Structure of the MA (Social Sciences) Honours degree

An honours degree in a Scottish University consists of four years of study.

It helps to think of the four years as comprising:

• two pre-honours years, followed by
• two honours years

What will you do in the two pre-Honours years?

Year 1

• you take three subjects in parallel (each consisting of two semester-long courses per year, ie Course 1A and Course 1B in each subject) .
• they are called 'introductory' or Level 1 courses in university terminology.
• at least two of these three should be from Social Sciences 'core' subject areas.
• the remaining subject could be from the Arts or Sciences subject areas.
• your Adviser of Studies will help you with your choice of subject when you arrive.

Year 2

• you again take three subjects in parallel (each consisting of two semester-long courses per year, eg Course 2A and Course 2B in each subject) .
• two of these three will be Level 2 courses in university terminology.
• the two Level 2 courses will take two of your Level 1 courses on to study at a greater depth.
• you will drop the remaining Level 1 course from Year 1.
• you will pick up a new Level 1 course for Year 2 to add to the two Level 2 courses.

The four year Honours programme means: in Years 1 and 2 you will take twelve semester-long courses in four different subject areas: two courses at Level 1 and then both courses carried on to Level 2 and two courses at Level 1, only in Year 2.

Put another way: you will study two different subject areas for two years each (achieving depth of study in the two pre-Honours years) and two other different subject areas for one year each (achieving breadth of study in the two pre-Honours years).

What will you do in the two Honours years?

Single Honours degree programme
Years 3 & 4

• integrated courses in one of the two subject areas in which you've completed Level 2 courses.
• these courses will be at Level 3 and Level 4.
• within the subject area at Honours Level 3 and 4, there will be some courses that are compulsory and some that you will be free to choose from a list of 'options'.

Joint Honours degree programme
Years 3 & 4

• integrated courses in both of the two subject areas in which you've completed Level 2 courses.
• these courses will be at Level 3 and Level 4.
• within the two subject areas at Honours Level 3 and 4, there will be some courses that are compulsory and some that you will be free to choose from a list of 'options'.

Finally, you should graduate in June of your fourth year with your degree!