European Social and Political Studies: Dual Degree

European Social and Political Studies at UCL is a programme that takes the entire continent as its subject, examining the political institutions, social structures, and cultural forces that have shaped Europe and continue to define its futures. It is an inherently comparative and interdisciplinary undertaking, drawing on political science, sociology, history, and economics to understand why European countries have developed such varied democratic systems, welfare states, and responses to shared challenges such as migration, economic inequality, and the rise of nationalist politics. In an era when the European project is being actively renegotiated and when questions about national sovereignty, supranational governance, and social cohesion are at the centre of political life, the capacity to understand Europe from multiple analytical angles is genuinely valuable.

The Dual Degree structure at UCL is distinctive. Over the four years of this full-time programme you will spend part of your time studying at UCL and part at a partner European university, working towards qualifications from both institutions. This is not simply a year abroad: it is a sustained engagement with European higher education from the inside, allowing you to experience different academic cultures and to develop the kind of comparative perspective that cannot be acquired from a single national vantage point.

You will study political science and sociology across European contexts, examining topics such as comparative government, party systems, civil society, welfare policy, and the political economy of European integration.

The skills you develop are those of a rigorous social scientist: quantitative and qualitative analysis, critical reading of academic and policy literature, clear argumentative writing, and the ability to situate specific cases within broader theoretical frameworks.

Graduates pursue careers in international organisations, the civil service, journalism, consultancy, think tanks, NGOs, and academia. Many go on to postgraduate study in political science, European studies, international relations, or public policy. The dual degree is recognised as a distinctive qualification in European professional and academic contexts.