Queen Mary University of London

Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) is an internationally regarded public research institution based in London. It has a long history, dating back over 230 years, and is a member of the prestigious Russell Group of universities.

Queen Mary has five campuses in the city of London and an international network of satellite campuses in China, Malta, Paris and Singapore. There is a population of around 16,000 students at the London campuses and more than 32,000 students worldwide, representing over 170 countries and regions, making it a truly global community.

The university offers a wide range of master’s and postgraduate research degree options, across three academic faculties, and additional interdisciplinary schools each of which is divided into a number of different departments. The faculties are:

• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

Queen Mary is a research-driven university and has been recognised for the quality of its output in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), where the university was ranked 7^th in the UK with 92% of research being assessed as internationally excellent or world-leading.

Postgraduate

Queen Mary is one of the best rated universities in the UK, with continued excellence in academic and applied research, making it a fantastic place to study a postgraduate degree course. The university is well placed for students to make the most of their time in London, and provides access to one of the largest and most diverse employment markets in the world.

Additionally, the university caters to postgraduate students, with exclusive accommodation options available as well as course-specific societies and a well-resourced graduate centre.

Queen Mary is one of the best research universities in the world and has built this success on the quality of its teaching staff, who perform world-leading research which inspires the delivery of its many and varied postgraduate programmes. The university’s teaching faculty and alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, testament to the quality and impact of its work.

There are three postgraduate study modes available: taught, research and associate study - where students can attend a selection of modules without full enrolment. Distance learning options are also available on some courses, and pre-master’s programmes are suitable for students who wish to prepare for master’s level study either at Queen Mary or elsewhere.

Many of these postgraduate degrees include practical and vocational work experience, which encourages the development of transferable skill sets which adds value to long-term career prospects and makes Queen Mary graduates versatile and adaptable employees. There is further course-specific information available online or in the university prospectus.

Postgraduate entry requirements vary considerably, based on a number of factors including specific programme chosen, as well as the level of study and type of qualification. Master’s degrees typically require a second-class honours degree from a UK university or recognised equivalent from an accredited overseas institution or an equivalent professional qualification.

Postgraduate diplomas usually require first degree at an approved standard, and research degrees usually require a good second-class honours degree or master’s degree from a UK or recognised overseas institution.

There are many alternative pathways to enrolment, especially for those with significant practical and professional experience, and the university encourages anyone to submit an application. Full information is available online, and the admissions office is open all year-round to answer specific queries and questions.

All courses are taught in English, and so international students must submit scores from a recognised testing partner if the language is not native for them. Minimum scores can vary depending on the subject being applied for.

Queen Mary is considered to be a world-leading institution in terms of teaching and research. Many departments are internationally ranked, and the university is particularly well respected for the quality and variety of research which it conducts. The most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) assessed 92% of Queen Mary's research output as internationally excellent or world-leading, earning the university a ranking of 7^th in the country for research.

Queen Mary's research groups span a wide variety of subject areas and perform pioneering work into many of the most significant challenges faced by our society today.

The university excels at more than just research, and its reputation as part of the prestigious Russell Group ensures that it can attract the best academic talent to teach students and help shape the next generation of leaders in society. Students of all courses at Queen Mary will learn from passionate faculty who have extensive, valuable industry experience.

Queen Mary is globally respected and a well-connected institution, with many research groups, industry partnerships and links with leading professional organisations. This ensures that its postgraduates are exposed to a multitude of opportunities after graduation - whether it be in continued academic work, or entry into the many professional employment sectors worldwide in which its alumni are active.

Each year, the university organises a timetable of guest speakers, workshops and networking events, attended by hundreds of employers and training organisations, giving students direct access to a wide range of career options that they can explore as they continue their studies.

There are funding opportunities available to establish and develop student-founded business ideas, and a dedicated careers service which offers job opportunities guidance with work experience, help writing CV’s, interview training and much more.

Student union

The Queen Mary Student’s Union (QMSU) is a student-run organisation of which all enrolled students become members. It fulfils many roles, including acting as the representational voice of the student community, communicating between organisational staff and students, campaigning for student issues and providing advice and services. Medicine and dentistry students also become members of the Barts and London Students’ Association (BLSA).

