Human and Social Sciences

Human and social sciences is a broad interdisciplinary field that draws together disciplines concerned with human behaviour, social organisation, culture, and the forces that shape how people live and relate to one another. Where traditional social science degrees might focus on a single discipline such as sociology, psychology, or anthropology, a human and social sciences programme encourages you to move between these fields, find connections among them, and develop a more complete picture of human social life than any single discipline alone can provide.

At Cardiff University, this three-year full-time programme gives you exposure to sociology, psychology, social policy, anthropology, and related disciplines, encouraging you to build an understanding of human behaviour and social processes from multiple perspectives. You will explore how social structures, institutions, and cultural forces shape individual experience, examine the research methods used across the social sciences, and develop the analytical and communication skills that characterise rigorous social scientific thinking. The interdisciplinary approach is particularly valuable for students who are drawn to the big questions about how human societies work but who do not want to commit at the outset to a single disciplinary perspective.

Graduates from human and social sciences programmes go on to careers in social work, community development, education, health services, policy, research, the voluntary sector, human resources, and public service, as well as in journalism, communications, and a range of business and management roles. The broad social scientific education this degree provides is valued wherever organisations need people who understand human behaviour and social context. Further study is an option, with many graduates pursuing postgraduate degrees in a specific social science discipline or in applied professional fields such as social work, public health, or psychology.