This subject is often referred to as a ‘soft science’ as it studies societies, human relationships, and the way people communicate, behave and do things. It will introduce you to a wide range of social science subjects such as anthropology, communication studies, criminology, economics, geography, and history. It looks at the relationship between different cultures, and is an ideal subject for anyone who is interested in how people or societies interact and function.
It will give you the knowledge required to address contemporary social issues and to be able to study the social life of humans in both communities and as individuals. Students will not only be able to use the expertise they gain from this degree to enhance their employment careers, but will also be able to engage with some of the most compelling and contested questions in contemporary society.
A graduate degree in a social sciences field can open the door to a wide variety of employment roles that deal with the human aspect of the world and how people function within it. Jobs can be research orientated, or more front line and hands on, with many roles having good opportunities for progression and advancement. Research positions tend to have a lot of responsibility, for instance in providing analysis to help contribute to the development, implementation, review and evaluation of new and existing policies.
Social Science degree course overview
Courses are designed to stimulate your curiosity, encourage you to ask questions and challenge assumptions. At the start of a course some students may well be uncertain which area of social science they want to eventually specialise in. To help them cope with this uncertainty, many degree programmes have a great deal of flexibility about the subjects of study, allowing students time to find out which areas they’d like to major in and concentrate on.
Placements will allow you to put theory into practise and gain experience while you study, which will be a great advantage when it comes to entering the work place. They are arranged in settings such as health service community care teams, hospital social work departments, child and family centres, probation service, and community development projects.
Classes combine theory and practice in an interactive learning environment which includes small classes involving group discussions, activities and role-plays. These will help you to develop a whole range of different skills that will be valuable in your academic and personal life, as well as in any future job. You will be required to perform various different research tasks to gain further insight of how humans and groups interact, respond to change and make decisions.
Your educators may well be practicing professionals in their respective fields, who will give you all the support and hands-on experience you need to reach your goals. Lectures and seminars are delivered by academic staff and on occasion guest speakers. Assessment includes essays, case studies, projects, examinations and placement reports.
Typical course modules and areas of study on a Social Science Degree
- Social psychology
- Politics
- Economics
- Social policy
- Introducing Social Policy
- Politics and Economics of Social Policy
- Social Research Methods
- Working in Organisations
- Youth Justice
- Demography, Society and Policy
- Disability: Policy and Practice
- Gender, Crime and Justice
- Health and Inequalities
- Housing Policy
- Illicit Drug Use
- Social Inclusion
- Public Policy
- Family and child care studies
- Social policy
- Sociology
- Mental health
- Equality issues
- Human rights law
- Exploring other cultures
- Introduction to criminology
- Social anthropology
- Research methods in the social sciences
Students will learn about
- The history of development of welfare states.
- Social research methods.
- Our rights as citizens.
- People management.
- Counselling tools
- Data gathering
- Social and cultural issues
Students will learn how to
- Conduct internet-based and library research.
- Carry out different types of research and complete fieldwork to gain a solid understanding of society.
- Evaluate and analyse information or data from current and past research.
- Adjust to unfamiliar surroundings to complete work tasks.
- Conduct research through interviews, questionnaires and focus groups.
- Define research objectives.
- Present results both orally and in writing.
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Online social science degree
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