3 leading schools of arts, humanities, and social sciences preparing graduates for success

Across a range of sectors and roles, arts, humanities and social science graduates are in high demand. They are great communicators, collaborators, analysts, researchers. Their independence, creativity and adaptivity are valued by employers and empower these graduates to move across various roles while being resilient to economic downturns.

Apart from job security, wages are just as promising. According to the British Academy, of the 10 fastest-growing sectors in the UK economy, eight employ more arts, humanities and social science graduates than other disciplines graduates. And when you look in the first 10 years of their careers, arts, humanities and social science graduates make strong progress up the career ladder into roles attracting higher salaries.

If you want to tackle the challenges we face, shape the future and build a steady career, start by joining the leading schools of arts, humanities, and social sciences listed below:

University of West London

There are many reasons to study at UWL’s School of Human and Social Sciences (SHSS). UWL has built a positive reputation as the ‘Career University.’ Its success is recognised in the rankings — it is the Best University for Student Experience and Teaching Quality in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024), and University of the Year for Social Inclusion (Daily Mail University Guide 2024).

SHSS is a multidisciplinary department that offers courses in Psychology, Criminology, Sociology, Education, Forensic Science, Nutritional Therapy and Politics and International Relations. It transforms students into career-ready graduates with the know-how to create meaningful change. Whichever you choose, you will go on an engaging and immersive journey defined by industry-led teaching and specialist careers advice. You will have the chance to search for placements, engage with employers and get tailored, lifelong careers counselling and support.

Another UWL advantage? Cutting-edge facilities. Crime scene suites and science laboratories have industry-standard equipment such as brain imaging electroencephalogram (EEG), eye-tracking equipment, virtual-reality, DNA and fingermark analysis and a range of experimental and research software. These make for great hands-on experiences that pair well with UWL’s expert guidance – a powerful combination that prepares students for their future careers.

UWL ensures that when you land that dream interview, you will be prepared. Its teaching approach includes small-group applied sessions where students get to work on real-world problems whilst developing industry-specific skills. You will be set to impress your future employers with the knowledge, skills and perspectives needed to navigate complex social landscapes and contribute to positive societal change. Dive into a world of endless possibilities and make a real difference in society — join UWL today.

Cardiff University

Cardiff University is a thriving, innovative university located on the coast of South Wales. A degree from Cardiff can take you far as 84% of its graduates begin highly skilled jobs after graduating. Students looking for a range of professionally recognised degrees in the field of arts and humanities will find this university exceeds expectations.

At its College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, students are introduced to a vibrant, dynamic and inspiring community where a shared love for learning is fostered. Facilities are excellent — students have access to the trading room in Cardiff Business School, radio and television studios in the School of Journalism, Media and Culture, and access to 24-hour modern libraries across campus.

There are 10 academic schools under the faculty, and every course is designed to equip students with in-depth knowledge and experiences to prepare them for the future. Graduates are now holding key positions with leading organisations around the world.

These include the likes of Spencer Dale, Chief Economist of the Bank of England, Danny Blanchflower, academic and former member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England, journalists Huw Edwards, Bill Turnbull and Alex Thomson, founder of moneysaving expert Martin Lewis, and composer Karl Jenkins.

Interested? Cardiff has undergraduate programmes in Criminology, Education, Social Policy, Sociology, and more. Whichever you choose, you’ll start to understand how society works, from why crimes are committed to how schools support economic growth, how communities are formed to what makes people happy.

University of Dundee

The city of Dundee is Scotland’s fourth-largest city with a population of 150,000 — there is one student for every seven people. The  niversity of Dundee’s city centre campus is located in its vibrant West End, with plenty of shops, cafés, and restaurants nearby — making it perfect to explore local culture.

Home to 18,000 students from over 100 countries, the University of Dundee is one of the UK’s leading research institutions.  It was named Higher Educational Institution of the Year at the Herald Higher Education Awards 2023, given a 5-Star rating by QS Quacquarelli Symonds (international higher education specialists), and one of the top 200 universities in the world for graduate employment rate.

The Dundee Law School is just as renowned and is in the top 20 for law in the UK in numerous rankings. It’s one of the five divisions that make up the School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law here: Dundee Law School, Education and Society, Energy, Environment and Society, Humanities, and Psychology.

“My Dundee education gave me the platform to go from boy to man. It definitely matured me a lot,” says law graduate Kishan. “It gave me skills that I didn’t have before including academic skills in researching, writing, reading but it also gave me skills in how to be resourceful in my day to day life. I learned how to make the most of limited time. I came here and I met people that I wouldn’t have met elsewhere.”

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International