Skip to Content
BA|Undergraduate

History and International Relations

Entry year
Academic Year 2025/26
Entry requirements
ABB
Duration
3 years (Full-time)
UCAS code
LV21

The Joint Honours Programme in History and International Relations provides students with an intellectual training in disciplines that are complementary and mutually enriching. The programme enables students to appreciate how historical events shape modern politics and how such themes are to be understood and explained through insights into political analysis (e.g. political theory, political institutions, international relations). It offers students the opportunity to analyse country-based developments across the globe and pays specific attention to the histories and politics of Africa, Europe and the America.

Both History and International Relations at Queen’s are ranked in the top 200 as per the QS World University Rankings 2024.

History and International Relations highlights

Global Opportunities

This programme offers students opportunities to travel and study at universities in Europe and North America. Short-term (two weeks) and longer-term (up to one academic year) exchanges are on offer.

Possible examples include:
• George Washington University (Washington DC, USA)
• Aarhus Universitet (Denmark)
• College of Charleston (South Carolina, USA)
• Institut d’Etudes Politques de Bordeaux (France)
• University of Oslo (Norway)
• Universiteit Utrecht (Netherlands)
• Vanderbilt University (Nashville, Tennessee, USA)

Field trips may also be offered in particular years or as part of certain modules.

Industry Links

The school offers a range of employment placements where students can gain real world work experience which is invaluable in terms of employment after graduation. Given that Belfast is a regional capital with devolved powers, we can offer students placements in the high profile political and related institutions on our doorstep - for example in the Department of Justice, Equality Commission, Police Ombudsman’s Office, or BBC Northern Ireland.

Student Experience

Our uniquely supportive pastoral care/ personal tutor system is equalled only by the academic guidance available.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/happ/student-experience/undergraduate-opportunities/

Further Study Opportunities

Further study is also an option; information on Master’s programmes and research topics is available from the School website.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/happ

Internationally Renowned Experts

With over 30 staff at the cutting edge of research and publication, the Politics and IR group at Queen’s is the largest in Ireland and one of the largest in the UK and Ireland, with specialisms in democratic innovations, Irish and British politics, environmental politics, political theory, energy and sustainable development, public policy, gender, European Union politics, ethnic conflict, and international relations.

Student Experience

Our vibrant Politics Society (Polysoc) and History provides a welcome and stimulating environment for new students.
https://www.facebook.com/qub.polysoc

Internationally Renowned Experts

The school of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics at Queen‘s has over 86 academics, making it the largest institutional centre for the study of these subjects in Ireland and one of the largest in the UK.

The School also boasts the following:
• Centre for Gender in Politics
• Democracy Unit
• Centre for Public History
• The Senator George J Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice
• Institute of Cognition and Culture
• Institute of Irish Studies
• Two International Summer Schools (the Irish Studies Summer School; and the Conflict Transformation and Social Justice Summer School)

Many of the School’s staff are Fellows in the Mitchell Institute, where they work in collaboration with experts in peace and conflict studies from other disciplines such as law, sociology, and the creative arts.

Professor David Phinnemore is an expert on EU Treaty reform and EU enlargement, which led to his secondment as an advisor to the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Career Development

Understanding the present and anticipating the future requires the ability to study and interpret the past as a means to understanding the present. This programme enables students to appreciate how historical events shape modern issues and how such themes are to be understood and explained through insights into political analysis (e.g. political theory, political institutions, international relations).

Industry Links

The internship scheme at Queen's University involves work placements with a range of government agencies and political parties at Stormont, as well as the Police Ombudsman, the BBC and local non-governmental agencies and consultancies. Students spend three days a week seconded to an organization, providing them with vital work experience and exposure to the world of policy-making.

Student Experience

Students play an active role in making their own curriculum and our historians teach in small groups even at Level 1.

In the National Student Survey 2019 History obtained 91% for overall satisfaction.

Career Development

Queen’s is ranked 10th in the UK for graduate prospects (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024).

