StudyQA — Bachelor: Human Social and Political Sciences

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The Bachelor of Arts in Human, Social, and Political Sciences at the University of Cambridge offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary exploration of human society through the study of politics, sociology, anthropology, and human development. This program is meticulously designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of the complex factors that influence human behavior, social structures, and political systems across different cultures and historical periods. Students will engage with a diverse array of academic disciplines, combining theoretical perspectives with empirical research to develop critical analytical skills and a nuanced appreciation of social dynamics.

Throughout the course, students will examine key themes such as governance, identity, social justice, inequality, and cultural change. They will have the opportunity to study both contemporary issues and historical developments, fostering a global perspective informed by local contexts. The program emphasizes the importance of qualitative and quantitative research methods, equipping students with practical skills necessary for policy analysis, social research, and civic engagement. Interdisciplinary in nature, the degree encourages students to think critically about societal challenges and explore innovative solutions through rigorous analysis.

Classes are typically small, promoting active discussion, collaborative learning, and close engagement with academic staff recognized for their expertise across multiple disciplines. The program also offers flexibility for specialized interests, ensuring students can tailor their studies in areas such as political theory, development studies, sociology of education, or global politics. In addition to coursework, students may engage in fieldwork, internships, and research projects that enhance their practical understanding of social issues.

Graduates of this program are well-prepared for careers in public policy, international relations, social research, journalism, non-governmental organizations, and further postgraduate studies. The program’s interdisciplinary approach fosters critical thinking, cultural awareness, and a deep understanding of social complexities, making students valuable contributors to society and capable of addressing the challenges of the modern world with informed insight and a compassionate outlook.

Teaching is provided through lectures, supervisions and seminars. Some subjects also include practical or laboratory classes and fieldwork. In the first year, you have around eight lectures and one or two supervisions a week.

Assessment takes place at the end of each year. In most cases, this takes the form of a three-hour written examination for each paper, though some are assessed by coursework. In the final year, you can choose to substitute one paper for a dissertation of up to 10,000 words.

Year 1 (Part I)

In the first year, you take four subjects. At least three must be from the core subject areas:

Politics
International Relations
Sociology
Social anthropology

Your fourth paper can either be another from the core subjects or chosen from the following additional subjects:

Archaeology
Biological Anthropology
Psychology

Years 2 and 3 (Part II)

In your second and third years, you can choose one of the following three single-subject tracks:

Politics and International Relations
Sociology
Social Anthropology

Alternatively, you can take one of three two-subject tracks (see details on the course website):

Politics and Sociology
Sociology and Social Anthropology
Social Anthropology and Politics

Please note that it’s not possible to change track between Years 2 and 3, unless switching from a two-subject track to one of the subjects within it. Some final year papers require you to have taken a relevant Year 2 paper.

Single-subject tracks

Politics and International Relations

Politics and International Relations engages with the nature of the political world within countries and between them. It asks questions about how and why national and international politics have developed as they have, and how people have imagined that they might be changed. It explores issues from human rights and democracy, to financial crises and international conflict.

Year 2

You take Comparative Politics, International Relations II, and History of Political Thought plus one of the following options:

another paper in politics and international relations
two 5,000 word essays on an aspect of politics and/or international relations
a paper on statistics
a paper offered in another HSPS subject
a paper offered in Archaeology, History or History and Philosophy of Science

Year 3

You study a general paper in politics and international relations, plus:

three optional papers from a range of politics and international relations subjects, one of which can be a dissertation, or
two optional politics and international relations papers, plus one chosen from the other HSPS subjects or a paper from a selection offered in the Archaeology and History courses

Social Anthropology

Anthropologists address ‘what it is to be human’ by doing in-depth participatory studies (fieldwork) on the amazingly varied ways people live, think and relate to each other in every part of the modern world: from love and intimacy in online worlds, to how Amazonian communities respond to deforestation; how globalisation affects factory workers in India, to experiences of citizenship and democracy in African cities.

Year 2

You take the following three papers:

Comparative Social Analysis
The Anthropology of an Ethnographic Area
Anthropological Theory and Methods

Your fourth is an optional paper.

Year 3

You take two core papers in advanced social anthropology:

Thought, Belief and Ethics
Political Economy and Social Transformation

And either two optional papers, or one optional paper and write a dissertation (which can be based on your own ethnographic fieldwork).

Optional paper topics in both Years 2 and 3 may include the anthropology of city life, gender, colonialism, law, development, medicine and health, and media and visual culture; as well as choices from the other HSPS subjects, and from Archaeology(archaeology and biological anthropology).

Sociology

Sociology focuses on the nature of modern societies, how they’re organised and how they’re changing. It examines social institutions and the changing forms of power and inequality among other topics, and develops theories and conducts empirical research in order to deepen our understanding of the processes that shape social life.

Year 2

You take the following three papers:

Social Theory
Modern Societies II: Global Transformations
Concepts and Arguments in Sociology or a paper in statistics and research methods

Your fourth paper can be in sociology or can be chosen from a range available in the other HSPS subjects, Archaeology, History, History and Philosophy of Science, or Psychological and Behavioural Sciences (PBS).

Year 3

You choose three papers from several sociology and social theory papers (eg media and culture, gender, war and revolution, modern capitalism, health and medicine, education, criminology). If you wish, you can offer a dissertation in place of one of these.
Your final paper can be another in sociology, one from another HSPS subject, or one from the Archaeology or Psychological and Behavioural Sciences courses.

All applicants to the University of Cambridge must submit an application to UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) by the relevant deadline.
The Attestat o (polnom) Srednem Obshchem Obrazovanii (Certificate of Secondary Education) is not considered to be suitable preparation for a competitive application to the University of Cambridge. We strongly recommend that you undertake further study if you wish to apply for an undergraduate degree. Examples of the qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge are A Levels, the International Baccalaureate (IB), five or more Advanced Placement (AP) courses, or possibly the first year of an undergraduate degree at a university outside the UK. We recommend that you contact the College that you wish to apply to directly for further advice and guidance.
IELTS – normally a minimum overall grade of 7.5, usually with 7.0 or above in each element.
Cambridge English: Advanced – grade A or B.
Cambridge English: Proficiency – grade A, B or C.

Admission assessment

All applicants are required to take the pre-interview written assessment for HSPS at an authorised centre local to them (for a lot of applicants, this will be their school/college).

Assessment format

Section 1: Reading Comprehension (60 minutes)
Section 2: Essay/text response (60 minutes)

You must be registered in advance (separately to your UCAS application) to take the assessment – the registration deadline is Sunday 15 October 2017. Your assessment centre must register you for the pre-interview assessment; you’re not able to register yourself. See the written assessments page for information about assessment centres and registration.

The pre-interview written assessment for HSPS will be taken on 2 November 2017.