To apply you’ll need to:
Have further questions? How to apply | Entry requirements
Finances for studying abroad on exchange
Satisfy your curiosity about the world we live in today as you investigate the history of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The past two centuries have seen huge advances in society and technology. But they have also witnessed devastating world wars, the Black Death and the rise of Soviet communism. Learning modern and contemporary history at Queen Mary, you’ll 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, taught by our research-active academic experts. Build specialist knowledge, satisfy your curiosity and pursue your own interests, picking optional modules spanning events of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Invest in your future.Based in a city steeped in history, you’ll have access to some of the richest facilities for historical research. Outstanding museums, libraries, archives and resources right on your doorstep, ready to aid your studies. You can also join our vibrant history society where we welcome talks by historians and visit sites of historical interest. And put your knowledge into action writing for Queen Mary’s history journal.
Analysis, reasoning and communication are just a few transferable skills you’ll develop – all highly valued in today’s employment market. Apply your new knowledge in a heritage or museum role. Bring change in policy making or social research. Or step into publishing. You’ll be ready to make an impact in whichever direction you choose.
You can complete your Modern and Contemporary History degree in three or four years. If you choose to study abroad, this will take place in Year 3 and Year 3 modules will instead be studied in Year 4.
The latest version of our module directory is available online. Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
History special subject and dissertation module in one of 15+ subjects, which may include:
Apply for this degree with any of the following options. Take care to use the correct UCAS code - it may not be possible to change your selection later.
Go global and study abroad as part of your degree – apply for our Modern and Contemporary History BA with a Year Abroad. Queen Mary has links with universities in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia (partnerships vary for each degree programme).
Find out more about study abroad opportunities at Queen Mary and what the progression requirements are.
What I enjoy most about my course is the ability to tailor my degree to my interests, due to the vast range of modern and contemporary modules offered.
For each module you’ll usually receive two hours of weekly contact time, typically comprising a one-hour lecture followed by a one-hour seminar.
Formal teaching is supplemented by one-to-one discussions in staff office hours and feedback sessions.
For every hour spent in class, you'll complete a further two to three hours of independent study. This time is spent reading, preparing for study sessions, working on projects and revising for exams.
Assessment is designed around a series of programme-level essays. These are based around your teaching and learning in modules, along with additional support outside modules. You choose which modules to write essays on, and deadlines are spaced so you can receive feedback on each essay before writing the next one.
In addition, module-level assessment can involve a wide range of assessment activities, including source analyses, book reviews, blog posts, learning logs, and 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.
The School offers excellent resources to aid your studies, including:
Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification.
For further information please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/epq
Our standard contextual offer: BBC at A-Level.
Our enhanced contextual offer: BCC at A-Level.
More information on our contextual offer criteria can be found on our contextualised admissions page.
Please note that General Studies and Critical Thinking are excluded from any A-Level offer and cannot be considered.
We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications. Please visit International Admissions for full details.
If your qualifications are not accepted for direct entry onto this degree, consider applying for a foundation programme.
Find out more about our English language entry requirements, including the types of test we accept and the scores needed for entry to the programme.
You may also be able to meet the English language requirement for your programme by joining a summer pre-sessional programme before starting your degree.
See our general undergraduate entry requirements.
UK students accepted onto this course are eligible to apply for tuition fee and maintenance loans from Student Finance England or other government bodies.
Queen Mary offers a generous package of scholarships and bursaries, which currently benefits around 50 per cent of our undergraduates.
Scholarships are available for home, EU and international students. Specific funding is also available for students from the local area. International students may be eligible for a fee reduction. We offer means-tested funding, as well as subject-specific funding for many degrees.
Find out what scholarships and bursaries are available to you.
We offer specialist support on all financial and welfare issues through our Advice and Counselling Service, which you can access as soon as you have applied for a place at Queen Mary.
Take a look at our Student Advice Guides which cover ways to finance your degree, including:
As a history graduate, you can apply your degree knowledge directly to a career in museums, education or the arts and heritage sector. Our graduates are also highly employable in other sectors and commonly enter roles in publishing, journalism, policy, consumer and social research, management consulting and the Civil Service – making use of skills gained from the programme, including verbal and written communication, research, critical analysis and attention to detail.
Recent graduates from the School of History have been hired by:
The School of History has a dedicated Careers Consultant who can offer specialist advice. We hold an annual ‘History Futures’ event where you can meet former students and discover how their studies have helped them progress in their career.
The Queen Mary careers team can also offer:
Learn more about career support and development at Queen Mary.
Modern and Contemporary History - BA (Hons)
Modern and Contemporary History with Year Abroad - BA (Hons)
The Discover Uni dataset (formerly Unistats)
The School of History is one of the top 100 in the World according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021. Our staff are at the forefront of research in their respective fields - world-leading scholars engaged in innovative teaching and bringing history to the wider public on TV and radio. The diversity of our offering underpins our students’ ability to construct a degree that suits them. As a result, our undergraduate historians are consistently among the most satisfied in the Russell Group. Our determination to combine wide-ranging excellence in research and teaching make us an exciting scholarly community. The diversity of ideas and experiences embodied in the School encourages all of us to understand history from new perspectives and enable students and staff alike to achieve insights into pasts that had been previously unthinkable.