Internationally Renowned Experts

Dr Alex Titov publishes widely, both academically and in popular media, on various aspects of Russian history, politics and foreign policy. One of his research fields has been Russian foreign policy since the collapse of the USSR. His work has appeared in the Irish Times, The Independent (London), The Conversation, BBC History Magazine, and many others.

Course Structure

Course Content

History explains the world around us. What is gender, race, class, religion, the state, empire, capitalism? What is the USA, China, the United Kingdom, Ireland? What is NATO and the EU? Our historians explain the modern world by reaching back to the Roman empire, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation and the great modern revolutions across all of Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia. From their first year, we trust our students to make choices and range widely across all these histories to understand where we have come from. And from the beginning of your degree, you will be taught in small groups by expert historians. Our range in time and space, our trust in you to explore and make good choices, and our small group teaching from the first year of the degree, mark us out among our peer universities.

The International Relations modules will provide you with a solid grounding in international relations, conflict studies, and comparative politics. They will provide you with the analytical tools to analyse contemporary international and national politics and issues.

Stage 1

HISTORY
Stage 1
Modules at Level 1 offer a systematic introduction to the discipline of History, partly by sampling some of the many different approaches that historians take in studying the past, and partly by an exploration of some of the major questions of theory and method with which they are concerned.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Stage 1
Students are introduced to the study of political ideas, comparative politics, and contemporary Europe.

Stage 2

History modules at stage 2 are generally survey modules seeking to convey a sense of the principal events, trends and developments in a particular country or region over a fairly long-time span.

Students must take the core module on theories of international relations and may choose additional modules from a range of history, politics and international relations options

Stage 3

HISTORY
Taught modules at Level 3 are more specialised, offering the opportunity to study a short period or a particular theme or problem in detail, working from documents as well as secondary sources.

There are also a wide range of specialist modules in politics and international relations from which to choose.

Students can also do a dissertation in either History or International Relations and/or take a work placement module. There are a range of module options.

In addition, Joint Honours students at Level 3 may choose to complete a dissertation based on an individually assigned research topic chosen in consultation with a supervisor. Some modules, especially surveys, use lectures and tutorials; others are taught through seminars, in which students are expected to come prepared to fully engage in and sometimes lead group discussions. There is also increasing use of web-based learning.

Dissertation
In their final year, students can opt to write a dissertation based on a research topic of their choice and under one-to-one supervision by an academic with specialist knowledge in the chosen field.

People teaching you

Programme Convenor - International Relations

HAPP
Email: c.mcbride@qub.ac.uk School Office: +44(0)28 9097 5028

Programme Convenor - History

HAPP
Email: i.campbell@qub.ac.uk School Office: +44(0)28 9097 5028

Contact Teaching Hours

Personal Study

30 (hours maximum)
Typically 30 hours per module (30 hours per week), revising in your own time

Large Group Teaching

6 (hours maximum)
In a typical week you may have up to 6 hours of lectures, depending on the level of study

Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial

6 (hours maximum)
In a typical week, you will have 3-6 hours of tutorials (or later, project supervision).

Teaching Times

Face-to-face, live teaching generally takes place between the hours of 10am and 4pm on weekdays, but this is subject to change and special teaching events may take place outside these hours.

Learning and Teaching

Examples of opportunities for learning provided on this course are as follows:

  • Dissertations

    In their final year, students can write a dissertation based on a research topic of their choice and under one-to-one supervision by an academic with specialist knowledge in the chosen field. This provides a unique opportunity for students to marshal all the research and writing skills they have learned through the course of their degree to produce an original piece of research which reflects the particular interests that they have acquired in their time studying at Queen’s.

  • E-Learning technologies

    Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Many of the course readings are supplied via Queen’s Online, and e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree programme through the use of, for example, interactive support materials, podcasts and web-based learning activities.

  • Lectures

    These introduce foundation information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. As the module progresses this information becomes more complex. Lectures, which are normally delivered in large groups to all year-group peers, also provide opportunities to ask questions and seek clarification on key issues as well as gain feedback and advice on assessments.

  • Self-directed study

    This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out.

