Social Science BA(Hons)

Course in brief

Social science is a broad term for subjects that explore human society and the relationships within it, subjects from politics and social policy to psychology and sociology.

Our Social Science degree programme is a highly flexible course that allows you to choose modules from across these areas. You can tailor the degree to your own interests and career aspirations, with the freedom to specialise in a particular discipline or to maintain a more general approach throughout.

In line with Brighton's strong vocational focus, you have the chance to do a work placement in your second year and give a practical context to your studies. There is also an international exchange programme available, should you want to spend a part of your degree abroad.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

UCAS code L540

Full-time 3 years

Applying for 2015?

Read our personal statement top tips, and find out how we take personal experience and potential into account when we make our offers. Find out more...

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course and should be used as a general guide. We operate a flexible admissions policy – this means that you could receive a lower conditional offer than the typical offer, informed by our assessment of your complementary non-academic achievements and experiences. For any courses that require interview or portfolio review, this may also be considered in the level of any conditional offer that follows if your application is successful.

A-levels
BCC.

BTEC
DMM.

International Baccalaureate
27 points.

Access to HE Diploma
pass with 60 credits overall. Social sciences preferred. At least 45 credits at level 3.

GCSE (minimum grade C)
at least three subjects including English language and mathematics or a social science.

Foundation degree/HND/HNC
may enable you to start the course in year 2 or 3 provided content is relevant.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.0 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

Other
relevant professional experience.

International equivalencies

International equivalencies by country

Albania \|
Algeria \|
Argentina \|
Australia \|
Austria \|
Bahrain \|
Bangladesh \|
Belarus \|
Belgium \|
Bermuda \|
Bosnia and Herzegovina \|
Botswana \|
Brazil \|
Bulgaria \|
Burma (Myanmar) \|
Cameroon \|
Canada \|
Chile \|
China \|
Colombia \|
Croatia \|
Cyprus \|
Czech Republic \|
Denmark \|
Egypt \|
Estonia \|
Finland \|
France \|
Germany \|
Ghana \|
Greece \|
Guyana \|
Hong Kong \|
Hungary \|
Iceland \|
India \|
Indonesia \|
Iran \|
Iraq \|
Ireland \|
Israel \|
Italy \|
Jamaica \|
Japan \|
Jordan \|
Kazakhstan \|
Kenya \|
Kosovo \|
Kuwait \|
Latvia \|
Lebanon \|
Liechtenstein \|
Libya \|
Lithuania \|
Luxembourg \|
Macedonia \|
Malaysia \|
Malawi \|
Malta \|
Mexico \|
Moldova \|
Montenegro \|
Morocco \|
Namibia \|
Nepal \|
Netherlands\|
New Zealand \|
Nigeria \|
Norway \|
Oman \|
Pakistan \|
Palestinian National Authority \|
Philippines \|
Poland \|
Portugal \|
Qatar \|
Romania \|
Russian Federation \|
Saudi Arabia \|
Serbia \|
Sierra Leone \|
Singapore \|
Slovakia \|
Slovenia \|
South Africa \|
South Korea \|
Spain \|
Sri Lanka \|
Syria \|
Sweden \|
Switzerland \|
Taiwan \|
Tanzania \|
Thailand \|
Tunisia \|
Turkey \|
Uganda \|
Ukraine \|
United Arab Emirates \|
United States \|
Uzbekistan \|
Venezuela \|
Vietnam \|
Yemen \|
Zambia \|
Zimbabwe \|

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language institute |

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College |

For academic preparation courses

Course in detail

Course structure

The three-year Social Science BA consists of compulsory modules, which teach you the foundations of theory and research, and optional modules, which allow you to specialise in areas of your choice. Your options can focus on one area, for example politics or psychology, or they can span across the social sciences.

Opportunities are available for exchange study in Spain or Sweden.

Year 1

Year 1 will introduce you to the theoretical background of sociology, which is at the heart of the social sciences. You will also learn about how social scientists conduct their research and further the knowledge base of their respective disciplines.

Modules

Contemporary Social Inequalities
Foundations of Sociology
Introduction to Research Methods
Sociological Imaginations

One from:

Social Policy and Social Welfare
Introduction to Politics

One from:

Developmental Psychology
Social Policy: Needs and Problems
European Politics

Optional modules are subject to change.

Year 2

The second year allows you to choose your direction of study through optional modules that span the social sciences.

Community Engagement: Theory into Practice gives you the chance to do a voluntary work placement with a local organisation. It is an opportunity to put your knowledge and skills into practice and to gain insight into working life.

Modules

Community Engagement: Theory into Practice OR Critical Analysis
Researching Social and Cultural Life
Theorising the Social World

One from:

Psychology, Cognition and Social Worlds
History and Social Policy
Comparative Politics
Public Policy and Management

Two from:

Sociology and the Life Course
Social Justice, Welfare and Wellbeing
Political Ideas
The Social Context of Health and Illness

Optional modules are subject to change.

Final year

The final year dissertation will give you a chance to analyse a topic of interest at length. The rest of the curriculum consists largely of optional modules to allow you further room to specialise.

Environmental Politics introduces you to green ideas such as anthropocentrism, ecocentrism and animal liberation. It looks at environmental philosophy, green political parties and the greening of mainstream parties. You also examine the ways in which the state and the market can respond to the environmental crisis, for example through sustainable development and ecological modernisation.

Global Social Policy is designed to help you learn about contemporary developments and challenges for human wellbeing on a global level. Drawing on concepts and theories from across the social sciences, it covers three main themes: globalisation and welfare; globalisation and social problems; and governance and solutions.

