History/Sociology

History and sociology at Glasgow is a four-year combination that brings together two disciplines centrally concerned with understanding human society, one through deep engagement with the past, the other through systematic empirical study of the present. The study of history is the study of change and continuity in human society through time. Glasgow offers a wide-ranging programme from medieval to modern times and across the globe, with research expertise in Scottish, British, European, US, and global history, slavery studies, gender history, and war, intelligence, and genocide studies.

Sociology examines the social structures, institutions, and cultural forces that shape contemporary life, developing quantitative and qualitative research skills alongside critical theory.

At the University of Glasgow, this four-year full-time programme is structured as a Scottish MA (Hons), which gives you the breadth of an extended honours degree and the opportunity to develop genuine depth in both disciplines across all four years. You will engage with historical methods and historiographical debates alongside sociological theory and research methods, developing the ability to ask rigorous questions about both the past and the present and to construct well-evidenced arguments in both scholarly traditions. A year abroad is part of the programme, giving you the opportunity to engage with history and sociology in an international educational context.

With a typical entry tariff of 200 UCAS points, this is a competitive programme at one of the UK's leading research universities. Graduates pursue careers in the civil service, journalism, education, policy research, the voluntary sector, community development, social research, heritage and museums, law, and many other analytical and public-facing roles. The combination of historical depth and sociological rigour is valued across professions that require both contextual understanding and empirical research skills.

Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in history, sociology, social policy, or related disciplines.