- 9th in the UK for Social Sciences (The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024)
By starting your degree studies at Sussex with our Foundation Year, you develop a wide-ranging understanding of the social sciences, from current issues affecting the globe to the structures that shape our societies.
You experience a range of subjects in the Social Sciences through modules in geography, anthropology, international relations, development, law, politics and sociology. Successfully completing your Foundation Year guarantees that you'll be able to continue studying your choice of degree from a wide range of subjects in the Social Sciences at Sussex.
You'll build essential skills in critical analysis, developing arguments and self-expression through a dedicated programme of support and development. No matter which social sciences subject you go on to study, our experienced staff will help you develop the academic knowledge and practical skills you’ll need to succeed throughout your degree and in your future career.
We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
The Foundation Year gave me the chance to get comfortable with university life and learn a wide range of multidisciplinary subjects.”Katie Savage
Social Sciences (with a foundation year) BA, now on the Geography BA
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Entry requirements
Is a Foundation Year for you?
We welcome students with a broad range of backgrounds and experiences, including:
- those who aren’t sure which subject, or branch of a subject, they’d like to specialise in
- those who don’t have the right combination of subjects for direct entry into Year 1
- those who don’t meet the expected requirements for direct entry into Year 1
- those who are returning to education after some time away.
You will need to demonstrate your potential to do well on a demanding degree, including the potential to succeed in your chosen discipline.
The following sets out some of the most common academic qualifications. However, each application is reviewed on its individual strengths and merits.
Entry requirements for this course are currently under review – please check back in early March 2024.
Modules
Find out about our types of undergraduate degrees, their structure, modules and credits
Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.
- Academic Development for Social Sciences 1
- Local Lives: Identifying Global Studies
- Order and Disorder A: Understanding Law, Politics and Sociology
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
Options
Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.
While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.
- Analysing Media, Film and Music
- Arabic Beginners A
- British Sign Language and Deaf Culture 1A
- Business in Society
- Chinese Beginners A
- Cradle to the Grave A: welfare and wellbeing across the lifecourse
- Foundation Mathematics A
- Foundations in Clinical Psychology
- Foundations in Psychology: Applied Psychology
- French Beginners A
- German Beginners A
- Introduction to Product Design 1: Process
- Italian Beginners A
- Japanese Beginners A
- Leading Social Change: Communication and Activism
- Making History A
- Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics: Maths
- Reading Literature 1
- Spanish Beginners A
- Approaching Drama, Theatre and Performance
- Arabic Beginners B
- British Sign Language and Deaf Culture 1B
- Business in Action
- Chinese Beginners B
- Cradle to the Grave B: Welfare and Wellbeing Across the Lifecourse
- Foundation Mathematics B
- Foundations in Health Psychology
- Foundations in Psychology: Social Psychology
- French Beginners B
- German Beginners B
- Introduction to Product Design 2: Practice
- Italian Beginners B
- Japanese Beginners B
- Leading Social Change: Taking Action
- Making History B
- Practicing Media, Film and Music
- Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics: Statistics
- Reading Literature 2
- Spanish Beginners B
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.
Check back in January 2025 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.
Silver
The student experience and student outcomes are typically very high quality.
This rating was awarded in 2023, for four years.
(Teaching Excellence Framework 2023)
Find out more about our approach to teaching and supporting you to thrive
Fees
Fees are not yet set for the academic year 2025/26 – please check back in September 2024. Note that your fees, once they’re set, may be subject to an increase on an annual basis.
Find out about typical living costs for studying at Sussex
Find out about our terms and conditions
Scholarships
Details of our scholarships are not yet set for entry in the academic year 2025/26.
Please note: Foundation Year courses are not eligible for USA federal Direct Loan funds. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid
Next steps
Successfully completing your Foundation Year means you’re able to take a range of degrees at Sussex. The current list of courses available is:
- American Studies and Politics (with a study abroad year) BA (Hons)
- Anthropology and International Development BA (Hons)
- Anthropology BA (Hons)
- Anthropology with a Language BA (Hons)
- Childhood and Youth: Theory and Practice BA (Hons)
- Criminology and Sociology BA (Hons)
- Criminology BA (Hons)
- Criminology with Psychology BA (Hons)
- Geography and Anthropology BA (Hons)
- Geography and International Development BA (Hons)
- Geography and International Relations BA (Hons)
- Geography BA (Hons)
- Geography BSc (Hons)
- Geography with a Language BA (Hons)
- Geography, Sustainable Development and Climate Change BSc (Hons)
- History and Anthropology BA (Hons)
- History and International Relations BA (Hons)
- History and Politics BA (Hons)
- History and Sociology BA (Hons)
- International Development BA (Hons)
- International Development with a Language BA (Hons)
- International Relations and Anthropology BA (Hons)
- International Relations and Development BA (Hons)
- International Relations and Sociology BA (Hons)
- International Relations BA (Hons)
- International Relations with a Language BA (Hons)
- Law LLB (Hons)
- Law with a Language LLB (Hons)
- Law with American Studies (with a study abroad year) LLB (Hons)
- Law with Business and Management LLB (Hons)
- Law with Criminology LLB (Hons)
- Law with International Relations LLB (Hons)
- Law with Politics LLB (Hons)
- Liberal Arts BA (Hons)
- Philosophy and Sociology BA (Hons)
- Politics and International Relations BA (Hons)
- Politics and Philosophy BA (Hons)
- Politics and Sociology BA (Hons)
- Politics BA (Hons)
- Sociology and International Development BA (Hons)
- Sociology BA (Hons)
- Sociology with a Language BA (Hons)
- Sociology with Media Studies BA (Hons)
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