BA (Hons) Sociology and Politics Bachelor's degree at UHI
BA (Hons) Sociology and Politics at UHI integrates core theory, research and methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project, and professional skills development.
About this course
BA (Hons) Sociology and Politics is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at UHI, based in UHI Argyll,Highland Theological College UHI,UHI Inverness,UHI Moray,UHI North West Hebrides,UHI Orkney,UHI Perth,UHI Shetland. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Social sciences graduates from this provider, 100% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 40% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £22,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Politics & International Relations, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 100% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 55% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 5 modules
- Ideas and ideologies in politicsCore
- Making social lives: UHICore
- Understanding the social worldCore
- Conflict and the balance of power in Europe, 1789-1945Optional
- The evolving politics of the British IslesOptional
Year 2 5 modules
- Belief, culture and communityCore
- Sociological theoryCore
- Comparative politicsOptional
- History of political ideasOptional
- Qualitative research methodsOptional
Year 3 9 modules
- Advanced social research methodsCore
- Sociology: contemporary Scottish issuesCore
- Work and societyCore
- British military history in the 20th CenturyOptional
- Challenging liberal democracy: political ideas in a changing worldOptional
- Devolution, federalism and territorial politicsOptional
- European politicsOptional
- Political sociologyOptional
- Wars in the promised landOptional
Year 4 8 modules
- Insiders and outsiders in societyOptional
- Restorative justiceOptional
- Understanding crimeOptional
- Visual researchOptional
- Geopolitics: territory, security, strategyOptional
- Political theoryOptional
- Terrorism and unconventional warfareOptional
- Transforming regimes in Eastern EuropeOptional
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study the structures, ideologies and institutions that shape power at all scales, from local governance to global conflict and cooperation. A course like this normally starts with foundations in political systems, international relations theory and research skills. In Year 2, you'll typically move into comparative politics, international security and research methods, comparing how democracies and autocracies function, examining conflict and deterrence, and learning to gather and analyse evidence. By Year 3, you'll specialise in areas such as global governance, human rights, political theory or public policy, culminating in a supervised dissertation on a political question you choose. Throughout, you'll develop the ability to read critically, evaluate evidence and construct persuasive political analysis.
Who it's for
This course suits students with A-levels or equivalent qualifications. Recent accepted students typically held a UCAS tariff of 96–111 points. You should be interested in understanding social structures, political systems, and how they shape contemporary issues. The course is delivered full-time in English.
Careers & job market
Across Politics and International Relations courses nationally, 85% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 60% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. National graduate earnings data shows starting salaries (at 15 months) typically range from £24,000 to £32,000, rising to £27,200–£38,400 after five years.
University & format
This BA (Hons) is taught full-time over 4 years at the University of the Highlands and Islands, a University located across multiple campuses including UHI Argyll, UHI Inverness, UHI Moray, UHI Orkney, UHI Perth and UHI Shetland. Instruction is in English. The degree is awarded by a recognised UK degree-awarding body and is nationally recognised.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 78%.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 60% |
| another higher-education qualification | 40% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
UHI publishes tuition by domicile, award level, study mode and delivery. Use the individual course page for the exact year-by-year fee.
Published UHI fee framework
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Politics & International Relations graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £22,000 | £15,000 – £27,500 | 30 |
| 3 years after | £19,000 | £13,000 – £26,500 | 155 |
| 5 years after | £23,500 | £15,500 – £30,500 | 180 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in politics & international relations · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Politics & International Relations nationally
National figures for Politics & International Relations graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Politics & International Relations courses at the same study level.
Compared with 690 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 30% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 35; response rate: 60%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Politics & International Relations graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Politics & International Relations graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Government & civil service (FCDO)
- Think tanks
- NGOs
- Public-affairs agencies
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Politics & International Relations graduates.
Head of History & PoliticsProspero TeachingExaminer - GCE A Level Politics (2017 specification).PearsonA Level PoliticsBURNLEY COLLEGESocial & Audience Engagement Producer (Politics & World News)SkyHead of the School of Area Studies Sociology History Politics and LiteratureUniversity of PortsmouthHead of History and politicsCV-LibraryIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Fees and funding
UHI publishes tuition by domicile, award level, study mode and delivery. Use the individual course page for the exact year-by-year fee.
Where graduates go
100% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £22,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 7.9 out of 10: NSS 82.1% · in work or study 100% · continued 55%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of the Highlands and Islands
Social sciences across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Politics & International Relations right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
Related courses
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