Humanities and Social Sciences

Humanities and social sciences, studied together, form one of the broadest and most intellectually flexible degree programmes available. The humanities, encompassing history, literature, philosophy, and the arts, develop skills in interpretation, critical analysis, and the close reading of texts and cultural artefacts. The social sciences, including sociology, psychology, politics, and economics, apply empirical and theoretical methods to understanding human behaviour and social structures.

Together, they equip graduates with an unusually wide range of analytical tools and a genuine capacity to think across disciplines.

This three-year full-time programme at the University of Portsmouth includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and a work placement, giving your degree a substantial professional and international dimension alongside its intellectual breadth. You will study across both humanities and social science subjects, developing the skills of each while drawing connections between them. Portsmouth's programme gives you the flexibility to follow your intellectual interests while building the professional experience and international awareness that make graduates competitive in a wide range of careers.

The year abroad takes your studies to a partner institution in another country, and the placement gives you direct professional experience in an organisation that values the skills of a broad humanities and social sciences education.

Graduates from this programme pursue careers across a very wide range of fields, including journalism, the civil service, education, social work, research, the charitable sector, communications, marketing, and the law. The combination of humanities depth and social science rigour is valued by employers who need people who can think critically, communicate clearly, and understand both human behaviour and social context. Postgraduate options are equally wide, spanning history, sociology, politics, psychology, education, and professional training in law or social work.

The programme's breadth is a genuine asset in a world where the most important challenges require understanding from multiple angles.