Swansea University
UCAS Code: LL44 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
Access to HE Diploma
We recognise the EPQ as an excellent indicator of success. If you are predicted a grade B or above in the EPQ, you will receive an offer with a one grade reduction, to include your EPQ with a grade B.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
International students will also require a score of 4 at Higher Level English Language or Literature, or 5 at Standard Level English Language or Literature.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
128-112 tariff points from a range of advanced level qualifications.
UCAS Tariff
Swansea University accepts the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales as fully equivalent to x1 A-Level.
Swansea University will accept the Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate as fully equivalent to one A-Level.
About this course
Studying a Politics and Social Policy degree gives a broad perspective on political theory in the context of local, national, European and global politics, alongside closely related issues concerning how societies address the needs of ordinary people.
You will have the competitive option of an internship at the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff, working closely with assembly ministers, and you will be taught by specialist academics and members of parliament.
Our three-year degree helps to provide graduates with a wealth of inspiring career opportunities thanks to numerous transferable skills which are highly valued by employers.
Politics at Swansea is ranked:
• Top 20 in the UK for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2023)
Social Policy at Swansea is ranked:
• Top 5 in the UK for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2024)
Politics at Swansea is ranked:
• 6th in the UK for Teaching on my Course (NSS 2023)
• 3rd in the UK for Student Voice (NSS 2023)
*Based on the average positivity score across questions 1 to 4 in the NSS 2023 when ranked against universities featured in the Times Good University Guide.
* Based on the average positivity score across questions 22 to 25 in the NSS 2023 when ranked against universities featured in the Times Good University Guide.
Your early studies will concentrate on international relations, the politics of social policy, and politics and people. But whether your true passion lies in American politics and society, theories of war, or ethics and justice, our generous range of modules has it covered. This range allows you to learn, discover and narrow your interests in the following years.
You will have the ability to tailor your degree according to your specific interests as you progress. The second year gives you a chance to study abroad for a semester in the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, or Singapore, enriching the student experience and boosting your career prospects.
Later studies are shaped by modules around your specific political and social policy interests, as well as a substantial dissertation project. Several work placement programmes are available to help you prepare for graduate life. Politics and Social Policy students typically develop oral and writing skills by presenting ideas in different formats, supported by strong research and rigorous analysis.
Assessment is conducted through essays, coursework, examination, presentations, and a dissertation. Teaching is informed by a vibrant and supportive research environment that unites academics, postgraduates and visiting scholars around shared subject matter and international impact.
Graduates have advanced to careers in sectors such as politics, education, the media, and humanitarian services.
Modules
Your first year of study is made up of compulsory modules covering a range of themes. Compulsory modules are studied by all students on the programme, meaning you are automatically enrolled.
Examples of compulsory modules include:
• The History of Social Policy
• Politics and the People
• Individuals and Society
In your second and third year you will study a mixture of compulsory and optional modules, from an expansive range of subject areas.
Examples of optional modules in recent years have included:
• America in Crisis: Political Culture and Society from the Tet Offensive to Trump
• New York City: History and Culture since 1975
• Business and Entrepreneurship
• Housing Policy, Homes and Homelessness
• Disability Policy
Your final year will include a compulsory independent dissertation project.
For the full programme structure and module breakdown, please visit our webpage at: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/social-sciences/politics-philosophy-international-relations/ba-politics-social-policy/
Assessment methods
We offer a variety of assessment methods within our programmes. In addition to traditional examinations and essays, examples of alternative assessment include:
• Group-based tasks
• Presentations
• Personal Reflections
Throughout your undergraduate Politics and Social Policy degree, you will develop excellent research and analytical skills and learn to present your ideas effectively both verbally and in writing. For full breakdown of course structure and assessment please visit our course page: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/social-sciences/politics-philosophy-international-relations/ba-politics-social-policy/ or get in touch with us at [email protected]
The Uni
Singleton Park Campus
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Politics
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Social policy
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Politics
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
The numbers of people taking politics degrees fell sharply last year and we'll keep an eye on this one - it can't really be because of graduates getting poor outcomes as politics grads do about as well as graduates on average. Most politics or international relations graduates don't actually go into politics - although many do, as activists, fundraisers and researchers. Jobs in local and central government are also important. Other popular jobs include marketing and PR, youth and community work, finance roles, HR and academic research (you usually need a postgraduate degree to get into research). Because so many graduates get jobs in the civil service, a lot of graduates find themselves in London after graduating. Politics is a very popular postgraduate subject, and so about one in five politics graduates go on to take another course - usually a one-year Masters - after they finish their degrees.
Social policy
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Just over 1,600 students graduated in social policy in 2015, which makes it one of the smaller social studies subjects. This is a popular subject at Masters level — 750 Masters in social policy were awarded last year - and so a lot of the more sought-after jobs in management and research tend to go to social policy graduates with postgraduate degrees. For those who leave university after their first degree, then jobs in social care (especially community and youth work) and education, the police, marketing and human resources and recruitment are popular — along with local government, although there are fewer of those jobs around than in the past. This degree is a bit less reliant on London for jobs than other similar subjects, so if you'd like to work outside the capital, it might be worth considering - although the jobs still tend to be in big cities.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Politics
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£19k
£24k
£25k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Social policy
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£17k
£20k
£27k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Explore these similar courses...
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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
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Course location and department:
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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
Have a question about this info? Learn more here