What is special about this course?
Are you curious about how society works and how and why people interact with one another in the way they do? If the answer is yes, then the BA (Hons) Social Sciences degree is for you. Here you will study society, its people and institutions, which will give you an insight into the everyday life of our communities and workplaces.
You will focus on sociology, politics and psychology and develop transferable skills in problem solving, group working and communication which are highly valued by employers. There is strong emphasis on research methods which will give you the skills necessary to carry out independent research for your future career, including your dissertation in the fourth year.
There are also other options available to you including history and criminology.
Special features
- You will develop your research and methodological skills, which you can take with you into your future career
- You can specialise in particular disciplines as you progress through your studies
- You can study full time or part time to suit your personal circumstances
- You can study individual modules for personal or professional development
Accommodation
We offer modern student accommodation at a number of our locations.
Entry requirements
Entry to year one:
- 3 Scottish Highers at grade BBC or above, or
- 2 A levels at grade BC or above
- At least two should be from the list of relevant academic subjects
- Applicants with other relevant qualifications or experience will be considered on an individual basis
Advanced entry to year two:
- HNC Social Science (12 SCQF credits) with 3 additional SCQF credits at level 7 which is equivalent to 120 degree credit points, and at least grade C in the Graded Unit will be considered for direct entry to year two.
Access routes
Students eligible to undertake Scottish Wider Access Programmes (SWAP) will be able to apply for entry to BA (Hons) Social Sciences with a grade profile of BBC in one of the below courses:
- Access to: Arts and Humanities (Newbattle Abbey College)
- Access to: Arts, Social Sciences and Primary Teaching (Edinburgh College)
- Access to: Arts, Social Sciences and Primary Teaching (North East Scotland College)
- Access to: Community, Education and Humanities (Dundee & Angus College)
- Access to: Degree Studies (Forth Valley College)
- Access to: Humanities (Arts, Social Sciences and Primary Education) (Fife College)
- Access to: Humanities (Fife College)
- Access to: Humanities (Perth College UHI)
- Access to: Languages with Business (Edinburgh College)
- Access to: Languages, Arts and Social Sciences (Edinburgh College)
- Access to: University Study (Dundee & Angus College)
- NQ Access to: Social Sciences (West Lothian College)
- NQ Access to: Teaching (West Lothian College)
Year 1 - CertHE
The core modules are
- Foundations of research
Plus one politics module:
- Introduction to politics or
- Ideas and ideologies in politics or
- Evolving politics of the British Isles
One sociology module:
- Making social lives Or
- Understanding the social world Or
- Family studies
One Psychology module:
- Psychology A
- Psychology B
You will also choose two option module from our range of humanities subjects
Year 2 - DipHE
The core modules are
- Qualitative research methods
Plus two modules from your first discipline and two modules from your second, from te following options
- Comparing political systems or
- History of political ideas or
- Scottish politics before and after the independence referendum
One sociology module:
- Sociological theory Or
- Belief, culture and community Or
One Psychology modules
- Social and evolutionary psychology Or
- Practical research and analysis skills
You will also choose two option module from our range of humanities subjects
Year 3 - BA
Core modules are:
- Advanced social research methods
Plus two modules from your first discipline and two modules from your second, from te following options
Politic
- Challenging liberal democracy: political ideas in a changing world
- European politics
- Devolution, federalism and territorial politics
- Wars in the promised land
Sociology
- Work and society
- Sociology: contemporary Scottish issues
- Gender, crime and justice
Psychology
- Psychology of criminal justice
- Module from the BSc (Hons) Psychology
You will also choose two option module from our range of humanities subjects
Year 4 - BA (Hons)
You will complete a dissertation. Plus two modules from your first discipline and two from your second discipline:
Politics
- Principles and practice of global politics
- Political theory
- Terrorism and unconventional warfare
Sociology
- Transforming regimes in Eastern Europe
- Understanding crime: crime, culture and society
- Restorative justics: ideas and values
- Insider and outsiders in society
- Visual research
Psychology
- Developmental disorders
- Abnormal psychology
How will I study my course?
- Full-time
- Part-time (structured)
- Part-time (unstructured)
You will learn through a combination of video-conference lectures and tutorials and online study via the university's virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors.
How long will my course last?
- Full-time: 4 years @ 40 hours per week
- Part-time (structured): 8 years @ 20 hours per week
Number of hours per week indicates the total number of hours you should dedicate to the course, which includes time spent in lectures and your own time spent on individual study and research.
Where can I study my course?
Start date
September
Fees
For students normally domiciled in Scotland or the European Union/EEA (outside of the UK) and with a term time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:
| Degrees | 2018-19 | 2019-20* |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (120 credit modules) per year | £1,820 | £1,820 |
| Part-time (structured) (3 x 20 credit modules) per year | £645 | £645 |
| Part-time (unstructured per module) (per 20 credit module) | £215 | £215 |
*The Home-Scotland/EU fee rate is set by the Scottish Government and will be confirmed by March 2019.
Rest of UK students
For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland) and with a term time address in Scotland studying this course full time, the following fees apply:
| Level | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time | Full-time | ||
| Year 1 | CertHE | £9,000 | £9,000 |
| Year 2 | DipHE | £9,000 | £9,000 |
| Year 3 | Degree | £9,000 | £9,000 |
| Year 4 | Honours | free** | free** |
**4th year free only for students studying full-time who have paid for the previous 3 years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.
Part-time (per 20 credit module) - £1,500 (2018-19 and 2019-20).
Fees are payable in advance each academic year unless otherwise agreed.
There are a number of funding options available to UK and EU students to help you pay for your studies and your cost of living whilst studying.
International students
For students who do not normally reside in the UK or European Union and with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:
| 2018-19 | 2019-20 | |
| Full-time (120 credit modules) per year | £11,100 | £11,650 |
| Part-time (structured) (3 x 20 credit modules) per year** | £5,550 | £5,820 |
| Part-time (unstructured per module) (per 20 credit module)** | £1,850 | £1,940 |
**There is no part-time study option for Tier 4 sponsored international students.
Further information on international course fees.
A no fee increase guarantee is available for self-funding full-time and structured part-time RUK and International undergraduate students for continuous and contiguous study for the same award, up to the permitted standard time limit for the relevant award.
Funding
External scholarships and financial support may be available. Contact your enrolling college for more information.
What can I do on completion of my course?
Many graduates from the BA (Hons) Social Science degree go on to further study in social sciences. You might also like to consider careers in teacher training or social work related employment.
Can I progress into further study?
You can progress from the BA (Hons) Social Sciences degree to a range of taught postgraduate degrees including:
Is there more information available online?
You can use the above QR code to connect directly to the course details.
