Social Sciences
Award
BA
Duration & study mode
36 weeks, full-time
School
Education & Social Sciences
Ucas code
L310
Course starting dates
-
New College Lanarkshire: September
Last updated: 20/02/2025
Overview
Delivered via the Undergraduate School, the BA Social Sciences is a unique partnership between UWS and New College Lanarkshire.
Social justice, power and inequalities are the central themes of the BA (Hons) in Social Sciences. The first two years of this programme equip you with a firm grounding in the essential disciplines of politics, policy and sociology. After this, you can choose to follow one of three specialist pathways:
- Politics and Policy
- Sociology and Policy
- Sociology
Investigating social and political change, you will explore both how we understand society and how we can change it for the better, developing your critical thinking alongside a wide range of research and transferable skills that are highly valued by the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Course highlights
- You will investigate the driving forces behind and potential solutions to complex local and global challenges in society, using a range of theoretical lenses and research methods.
- Specialist pathways will provide you with the opportunity for in-depth exploration of social issues such as activism, migration, gender, nationalism, and international relations.
- You will develop your understanding and experience of social sciences as a creative problem solver, drawing on cutting-edge research, policy analysis and evaluation.
- You will work with expert academic staff by choosing your own preferred course theme, completing an in-depth independent research project in your Honours year.
Careers
Graduates from the BA (Hons) Social Sciences programme are equipped with highly sought-after skills, entering careers in:
- Politics, such as working as or with elected representatives
- Public services, such as housing and planning
- Policy and academic research Health and social care
- Private sector employment
- Teaching in primary and secondary schools
You will be well positioned to undertake further study at Masters level, including UWS programmes such as:
- MSc Applied Social Science
- Master of Public Administration (MPA)
- MSc Policy Analysis and Global Governance
Entry requirements
Year 2
Year 2 Entry: SQA HNC/BTEC Level 4 HNC: Social Sciences; Social Studies with B in Graded Unit SQA HND/BTEC Level 5 HND: Social Sciences; Social Studies
Year 3
Year 3 Entry: SQA HND/BTEC Level 5 HND: Social Sciences; Social Studies with BB in Graded Unit
Course details
Year 3
Starting from Year 3, you can choose a specialist pathway in: Sociology; Politics and Policy; or Sociology and Policy.
In addition, you will develop your research skills and knowledge to hone your research practice ahead of your final year dissertation.
Term 1
You will be required to choose three modules from the following:
- Data Analysis for Social Science (we strongly advise students to select this module if they are planning to collect empirical data for their dissertation)
- Contemporary Issues and Policy Responses (Policy)
- Gender in Society (Sociology) • Capitalism Culture and Celebrity (Sociology)
- Scottish Society (Politics and Policy) • American Politics and Policy (Politics and Policy)
- Work, Welfare and Society (Sociology and Policy)
Term 2
Designing Your Dissertation Project (core module) You will be required to choose two modules from the following:
- Ethnicity, Racism and Social Relations (Sociology)
- Art, Culture and Society (Sociology)
- Environmental Damage, Policy and Justice (Policy)
- Democracy and European Political Parties (Politics)
- Contemporary German Politics (Politics)
*Please note that the selection of modules may occasionally change.
Year 4
Social Sciences Dissertation (40 credits; Term 1 and Term 2)
Plus two modules from:
- Social Activism and Social Justice (Sociology and Policy)
- Making Sustainable Cities (Policy)
- Education Politics and Policy (Politics and Policy)
- Participation and Democracy (Politics)
Term 2
Social Sciences Dissertation (40 credits; Term 1 and Term 2) Plus two modules from:
- Embodiment of Social Inequality (Sociology)
- British and Irish Political History since WW2 (Sociology and Politics)
- Migration, State and Society (Sociology and Policy)
- Nationalism (Sociology and Politics)
- Parliamentary Studies (Politics)
Apply Directly to UWS
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Apply via UCAS
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Other course options available
BA (Hons) in Social Sciences - UWS Lanarkshire and Paisley campuses
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