Information in Society BSc
London, Stratford (UCL East)
Information in Society BSc (2023)
UCL’s Information in Society BSc is a new and innovative degree that will equip you with practical knowledge from both the humanities and technology, along with a thorough understanding of the crucial role of information, data and evidence in society.
Study mode
Duration
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
Programme starts
September 2024Application deadline
31 Jan 2024UCAS course code
Entry requirements
- Grades
- ABB
- Subjects
- No specific subjects. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
- GCSEs
- English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 5. Mathematics at grade A or 7 required if not offered at A level.
Contextual offer information
- Grades
- BBB more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- No specific subjects. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
- GCSEs
- English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 5. Mathematics at grade A or 7 required if not offered at A level.
- Points
- 34
- Subjects
- A total of 16 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 32 more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- A total of 15 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5.
UK applicants qualifications
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Equivalent qualification
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF) or BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (RQF - teaching from 2016) with Distinction, Distinction, Distinction.
Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 30 credits at Distinction, 12 credits at Merit and 3 credits at Pass in the Level 3 units.
Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades ABB.
ABB at Advanced Highers (or AB at Advanced Higher and BBB at Higher)
D3,M1,M1 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects
'Digital Production, Design, and Development' and 'Digital Business Services' T-Levels with an overall grade of Distinction.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
International applications
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
Access and widening participation
UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates
The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.
Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.
For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.
English language requirements
The English language level for this programme is: Level 4
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Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.
A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.
Course overview
UCL’s Information in Society BSc is envisaged to be a strong asset for careers where real-world problems need information-driven solutions. Used effectively, information drives good decision making in organisations, businesses, the third sector, and governments, and brings new opportunities to solve the big problems our society faces.
Whether you are confident around technology or more comfortable interacting with people, this BSc programme will enable you to strengthen skills in each area so you can lead impactful work in the service of society. Bringing together technical, creative and communication skills, this course should enable graduates to act as changemakers across a range of careers.
Based at UCL East, our brand new campus in Stratford, you will be part of a community of students studying interdisciplinary degrees in both arts and science subjects that are focused on creating, designing and making, with a strong emphasis on active engagement with communities to effect change.
What this course will give you
The Information in Society BSc programme is designed to prepare you for a range of future-focused and information-driven careers, both in the UK and internationally. With a solid set of interdisciplinary skills, you’ll be ready to take on leading roles solving global challenges.
You’ll be part of the world-renowned Department of Information Studies at UCL, which has been training information professionals for more than a century and where you will benefit from a world-class teaching and research environment.
Based at UCL East, you’ll be studying at our brand new campus in East Bank, the education and cultural Olympic legacy of London 2012, alongside partners such as the BBC, the V&A, Sadler’s Wells and the UAL London College of Fashion.
You’ll also have the chance to take optional modules (pending availability) at our Bloomsbury campus in the heart of the Knowledge Quarter and close to the British Library and British Museum.
Teaching and learning
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Upon successful completion of 360 credits, you will be awarded a BSc (Hons) in Information in Society.
Modules
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.
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Your first year provides a balanced foundation for your degree, introducing technical skills (programming, maths, web technologies), and a critical understanding of how societies use information in decision-making (social anthropology or social theory, ethics, information literacy). No matter what your existing academic background is, this first year provides the foundation on which you will build your knowledge and skills in Years 2 and 3 of your studies.
In the second year, you will deepen your knowledge and skills to address increasingly complex information problems that bridge the socio-technical divide. From digital media platforms to the information life cycle, to databases and data processing, the focus of the second year is to take those foundational skills into real-world scenarios. You will take four compulsory modules and can choose two further optional modules located at either UCL East or Bloomsbury, subject to availability. These can include picking up a new foreign language, for example, if you wish to add an international element to your skillset.
In your final year, you have the chance to focus on a study path and specialise towards a career that most interests you. You will take three core modules and have a range of choices for two additional options from our offering at UCL East or Bloomsbury, dependent on availability. This includes the chance to apply for a specialist masters-level module from within the Information Studies department. The degree culminates with a dissertation, in which you will develop an independent and original piece of research under the direction of an academic supervisor.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
Compulsory modules
Compulsory modules
Your learning
You will learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, computer labs and independent study. To ensure you graduate as a well-rounded and flexible thinker with both strong communication and technical skills, this blend of in-depth discussion and practical technical work is split roughly 50:50 across the core curriculum. To build real-world skills, students will work both independently and collaboratively, learning to project manage effectively with other students, mirroring the world of work.
In your final year, you will also work under an academic supervisor to design and execute a substantial and challenging individual project that acts as the capstone to your degree and your academic achievements.
As a full-time student, you would be expected to spend approximately 40 hours a week studying. This is made up of a combination of contact hours and self-directed study.
Assessment
You will learn to communicate your knowledge in a range of formats and for a range of audiences. These include portfolios of creative or technical work, essays and reports, presentations, and technical assignments. Some optional modules have different modes of assessment, including technical portfolios and take-home exams. Most assessed pieces of work are individual assignments, while some modules also include group work to promote collaborative skill building. The weighting given to each assessment method will vary across modules to ensure manageable workloads throughout your programme.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.
The foundation of your career
You will graduate ready to contribute to a number of fields, including tech companies, policy organisations, government, consultancy, data analysis, information management, charitable/third sector organisations, the creative industries, and cultural heritage.
You may also choose to go on to further study and would be a strong candidate for Masters degrees within the department (information studies, digital humanities, publishing, library science, and archival science) or beyond, as well as in adjacent fields such as the humanities, social sciences, and technology degrees.
Employability
With an interdisciplinary background that combines humanities and technology, strong communication and leadership skills, and embedded exposure to collaboration strategies, graduates from the programme should be attractive to employers with real-world problems to solve.
Fees and funding
Fees for this course
| Fee description | Full-time |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees (2024/25) | £9,250 |
| Tuition fees (2024/25) | £28,100 |
The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2024/25 academic year. The UK fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2024/25 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.
Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.
Additional costs
The department strives to keep additional costs low. Additional costs may include expenses such as books, stationary, printing or photocopying.
A guide including rough estimates for these and other living expenses is included on the UCL Fees and funding pages. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).
Funding your studies
Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.
Scholarships
The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.
Next steps
Your application
We expect applicants will be comfortable in either humanities related skills such as writing and small group discussion, or with technology and/or maths related areas. Both types of prior aptitude will be assessed equally by the admissions team. Your application should provide evidence that you are: bringing some skills and interests relevant to the degree, highlighting areas of strength; willing to learn new skills or approaches to knowledge that you do not yet possess; a desire to become well rounded in both humanities skills and technology; interested in engaging in wider societal, cultural and global issues from a humanities perspective; interested in making our societies better places.
How to apply
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
Selection
For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.
Students with an A Level or equivalent in Maths will take ‘Foundations of Statistical Methods and Computing’ in their first year. Students without an A Level Maths qualification will be enrolled on ‘Mathematics and Statistics in Information Studies’. Whether you are applying with or without an A Level in Maths will not affect application success rates. We are keen to attract students from a wide range of backgrounds to create an intellectually and socially stimulating community.
Got questions? Get in touch
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