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Cambridge Human, Social and Political Sciences (HSPS) Students and Applicants

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Original post by jozef161
(Admin, please, do not move this thread to HSPS as it is relatively inactive)

I will be applying to HSPS the following academic year, do you guys know any 'very useful' books to read about Politics/IR ?


Sorry, it has to be moved I'm afraid! The thread is only inactive because the course hasn't begun yet, but you may find people who currently do PPS pop out of the woodwork to answer your question once it is moved.
Reply 61
Hi guys!!

I'm also applying to this. The deal with personal statements is muchos confusing, however, i'm trying to address it in a much more general way :/ hope this doesn't disadvantage me.
Reply 62
Original post by s_axo
Hi guys!!

I'm also applying to this. The deal with personal statements is muchos confusing, however, i'm trying to address it in a much more general way :/ hope this doesn't disadvantage me.


I think it's okay to be quite specific in your personal statement if that's what you want, and only write about the things you wish to specialise in. It looks like we actually have the option in UCAS to fill in which subjects we want to study in the course, and then we also have the SAQ where we can clarify our interests. So I don't think the personal statement needs to become a big problem :smile:
Reply 63
what is the normal average ums for as if i want to apply hsps? :smile:
Reply 64
Students who want to study Human, Social and Political Sciences at Hughes Hall need to take a "written test in advance". Does anyone know what this test is about? Is it the Thinking Skills Assessment? Or is it an essay writing test?
Original post by king_baloe
Students who want to study Human, Social and Political Sciences at Hughes Hall need to take a "written test in advance". Does anyone know what this test is about? Is it the Thinking Skills Assessment? Or is it an essay writing test?


It's a new course so i doubt anyone will know anything about it unless there's info on their website
Reply 66
Original post by king_baloe
Students who want to study Human, Social and Political Sciences at Hughes Hall need to take a "written test in advance". Does anyone know what this test is about? Is it the Thinking Skills Assessment? Or is it an essay writing test?


If it was the TSA I'm fairly certain that they would state that explicitly.

It may well be a case of writing an essay/essays, but the best thing to do would be to email the admissions people at Hughes Hall and ask them :smile:
Reply 67
Hey everyone - is anyone doing or thinking of doing this course at Cambridge? I'd love to do it but would love to find out some more about it...
Unless I'm much mistaken, this course has undergone two name changes in the past few years - it has previously been called PPS (Psychology, Politics & Sociology) and SPS (Social & Political Sciences). Whilst I don't actually know anything about that course, it might help you when searching for more info :smile:
I am going into 2nd year PPS if you have any questions? :smile:
Reply 70
Original post by Origami Bullets
Unless I'm much mistaken, this course has undergone two name changes in the past few years - it has previously been called PPS (Psychology, Politics & Sociology) and SPS (Social & Political Sciences). Whilst I don't actually know anything about that course, it might help you when searching for more info :smile:


This is not quite correct.

The new HSPS Tripos encompasses a number of the "old" subjects (including PPS/SPS), and is not a simple rebranding of a previous course/subject.

Edit to add: IE It is a new course in its own right offering a number of different subjects that were previously offered separately :smile:
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 71
Original post by ke95
Hey everyone - is anyone doing or thinking of doing this course at Cambridge? I'd love to do it but would love to find out some more about it...


Hi there :smile:

There is a website for the course here --> http://www.hsps.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/ that will give you some further details as to the subjects/combinations that you can take, entry requirements, and links to various different department pages.

If you have any questions about the Biological Anthropology and/or Archaeology stream I'd be happy to help.
Original post by moonkatie
This is not quite correct.

The new HSPS Tripos encompasses a number of the "old" subjects (including PPS/SPS), and is not a simple rebranding of a previous course/subject.

Edit to add: IE It is a new course in its own right offering a number of different subjects that were previously offered separately :smile:


It pretty much just is a name change, at least for the PPS people surely? The main difference is that the arch and anth people have been subsumed in the tripos and maybe a few optional papers have changed. In two years they will probably change the name again, and it will probably gobble up another tripos like education :P
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 73
Original post by iammichealjackson
It pretty much just is a name change, at least for the PPS people. PPS has always included papers from Arch&Anth, history, education, computer science. The main difference is that the arch and anth people have been subsumed in the tripos and maybe a few optional papers have changed...


The sheer fact that you can take a combination of different papers in the first year (any four from a choice of eleven - no set "take 2-3 core plus 1-2 options") that was not possible previously proves that it is not just PPS by a different name, and to represent it as such to potential students is misleading.

Yes, students who want to follow a Pol/Psych/Soc based stream are still able to take the same core papers under the HSPS tripos as they would have been prior to the switch over, but that in itself does not make it a rebrand of PPS any more than it is a rebrand of Arch & Anth!! You'll also note that history/ed/compsci are not offered as first year options.

HSPS is a new Tripos led by a recently integrated school that includes a number of different departments [and divisions]. Whilst it is still possible to specialise in the individual subjects for Part II (e.g. Politics & IR), the new Tripos is a lot more open to the integration of papers from different divisions within the school allowing students to create a broader more inter-disciplinary degree if they so choose.

