Social SciencesBA International Liberal Studies
Waseda University
- Location
- Tokyo, Japan
- Indicative tuition
- ¥1,600,000 / year
11 courses · 6 universities · 5 countries
Social Sciences degrees abroad
Politics, international relations, sociology and development — the degrees behind careers in policy, diplomacy, NGOs and research, best studied where those worlds convene.
Why study social sciences abroad
Social science degrees answer a question ambitious students from our markets ask constantly: how do I get from here into policy, diplomacy, development or international organisations? The honest answer is that those careers run on credentials and networks from a recognisable set of universities — and international relations or development studies at a strong UK or Australian department places you inside the seminar rooms, internship pipelines and alumni networks those institutions actually recruit from.
The degrees themselves are reading-and-writing intensive: expect essays, seminars and research methods rather than problem sets, with entry based on strong overall grades and no fixed subject requirements — humanities students are as welcome as economists. The postgraduate ladder matters more here than in vocational fields: many policy and international careers expect a master's, so plan the bachelor's as the first of two steps, and note that the UK's one-year master's makes that second step cheaper there than anywhere.
Careers these degrees lead to
- Policy Analyst
- NGO Programme Officer
- Social Researcher
- Diplomatic Service Officer
- Political Risk Consultant
- Journalist
- Policy Adviser
- International Business Associate
Where you can study it
Undergraduate social sciences courses
7 undergraduate programmes, each with entry requirements, modules, tuition and intakes — and free application support on every one.
Social SciencesSocial SciencesBA (Hons) International Relations
University of Leeds
- Location
- Leeds, United Kingdom
- Indicative tuition
- £25,000 / year
Social SciencesSocial SciencesBSc Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (PPLE)
University of Amsterdam
- Location
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Indicative tuition
- €15,500 / year
Social SciencesBSc Communication Science
University of Amsterdam
- Location
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Indicative tuition
- €11,700 / year
Social SciencesBSc (Hons) Criminology
University of Roehampton
- Location
- London, United Kingdom
- Indicative tuition
- £16,000 / year
Social SciencesBSc (Hons) Sociology
University of Roehampton
- Location
- London, United Kingdom
- Indicative tuition
- £16,000 / year
Postgraduate social sciences courses
4 postgraduate programmes, each with entry requirements, modules, tuition and intakes — and free application support on every one.
Social SciencesSocial SciencesSocial SciencesMSocSci Social Sciences
National University of Singapore
- Location
- Singapore, Singapore
- Indicative tuition
- S$45,000 / year
Social SciencesNot sure which course fits?
Tell us your grades, budget and preferred countries, and a counsellor will shortlist thesocial sciences programmes you would genuinely get into — then handle the application with you. Free, from first call to enrolment.
Get free university placement support
Leave your contact details and a Tutopiya counsellor will reach out within 24 hours. Our counselling and application support are 100% free; you pay only university tuition.
Enquiry sent
Thank you. A Tutopiya counsellor will contact you within 24 hours to talk through your options. Nothing to pay, ever.
Frequently asked questions
Studying social sciences abroad — what students ask us most.
What careers do social-science degrees actually lead to?
Four clusters recur among graduates: government and policy (civil services, think tanks, political risk), international organisations and NGOs (the UN system, development agencies — usually after a master's), communications and research roles across the private sector, and law or journalism via conversion routes. The degree's currency is analysis and writing, which transfers across all four. Post-study work rights let graduates bank experience in the study country first, which strengthens every later application, including at home.
Do these degrees require specific subjects or high grades?
No fixed subjects — strong grades in any combination work, with essay-based subjects (history, English, economics) the natural evidence of fit. Grade bars scale with university: competitive UK international-relations programmes want AAB equivalents or IB 34+, while very good universities admit at BBB equivalents. English requirements are standard IELTS 6.0–6.5. The personal statement pulls real weight in this subject: demonstrated engagement — reading, debate, MUN, volunteering — separates similar transcripts.
Is a social-science degree worth international fees without a fixed profession attached?
It's the wrong comparison to make against nursing or engineering — the right one is against studying the same subject at home. What international fees buy here is institutional signal, faculty networks and the internship geography of cities where policy and international organisations physically sit, plus post-study work rights to convert the degree into experience. For students genuinely aimed at policy, development or international careers, that access is the product. For students choosing it as a default, a more vocational subject may serve the fees better — and we'll say so in counselling.
Is the university placement service really free?
Yes, our service is 100% free. Counselling, university matching, application support and guidance right up to your offer cost you nothing. There are no consultation fees and no agent fees, because we are funded by our university partners. The only cost you take on is the university’s own tuition or semester fees, which you pay directly to the university after you accept your offer.
What exactly do you help with?
Everything from start to finish: understanding your options, shortlisting the right programme, preparing your application and personal statement, submitting to the university, and guiding you through the offer, enrolment and visa paperwork, all with a dedicated counsellor.
Which universities can you place me into?
We place students into a range of UK and international universities, and we shortlist the best-fit options for your grades, budget and goals rather than pushing a single school. On some pages we run dedicated free placement drives for a specific partner university, and we are always adding more partners. Tell us your goals and your counsellor will map out your options.