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Course type
Degree  

Degree

  • Also known as an undergraduate or bachelors degree.
  • Internationally respected, universally understood.
  • An essential requirement for many high-level jobs.
  • Gain a thorough understanding of your subject – and the tools to investigate, think critically, form reasoned arguments, solve problems and communicate effectively in new contexts.
  • Progress to higher level study, such as a postgraduate diploma or masters degree.
Credits
360  

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
Part time – 6 years
Full time – 3 years
Time limit – 16 years
Study method
Distance learning
Entry requirements
Find out more about
Entry requirements
Ask a question

BA (Honours) Social Sciences

Course code: R23

The social sciences seek answers to the big questions we face as a society and inform the work of policy makers, business leaders and many others. You'll study core modules in interdisciplinary social science and sociology, giving you a firm grounding in ideas central to the social sciences. In the rest of your degree, you can specialise in either criminology, economics, geography, philosophy, politics, psychology, religious studies or sociology, or choose a combination of modules in these subjects that interests you. Whatever path you take, you'll acquire transferable skills, opening employment opportunities in private, public and voluntary sector organisations.

  • Provides a thorough introduction to the social sciences and explores a range of topical social, political and economic issues
  • Gives you the option to specialise in criminology, economics, geography, philosophy, politics, psychology, religious studies or sociology
  • Applies cutting edge social science theory and knowledge to real world situations
  • Equips you with valued skills to enhance your employability, including evidence analysis and evaluation, and communicating specialist ideas and information to different audiences.
  • Offers the option to do a dissertation in the final stage of some specialist routes.  
Course type
Degree  

Degree

  • Also known as an undergraduate or bachelors degree.
  • Internationally respected, universally understood.
  • An essential requirement for many high-level jobs.
  • Gain a thorough understanding of your subject – and the tools to investigate, think critically, form reasoned arguments, solve problems and communicate effectively in new contexts.
  • Progress to higher level study, such as a postgraduate diploma or masters degree.
Credits
360  

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
Part time – 6 years
Full time – 3 years
Time limit – 16 years
Study method
Distance learning
Entry requirements

Find out more about Entry requirements

Ask a question

This degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

  • You’ll start Stage 1 with an introductory social science module, and depending on your intended route through the qualification, continue with a broad-based study of social science or specialise in one area.
  • Next, at Stages 2 and 3, you’ll continue to choose modules from across the social sciences curriculum, or complete the study of your specialist route. 

Prepare for OU study with an Access module

We offer two starting points depending on how confident you are or how long it’s been since you last studied. Choose to dive straight in at Stage 1, or if you’d prefer some extra preparation, you can get started with an optional Access module. See Entry requirements for more details.

At Stage 1 you'll begin with a broad introductory module covering key concepts and theories in the social sciences and addressing topics from criminology, economics, geography, politics and international studies, philosophy, and sociology.

You'll then choose a specialist route through the degree or continue with a broad-based study of social science.

Introductory social science module

ModulesCredits
You'll start your degree with:
Introducing the social sciences (DD102)60

Broad-based study of social science

ModulesCredits
You’ll also choose 60 credits from:
Encountering psychology in context (D120)60
Global challenges: social science in action (D113)60
Introduction to criminology (DD105)60
You and your money (DB125)30
Economics in context (DD126)30
Discovering the arts and humanities (A111)60
Revolutions (A113)60

Criminology route

ModulesCredits
You'll complete this stage with:
Introduction to criminology (DD105)60

Economics route

ModulesCredits
You'll complete this stage with:
You and your money (DB125)30
Economics in context (DD126)30

Geography; and Politics routes

ModulesCredits
You'll complete this stage with:
Global challenges: social science in action (D113)60

Philosophy route

ModulesCredits
You'll also choose one from:
Discovering the arts and humanities (A111)60
Revolutions (A113)60

Psychology route

ModulesCredits
You'll complete this stage with:
Encountering psychology in context (D120)60

Religious Studies route

ModulesCredits
You’ll also choose one from:
Global challenges: social science in action (D113)60
Revolutions (A113)60

Sociology route

ModulesCredits
You'll also choose one from:
Global challenges: social science in action (D113)60
Introduction to criminology (DD105)60

You’ll continue with a sociology module exploring how the social world is being transformed by the internet and digital technology. You'll then move on to the specified modules for your specialist route or choose from a range of modules if you're taking a broad-based study of social science. The Criminology and the Sociology routes offer an additional element of choice if you wish to complete a dissertation as part of your degree. 

