Applied Social Sciences

Applied social sciences bring together psychology and sociology to examine the forces that shape human behaviour, social relationships, and the structures in which people live and work. Psychology provides rigorous scientific methods for understanding how individuals think, feel, perceive, and behave, while sociology zooms out to examine how societies are organised, how inequalities are produced and sustained, and how collective life shapes individual experience. The applied emphasis means you are always asking what this knowledge means in practice, and how it can be used to improve wellbeing, policy, and social conditions.

At Robert Gordon University, this four-year full-time programme is built around these two core disciplines, giving you a thorough grounding in both before you develop more specialised knowledge as the degree progresses. You will study psychological theory and research methods alongside sociological analysis of class, gender, ethnicity, inequality, and social change. You will engage with real social questions throughout your studies, applying theoretical frameworks to issues such as mental health, education, work, family life, community, and public policy.

The programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study how social sciences are applied in different national contexts and to develop the international perspective that is increasingly valued by employers and postgraduate programmes alike.

With a typical entry tariff of 136 UCAS points, this degree suits students who combine scientific curiosity with a concern for social justice and human wellbeing. Graduates enter careers in social work, community development, mental health services, human resources, research, public policy, education, the prison and probation service, housing, and the voluntary sector. The combination of psychological and sociological training is particularly well suited to roles that require both evidence-based practice and structural analysis.

Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in social work, psychology, sociology, public health, or related fields, and some pursue professional qualifications in clinical or educational psychology.