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King's College London

Overview

Questions about how we understand, organise and change society have never been more urgent. These questions surface in a range of contemporary phenomena. The many faces of inequality. Rising Islamophobia, antisemitism and resurgent nationalism. War, displacement and human trafficking. Child exploitation and care scandals. Climate Crisis and green politics. AI and fake news. But also growing anti-racist and decolonial movements, queer and trans activism, and feminist campaigns against gender inequality and sexual harassment.

This course welcomes students from across the world to the heart of London to provide them with an internationally and practically oriented understanding of the ways in which core debates within the social sciences can shape our responses to pressing social, political, and policy questions. The course has a particular focus on issues of inequality and social justice, informed by the close reading of social theory and the analysis of empirical case studies and policy literatures.

Join a top programme ranked 3rd in the UK for Sociology and Social Policy (The Guardian University Guide, 2026).

Key benefits

  • Learn how to make a difference in the world. Our innovative curriculum enables students to focus on issues that matter to them. It encourages and supports creativity, risk-taking and social action, teaching you the knowledge, skills and confidence to analyse, collaborate, organise and persuade.
  • Work with academics who are active innovators in their fields and committed to high quality research-led education. On top of having a proven track record of research and teaching excellence, the experience of the course team extends beyond academia to include work with a range of policy, cultural and activist organisations.
  • Develop inter-disciplinary literacy. Real-world social, political, and ethical questions do not fall into neat disciplinary boxes. You will learn to apply and combine perspectives from a range of social science disciplines including sociology, anthropology, politics, social policy, childhood and education studies, and social psychology.
  • Access a range of opportunities for learning and forging new relationships outside the university thanks to our links with key civil society organisations and activist communities. Practitioners from a range of external social and policy relevant organisations contribute to the teaching and host reciprocal visits and work placements.
  • Build a set of key social research skills and write your own original dissertation. You will learn traditional qualitative and quantitative research methods such as survey, interview, and ethnographic methods, while also exploring more creative, participatory, and experimental methodologies situated at the cutting edge of social inquiry.
  • Assessments enable you to choose what topics you study and to apply what you’ve learnt: alongside essays you’ll be writing blog posts and policy reports, producing podcasts, and researching case studies. Dissertations have included studies on corporate green-washing, medicalisation and gender, indigenous nationalism and diasporic youth cultures.
  • The programme is run according to creative, co-productive and democratic principles that support students to be active learners. Study in a friendly, vibrant and supportive School, located at the Southbank in the heart of Central London. Join a group of diverse students from across the globe brought together by their passion for critically exploring, understanding, and transforming society.
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The programme stood out to me for its creative approach to assessment, which goes beyond traditional essays and exams. From blog posts to podcasts, the variety of assessment formats allowed everyone to showcase their strengths. The flexibility of the programme allowed me to tailor my degree to my own interests and goals.
Yasamin social sciences
YasaminYasamin, Social Sciences BA

Special features

Optional study abroad

Key Information

UCAS code:

L300

Course type:

Single honours

Delivery mode:

In person

Study mode:

Full-time

Required A-Levels:

AAB

Duration:

Three years

Application status:

Start date:

September 2027

Application deadline:

Optional study abroad

Key Links

Taught in

Administrative bodies

Regulating body

Base campus

Waterloo - students walking outside Franklin-Wilkins building

Waterloo Campus

Centrally located and well connected, Waterloo brings together students from health, science and law, just steps from the South Bank. It's also home to the world's #2 nursing school – the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery (QS 2026).

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