Broad-based study of social science

ModulesCredits
Stage 2 (120 credits)
You’ll begin this stage with:
Understanding digital societies (DD218)60
You'll complete this stage with:
You'll choose one from this list of Stage 2 option modules.60
Stage 3 (120 credits)
You'll complete your degree with:
You’ll choose two from this list of Stage 3 option modules.120

Criminology

ModulesCredits
Stage 2 (120 credits)
You'll begin this stage with:
Understanding digital societies (DD218)60
Standard route – You'll complete this stage with one from:
Social research: crime, justice and society (DD215)60
Understanding criminology (DD212)60
Dissertation route – You'll complete this stage with:
Social research: crime, justice and society (DD215)60
Stage 3 (120 credits)
You'll study the following:
You’ll choose one from this list of Stage 3 option modules.60
Standard route – You'll complete your degree with:
Crime, harm and the state (DD311)60
Dissertation route – You'll complete your degree with:
Researching current issues in criminology (DD315)60

Economics

ModulesCredits
Stage 2 (120 credits)
You'll begin this stage with:
Understanding digital societies (DD218)60
You'll complete this stage with:
Essential economics: macro and micro perspectives (D217)60
Stage 3 (120 credits)
You'll begin this stage with:
You’ll choose one from this list of Stage 3 option modules.60
You'll complete your degree with:
Doing economics: people, markets and policy (DD309)60

Geography

ModulesCredits
Stage 2 (120 credits)
You'll begin this stage with:
Understanding digital societies (DD218)60
You’ll complete this stage with one from:
Changing geographies of the United Kingdom (D225)60
Environment: sharing a dynamic planet (DST206)60
Environment and society (DD213)60
Stage 3 (120 credits)
You'll study the following:
Environmental policy in an international context (DD319)60
You'll complete this stage with:
You’ll choose one from this list of Stage 3 option modules.60

Philosophy

ModulesCredits
Stage 2 (120 credits)
You'll begin this stage with:
Understanding digital societies (DD218)60
You'll complete this stage with:
Exploring philosophy (A222)60
Stage 3 (120 credits)
You'll study the following:
You’ll choose one from this list of Stage 3 option modules.60
You'll complete your degree with:
Key questions in philosophy (A333)60

Politics

ModulesCredits
Stage 2 (120 credits)
You'll begin this stage with:
Understanding digital societies (DD218)60
You'll complete this stage with:
Understanding politics: ideas and institutions in the modern world (DD211)60
Stage 3 (120 credits)
You'll study the following:
You’ll choose one from this list of Stage 3 option modules.60
You’ll complete your degree with one from:
International relations: continuity and change in global politics (DD313)60
Modern political ideas (DD316)60

Psychology

ModulesCredits
Stage 2 (120 credits)
You'll begin this stage with:
Understanding digital societies (DD218)60
You'll complete this stage with:
Living psychology: from the everyday to the extraordinary (DD210)60
Stage 3 (120 credits)
You'll study the following:
You’ll choose one from this list of Stage 3 option modules.60
You’ll complete your degree with one from:
Advancing social psychology (DD317)60
Counselling and forensic psychology: investigating crime and therapy (DD310)60

Religious studies

ModulesCredits
Stage 2 (120 credits)
You'll begin this stage with:
Understanding digital societies (DD218)60
You'll complete this stage with:
Exploring religion: places, practices, texts and experiences (A227)60
Stage 3 (120 credits)
You'll study the following:
You’ll choose one from this list of Stage 3 option modules.60
You'll complete your degree with:
Why is religion controversial? (A332)60

Sociology

ModulesCredits
Stage 2 (120 credits)
You’ll begin this stage with:
Understanding digital societies (DD218)60
Standard route – You’ll complete this stage with one from:
Exploring religion: places, practices, texts and experiences (A227)60
Social research: crime, justice and society (DD215)60
Understanding criminology (DD212)60
Dissertation route – You'll complete this stage with:
Social research: crime, justice and society (DD215)60
Stage 3 (120 credits)
You'll study the following:
You’ll choose one from this list of Stage 3 option modules.60
Standard route – You'll complete your degree with:
Social theory: changing social worlds (DD318)60
Dissertation route – You'll complete your degree with:
Social dissertation module (D328) – planned for October 202560

We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 14 March 2023.

Accessibility

We make all our qualifications as accessible as possible and have a comprehensive range of services to support all our students. The BA (Honours) Social Sciences uses a variety of study materials and has the following elements:

  • studying a mixture of printed and online material – online learning resources may include websites, audio/video media clips, and interactive activities such as online quizzes
  • online tutorials
  • working in a group with other students
  • finding external/third party material online
  • continuous and end-of-module assessment in the form of essays, short answer questions, and in some cases an examination
  • using feedback: continuous assessment involves receiving detailed feedback on your work from your tutor and using this feedback to improve your performance 
  • engagement with learning and assessment within a pre-determined schedule or timetable – time management will be needed during your studies and the University will help you to develop these skills throughout your degree.

