Social Sciences BA (Hons)

What is special about this course?

How curious have you become about how society works and the ways people interact with one another in the way they do? Have you thought about applying this curiosity at degree level with a BA (Hons) Social Sciences?

You will study society, its people and institutions, giving you an insight into the everyday life of our communities and workplaces. You will be able to study and debate with fellow learners and subject specialists, on many of the significant issues that affect our lives.

You will focus on sociology, politics and psychology and develop transferable skills in problem solving, group working and communication, all of which are highly valued by employers. There is strong emphasis on research methods that 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 criminology, history, literature, philosophy and theology.

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
• This is a Category 2 PVG course: PVG Scheme membership is required for specific optional modules/unit(s), where there is guaranteed contact with vulnerable groups in optional module/unit(s), but an alternative pathway exists to achieve target qualification. For further information visit our PVG scheme webpage

Advanced entry to year two:

• HNC Social Sciences (12 SQA credits) with 3 additional SQA 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

SWAP Access courses
If you are eligible to undertake Scottish Wider Access Programmes (SWAP), please visit our SWAP access list for further information on grade profiles and available subjects.
 

Year 1 - CertHE

The core modules are:

• The enquiring student

Plus one politics module:

• Introduction to politics 
• Ideas and ideologies in politics 
• Evolving politics of the British Isles

One sociology module:

• Making social lives 
• Understanding the social world 

One Psychology module:

• Introduction to psychology
• Questions in psychology

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
• History of political ideas
• Scottish politics before and after the independence referendum

One sociology module:

• Sociological theory 
• Belief, culture and community 

One Psychology module:

Social and evolutionary psychology

• Culture and cognition

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 the following options:

Politics

• Challenging liberal democracy: political ideas in a changing world
• European politics
• Devolution, federalism and territorial politics
• Wars of the promised land

Sociology

• Work and society
• Sociology: contemporary Scottish issues
• Gender, crime and justice

Psychology

• Psychology of criminal justice
• Practical research and analysis skills
• 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

• Geopolitics
• Political theory
• Terrorism and unconventional warfare
• Transforming regimes in Eastern Europe

Sociology

• Understanding crime: crime, culture and society
• Restorative justics: ideas and values
• Insider and outsiders in society
• Visual research

Psychology

• Developmental disorders
• Abnormal psychology

Fees

For students normally domiciled in Scotland, with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

This includes

• EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK,
• EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status in the UK
• EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.

Rest of UK students

For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland, including Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and with a term time address in Scotland studying this course full time, the following fees apply:

4th year free only for students studying full-time, on continuous study, who have paid for the previous three years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Part-time (per 20 credit module) - £1,542.

Fees are payable in advance each academic year unless otherwise agreed.

There are a number of funding options available to UK students to help you pay for your studies and your cost of living while studying.

EU/EEA and Swiss nationals without settled or pre-settled status in the UK

Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, the Scottish Government confirmed that EU/EEA and Swiss nationals, who do not have settled or pre-settled status, will be considered as international for fee purposes.  For 2022-23, students will get an automatic scholarship of £3,000 per annum and the 4^th year of study will be free for those studying full-time, on continuous study, who have paid for the previous three years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.

This includes EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are not self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.

Students will need Student Route visa sponsorship to study on the UK.

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:

Part-time study is not open to international students requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK.

Further information on international course fees.

A no fee increase guarantee is available for self-funding full-time and structured part-time rest of the UK, EU and international undergraduate students for continuous 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.