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Social and Political Sciences

Let's address global injustice together. 📱

High ranking
We're ranked 11th in the UK for Sociology, 13th in the UK for Social Policy, 18th in the UK for Politics - according to the Complete University Guide 2025.
Leading research
The Departments of Sociology and Politics were ranked top 10 in the UK for their research. Sociology, in particular, were ranked 1st in research impact according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021).
Worldwide reputation
We're ranked 39th in the world for Social Policy and Administration according to the QS World Rankings, by subject 2024

Welcome to the School for Business and Society. 

Studying social and political science at York, we combine Sociology, Social Policy and Politics as a single flexible degree, with the added option of Philosophy, giving you the opportunity to learn from world-leading academics across multiple departments.

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Hear from students

Our subject blogs and vlogs give the lowdown on all things life at York.

Blog post

Posted by El

Last year, I applied to the Summer Accelerator on a whim. I had an idea for a business that I loved – one that…

Blog post

Posted by Michelle

Hi! My name is Michelle and I am a student on the MSc Green Chemistry and Sustainable Industrial Technology course. I loved my time…

Free online courses

You can take our free online courses on a range of topics, including your next steps to university.

Explore what higher education is all about and learn tips for making the most of your university life and study.

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