Structure

Programme Structure

The first two years are spent at Sciences Po in France and are multi-disciplinary, providing a solid intellectual grounding in the social sciences. The last two years are spent at UCL where students specialise in a humanities or social science subject. It is possible to take more than one specialism within the humanities and social sciences while at UCL provided the chosen subjects form a coherent pathway. All students major in one European language which is studied throughout the programme.

The European languages available as major languages on the programme are:

French
German
Italian
Spanish

Students specialising in French may choose from four campuses at Sciences Po:

Dijon (Central & Eastern Europe Campus)
Menton (Middle Eastern & Mediterranean Campus)
Nancy (French-German European Campus)
Poitiers (Euro-Latin-American Campus)

For other languages the destinations are as follows:

Spanish - Poitiers or Dijon
German - Nancy, Dijon or Paris
Italian – Dijon or Paris

At Sciences Po students study part of the curriculum in the language of specialisation, with the exception of German and Italian which are studied ab initio. If your language level in German or Italian is not at the required level by the time you join UCL in Year 3 you will take language classes in the UCL Centre for Languages and International Education rather than in the Department of your major language. You will not graduate with degree level language but instead, with a BA ESPS: Dual Degree with German (or Italian) Studies.

Social science courses are offered in French, German and Spanish at the relevant campuses. You do not necessarily need to speak French in order to apply to the programme.

For full details of the language requirements that apply to each campus and to the language chosen as major please refer to the Entry page.

The last two years are spent at UCL, where students specialise in any of the following subjects:

Economics
History
International Relations
Law
Philosophy
Politics

If you intend to specialise in Economics, Law or History while at UCL, you must take optional courses in the relevant discipline at Sciences Po.

At UCL language departments offer modules in literature, linguistics, history, history of ideas, art, films and social, political or cultural studies. The options offered vary from department to department.

Year One (Sciences Po)

Core Courses

Political Institutions and Law
Political Science
History
Micro-Economics
Macro-Economics
Sociology
Quantitative Methods

Optional Courses

Elective humanities course
Language courses
Campus specific options (workshops, field trips,etc.)
The Civic Learning programme : https://www.sciencespo.fr/college/en/academics/educational-goals/learning-experiences/civic-learning-programme.html

Year Two (Sciences Po)

Core Courses

Law
Interdisciplinary Course
History

Optional Courses

Seminars in History, Law or Economics
Seminars in Sociology or Politics
“Perspectives” course (epistemology)
Arts workshops
Elective humanities or interdisciplinary courses
Social sciences electives
Language Courses
Campus specific options (workshops, field trips,etc.)
The Civic Learning programme : https://www.sciencespo.fr/college/en/academics/educational-goals/learning-experiences/civic-learning-programme.html

Year Three (UCL)

Standard Structure for 1 Language

45 credits in department of major language

75 credits in humanities/social science specialism

Modified Structure for 1 Language (only if German or Italian are not at required level)

30 credits of language in CLIE
15 credits of content in department of major language
75 credits in humanities/social science specialism

Standard Structure for 1 Major and 1 Minor Language

If you wish to take a second language as your minor language this will normally be a language previously studied in Year 1 or Year 2 at Sciences Po.
45 credits in department of major language
15 or 30 credits of minor language in CLIE or the relevant department
60 or 45 credits in humanities/social science specialism

Standard Structure for 1 Major and 1 Minor Language (only if German or Italian are not at required level)

30 credits of language in CLIE
15 credits of content in department of major language
15 or 30 credits of minor language in CLIE or the relevant department
60 or 45 credits in humanities/social science specialism

Final Year (UCL)

15 credits language (30 for Spanish)
90 credits units in area of specialism (75 for Spanish)
Optional: 15 credits ESPS Extended Essay (ESPS0030)

Courses in language and Humanities/Social Science

Visit department websites

EISPS Courses

Optional

Programme contact

Admissions queries

Download brochure

UCL Plus

Where we are