Clubs and societies

Queen Mary is a great place to broaden horizons, learn new skills and meet new people. The university’s student’s union co-ordinates a network of more than 300 clubs and special interest societies, 60 sports clubs and a range of media outlets for students to get involved with. These bring opportunities to explore new or existing interests with like-minded individuals from outside the classroom, and is often where friends are made which can last a lifetime.

City life

The main Queen Mary Mile End campus is located in London’s trendy East End, within walking distance of Brick Lane and Shoreditch, and only a short journey to the city’s financial districts in The City and Canary Wharf. The university has four other locations across London: Charterhouse Square, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, West Smithfield and Whitechapel.

Accommodation

Queen Mary owns a variety of attractive and affordable accommodation options for undergraduate and postgraduate students alike. The university has its own postgraduate-exclusive accommodation, Aspire Point in Stratford, which can support up to 445 postgraduate students in a comfortable and convenient location.

Queen Mary also has comprehensive guidance to help students find alternative accommodation. Medicine and dentistry students have course-specific accommodation options available at the university’s Whitechapel and Charterhouse campuses, ensuring close proximity to clinical facilities.

Facilities

Queen Mary is a well-resourced institution, which invests heavily in maintaining and enhancing its facilities and services. More than £98 million has been spent on new facilities in recent years, including a £39 million Graduate Centre opened in 2017 which boasts a 200-seat lecture theatre and 7,700 square metres of learning space including a mock trading floor and an onsite café.

The Engineering Building has recently undergone a £30 million redevelopment, with new robotics facilities and state-of-the-art research laboratories.

£18 million has been spent on high-quality teaching rooms and a new social area for the Mathematical Sciences faculty, and the School of Biology and Chemical Sciences has recently received a £1 million investment in cutting-edge equipment.

Queen Mary has a range of dedicated study spaces for masters students across the London campuses. From modern libraries equipped with extensive resources to collaborative learning environments and quiet study areas, our campuses offer the ideal setting for academic success. Whether you prefer individual study pods or group study rooms, you'll find the perfect space to enhance your learning experience at Queen Mary.

Queen Mary understands the challenges postgraduate students can face when embarking upon a degree course, especially for those who have moved cities or countries. The university is proud to provide a wide range of support services for postgraduate students to access.

These include support such as academic writing, study methods and extra tuition, and support for international students including visa and immigration advice, and financial aid through the form of scholarships, bursaries and grants.

Student health and wellbeing is a priority for Queen Mary. Students can access free and confidential advice and counselling ensuring they have the personal support network required to study in comfort and confidence. Support for disabled and students with learning difficulties is also readily available – the student’s union is often the first point of contact to be introduced to these services.

If students should experience financial difficulties, the university also has a number of support mechanisms in place and will be signposted to the best source of assistance.

Queen Mary appreciates that the cost of study can be a significant factor in deciding whether to pursue a course of higher education. The university believes in fair access to education, and through its generous network of sponsors and alumni, provides a range of scholarship and bursary options for postgraduate students across Queen Mary's different academic schools.

These are available for both merit-based and means-tested criteria and ensure that all students have the resources needed to succeed, as well as the opportunity for motivated and hard-working students to subsidise the cost of study through their academic work.

For September 2024/25, Queen Mary is delighted to offer Global Talent and Masters Scholarships of up to £4,000 for high-achieving students.

Full information about financial award schemes and eligibility requirements can be found on the Queen Mary website.

Taught

There is a huge selection of masters programmes available with start dates in both January and September at Queen Mary, including postgraduate diplomas, postgraduate certificates and master’s degree programmes. These courses offer significant added value to a career pathway, or a stepping stone to research level study. Taught courses are offered as both full-time and part-time options. There’s also LLM courses for those interested in furthering their studies in law.

Research

Queen Mary has had exceptional success as a research-intensive university in recent years, being widely acknowledged as one of the top performing universities in the UK, and highly respected in the international research community.

There is a large selection of research degrees available to study, spanning a wide range of subject areas. Many Queen Mary's master students progress to PhD study at the university or elsewhere, and the university’s research degree community numbers more than 1,200 postgraduate students.

Distance learning

There are several postgraduate courses at Queen Mary which can be completed entirely via distance learning. These are typically studied over a duration of one or two years, either full-time or part-time, and are a great way for postgraduate students to gain a master’s qualification with enough flexibility to organise their studies around existing work or personal commitments.

Distance learning students have full access to the university’s online library services.