Sociology Topic 1 and 2 allow you to choose from the final year options of the Sociology BA, which can be found on the relevant course page.

Modules

Dissertation
Sociology Topic 1

One from:

Critical Community Psychology
Policy Analysis
Global Social Policy
Environmental Politics and Society
Health, Wellbeing and Marketisation

Two from:

Care, Ethics and Social Policy
Mental Disorder: Psychology, Psychiatry, Anthropology
The Global Political Architecture
Sociology Topic 2
Transport, Mobility and Social Exclusion

Optional modules are subject to change.

Staff profile

Stephanie Fleischer Course leader

"I am a great believer in interdisciplinarity, and in the social sciences we refer to various disciplines, theories and perspectives which highlight the complexity of social issues.

"I have been teaching research methods for many years, which are a central part of the social science degree: findings not only provide answers to phenomena in society but also raise new questions about the world we live in."

Careers and employability

A variety of careers are open to social science graduates, depending on which areas they specialise in. Potential areas of work include educational psychology, health psychology, occupational psychology, social work, local government, management, the probation service, the prison service and the police.

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (Full-time) 9,000 GBP

International (Full-time) 13,500 GBP

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2015–16. Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, field trips or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Visits and contacts tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

A cosmopolitan city famed for its nightlife, bohemian atmosphere and beautiful surroundings, Brighton is a great place to be a student.

Whether you prefer the natural delights of the sea and South Downs or the bustle of the North Laine shopping district, there are fantastic events throughout the year that reflect the huge amount of character – both historic and modern – that the city possesses.

Brighton is host to three university campuses: Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb and Falmer. Grand Parade is in the centre of town, while Moulsecoomb and Falmer are just ten minutes away by bus or by train.

Social scene – Most students head into the lively centre of Brighton for its mix of bars, pubs, clubs, theatres, comedy houses and live music venues. In the summer the seafront buzzes with activities and impromptu BBQs and picnics on the beach.

The Shakedown Festival brings big names to one of the last major festivals in the UK music calendar. The Great Escape meanwhile has been firmly established as the leading event for showcasing new music, with over 300 bands playing 30 venues across the city over three days.

Arts – Brighton hosts England’s biggest arts festival in May each year, and has a selection of highly regarded theatres, galleries and events, not to mention the quirky Royal Pavilion which has become a symbol of the city's eccentricities.

The Brighton Festival is now the largest arts festival in England, and is one of the major milestones in the international cultural calendar. The Brighton Fringe is one of the largest fringe festivals in the world.

Find out more about Brighton

Campus information

Falmer campus

Our Falmer campus is on the edge of the South Downs National Park, just four miles from the Brighton seafront.

With around 7,000 students based here, we've invested £60 million in this campus in the last 10 years, equipping it with outstanding modern facilities.

Over 600 students live in halls of residence, Great Wilkins and Paddock Field, both within walking distance. On this campus and there are a number of areas of Brighton that are popular with students a short cycle or bus ride away.

The campus has excellent sports facilities including:

a floodlit astroturf football pitch,
netball courts,
tennis courts,
a sports centre with a fitness suite,
two activity studios,
a sports hall with six badminton courts.

The campus is right next to Brighton & Hove Albion's Amex Stadium which houses not only football matches, but a number of events throughout the year.

Find out more about living in Brighton |

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Falmer campus and Brighton and Sussex Medical School map

Unistats

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats is an organisation that collects specific data about university courses in the UK which enables you to compare information that is important in your decision-making when choosing a university. All universities publish Unistats data on their online course pages.

Wherever we can we have provided extra information here to help put the data into context so that it is as useful as possible when you are making decisions.

Programme specification

Programme specifications are the official university documents that describe each course in detail. They reflect the course as it is being taught to students who started their course in this academic year. They are updated every summer, and give a very detailed breakdown of what your course might look like.

Programme specification

Visits and contacts

Find out more

School of Applied Social Science
01273 643988
sassenquiries@brighton.ac.uk

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Student views

Robin Corker

"I loved the course; I can unashamedly say it has changed my life and future for the better. There were many positive aspects, including some exceptional teaching, inspiring modules, wonderful administrative support and tutor guidance.

"Now that I have completed my degree with first class honours, I am going to do a masters in Public Administration at the University of Brighton. Having spoken to my forthcoming masters tutor, I am also beginning to plan my future PhD application to ultimately become a lecturer in social policy."

Sam Mallender

Sam took the Community Engagement module in year 2 and speaks below about her experience.

“My placement was in a private household working with a four-year-old autistic girl. She was non-verbal and I ran one-to-one sessions with her, encouraging her to talk.

“I went to her parents’ house for two hours a week between October and May, which added up to the 50 hours required to complete the module. It was fantastic to see the progress she made from being completely non-verbal to acknowledging me by the time we finished. I had not done anything like that before. I really loved it and have learnt a lot from the experience.

“I’m still in contact with the family. I had been thinking of entering teaching when I complete my degree but because of the experience on my placement I am now considering specialising in special needs teaching.”

Virginia Silberberg

"The best part of the course is that it covers such a wide range of subjects. I especially enjoyed the applied psychology module I completed last term, which demonstrated how psychological theory is implemented in everyday life.

"I also liked doing my research project earlier this year. We had the freedom to choose which area we wanted to look at, and I chose to focus on body image. I know it sounds geeky but I really did enjoy reading lots of journals and strengthening my knowledge in that area."