  • Seminars/tutorials

    A significant amount of teaching is carried out in small groups (typically 8-15 students). These sessions are designed to explore, in more depth, the information that has been presented in the lectures, and reading material that has been set for the course. These sessions provide students with the opportunity to engage closely with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of their peers. During these classes on some courses, students will be expected to present their work to academic staff and their peers.

Assessment

A variety of assessment methods are used, depending on the learning objectives of each module.

  • Coursework essays
  • Written examinations
  • Oral presentations
  • Weekly assignments
  • Learning logs
  • Group projects
  • Dissertations

Feedback

As students progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:

  • Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that you, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted.
  • Face to face comment. This may include occasions when you make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help you to address a specific query.
  • Placement employer comments or references.
  • Online or emailed comment.
  • General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, or during a seminar or tutorial.
  • Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
  • Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.
  • Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.

PREV
Overview

NEXT
Modules

Modules

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2023/24). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.

  • Year 1

    Core Modules

    Exploring History 2 (20 credits)
    Exploring History 1 (20 credits)
    Contemporary Europe (20 credits)

    Optional Modules

  • Year 2

    Core Modules

    Optional Modules

    Uniting Kingdoms (20 credits)
    Irish Politics (20 credits)
    Recording History (20 credits)
    Studying Politics (20 credits)
  • Year 3

    Core Modules

    Optional Modules

    The Ancient City (20 credits)
    Gender and Politics (20 credits)
    US Foreign Policy (20 credits)
    Long Placement (40 credits)
    Short Placement (20 credits)
    Dissertation (40 credits)

Entrance requirements

A level requirements

ABB

A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to grade A at A-Level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level.

Irish leaving certificate requirements

H3H3H3H3H3H3/H2H3H3H3H3

Access Course

Successful completion of Access Course with an average of 70%.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

33 points overall, including 6,5,5 at Higher Level

BTEC Level 3 Extended/National Extended Diploma

QCF BTEC Extended Diploma (180 credits at Level 3) with overall grades D*DD

RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma (1080 GLH at Level 3) with overall grades D*DD

Graduate

A minimum of a 2:2 Honours Degree

Note

All applicants must have GCSE English Language grade C/4 or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.

There are no specific Level 3 subject requirements to study History and International Relations.

How we choose our students

Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by individual University Schools. Once your on-line form has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.

Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.

For entry last year, applicants for this degree offering A-Level/ BTEC Level 3 qualifications or equivalent must have had, or been able to achieve, a minimum of 5 GCSE passes at grade C/4 or better (to include English Language). The Selector will check that any specific entry requirements in terms of GCSE and/or A-level subjects can be fulfilled.

Offers are normally made on the basis of 3 A-levels. Two subjects at A-level plus two at AS would also be considered. The offer for repeat applicants is set in terms of 3 A-levels and may be one grade higher than that asked from first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.

Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification), or one A-level and a BTEC Diploma/National Diploma (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of the overall BTEC grade(s) awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.

For applicants offering Irish Leaving Certificate, please note that performance at Irish Junior Certificate is taken into account. Applicants must have a minimum of 5 IJC grades C/ Merit. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of Leaving Certificate subjects can be satisfied.

For applicants offering a HNC, the current requirements are successful completion of the HNC with 2 Distinctions and remainder Merits. For those offering a Higher National Diploma, some flexibility may be allowed in terms of GCSE profile but, to be eligible for an offer, the grades obtained in the first year of the HND must allow the overall offer to be achievable. The current entrance requirements are successful completion of the HND with 2 Distinctions, 10 Merits and 4 Passes overall. Any consideration would be for Stage 1 entry only.

The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but, in the case of BA degrees, these are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.

A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking 4 A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.

Applicants are not normally asked to attend for interview, though there are some exceptions and specific information is provided with the relevant subject areas.

If you are made an offer then you may be invited to a Faculty/School Open Day, which is usually held in the second semester. This will allow you the opportunity to visit the University and to find out more about the degree programme of your choice and the facilities on offer. It also gives you a flavour of the academic and social life at Queen's.

If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.

International Students

Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.

English Language Requirements

An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: http://go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

  • Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
  • Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.

