Human, Social & Political Sciences

Human, Social and Political Sciences (HSPS) incorporates politics and international relations, sociology and social anthropology. You will study a range of subjects in the first year, then go on to specialise in one or two disciplines. The great strength of HSPS is its diversity: it is a truly multidisciplinary course, all taught 'from scratch', with no expectation of specific prior knowledge. This makes it fun, as everyone is discovering new material and ideas together. More information about the course can be found on the .

HSPS at �Ǹ�Թ�

�Ǹ�Թ� has one of the largest HSPS cohorts in Cambridge. We typically admit 8-10 students per year, giving up to 30 students on the course at any one time. We are a vibrant and collaborative community and we hold regular academic and social events. Students work together and discuss topics they are studying as they walk to lectures and eat meals together. We also have a reading group that meets regularly to discuss interesting social science readings from outside the syllabus, to which History and Politics students are also invited.

Typical offer

A Level: A*AA

IB: 42 (776)

Required subjects

No specific subjects are required.

Admissions assessment

No admissions assessment is required.

Written work

Applicants are required to submit two pieces of written work.

What the students say

Zara Mirza

The Medwards community is so friendly and welcoming, and there are so many opportunities to try new things. I've really enjoyed baking for my flatmates (we had a very successful pancake day), seeing plays, having formals, and getting involved in the college community by joining the JCR committee and team of student ambassadors. Plus, there's lots to do uni-wide, like trying new sports and joining societies! But at the end of a busy day, it's nice to return to the comfortable atmosphere of Medwards :)

One of the best features of the HSPS degree is that you get more freedom to explore a range of disciplines. For example, I swapped out the Sociology paper for an Archaeology paper focused on Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. I've learnt about a huge range of subjects and periods, from witchcraft and gossip to decolonisation and the rise of the modern state. I also feel very grateful to be part of an amazing cohort of HSPSers - even if I'm struggling to wrap my head around some centuries-old political theory, we're all in it together and help each other out!