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Modern and Contemporary History with a Year Abroad

  • Bachelor of Arts (with Honours)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-Time
  • 14 September 2027
  • 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

Explore the past, encounter diverse societies, and explain cultural changes.

The past two centuries have seen huge advances in society and technology. But they have also witnessed injustice, devastating world wars, and the rise of Soviet communism.

Study modern and contemporary history at Queen Mary, and explore how such historical events have shaped the modern world we live in.

British history. The war on terror. American democracy. These are just a few of the subjects you’ll uncover. Build specialist knowledge, satisfy your curiosity, and pursue your own interests, picking optional modules spanning events of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Which area will ignite your interest?

Learn from experts who care about providing impactful research. Our historians carry out ground-breaking research in the archives and bring that to the public in their prize-winning books, popular documentaries, and engagement with media and society.

Focusing on your future.

Develop knowledge, skills, adaptability, and resilience to succeed in an ever-changing global job market and become active global citizens. We work with the Queen Mary Careers and Enterprise Centre to ensure you know how to communicate your competitive edge in the job market.

To succeed in the global market, you’ll acquire vocationally crucial skills such as critical thinking, information analysis, communication, deadline management, and an understanding and respect for other values and cultures.

We offer many ways for you to apply your knowledge into action. You can complete a placement with one of 60+ internship partners in the heritage sector through our History & Heritage Internship module. You could contribute your writing and editing skills to our Queen Mary history journal stocked by the British Library. Or you could work on live business projects and offer professional insights with qHeritage.

Modules

Course Modules

Compulsory Modules
Year 1:
Europe in a Global Context since 1800
History in Practice
Unravelling Britain: British History since 1801
Global Encounters: Conquest and Culture in World History
Choose from
Building the American Nation: 1756-1900
Europe 1000-1500: The Middle Ages and their Legacy
Reformation to Revolution: Europe and the World, 1500-1800
Screening History: Representing the Past in the Contemporary Historical Film
The Foundations of Modern Thought: Introduction to Intellectual History
Controversies of Science and Technology in the Making of the Modern World

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Assessment method

Assessment typically involves a combination of examinations and coursework, or coursework only. Coursework may include essays, diaries, case-studies and oral presentations.

In your final year you’ll work on a dissertation worth 25% of your final year mark, researching a specialised area of history that particularly interests you.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Main Site

Study options

  • Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) • Full-Time • Time abroad (mandatory) • 4 Years

Start dates

  • 14 September 2027

Apply by
13 January 2027

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:
V141
Institution code:
Q50
Campus name:
Main Site
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
13 January 2027

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:
V141
Institution code:
Q50
Campus name:
Main Site

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Open days

Entry requirements

Typical qualification requirements

A level
BBB

Excluded subjects - General Studies and Critical Thinking.

UCAS Tariff
Not accepted

Access to HE Diploma
Distinction: 15 Merit: 15

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. This must include at least 6 Level 3 credits in History modules at Distinction.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

Both GCSE English and Maths at grade C or 4 or an acceptable equivalent will be required.

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. For further information please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/epq

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Offer: 30

5,5,5 in HL subjects

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)

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.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 BCC at A-Level.

Our enhanced contextual offer: Grades CCC 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
England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland£10050*

* 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

No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.

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