For more detailed information, see the Accessibility Statements on individual module descriptions. If you feel you may need additional support, visit Disability support to find more about what we offer.

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

This qualification develops your learning in four main areas:
  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Cognitive skills
  • Practical and professional skills
  • Key skills

The level and depth of your learning gradually increases as you work through the qualification. You’ll be supported throughout by the OU’s unique style of teaching and assessment – which includes a personal tutor to guide and comment on your work; top quality course texts; elearning resources like podcasts, interactive media and online materials; tutorial groups and community forums.

Read the detailed learning outcomes here

Credit transfer

If you’ve already completed some study at another university, you may be able to count it towards your Open University qualification – reducing the number of modules you need to study.

You should apply for credit transfer before you register, at least 4 weeks before the registration closing date. Just tell us what you studied, where and when, and we’ll compare this against the learning outcomes for your chosen course.

For more details and an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.

Classification of your degree

On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our BA (Honours) Social Sciences.

If you have chosen a specialist route, your degree title will show that, for example, BA (Honours) Social Sciences (Criminology).

The class of honours (first, upper-second, lower-second or third) will depend on your grades at Stages 2 and 3.

You’ll have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.

International recognition

If you intend to use your Open University qualification to seek work or undertake further study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether your intended qualification will meet local requirements for your chosen career. Find out more about international recognition of Open University qualifications.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website. 

Compare this course

There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification.

At The Open University we believe education should be open to all, so we provide a high-quality university education to anyone who wishes to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.

Even though there are no entry requirements, there are some skills that you'll need to succeed. If you're not quite ready for OU study we can guide you to resources that prepare you, many of which are free.

Answer a few quick questions to check whether you're ready for study success

How much time do I need?

  • Most of our students study part time, completing 60 credits a year.
  • This will usually mean studying for 16–18 hours a week.

Find out if you have enough time to study with our time planner

Preparing for study with an Access module

Students who start their study with an Access module are more likely to be successful when they advance to Stage 1 of their qualification. They’re specially designed to give you a gentle introduction to OU study, boost confidence in your study skills, and help you gain a broad overview of your chosen subject area.

You’ll also benefit from:

  • feedback from your tutor through regular one-to-one phone tutorials
  • support from a dedicated team throughout your study
  • detailed written feedback on your work.
The Access module we’d recommend studying in preparation for this qualification is our:

Psychology, social science and wellbeing Access module

What you will study

This multidisciplinary module provides an excellent introduction to studying with The Open University; you'll get to cover a wide range of subject areas, including psychology, childhood and youth studies, health and social wellbeing, sport, education and social sciences.

View full details of Psychology, social science and wellbeing Access module

Fees and funding in England

80% of our students pay nothing upfront by financing their studies with a student loan.

In this section:
Tuition fee
What are my funding options?
Other costs to think about
Additional support

Tuition fee

BA (Honours) Social Sciences

Years of  study

3 years 6 years

Current fee per year in England

£6,924* £3,462*

How we worked out the cost

A degree is worth 360 credits. The fee per year is based on studying 60 credits per year for 6 years. A degree is worth 360 credits. The fee per year is based on studying 120 credits per year for 3 years.

Total fee for qualification at current prices

£20,772*

You’ll fund your modules as you study them – you won’t have to pay for your whole qualification up front

That’s 1/4 less than the cost of an equivalent qualification offered at most other universities in England.

See comparison table

*The fee and funding information provided here is valid for courses starting before 31 July 2024. Fees normally increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.

What are my funding options?

There are several ways to fund your study, often without paying anything upfront.

Student loan

The most common way for our students to fund their study

  • A student loan is used by 80% of our students.
  • Open to everyone – it’s not means-tested and there’s no age limit.
  • You don’t pay anything upfront. Student Finance England pay your fees directly to the OU for you.
  • You won’t pay back a penny until you earn over £25,000.
  • The amount you repay is tied to how much you earn. For example, if you earn £27,000 you’ll pay just £15.00 per month.

Other options

Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA)

Repay in monthly instalments while you study.

Credit/debit card or bank transfer

Pay before each module starts. You can also combine card or bank transfer payments with other payment methods.

Employer sponsorship

More than 1 in 10 OU students are sponsored by their employer.

Enhanced Learning Credits (ELCs)

If you’re a serving member of the British Armed Forces (or you’ve recently left), you may be eligible to use ELCs to cover up to 100% of your course fees.

Which funding options could I be eligible for?


