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Sociology and Politics of Science BSc

London, Bloomsbury

This social science degree examines modern society and the role of technology and science in building our world. We combine approaches from sociology, politics, policy, ethics and science communication to address topics including AI, data, climate change and medicine.  Sometimes known as ‘PPE for the 21st century’, this BSc is unique to UCL.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
3 academic years
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£9,535
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£36,500
Programme starts
September 2026
Application deadline
14 Jan 2026
UCAS course code
L391
Apply via UCAS

Entry requirements

A levels IB Diploma Other qualifications
Grades
AAB
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 4.

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 4.
Points
36
Subjects
A total of 17 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

Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 30 credits at Distinction and 15 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,M1 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects.

AAB at Advanced Highers (or AA at Advanced Higher and BBB at Higher).

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.
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 2

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


Modules in science policy and governance are local and global in scope. They engage with ethics, historical decision-making processes, governance of emerging technologies, science communication, and future directions in science, medicine, and technology.

Modules in science communication focus on the complex interactions between scientists and the public. We consider the methods of science journalism, including radio and television and online environments. There are also practical modules in science communication aimed at building hands-on skills in public engagement with science. You will also develop the skills of evaluating the effectiveness of science communication: what works and what doesn't?

Modules in sociology of modern science and technology engage with classic sociological theory and practical field methods to study science as a human activity, shaped by modern society.

This programme aims to produce graduates ready to talk about science and interpret its influences in modern society without committing to a life at the laboratory bench. Science involves many more people than scientists themselves, and this degree seeks to build policymakers, communicators, and other observers who can contribute informed views to ongoing debates about science’s direction and impact. This might involve contributing to debates on science funding or ethics; weighing the value of different social priorities; or consulting on the impact of new technologies and new discoveries.

What this course will give you

Through our research-led teaching, acquire transferable skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, arguing, well adapted to the 21st century job market.

Investigate how scientific knowledge is intertwined with culture and society, and how historians and sociologists understand the past based on evidence from archives, libraries, museums and oral testimonies.

Investigate science as a way of knowing, including its many methods, fundamental concepts, logic, and ethics, and use science to develop expertise in areas of philosophy from aesthetics to metaphysics.

Learn how to use sociology and philosophy to access, understand, and challenge positions in contemporary debates about science and technology.

At the beginning of the second year, interested students will have the opportunity to learn about the possibilities of spending a year studying abroad (traditionally in Year 3 of their degree) via the global opportunities provided by the UCL Study Abroad team.

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 Sociology and Politics of Science.

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.

Students take 120 credits of modules each year, normally eight modules worth 15 credits. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken.

In Year 1 students will take eight compulsory modules.

In Year 2 students will take two compulsory modules. Students must take an additional four 15 credit modules chosen from the modules offered by the department plus an additional 30 credits of modules, usually two 15 credit modules. The additional 30 credits can be chosen from the modules offered by the department or chosen from other departments at UCL.

In Year 3 students will complete the compulsory 30 credit dissertation module. Students will also take five 15 credit modules chosen from the modules offered by the department plus one additional 15 credit module. The additional 15 credit module can be chosen from the modules offered by the department or chosen from another department at UCL.

Upon successful completion of 360 credits, you will be awarded a BSc (Hons) in Sociology and Politics of Science.
 

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Compulsory modules










Compulsory modules




Optional modules









Compulsory modules



Optional modules

Evolution in Science and Culture









The Social Sciences of Inequality



Eugenics in Science and Culture





Your learning

Our teaching methods adapt to specific needs of students. Many modules include small-group discussions and active participation. The student-to-tutor ratio is approximately 10:1.

Students receive an average of 8 contact hours each week over 10 weeks of teaching each term (each term is 11 weeks with a reading week). In addition, students are expected to spend 40 hours a week on independent study over the 11 week term. Independent study can include reading in preparation for lectures/seminars, wider reading, revising for examinations, completing written assessments and preparing presentations.

Assessment

Coursework ranges from short position pieces to significant research papers. In addition to essays, we sometimes assess using posters, blogs, and multimedia projects. Practical work includes mock parliamentary reports, radio programmes, presentations, and web projects. Group work sometimes is used, as are unseen examinations.

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

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: Science and Technology Studies (AM)

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Our online event is a great chance to find out more about your chosen course, the department and studying at UCL. You'll have the opportunity to hear from academic staff and ask any questions you might have about life at UCL.

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: Science and Technology Studies (PM)

—

Our online event is a great chance to find out more about your chosen course, the department and studying at UCL. You'll have the opportunity to hear from academic staff and ask any questions you might have about life at UCL.

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: Mathematical and Physical Sciences student Q&A (AM)

—

This event is a great chance to hear from current students from the Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. You'll have the opportunity to ask them about studying in the Faculty, student life in London and why they chose to study at UCL.

The foundation of your career

In this scientific and technological world, this programme provides an excellent foundation for many careers, especially those at the interface of professional science and the wider culture transnationally.

The knowledge and skills gained on the programme can also be used in the areas of science policy, think tanks, charities, science communication, journalism, education, museums, finance and law. Students may also go on to further study, with 14.5% of STS graduates going on to Postgraduate study.

Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2020/2021 cohort.

Employability

The programme is designed to enable you to gain understanding of the discipline, and to develop intellectual, practical and transferable skills, such as critical thinking; retrieving, researching and analysing material; problem solving; time and project management and working effectively both independently and as part of a team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £9,535
Tuition fees (2025/26) £36,500

Fees are for Undergraduate 2025/26 entry and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases and are subject to the passing of secondary legislation. Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2025/26 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

In addition, please note that if you wish to study abroad during your programme at UCL, this is likely to incur additional costs. Studying abroad may cost between £200–£1,000 per month depending on where you choose to study. The cost of studying abroad can be difficult to predict as it will depend on your priorities and choices. There is more information available on the UCL Study Abroad website.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide. 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

Your application

We particularly welcome students who are interested in the role that science, technology and medicine play in today’s world, are passionate about science and want to study science using various concepts from history, philosophy, and sociology. STS students have a strong aptitude for critical-thinking skills, and are interested in applying these skills to understand complex problems: from climate change to artificial intelligence, to privacy of data, and a lot more. Generally, our students are not only passionate about science and technology, but they are also concerned about potential negative impacts and want future careers that impact society in meaningful, positive ways across diverse sectors, from policy to industry, media and museums and galleries.

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.

Apply via UCAS
Application guidelines
Download prospectus

Got questions? Get in touch

Science and Technology Studies
Science and Technology Studies

sts-admissions@ucl.ac.uk

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