Best universities for social sciences degrees in the UK 2024

By Joy.Hunter@tim…, 1 December, 2022

Top 10 universities in the UK for social science degrees 2024

Scroll down for the full list of best universities for social sciences in the UK

UK social sciences rank 2024  Social sciences rank 2024  University City/town
1  3  University of Oxford Oxford
2  6  University of Cambridge Cambridge
3  8  London School of Economics and Political Science London
4  14  UCL London
5  28  University of Manchester Manchester
6  33  King’s College London London
7  =38  University of Edinburgh Edinburgh
8  52  University of Sheffield Sheffield
9  68  University of Sussex Brighton
10  =69  University of Leeds Leeds

The social sciences are fields that explore the relationships between individuals and societies. Subjects under this umbrella include anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, linguistics, politics, psychology and sociology.

In the UK, undergraduate courses tend to be in one subject within the social sciences as opposed to a singular social sciences degree.

However, if you are looking for a broader foundation in the social sciences, there are an increasing number of joint honours and liberal arts courses on offer that allow you to study several social science subjects alongside each other.

Below are the best universities for social sciences in the, UK according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024.


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5. University of Manchester

The University of Manchester’s School of Social Sciences offers both undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. Courses include criminology, economics, law, philosophy, politics, social anthropology, social statistics and sociology. There are also PhD programmes available.

The university has a number of centres and institutes that facilitate research in the social sciences. These include the Cathie Marsh Institute for Social Research and the Mitchell Centre for Social Network Analysis.

4. UCL

Located on its central London campus, UCL’s Social Research Institute specialises in the areas of education, employment, family, gender, health and well-being, migration and inequalities.

At the undergraduate level, UCL offers an interdisciplinary bachelor of social sciences degree for those looking for a broad foundation in the field. Students are taught how to understand and shape future policy and engage with global perspectives. Core modules include sociology, psychology and research methods, but students can choose additional modules that suit their own areas of interest.

At the graduate level, research can be carried out at across any of the institute’s seven sociology centres.


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3. London School of Economics and Political Science

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is located in central London and is one of the world’s leading specialist social science universities. It is particularly well known for its highly international student body, which represents about 140 countries.

There are more than 40 undergraduate degree programmes available across the social sciences. These include courses in anthropology, geography, history, economics and international relations. There are also a range of graduate courses on offer for students seeking to conduct research in these fields.

The university records a monthly podcast that includes discussions with leading social scientists. 

2. University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge School of the Humanities and Social Sciences is comprised of seven main institutions including history, human, social and political science and history and philosophy of science among others.

The school offers a range social science courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level including human, social and political sciences (HSPS), geography, law, linguistics and many more. In all courses, students are taught different methodologies such as ethnography, quantitative analysis of big data and analysis of material culture and past societies.

1. University of Oxford

Perhaps the most famous social sciences degree at the University of Oxford is PPE: philosophy, politics and economics. A significant number of British prime ministers studied PPE at Oxford. Nobel Peace prizewinner and advocate for women’s education Malala Yousafzai also recently graduated from the course.

Aside from PPE, undergraduate courses within the social sciences include geography, archaeology and anthropology, and law and human sciences. There are also a range of research and teaching postgraduate courses in the social sciences that includes history, conservation management, international relations and sociology.

The University of Oxford Social Sciences Division is thought to be one of the world’s largest groupings of social scientists. Research is carried out in areas including aid, poverty and development, conflict, justice, climate change and resource management. Most recently, the university’s Blavatnik School of Government agreed to collaborate with other institutions as part of a £2 million global policy project to address the social impacts of Covid-19.


Top universities in the UK for social science degrees 2024

Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2024 results. 

