Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences

University College London

Shape the future with UCL Social and Historical Sciences. We offer over 60 specialist postgraduate programmes across a diverse range of subjects. Our interests span the globe, as we seek to understand the social, political, economic, cultural and environmental processes that have shaped the world over time. Our academics are at the forefront of innovative, interdisciplinary research and education that creates a meaningful, real-world impact. We’ll challenge you to think critically, engage with global challenges, and seek creative solutions. Renowned for our excellence in teaching and research, we foster a vibrant culture of innovation. From tackling climate change to addressing economic inequality, our academics, alumni, and students are dedicated to exploring new ways to address pressing global issues.

Why study at the Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences?

We are an intellectually diverse and world-leading Faculty, with the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024 placing our social sciences 14th in the world and our arts and humanities disciplines 6th.

Cutting-edge research lies at the heart of the faculty’s work. We are first in the UK for research power in the social sciences (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

Alongside our programmes at UCL's historic campus in Bloomsbury, central London, we are delivering a range of cutting-edge courses at UCL East, our pioneering new campus on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford in east London.

1500

postgraduate students

61

courses

9th

in QS World University Rankings 2024

London  United Kingdom

main campus

About the Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences

UCL’s Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences is a dynamic and diverse community, uniting nine academic departments and institutes: Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, History of Art, Political Science, the Americas, Archaeology, and Advanced Studies.

UCL is ranked among the top 10 globally in 10 subject areas according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024, with three of these subject areas taught within our faculty: Archaeology (3rd), Anthropology (4th), and Geography (7th).

Our academics are deeply engaged in pioneering research projects and centres that advance their fields and foster new areas of interdisciplinary knowledge.

Situated in the heart of London, we maintain strong connections with industry-specific contacts, businesses, research centers, and funding bodies. Our location also provides easy access to invaluable resources, including the British Library, British Museum, Institutes of Historical Research and Classical Studies, and the Warburg Institute.

Our faculty employs a variety of innovative teaching methods, ensuring you achieve a high level of proficiency in your field. Our approach not only includes instruction and training but also facilitates and supports each student’s independent work.

In addition to high-quality teaching, you will have opportunities to develop transferable skills that are highly sought after by employers. Our programmes will equip you with a solid foundation to engage with employers across various sectors, opening up limitless career possibilities.



Studying is an important part of your time at UCL but there's plenty of other opportunities to make the most of life on campus and in London. UCL provides a wealth of services, events and facilities to meet your cultural, social, and leisure interests as well as your practical needs.

You can take advantage of the great opportunities and resources through UCL Student Support and Wellbeing, Students' Union UCL, extra-curricular activities, volunteering, and the theatres, museums and art collections that are all part of our historic institution.

Our students have unrivalled access to world-leading resources nearby, including the British Library, British Museum, the Wellcome Collection and the Warburg Institute, as well as remarkable facilities on campus and on-site collections such as the Ethnography Collection, the Institute of Archaeology Collections and Library, the Petrie Museum of Egyptology, and the UCL Art Museum, as well as UCL Library Special Collections.

Find out what it's like to live and study at UCL from UCL Social & Historical Sciences students


We know applying for courses can be daunting, so we’ve made this guide to help you through the process. Please note: you can only apply to a maximum of two taught graduate programmes in any academic cycle.

For details about the loans and financial awards available to help support you, visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scholarships/fund-your-studies

Applications are considered on a rolling basis and therefore may close earlier than the advertised deadline. We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible. Please refer to a programme’s prospectus page for the application deadline.

If you are UK national, Republic of Ireland national, a citizen of a Crown Dependency or have Pre-settled or Settled status you will not require a visa to study at UCL. Most other students will usually require a student visa to study at UCL if they are coming to study in the UK for more than 6 months. However, a number of different UK visas will still allow you to study in the UK so please visit our student visa webpages to check which visa you will need.


Main campus

University College London

London

United Kingdom

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Geography (17) Geology (18) Materials Science (24) History & Archaeology (19) Anthropology (2) Biological Sciences (4) Forensic & Archaeological Sciences (16) Psychology (31) Education (11) Medicine (26) Environmental Sciences (13) Languages, Literature & Culture (21) Sociology (33) Politics & Government (30) Architecture, Building & Planning (3) Information Services (20) Business & Management (5) Creative Arts & Design (9) Linguistics & Classics (23) Philosophy (28) Law (22) Social Work (32) Economics (10) Mathematics (25) Communication & Media Studies (7) Computer Science (8)