Metadata
Title
Modern and Contemporary History
Category
undergraduate
UUID
582bf1a6b1864d35ac8594fa09b29d53
Source URL
https://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/coursefinder/courses/2026/modern-and-contem...
Parent URL
https://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/coursefinder/courses/2026/
Crawl Time
2026-03-18T03:52:41+00:00
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Modern and Contemporary History

Source: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/coursefinder/courses/2026/modern-and-contemporary-history/ Parent: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/coursefinder/courses/2026/

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  1. Make note of the Queen Mary institution code: Q50
  2. Make note of your chosen course UCAS code:

#### Modern and Contemporary History

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Have further questions? How to apply | Entry requirements

Modern and Contemporary History

Entry Year: 2026

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2 study options

Modern and Contemporary History BA (Hons)

Key information

Degree : BA (Hons)

Duration : 3 years

Start : September 2026

UCAS code : V140

Institution code : Q50

Typical A-Level offer : Grades BBB at A-Level.\ Full entry requirements (including contextual admissions)

Home fees : £9,535

Overseas fees
:   £26,950\
    [Funding information](#funding)\
    [Paying your fees](https://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/feesandfunding/payment/)

Modern and Contemporary History with Year Abroad BA (Hons)

Key information

Degree : BA (Hons)

Duration : 4 years

Start : September 2026

UCAS code : V141

Institution code : Q50

Typical A-Level offer : Grades BBB at A-Level.\ Full entry requirements (including contextual admissions)

Home fees : £9,535

Overseas fees
:   £26,950\
    [Funding information](#funding)\
    [Paying your fees](https://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/feesandfunding/payment/)

Year abroad cost

Finances for studying abroad on exchange

View details

Modern and Contemporary History

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Overview

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 injustice, devastating world wars 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.    

Studying in a city steeped in history, surrounded by outstanding museums and resources, you’ll expand your knowledge as you explore different histories and perspectives from Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States. You’ll have an expansive choice of modules that cover the Soviet Union, Muhammad to the Ottomans, Japanese film history, the theory of Totalitarianism, technology and the modern world – which ones will ignite your interest?   

Focusing on your future

We embed graduate attributes throughout our degrees, so you’ll develop knowledge, skills, adaptability, and resilience to succeed in an ever-changing global job market and become active global citizens. We work in conjunction with the Careers and Enterprise Centre to ensure you know how to communicate your competitive edge in the job 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 — key requirements for operating in a globalised world.   

We offer many ways for you to apply your knowledge into action. From our History & Heritage Internship module that offers you the unique opportunity to complete a placement with one of our 60+ internship partners in the heritage sector, to contributing your writing and editing skills for our Queen Mary history journal stocked by the British Library, or by offering professional insights for a range of projects with qHeritage.

Structure

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.

Year 1

Compulsory

Choose from

The latest version of our module directory is available online. 

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Year 2

Compulsory:

Choose from our extensive range of modules, such as

The latest version of our module directory is available online. 

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Year 3

Compulsory

Special Subject module options (you choose one)

In your final year, you will take a Special Subject module, where you closely examine a theme or period of history, taught by an expert researcher in the field. Special Subjects are intensely source-based and will give you the opportunity to work closely with a large number of primary materials.

The range of Special Subject modules on offer varies from year to year, and this list gives a sample of some of the special subject modules the School recently offer:

Optional modules

The latest version of our module directory is available online.

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Study options

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.

Year abroad

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.

Testimonial

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.

Teaching

Teaching and learning

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

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.

Resources and facilities

The School offers excellent resources to aid your studies, including:

Entry requirements

Modern and Contemporary History - BA (Hons)
A-Level Grades BBB at A-Level.
IB International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 30 points overall, including 5,5,5 from three Higher Level subjects.
BTEC See our detailed subject and grade requirements
Access HE 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 Minimum five GCSE passes including English at grade C or 4.
EPQ Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification. For further information please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/epq
Contextualised admissions 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.

Modern and Contemporary History with Year Abroad - BA (Hons)
A-Level Grades BBB at A-Level.
IB International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 30 points overall, including 5,5,5 from three Higher Level subjects.
BTEC See our detailed subject and grade requirements
Access HE 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 Minimum five GCSE passes including English at grade C or 4.
EPQ Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification. For further information please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/epq
Contextualised admissions 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.

Non-UK students

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.

English language

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.

Further information

See our general undergraduate entry requirements.

Funding

Loans and grants

UK students accepted onto this course are eligible to apply for tuition fee and maintenance loans from Student Finance England or other government bodies.

Scholarships and bursaries

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.

Support from Queen Mary

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:

Careers

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:

Career support

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.

Data for these courses

Modern and Contemporary History - BA (Hons)

Modern and Contemporary History with Year Abroad - BA (Hons)

The Discover Uni dataset (formerly Unistats)

About the School

School of Society and Environment

At Queen Mary’s School of Society and Environment, we explore the big questions shaping our world - past, present, and future. From medieval Europe to modern America, from global environmental change to the politics of the Middle East, our programmes blend rigorous scholarship with real-world impact.

Our academics are among the world’s leading researchers, and our departments consistently rank among the best in their fields (QS World University Rankings; Research Excellence Framework). Students also rate our teaching highly (National Student Survey), recognising our commitment to an engaging, high-quality learning experience.

Located in London, home to Parliament, political think tanks, cultural institutions and global businesses, we offer excellent opportunities to collaborate with local, national, and international partners. Here, you’ll apply your learning beyond the classroom, gain hands-on experience, and join a diverse, inclusive community that will challenge your perspective and equip you with the skills to make a difference.

You’ll also have access to the Mile End Institute, a major policy hub at Queen Mary that connects policymakers, academics, and local communities to address pressing national issues.

Contact us

Next steps

### Accommodation

### Why Queen Mary

### How to apply

### International Students