Faculty of Human, Social, and Political Science, University of Cambridge


The Faculty of Human, Social, and Political Science at the University of Cambridge was created in 2011 out of a merger of the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology and the Faculty of Politics, Psychology, Sociology and International Studies. According to the Cambridge HSPS website: graduates pursue careers in "research, the Civil Service, journalism, management consultancy, museums, conservation and heritage management, national and international NGOs and development agencies, the Law, teaching, publishing, health management, and public relations."
The Faculty houses 4 departments: The Department of Archaeology,, Department of Social Anthropology,, Department of Politics and International Studies and Department of Sociology. Each of these departments has a worldwide reputation for teaching and research, and the undergraduate curriculum is designed to serve both students who have a clear disciplinary commitment at the time of application as well as those who want a broader multidisciplinary degree. Students with a passion for politics can take advantage of links with such departments as Economics and History, those with interests in Sociology can draw on Anthropology and Geography, while those dedicated to pursuing an archaeology career can specialise from the first year or combine this with Biological and Social Anthropology.
Undergraduate students study several disciplines in their first year and then specialise in one or two disciplines in their second and third years. Clearly specified tracks ensure that students graduate with appropriate intellectual and professional skills. Assyriology and Egyptology are also possible specialisations, within the Archaeology track.
At the postgraduate level, there are established one-year M.Phils in Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, International Studies, Social Anthropology and Sociology. The sociology M.Phil allows for specialisation in one of four areas: reproduction; political economy; marginality and exclusion; and media and culture. A new M.Phil in Politics was launched in 2008.
For further post graduate study, Ph.D students conduct research within a wide range of subjects within Archaeology, Assyriology, Egyptology, Biological and Social Anthropology, Politics & International Studies and Sociology.
The Faculty is currently spread across several sites. The SPS Library and the Department of Sociology are on Free School Lane at the New Museums Site. The Department of Politics & International Studies is currently located at the Alison Richard Building on the Sidgwick Site. The Department of Archaeology & Anthropology is spread across the Downing Site, New Museums Site, and Henry Wellcome Building.

Selected members of the Faculty

University and College Teaching Officers in the HSPS Faculty

Tripos
An Archaeology and Anthropology Tripos has been taught at Cambridge for more than a century. A Politics, Psychology and Sociology Tripos has been running at Cambridge University, in some form, since 1970. From 2013, the PPS and A&A Triposes will be replaced by the Human, Social, and Political Sciences Tripos, which will offer students the opportunity to explore a wide range of multi-disciplinary options before specialising in one or two subjects, or to specialise from the first year, according to their interests.
Postgraduate
The Faculty teaches seven masters programmes in Politics, International Studies, Sociology, Social Anthropology, Social and Developmental Psychology, Archaeology, Biological Anthropology. The Faculty also has around 200 students studying for doctorates at any one time. According to the Cambridge HSPS website: graduates pursue careers in "research, the Civil Service, journalism, management consultancy, museums, conservation and heritage management, national and international NGOs and development agencies, the Law, teaching, publishing, health management, and public relations."

Applications

The number of applicants per place for Politics, Psychology and Sociology has traditionally been one of the highest in Cambridge. On average, there are six applications per offered place, though this ratio is better at some colleges such as Murray Edwards. Colleges with particular teaching strength in Human, Social, and Political Science include Selwyn, Gonville and Caius, Queens', King's, Sidney Sussex, Corpus Christi and Trinity. Numbers of applications for the new HSPS BA course remain high across all colleges. Typical offers for the course are A*AA at A Level, or 40–42 points out of 45 with 776 or 777 at Higher Level in the International Baccalaureate.
As of 2008–2009 the MPhil in Social and Developmental Psychology received 66 applications, with 7 starting the course in October 2008. The MPhil in Modern Society and Global Transformations saw 99 applicants, with 26 starting the course in October 2008.

Notable alumni