Social Sciences
Social sciences at the University of Bath is an interdisciplinary degree that draws on sociology, social policy, economics, psychology, and politics to provide a rigorous and wide-ranging understanding of how societies are organised and how they change. Rather than confining itself to a single discipline, social sciences as a field brings multiple lenses to bear on the problems that matter most in contemporary social life, from inequality and poverty to migration, health, education, and the organisation of work. The approach develops intellectual versatility, the ability to move between disciplinary frameworks and to recognise what each reveals and what it conceals, alongside the research skills needed to investigate social questions empirically.
At Bath, you will study across the social sciences with particular emphasis on developing both theoretical understanding and methodological competence. The curriculum covers economic principles and their social applications, the sociology of inequality, stratification, and social change, social policy analysis, psychological approaches to individual and group behaviour, and political economy and governance. Research methods are central to the programme, and you will develop skills in both quantitative and qualitative approaches to social inquiry, which are increasingly valued by employers who need graduates who can handle data and conduct rigorous investigation.
Bath's strong reputation for graduate employment and its links with employers across the public, private, and voluntary sectors support students in making the transition to professional careers.
Graduates from social sciences programmes enter careers across an unusually wide range of sectors. Public policy, government, and the civil service are natural destinations for those who want to contribute to social problem-solving at a systemic level. Social research, consultancy, market research, and data analysis roles draw on the methodological training the degree provides.
The voluntary sector, charities, and international development organisations employ social scientists in research, advocacy, and programme management roles. Human resources, organisational development, and management consultancy value graduates who understand the social dimensions of how organisations work. Postgraduate study in a specific social science discipline, social policy, public administration, or a professional field such as social work or health administration is a common next step.