for all subjects rose by 3.6% between 2020 and 2023.
- In 2023, History’s position as the fourth most studied Highers subject (10,115 entries) compares to:
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- Business Management (7th, 8,710)
- Geography (9th, 7,425)
- Psychology (18th, 2,930)
- Spanish (20th, 2,605)
- French (22nd, 2,280)
- Politics (23rd, 2,135)
- Economics (31st, 890)
- Sociology (33rd, 845)
Data drawn from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA Examination results, published 8 August 2023).
For more guides for historians — on student numbers, trends and outcomes, among other subjects — please see the Society’s Toolkit for Historians. Regularly updated with new information, the August 2023 issue of the Toolkit is now available.
The Society also provides Data on the UK Historical Discipline and Profession, based principally on content from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). These pages focus on levels and trends in academic staffing, university enrolment, graduate outcomes, and the GCSE and A-Level pipeline.
Further resources are also available on the Advocacy and Policy pages of the RHS website.
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