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Social Sciences (Including Placement Year)

  • BA (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-time
  • October 2026
  • Undergraduate
Colchester Campus
More about University of Essex

Course options

2025-20262026-2027
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Course summary

In a liberal society, can limitations on freedom of speech ever be justified? Do people pull together because they want to, or because they have to? Political, economic and social issues dominate domestic and international news, impacting on our day-to-day lives as well as shaping the future.

Studying topics in Sociology, Politics and Economics provides you with a greater understanding of the world around you. It teaches you about democracy and its relation to good government, how the economy functions, how people make decisions and how the economy impacts on the material wellbeing of human societies.

Our course provides a thorough training in the major areas of political science, economics and sociology, investigating the different kinds of social tensions, interactions and networks that make up everyday life. Offered at Essex by three of the UK’s leading social science departments, these three disciplines are fundamentally linked. Through developing your understanding of these fields, you explore and address the broadest questions about our society.

Due to the flexibility of our courses, you can choose from a broad range of areas including:

  • Public policy regarding health, the environment, crime and aging

  • Citizenship, multiculturalism and human rights

  • The nature of work and commercial culture

  • Political power

  • Obligations, freedom, rights and equality

  • Applied Economics and Policy

  • Micro and Macroeconomics

  • International Financial Institutions and Policy

  • Strategies of Economic Development

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Colchester Campus

Study options

  • BA (Hons) • Full-time • 4 Years

Start dates

  • October 2026

Apply by
14 January

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
LY11
Institution code:
E70
Campus name:
Colchester Campus
Campus Code:
-
Points of Entry:
Year 1

University of Essex has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
LY11
Institution code:
E70
Campus name:
Colchester Campus
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

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Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff 72 points

To include 2 full A-levels (or equivalent)

A level DDD

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) MMP

Access to HE Diploma P: 45 credits

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme 24 points

We are happy to consider a combination of separate IB Diploma Programmes at both Higher and Standard Level. Exact offer levels will vary depending on the range of subjects being taken at higher and standard level, and the course applied for. Please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for more information.

T Level D

We consider T-levels on a case-by-case basis, depending on subject studied. The offer for most courses is Distinction overall. Depending on the course applied for there may be additional requirements, which may include a specific grade in the Core.

Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

For our Essex Pathways courses we will consider your whole application before making a decision, regardless of your educational background and grades. If you need any advice please contact our Admissions team.

Learn more on the University of Essex website

Historical entry grades data

This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).

It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.

Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Per year tuition fees

LocationFeeYear

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Fees displayed are for the 2025-26 academic year. Fees may increase for each academic intake and each academic year of study.

Related courses

At University of Essex

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