Your programme will develop your skills and abilities in leadership, critical thinking, self-motivation, problem-solving and self-reflection that can take you into future successful careers in industry, global organisations, government, the charitable sector, education, accountancy, the legal profession, the media, the City and beyond. The success of our students attracts prestigious employers from many sectors making Bristol a top-ten institute in the UK for graduate recruiters to visit.
The faculty provides a lively and engaging learning environment for some 2,500 undergraduates each year. You can choose from approximately 40 honours degree programmes across the social sciences and law. These lead to BA, BSc and LLB qualifications and include a range of joint honours, study abroad options and, in some cases, the chance to take optional units from other subjects and courses across the University.
Our world-leading academics incorporate the latest research into their teaching providing you with an inspirational and challenging educational environment. Your studies are grounded in our academic excellence and delivered within the high standards required by the national framework set out by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
Using a range of learning styles from the deeply technical to the highly reflective, we foster student-directed learning through lectures, small-class teaching, formative coursework and a strong commitment to student support and development. We encourage you to attend research seminars, lectures and events across the faculty giving you an interdisciplinary perspective on your studies.
I’m really enjoying living in Bristol. I live in a self-catered flat in student Halls which is very social and has helped me meet lots of new people. All in all, Bristol is social euphoria!
The first time I visited the University was on the summer open day. I could tell that the city was exciting, diverse and vibrant and the buildings and modern facilities were fantastic. Bristol made me feel so welcome and happy.
My degree has definitely been a great choice. It’s given me a broad overview of the legal system in the UK and abroad and has provided me with a wealth of skills valued by employers.
My assignments are really interesting and give me the opportunity to work with real data and to deliver presentations. There is a huge variety of units on offer that are taught by highly-regarded academics.
Our schools offer many activities over and above the curriculum including pro-bono legal training opportunities at the Human Rights Implementation Centre and the Student Law Clinic as well as student organised societies and social events.
These include pastoral support arrangements, a flexible and interactive online learning environment, a £2m newly refurbished library, computing facilities, a dedicated careers advisor for social science and law, and a café in the social science complex which is a lively social hub for the faculty.
Our international reputation for outstanding research and teaching attracts around 2,500 students each year to more than 70 postgraduate programmes, giving you the opportunity to expand your knowledge in an area of particular interest, acquire or hone skills for the workplace or train for careers in teaching, social work or law.
Many of our courses are linked to professional qualifications and exemptions in law, education and social work. Our long-standing links with professional bodies mean that we are well-known for our expertise in these areas making Bristol a popular choice for students both in the UK and globally.
The UK's Research Assessment Exercise 2008 judged 87% of the faculty’s research to be of an international standard so you will study with experts who are internationally-recognised for their research expertise.
Our taught Masters programmes provide you with a strong grounding in critical thinking and research methodologies. They encompass a broad spectrum of subjects at masters level leading to MA, MEd, MSc and LLM degrees. You can choose from more than 60 Masters programmes, many of which offer part-time and modular options giving you the flexibility to combine careers and family commitments with study.
We offer world-class postgraduate MPhil and PhD research programmes for the next generation of social science experts. Supervised by academics leading and transforming scholarship in their fields, our programmes are delivered at the South West Doctoral Training Centre, one of the UK’s largest centres of postgraduate research.
Our doctoral programmes in education, educational psychology and social science provide an alternative route to a more traditional PhD which is well-suited to those combining work and study.
The University of Bristol is regarded as one of the best universities in the UK in the field of education.
The best thing about studying at the University of Bristol is the diversity of the student body. My experience with the Bristol Innocence Project has certainly made criminal law a possibility for me.
I was looking for an MSc in Social Work and the University of Bristol stood out compared to other universities. It’s a great place to live and study.
Seminar groups have a really diverse mix of students, some with first-hand experiences of the topics, which has helped me appreciate different perspectives, and challenged my assumptions.
Postgraduate study at the University of Bristol provides you with an opportunity to explore your competencies and offers you the prospect of both intellectual and personal development.
Our vocational programmes provide professional development in education, legal studies and social work.
We are home to specialised libraries for law and education and a £2m newly refurbished social science library. Postgraduates have access to excellent computing facilities, a dedicated careers advisor for social science and law, and a lively café in the social science complex. Full-time research postgraduates benefit from allocated work space and a PC with specialist data analysis software during the first three years. Our Graduate Research Centre provides additional quiet study space for all postgraduates providing state-of-the-art workstations and social space.
