What is social science?
The Academy of Social Sciences defines social science as ‘the study of people: as individuals, communities and societies; their behaviours and interactions with each other and with their built, technological and natural environments. Social science seeks to understand the evolving human systems across our increasingly complex world and how our planet can be more sustainably managed. It’s vital to our shared future.
‘Social science includes many different areas of study, such as how people organise and govern themselves, and broker power and international relations; how wealth is generated, economies develop, and economic futures are modelled;
how business works and what a sustainable future means; the ways in which populations are changing, and issues of unemployment, deprivation and inequality; and how these social, cultural and economic dynamics vary in different places, with different outcomes.’
Why Glasgow?
At the University of Glasgow you will benefit from our world-leading research and teaching in the social sciences. Our courses explore key social, economic and political questions of the day. If you study here, you will benefit from our strong network of national and international collaborative links and be able to choose from a range of subjects taught by academics considered leaders in their field.
When you apply to study our core social science subjects, you’ll be enrolled in the MA Social Sciences degree programme. This programme offers you the flexibility to study a range of subjects in your first two years and the
opportunity to collaborate with people studying different subjects to tackle real-world societal challenges. This will give you a breadth of experience before finalising which subjects you would like to specialise in for your final degree.