Other costs to think about

Your course fees cover your tuition, assessment and study materials, but there are still a few additional costs that can come with studying. If your income is less than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you could get help with some of these costs after you start studying.

  • You’ll need a computer and the internet to access our learning resources and to participate in online tutorials.

Additional support

You may be eligible for:

If you have a disability

  • The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is a government grant to cover study support costs if you have a disability. It’s not means-tested, and there’s no age limit. Visit our Supporting students with disabilities page to find out more.
  • If your disability is a result of being injured in, or due to, military service, you could be eligible for our Disabled Veterans’ Scholarship Fund.

Need more information?

Talk through your funding options with one of our advisors

Contact us

How will I study this course?

With our unique approach to distance learning, you can study from home, work, or on the move.

You’ll have some assessment deadlines to meet, but otherwise you’ll be free to study at the times that suit you, fitting your learning around work, family, and social life.

For each of your modules, you’ll use either just online resources or a mix of online and printed materials.

Each module you study will have a module website, with:

  • a week-by-week study planner, giving you a step-by-step guide through your studies
  • course materials such as reading, videos, recordings, and self-assessed activities
  • module forums for discussions and collaborative activities with other students
  • details of each assignment and their due dates
  • a tutorial booking system, online tutorial rooms, and your tutor’s contact details
  • online versions of some printed module materials and resources.

If you have additional needs, we can also provide most module materials in alternative formats. Find out more about materials on our accessibility webpage.

See how our module websites work.

Tutor support

Student, Ffion, describes why she chose the OU and how she is using her degree to progress herself further in a career she loves.

You’ll have a tutor for each module, who will introduce themselves before the module begins.

Throughout the module, they will:

  • mark your assignments and give feedback to help you improve
  • guide you to learning resources
  • support you, whether with general study skills or help with a specific topic.

Tutorials

Tutorials usually take place online, and they’re always optional.

Online tutorials are live presentations with module tutors in dedicated online tutorial rooms, and are sometimes recorded.

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

  • Usually a series of online, multiple-choice questions.

Tutor-Marked Assignments

  • You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline.
  • They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned.
  • Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback.

End-of-Module Assessments

  • The final, marked piece of work on most modules.
  • Modules with an end of module assessment won’t usually have an exam.

Exams

  • Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare.
  • You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance.
  • Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or at an alternative location.
  • If a module requires you to take a face-to-face exam, this will be made clear in the module description, and you will be required to take your exam in person at one of our exam centres.

Progressing to a point where I felt more comfortable writing my assignments, and having my scores reflecting that, made me quite happy because it showed the hard work was being rewarded.

Patrick ‘Ricky’ Skene, BSc (Hons) Sport, Fitness and Coaching

Other support and resources

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to our subject-specific Student Support Teams.

They’ll help you with any general questions about your study and updates to your OU account.

To help with your studies, you’ll also have access to:

  • our online library, with high-quality online resources to support your study
  • other university libraries in the UK and Ireland
  • the online Help Centre, which has general information about OU study and support, along with study skills advice
  • free Microsoft Office 365 software
  • IT and computing support from our Computing Helpdesk.

Find out more about student support and being a part of the OU community.

Having a course that was really varied and studying in a style that worked for Nick, was key to him launching his own business and becoming an entrepreneur.

Skills for career development

Employers value the diverse skills of the social sciences very highly. The ability to work across different academic disciplines will provide you with a broad portfolio of transferable skills including the ability to:

  • interpret, analyse, and critically evaluate quantitative and qualitative evidence
  • apply learning to real world situations
  • communicate effectively to a variety of audiences using different media
  • employ a wide range of digital practices to find, use, and create data
  • learn autonomously and plan, conduct, and present independent work
  • work effectively with others to achieve joint outcomes

Career relevance

A degree in the social sciences can lead to employment across the public, private and voluntary sectors. Businesses, public sector organisations and educational institutions increasingly have to deal with social issues, and value the skills that social science graduates can provide, making this degree relevant to a wide range of professions including local government officer, civil servant, secondary school teacher, social worker, charities, journalism and trade union officials. You can also use your BA (Hons) Social Sciences for further study in the higher education sector.

Other careers

Many graduate-level jobs are open to social graduates, particularly in business, the voluntary sector and the public sector. Please note, however, that some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree.

Exploring your options

Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice. This includes online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.

In the meantime if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree:

  • secondary school teacher
  • journalist
  • social worker
  • civil servant
  • local government official
  • trades union official 
  • charity worker
  • business manager
  • university administrator

Register for this course

Start dates
Credit transfer: apply by 10/08/2023
Credit transfer: apply by 07/12/2023

Request your Social Sciences prospectus

Our prospectuses help you choose your course, understand what it's like to be an OU student and register for study.

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