MA History of Political Thought and Intellectual History

at Queen Mary University of London

This MA provides a rare opportunity to be taught by world-class scholars working across the University of London in the fields of intellectual history, the history of political thought and  the history of philosophy.  

This joint programme is run by University College London (UCL) and Queen Mary University of London. The programme brings together research and academics from institutions such as Birkbeck, University of London, the Institute of Historical Research (IHR), King's College London (KCL), UCL, Queen Mary and Royal Holloway, University of London, to provide a range of expertise.

You’ll be taught by staff from the departments of History, Law, Modern Languages and Literature, Philosophy, and Politics.

In addition to the use of UCL and Queen Mary libraries, you will have access to outstanding research libraries, including the British Library, Senate House Library, the Warburg Institute Library, the Wellcome Library, the IHR Library and the Dr. Williams Library. 

You’ll also be offered optional language training in a modern European language, or in ancient or medieval Latin.

You are encouraged to participate in the research programme and events hosted by the Centre for the Study of the History of Political Thought.

Additional costs
You might incur a small travel cost (eg travelcard) when you attend the core course, History of Political Ideas research seminars, or choose to study or research at another institution.

Structure

• Compulsory core module
• Choose between two and four elective modules
• Dissertation

In addition to the assessed portion of your course, you’ll be expected to attend the fortnightly research seminars in the History of Political Ideas at the Institute of Historical Research. A faculty seminar organised by an academic convenor alternates with an early career seminar organised by research students.

UK
Degree requirements
A 2:2 or above at undergraduate level in a Life Sciences subject.

Student Visa Regulations

If you will require a Student visa to study in the UK, you must meet the minimum English Language requirements to meet the UKVI regulations.  The minimum IELTS requirement is 5.5 in all four skills (Writing, Reading, Speaking and Listening).  However, many of our courses require higher grades.

Pre-sessional English Language Courses

If you fall slightly below our standard English language requirements, you may consider one of our Pre-sessional English courses.  Please note that you will require a UK government approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) for entry to our Thirteen week pre-sessional courses.  Currently, only IELTS for UKVI, PTE Academic (UKVI), LanguageCert International ESOL SELT and Trinity College London, Integrated Skills in English (ISE) are accepted. The Pre-sessional English course requirements are published according to the academic department within which your chosen course of study is administere

Full-time study
September 2022 | 1 year

Home: £11,850
Overseas: £25,150
 

Unconditional deposit
Home: Not applicable

Overseas: £2000

Part-time study
September 2022 | 2 years

Home: £5,950
Overseas: £12,600
 

Unconditional deposit
Home: Not applicable

Overseas: £2000
 

Many of our graduates have done or are currently doing PhDs or are in academia– both in London and at a variety of other institutions from Oxford and Cambridge to Berkeley and Yale. These include:

• Dr Signy Gutnick Allen, LSE Fellow in Political Theory and former Associate Lecturer in Political Theory at the University of York
• Dr Paul Sagar, Lecturer in Political Theory, King’s College London

Students have also gone on to work:

• at the BBC
• in publishing, at prestigious academic presses like Polity Press
• as political advisers in Westminster, the European Parliament, and on
• congressional campaigns in the US
• at NGOs like Global Witness
• as researchers
• in finance 
• in teaching.