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Social Sciences BSc

London, Bloomsbury

A rapidly changing global landscape raises fundamental issues about the relationship between individuals and society. The interdisciplinary Social Sciences BSc at UCL offers opportunities to engage with global perspectives on social change, and tools for understanding, shaping and innovating in future policy and practice. Social Sciences students will develop excellent skills in critical thinking and empirical analysis, preparing you for employment or further study.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
3 academic years
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
£9,250
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
£34,400
Programme starts
September 2024
Application deadline
31 Jan 2024
UCAS course code
L300

Entry requirements

A levels IB Diploma Other qualifications
Grades
AAA
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 B or 6.

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 B or 6.
Points
38
Subjects
A total of 18 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 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

Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 33 credits at Distinction and 12 credits at Merit, all from Level 3 units.

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF) or BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (RQF - teaching from 2016) with Distinction, Distinction, Distinction.

D3,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects.

AAA at Advanced Highers (or AA at Advanced Higher and AAA at Higher).

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades AAA.

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.
Check your Access UCL Scheme eligibility

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 3

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

Each year, you will take a number of individual modules. First year core modules focus on sociology and psychology, and an introduction to research methods. You can specialise in a further social science discipline through optional modules. Students can apply to take social science modules offered by other UCL Departments, including Anthropology, Philosophy and Political Science, although acceptance on these modules cannot be guaranteed and is subject to availability.  

In year two, core modules focus on social theory, social psychology, and advanced research methods, while the wide range of optional modules allows you to pursue your own areas of interest and specialise further within the social sciences.

Year three combines a core social science seminar module, involving workshops and seminars with invited guest speakers, with a wide range of optional modules. You will also conduct an independent research project and write a dissertation. An optional module offers students an opportunity to gain advanced research skills by undertaking a mentored research internship within the Social Research Institute.  

Modules focus on understanding social, psychological, cultural, and economic dynamics and processes in societies and individual lives, including gender, the labour market, income inequality, poverty, health, and public policy affecting them.

What this course will give you

The Social Sciences degree at UCL provides students with a unique opportunity to explore relationships between the individual and society through an interdisciplinary lens. Students will use a range of methods to understand key global issues, their genesis, and ways to tackle them.

You will also have the opportunity to study abroad for one academic year.

The programme offers core modules in sociology, psychology and research methods, plus a wide choice of modules exploring gender, politics, social justice, inequalities, international relations, and economics through which students will be able to identify and pursue their own areas of interest.   

The programme emphasises research-led teaching from leading scholars, at all stages of their careers, who bring a range of disciplinary perspectives to bear on contemporary issues, while putting these in historical and global context.

Rigorous training in research skills is invaluable for future employment and study. There is a strong emphasis on equipping students with practical and transferable skills in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research. 

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 Social Sciences.

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.

The Social Sciences BSc is a broad-based interdisciplinary degree offering considerable flexibility and a wide range of optional modules. Compulsory modules in year one provide a foundation in the disciplines of sociology and psychology as well as research methods. You will also choose optional modules from a range of subjects including anthropology, economics, education studies, history and other social sciences subjects. In years two and three you continue with compulsory modules in psychology and sociology, including social theory, advanced methods modules, policy analysis and optional modules. You will also conduct a research project and write a dissertation.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Compulsory modules








Optional modules







Compulsory modules






Optional modules











Compulsory modules




Optional modules










Food and Society


Your learning

Teaching on the degree includes a stimulating mix of lectures, small-group seminars, and workshops, as well as film screenings, field visits and specialist guest lectures. You will also attend practical sessions to discover, explore, and analyse qualitative data (such as interviews, visual material, and other data) and quantitative data through statistical techniques. All students have a personal tutor throughout the three years of the degree.

There is the opportunity to study abroad for one academic year at one of our partner institutions.

Undergraduate students are expected to carry out 40 hours of study per week during term time. Approximately 30% of this time is spent in lectures and seminars. The remainder will be independent personal study time - i.e. research, reading, writing, etc.

There are no lectures, seminars, or tutorials on Wednesday afternoons. This allows students to attend various activities available at UCL or elsewhere.

Assessment

Assessment is through a mix of essays, written examinations, practical exercises, blog posts, film reviews, explainers, and a dissertation in the final year of study. The weight given to each assessment method varies across modules to ensure a manageable workload throughout the 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 and Wellbeing Services team.

Visit us

All open days and events

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Online - Open day

IOE Undergraduate Virtual Taster Sessions

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Undergraduate Virtual Taster Sessions are taking place from 25 November 2024 to 27 November 2024. A session will run between 30-45 minutes and the times will vary for every session. Join us at one of our virtual taster lectures to meet academics and get a feel of what it would be like to study at IOE.

Online - Open day

Social Sciences BSc Information Session

Watch this video to find out more about UCL's Social Sciences BSc programme, entry requirements, course structure and other helpful information. Recorded Spring 2024.

Watch on demand event

The foundation of your career

The degree prepares you for a wide range of careers in the public and private sectors, including government, public administration, charities and international development, politics, journalism, teaching and research, as well as non-governmental organisations.

The degree also prepares students for graduate studies in the social sciences.

Employability

Social Sciences BSc students learn to understand and analyse complex global and social issues, gain multidisciplinary training in research skills, and learn how different methods contribute to understanding real-world phenomena. You will also have an opportunity to conduct an independent research project for your dissertation.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) £9,250
Tuition fees (2024/25) £34,400

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

This programme does not have any additional costs outside of purchasing books or stationery, printing, thesis binding 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.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

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

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.

Download prospectus

Got questions? Get in touch

Social Research Institute
Social Research Institute

bsc-socsciences@ucl.ac.uk

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