The programme requires you to take the equivalent of 360 credits over three years, 120 in each year. You will also write a dissertation based on your own research related to a topic in Politics or Sociology linked to the region.
The basic principle of the BA Politics and Sociology degree is progression from one year to the next along defined disciplinary pathways. Knowledge and skills learned in one year provide building blocks for more advanced study in each subsequent year.
Please note that students:
- must register for exactly 120 credits per year of study and optional modules are subject to change;
- must have taken and passed 90 credits of Level 6 modules by the end of the final year;
- are not permitted to take more than 150 credits of Level 4 modules over the course of your programme;
- The Year Abroad must be passed.
The pass mark for each course unit is 40%. Late summer resits will be available for eligible students who fail between 15 and 60 credits (further information on the topic can be found on the Student Handbook page, Chapter 5.6)
- Year One
You must select 120 credits in total.
Compulsory Modules (60 credits):
- SESS0013 - Understanding Society: Introduction to Social Theory (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0014 - Understanding Society: Introduction to Political Sociology (15 credits Term 2)
- SESS0016 - Understanding Politics I: The Big Questions in Contemporary Europe (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0017- Understanding Politics II: How Politics Works (15 credits, Term 2)
Optional Modules: select at least one of the two modules below:
- SESS0015 - Communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0018 - Communist Societies 1945-1989 (15 credits, Term 2)
Plus course options to a value of maximum 45 credits:
Please note that other Politics and Sociology Modules include:
- SESS0082 - Introduction to International Relations: Concepts and Ideas (15 credits, Term 2)
- SESS0083 - Introduction to International Relations: Themes and issues (15 credits, Term 2) - (Not running in 2024/25)
SESS0082, is a prerequisite for taking Concepts of Security in year 2 and European Security in the final year.
Or any of the module options listed for SSEES in the Language and Culture or the Economics & Business Area. You may also select language modules from other departments.
- Year Two
In your second year, you must choose a total of 120 credits.
Compulsory core courses (30 credits):
- SESS0033 - Comparative Political Analysis (15 credits, Term 1) Note: this course is non-condonable
- SESS0034 - Researching Politics and Society (15 credits, Term 2)
Plus at least two compulsory courses chosen from the following (30 credits in total):
- SESS0029 - Politics and Society in Central and Eastern Europe (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0030 - Russian Politics and Society (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0035 – Post - Soviet Politics and Society (15 credits, Term 2)
- SESS0062 - Politics and Societies of Southeast Europe (15 credits, Term 2)
Other options available:
- BASC0011 - Migration and Health (15 credits, Term will be allocated by BASC)
- SESS0004 -The Making of the Modern Ukraine (30 credits, Full Year)
- SESS0027 - The History of European Political Ideas (30 credits, Full Year)
- SESS0031 - Concepts of Security (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0061 - Democracy and Democratisation (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0074 - Undermining Democracy: Political Manipulation in Comparative Perspective (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0091 - The Roma: History, Society, Culture and Politics in Eastern Europe (15 credits, Term 2)
- SESS0092 - Revolutions and Society: Revolution in the Modern World: 1600-2021 (15 credits, Term 1)
- ANTH0056 - Anthropological Approaches to Eurasian Socialist and Post-Socialist Societies (15 credits, Term will be allocated by ANTH)
All students can take up to 30 credits of electives from SSEES options, including a language, or from an another UCL department. (For non-SSEES modules you may take 30 credits in total over Years 2 and 3)
- Year Abroad
Students should refer to the Study Abroad section of the Student Handbook
- Year Three (Year Four for those on the year abroad programme)
Overarching Rule
Students must take 90 credits at advanced level (L6) in their second and third years combined in order to be awarded an honours degree. Students cannot take any introductory courses in their final year of study (L4). Students can only take 15 credits of language at intermediate or advanced level.
Compulsory Module:
Dissertation (30 credits)
- A Dissertation in one chosen discipline which has been studied in Year 2. The dissertation is Non-condonable.
Minimum of 30 credits and maximum of 90 credits from the following group:
- ANTH0056 - Anthropological Approaches to Eurasian Socialist and Post-Socialist Societies (15 credits, Term allocated by the Antropology Department)
- SEES0090 - Cities In Eastern Europe (15 credits, Term 2)
- SEES0159 - Law, Politics and Society in Eastern Europe (15 credits, Term 1) - (Not running in 2024/25)
- SESS0002 - Governance and Corruption (15 credits Term 1)
- SESS0004 - The Making of Modern Ukraine (30 credits, Full year)
- SESS0005 - Baltic Politics and Society (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0006 - Understanding and Analysing Data (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0027 - The History of European Political Ideas (30 credits, Full year)
- SESS0029 - Politics and Society in Central and Eastern Europe (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0030 - Russian Politics and Society (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0035 - Post-Soviet Politics and Society (15 credits, Term 2)
- SESS0044 - Soviet and Russian Foreign Policy (30 credits, Full Year)
- SESS0046 - European Security (30 credits, Full Year)
- SESS0048 - Central and East European Migrants in the UK (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0050 - The Crisis of 1989 and the New Global Revolution (30 credits, Full Year)
- SESS0051 - Social Change in Central and Eastern Europe (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0052 - Parties and Elections in Global Perspective (15 credits, Term 2)
- SESS0076 - The International Politics of Sexuality (15 credits, Term 1) - (Not running in 2024/25)
- SESS0081 - International and Regional Politics of Eurasia (15 credits, Term 2)
- SESS0085 - Migration and Society – Eastern Europe and Beyond (15 Credits, Term 1) - (Not running in 2024/25)
- SESS0090 - Soviet and Russian strategy in the Middle East (15 credits, Term 2)
- SESS0097 - Central Asian Politics and Society (Not running in 2024/25)
- SESS0098 - European Union and its Eastern Neighbourhood (15 credits, Term 1) - (Not running in 2024/25)
- SESS0099 - Belarus: History Politics and Society (15 credits, Term 2) - (Not running in 2024/25)
You then may take up to 30 credits of electives, from SSEES options, including a language, or from another UCL department. Please note that for non-SSEES or floating modules this is a total of 30 credits over Years 2 and 3. This excludes languages.