Arts and Humanities subjects have had a particularly strong tradition since the opening of Westfield College in 1882. When Queen Mary and Westfield Colleges merged in 1989, the combined strengths of the two colleges succeeded in raising the profiles of numerous departments.

In 1996, the English Department achieved a 5 rating in the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). Many departments, including History, Law and Hispanic Studies, were rated as 5 or 5* in 2001. The School of Languages, Linguistics and Film, has interests which span literature, linguistics, cultural studies, film, history of ideas and languages.

Geography students, 2007.
Courtesy of Queen Mary, University of London Archives.

The Department of Economics was graded 5 in the 2001 RAE. Economics graduates, including Ching-He Huang (right), have followed successful careers in industry, finance, higher education, the civil service and other public sector institutions, both in the UK and overseas.

A number of research initiatives within the Arts and Humanities are led by women. Professor Lisa Jardine is Director of The Centre for Editing Lives and Letters. The Centre for the Study of Migration, based within the Department of Politics, is directed by Dr Anne Kershen.

Foreign Language student, 2007.
Courtesy of Queen Mary, University of London Archives.

Degree courses such as Modern and Contemporary History and Politics currently offer students the opportunity to learn about political events. The Department of Geography is recognised as an international centre for excellence in teaching and research. Results of the government’s teaching quality assessment programme, and the RAE, have placed the department within the top ten geography departments nationally.

Ching-He Huang (Economics, 1999), 2007. Courtesy of Queen Mary, University of London Archives.