International Students - Foundation and International Year One Programmes

INTO Queen's offers a range of academic and English language programmes to help prepare international students for undergraduate study at Queen's University. You will learn from experienced teachers in a dedicated international study centre on campus, and will have full access to the University's world-class facilities.

These programmes are designed for international students who do not meet the required academic and English language requirements for direct entry.

PREV
Modules

NEXT
Careers

Career Prospects

Introduction

We regularly consult and develop links with a large number of employers, including NI government departments and the North/South Ministerial Council, who provide sponsorship for our internships.

In addition, the School offers a range of employment placements where students can gain real world work experience which is invaluable in terms of employment after graduation. Given that Belfast is a regional capital with devolved powers, we can offer students placements in the high profile political and related institutions on our doorstep - for example in the Department of Justice, Equality Commission, Police Ombudsman’s Office, or BBC Northern Ireland.

Employment after the Course

Skills to enhance employability
Graduates from this degree at Queen’s are well regarded by local, national and international employers and over half of all graduate jobs are now open to graduates of any discipline, including History and International Relations.

Studying for a History degree at Queen‘s will assist students in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by graduate employers. Our modules are designed to enhance skills such as research, workload planning and management, presentational expertise, fluent literacy, close analysis, and the synthesis of competing arguments or evidence. Although the majority of our graduates are interested in pursuing careers in the public and voluntary/community sectors, significant numbers develop careers in the private sector, working in industries from management consultancy to law and journalism.

Graduates in History from QUB pursue careers in areas such as:
• Marketing
• Journalism
• Broadcasting
• Research
• Heritage
• museum sector
• education
• the Civil Service
• banking
• accountancy
• public relations
• local government itself.

Degree Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.

Tuition Fees

Northern Ireland (NI) 1 £4,750
Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 £4,750
England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 £9,250
EU Other 3 £20,800
International £20,800

1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.

2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.

3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

The tuition fees quoted above are for the 2024/25 academic year and are a guide only. In addition, all tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase in each year of the course. Fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Tuition fee rates are calculated based on a student’s tuition fee status and generally increase annually by inflation. How tuition fees are determined is set out in the Student Finance Framework.

Additional course costs

In Year 2 students can apply for a number of optional history exchanges with institutions in the USA. The cost will vary depending on the institution and length of exchange and can range from £500 - £6,000.

Students are responsible for funding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs.

All Students

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.

Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.

If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.

Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.

There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

How do I fund my study?

There are different tuition fee and student financial support arrangements for students from Northern Ireland, those from England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain), and those from the rest of the European Union.

Information on funding options and financial assistance for undergraduate students is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/Fees-and-scholarships/.

Scholarships

Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students. Information on scholarships available.

International Scholarships

Information on scholarships for international students, is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/international-scholarships.

PREV
Careers

NEXT
Apply

How to Apply

Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com/students.

When to Apply

UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2025 from early September 2024.

The advisory closing date for the receipt of applications for entry in 2025 is still to be confirmed by UCAS but is normally in late January (18:00). This is the 'equal consideration' deadline for this course.

Applications from UK and EU (Republic of Ireland) students after this date are, in practice, considered by Queen’s for entry to this course throughout the remainder of the application cycle (30 June 2025) subject to the availability of places. If you apply for 2025 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.

Applications from International and EU (Other) students are normally considered by Queen's for entry to this course until 30 June 2025. If you apply for 2025 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses.

The Institution code name for Queen's is QBELF and the institution code is Q75.

Further information on applying to study at Queen's is available at: www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/How-to-apply/

Apply via UCAS

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.

Additional Information for International (non-EU) Students

  1. Applying through UCAS
    Most students make their applications through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for full-time undergraduate degree programmes at Queen's. The UCAS application deadline for international students is 30 June 2025.
  2. Applying direct
    The Direct Entry Application form is to be used by international applicants who wish to apply directly, and only, to Queen's or who have been asked to provide information in advance of submitting a formal UCAS application. Find out more.
  3. Applying through agents and partners
    The University’s in-country representatives can assist you to submit a UCAS application or a direct application. Please consult the Agent List to find an agent in your country who will help you with your application to Queen’s University.

Download Undergraduate Prospectus