UK social sciences rank 2024  Social sciences rank 2024  University City/town
1  3  University of Oxford Oxford
2  6  University of Cambridge Cambridge
3  8  London School of Economics and Political Science London
4  14  UCL London
5  28  University of Manchester Manchester
6  33  King’s College London London
7  =38  University of Edinburgh Edinburgh
8  52  University of Sheffield Sheffield
9  68  University of Sussex Brighton
10  =69  University of Leeds Leeds
11  74  University of Essex Essex
12  81  Durham University Durham
13  83  University of Warwick Warwick
14  97  Loughborough University Loughborough
15  =98  University of Southampton Southampton
=16  101–125  University of Bristol Bristol
=16  101–125  University of Glasgow Glasgow
=16  101–125  Lancaster University Lancaster
=16  101–125  University of Surrey Guildford
=20  126–150  University of Birmingham Birmingham
=20  126–150  Cardiff University Cardiff
=20  126–150  University of Exeter Exeter
=20  126–150  Newcastle University Newcastle
=20  126–150  University of Nottingham Nottingham
=20  126–150  SOAS University of London London
=20  126–150  University of York York
=27  151–175  University of Bath Bath
=27  151–175  Birkbeck, University of London London
=27  151–175  City, University of London London
=30  176–200  University of Aberdeen Aberdeen
=30  176–200  University of East Anglia Norwich
=30  176–200  Goldsmiths, University of London London
=30  176–200  University of Reading Reading
=30  176–200  University of St Andrews St Andrews
=35  201–250  University of Kent Kent
=35  201–250  University of Liverpool Liverpool
=35  201–250  Queen Mary University of London London
=35  201–250  University of Strathclyde Strathclyde
=39  251–300  Aston University Birmingham
=39  251–300  Bournemouth University Bournemouth
=39  251–300  University of Bradford Bradford
=39  251–300  Brunel University London London
=39  251–300  University of Leicester Leicester
=39  251–300  Queen’s University Belfast Belfast
=39  251–300  Royal Holloway, University of London London
=39  251–300  University of Stirling Stirling
=39  251–300  Swansea University Swansea
=48  301–400  Coventry University Coventry
=48  301–400  University of Dundee Dundee
=48  301–400  Edinburgh Napier University Edinburgh
=48  301–400  Glasgow Caledonian University Glasgow
=48  301–400  University of Huddersfield Huddersfield
=48  301–400  Keele University Keele
=48  301–400  Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool
=48  301–400  Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester
=48  301–400  The Open University Nationwide
=48  301–400  University of the West of England Bristol
=48  301–400  University of Westminster London
=59  401–500  Aberystwyth University Aberystwyth
=59  401–500  Bangor University Bangor
=59  401–500  University of Brighton Brighton
=59  401–500  De Montfort University Leicester
=59  401–500  University of Hull Hull
=59  401–500  Leeds Beckett University Leeds
=59  401–500  Middlesex University London
=59  401–500  Northumbria University Northumbria
=59  401–500  Nottingham Trent University Nottingham
=59  401–500  Oxford Brookes University Oxford
=59  401–500  University of Portsmouth Portsmouth
=59  401–500  University of Wolverhampton Wolverhampton
=71  501–600  Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) East Anglia
=71  501–600  University of Bedfordshire Luton
=71  501–600  University of Derby Derby
=71  501–600  University of Lincoln Lincoln
=71  501–600  Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield
=71  501–600  Ulster University Ulster
=77  601–800  Birmingham City University Birmingham
=77  601–800  Canterbury Christ Church University Kent
=77  601–800  University of Central Lancashire Preston
=77  601–800  University of East London London
=77  601–800  Edge Hill University Ormskirk
=77  601–800  University of Gloucestershire Cheltenham
=77  601–800  University of Hertfordshire Hatfield
=77  601–800  Kingston University London
=77  601–800  London South Bank University London
=77  601–800  Robert Gordon University Aberdeen
=77  601–800  University of Roehampton London
=77  601–800  University of Salford Salford
=77  601–800  Staffordshire University Stoke-on-Trent
=77  601–800  University of Sunderland Sunderland
=77  601–800  Teesside University Teesside
=77  601–800  University of West London London
=77  601–800  University of the West of Scotland Paisley
=77  601–800  University of Winchester Winchester
=95  801+  University of Chester Chester
=95  801+  University of South Wales Newport
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Explore the best universities in the UK for social sciences degrees, using data from the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024

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