This joint honours degree explores different ways of developing an understanding of crucial issues within public and social life. It combines the focus of social policy on wellbeing with sociology’s insight into how contemporary societies operate.

Both departments encourage strong synergy between research and teaching, resulting in a vibrant learning environment as staff respond in their teaching to new research.

Sociology explores the structures of societies and how they constitute social patterns. This is crucial to our understanding of how different groups in society experience wellbeing, as well as the dynamics needed to change patterns of inequality.

In your social policy studies, you will focus on key issues such as inequality, risk, need, and the social processes and institutions that enhance or impair wellbeing. You will draw on social, political and economic theory to analyse and explore these in a global context.

You will also have the opportunity to spend half a year studying abroad at a partner university. Visit Global Opportunities to find out more about where you can study abroad.

Find out more about the course structure and units available for Social Policy and Sociology

A-level Standard offer	AAB including an essay-based subject
A-level Contextual offer What is a contextual offer?	BBB including an essay-based subject
International Baccalaureate Diploma Standard offer	34 points overall with 17 at Higher Level, including 5 at Higher Level in an essay-based subject
International Baccalaureate Diploma Contextual offer What is a contextual offer?	31 points overall with 15 at Higher Level, including 5 at Higher Level in an essay-based subject
Cambridge Pre-U offer	Requirements for principal subjects are as for A-level, where D1/ D2 is A*, D3 is A, M1/ M2 is B, and M3 is C.
Access to HE Diploma offer	Access to HE Diploma in Humanities, Social Sciences, Law or History (or similar titles). The 45 graded Level 3 credits must include: at least 21 credits at Distinction and 24 at Merit or above; and at least 12 credits at Distinction in essay-based subjects Mature students can contact mature-students@bristol.ac.uk to check the suitability of their Access course.
BTEC offer	DDD in any essay-based Applied General BTEC National Level 3 Extended Diploma
Scottish Qualifications Authority offer	Advanced Higher: AB including an essay-based subject, and Standard Higher: AABBB
Welsh Baccalaureate offer	Requirements are as for A-levels, where you can substitute a non-subject specific grade for the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate at that grade.
European Baccalaureate offer	80% overall, with 8.0 in an essay-based subject
UK qualifications	Further information about UK qualifications
International qualifications	Accepted international qualifications

Applicants must also meet these requirements

GCSE profile requirements	Profile: Standard numeracy requirement (4 or C in GCSE Mathematics or equivalent) Further information about GCSE requirements and profile levels.
English language requirements	If English is not your first language, you need to meet this profile level: Profile C Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.