The current uncertainty about the social and political future has led to the emergence of new forms of post-truth and conspiratorial politics, which make it extremely difficult for people to make reasonable decisions about their lives. In this context, one of the key purposes of the Social and Political Sciences programme is to equip students with the rigorous methodological, theoretical, and analytic skills that underpin the social and political sciences in order to identify real world problems, collect information about them, and produce analyses designed to suggest workable solutions moving forward into an uncertain future.

Given the situation of the contemporary world in the middle of a period of enormous transformation, these skills will be essential for students concerned with equipping themselves for employment in a rapidly changing world, but also vital for people who want to contribute to social and political transformation for the better.

This programme will provide students with important research skills necessary for the contemporary graduate employment, including understanding methodological, analytic, and theoretical approaches to collecting, analysing, and drawing conclusions on the basis of a wide range of forms of information. It will also provide students with the decision making and leadership skills essential for graduate professions. Students completing this programme would be well prepared for work in local and national government, health and social services, the civil service, management positions in a range of sectors, international development, policy development, third sector, think tank, and charity work.