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International Relations

  • BA (Hons)
  • 3 Years
  • Full-time
  • 14 September 2026
  • Undergraduate
Main Site
Awarded by:
Queen Mary, University of London
More about Queen Mary University of London

Course options

2026-20272027-2028
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Course summary

War has returned to Europe. Economic power is shifting to Asia. Global issues like climate change are rising up the agenda. It’s harder than ever to ignore the importance of international politics. Join us to explore why wars happen, why peace persists, and why states struggle to work collectively.

We’ve designed this course to cover key areas such as the state system, security and globalisation. You'll study through the lens of historical and contemporary examples, from the 1870s Scramble for Africa to the global financial crisis, while learning how to apply theory to the real world.

Our regional expertise encompasses North and South America, Europe, Africa, Russia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. You’ll be taught by academics specialising in everything from feminism to applied topics like foreign policy.

Your future career starts here

Diverse thinking creates brilliant breakthroughs. That’s why we think there’s something special about our East End location. We welcome different people to share their ways of thinking and living, letting them fuel what we do.

Through events, conferences, and our research centres, you’ll hear from high-profile people working in Westminster and Whitehall and be part of conversations on the latest thinking in the area.

Whether you want to work in government, policy research, media or another area of business, tell us your goals and we’ll help you get there.

Modules

Compulsory Modules
Year 1:
• Thinking Politically: Introduction to concepts, theories and ideologies
• Introduction to International Relations
• Political Analysis
• Politics in Action
Choose from:
• Background to British Politics
• Global Histories
• 15 credits from another School

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Assessment method

Students are assessed by a combination of coursework and exams. A few modules are assessed by coursework only.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Main Site

Study options

  • BA (Hons) • Full-time • 3 Years

Start dates

  • 14 September 2026

Apply by
14 January

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
L250
Institution code:
Q50
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-
Points of Entry:
Year 1

Queen Mary University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
L250
Institution code:
Q50
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Open days

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff Not accepted

A level ABB

Excluded subjects - General Studies and Critical Thinking

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

Queen Mary University of London welcomes applications from students currently studying Level 3 BTEC qualifications and will consider you for entry to the majority of our undergraduate courses. The typical entry requirements will vary according to the course you are applying for.

Some of our courses require specific subject knowledge which you may not be able to cover as part of a Level 3 BTEC qualification and we may therefore require additional Level 3 qualifications to ensure that you are suitably prepared for relevant courses. A small number of our courses do not accept BTEC qualifications for entry, either as a standalone qualification, or in combination with other qualifications at Level 3.

Information on our typical entry requirements and guidance for applying can be found at http://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/btec/

If you are at all unsure about the acceptability of your BTEC qualification for entry, please contact the Admissions team for individual advice (admissions@qmul.ac.uk).

Access to HE Diploma D: 15 credits M: 15 credits

We consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 15 credits must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not make offers of study purely on the basis of meeting grade requirements.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme 32 points

6,5,5 in HL subjects

Extended Project

We consider applications from students offering an EPQ and may make an alternative offer to include three A levels, one grade lower than our usual requirement, along with a specific grade in the EPQ.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

A minimum of five GCSE passes to include English and Maths at grade C or 4 or an acceptable equivalent will be require

English language requirements

All applicants to Queen Mary must show they meet a minimum academic English language standard for admission and to be successful on the course. Please refer to the website below for details on our English Language requirements by course and acceptable alternative qualifications. You will also find important information regarding UKVI's English requirements if you are applying as an international student and will require a Student Visa to enter the UK.

Queen Mary University of London: English Language Requirements https://www.qmul.ac.uk/international-students/englishlanguagerequirements/undergraduate-and-postgraduate-programmes/

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

Our standard contextual offer: Grades BBC at A-Level.

Our enhanced contextual offer: Grades BCC at A-Level.

Please note that General Studies and Critical Thinking are excluded from any A-Level offer and cannot be considered.

More information on our contextual offer criteria can be found on our contextualised admissions page below.

Learn more on the Queen Mary University of London website

Historical entry grades data

This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).

It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.

Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Per year tuition fees

LocationFeeYear

* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Please visit and search for your chosen course on our A-Z course finder at http://search.qmul.ac.uk/s/search.html?collection=queenmary-coursefinder-undergraduate&query=&sort=title - here you will find further details on fees and funding.
Please also visit our A-Z course finder to view the amount of fee you would need to pay if you are an International fee paying student.

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