What can you do with a social science degree

If you’re interested in how a communities of people live together and interact with each other then a degree in social science may be the right course for you. Social science looks at the relationship of individuals within society across a very wide range of areas.

What are the different social sciences?

There doesn’t appear to be agreement as to how many social sciences there are but the major subject areas of social science are:

Anthropology
Archaeology
Economics
Geography
History
Law
Linguistics
Politics
Psychology
Sociology

What is a social science degree?

You can study social science at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Given that the social sciences cover such broad subjects (see list above), the course and modules vary according to which field you would like to pursue. You can get an idea of the variety of courses on offer by consulting a university's website or prospectus.

Why is a social science degree good for you?

Obviously the knowledge and experience of a degree in social sciences will be beneficial to you when you graduate but there may be less obvious advantages to having a degree in social science.

Skills employers want

As a social science graduate, you will acquire a range of transferrable skills which are highly relevant to a range of roles. This is particularly useful for students who aren’t completely sure about what they want to do after university.

Here is a list of the skills gained from a degree in social science and which employers are looking for:

Critical thinking
Problem-solving
Creativity
Communication
Logical thinking
Independent thought and research
Cultural awareness
Socially conscious
Emotional intelligence

When you have graduated and are looking for a job it is easy to feel that your degree does not directly match a particular job description. However, you can shape your CV/resume and cover letter to match the requirements of the job based on the above skills and knowledge you have gained during your degree.

Make the world a better place

One major concept that all the areas of social sciences have in common is trying to better understand and improve society. If you are socially conscious and want to improve the world we live in, getting a social science degree will bring you one step closer to your dream career.