It is also now possible to balance subjects for a joint degree in Part II (which was not a 'standard' option in at least some of the single subjects previously).

There does seem to be some confusion about the new Tripos, and I don't think that it's particularly helpful to misrepresent it to potential applicants. I think it's far more useful to help explain what the new Tripos actually offers rather than stating what previously offered degree it is almost/sort of/kind-of-like-if-you-ignore-certain-aspects.


The course structure is shown here http://www.hsps.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/prospective/structure.html for anyone that is interested.

For those of you that are attending the Open Day next month, there will be a HSPS board and also (I believe) a presentation that I'm sure you will find useful :smile:
Original post by moonkatie
The sheer fact that you can take a combination of different papers in the first year (any four from a choice of eleven - no set "take 2-3 core plus 1-2 options") that was not possible previously proves that it is not just PPS by a different name, and to represent it as such to potential students is misleading.

Yes, students who want to follow a Pol/Psych/Soc based stream are still able to take the same core papers under the HSPS tripos as they would have been prior to the switch over, but that in itself does not make it a rebrand of PPS any more than it is a rebrand of Arch & Anth!! You'll also note that history/ed/compsci are not offered as first year options.

HSPS is a new Tripos led by a recently integrated school that includes a number of different departments [and divisions]. Whilst it is still possible to specialise in the individual subjects for Part II (e.g. Politics & IR), the new Tripos is a lot more open to the integration of papers from different divisions within the school allowing students to create a broader more inter-disciplinary degree if they so choose.

It is also now possible to balance subjects for a joint degree in Part II (which was not a 'standard' option in at least some of the single subjects previously).

There does seem to be some confusion about the new Tripos, and I don't think that it's particularly helpful to misrepresent it to potential applicants. I think it's far more useful to help explain what the new Tripos actually offers rather than stating what previously offered degree it is almost/sort of/kind-of-like-if-you-ignore-certain-aspects.


The course structure is shown here http://www.hsps.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/prospective/structure.html for anyone that is interested.

For those of you that are attending the Open Day next month, there will be a HSPS board and also (I believe) a presentation that I'm sure you will find useful :smile:


Sorry, this is basically just what I have been told by my supervisor, although clearly from a PPS perspective, where we will study pretty much what we always have done despite several identity crises of the tripos.

part_ii_diagram.png

Psychology + Sociology stream appears to have disappeared for second years however?
Reply 75
Original post by iammichealjackson
Sorry, this is basically just what I have been told by my supervisor, although clearly from a PPS perspective, where we will study pretty much what we always have done despite several identity crises of the tripos.

part_ii_diagram.png

Psychology + Sociology stream appears to have disappeared for second years however?


I don't know whether we're at cross purposes here a little?


As a current student you will continue to follow the Tripos that you were undertaking when you matriculated (e.g. PPS). In that respect your supervisor is correct.

But that's not what this thread is about, and hopefully you are already aware that these changes will not really affect you as a continuing student (as you are not following the HSPS Tripos).


Incoming students will be on the new Tripos with the new papers and the new pathways (including changes to Part II options). It's not suffering from an identity crisis, it's just new!

hi :smile:
I am hoping to apply for HSPS but am still tempted by the History course.
this is mainly because i can't see anything i'd like to have as my other four choices at other unis if applying for HSPS. lots of places do politics&sociology as a joint degree but i really like the social anthropology and international relations mix as well, but nowhere else seems to do this, which will make writing a personal statement kinda difficult.
anyone know where else they'd apply?
Original post by moonkatie
I don't know whether we're at cross purposes here a little?


As a current student you will continue to follow the Tripos that you were undertaking when you matriculated (e.g. PPS). In that respect your supervisor is correct.

But that's not what this thread is about, and hopefully you are already aware that these changes will not really affect you as a continuing student (as you are not following the HSPS Tripos).


Incoming students will be on the new Tripos with the new papers and the new pathways (including changes to Part II options). It's not suffering from an identity crisis, it's just new!


I meant PPSers generally, like from SPS-PPS-HSPS. This arguement really depends how we're defining "new" and doesn't seem to be that productive :P
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 78
Original post by iammichealjackson
I meant PPSers generally, like from SPS-PPS-HSPS. This arguement really depends how we're defining "new" and doesn't seem to be that productive :P


This started because a poster (not a student from Cambridge I might add) stated that HSPS = PPS.

I maintain that this is incorrect, and have demonstrated how they are different. You, by your own admission, have also stated that options for both Parts I and II differ between HSPS and PPS.


Why is this distinction important?

Because the point of this thread is to provide information and a place for discussion amongst new applicants, and to help potential new students make an informed choice as to whether this is the degree for them. In that respect this is almost an extension of the work that goes on (and indeed is going on right now) in the departments and colleges at the Open Days, and throughout the year. A forum like TSR helps to fill the gap for those that are seeking out information and who may not have been able to make it to the Open Days but would like further information.

Misrepresenting the degree to be something that it isn't doesn't help anyone.

By your own admission you are/were unaware of how the new Tripos works, and seem to be representing the ideas of one of your supervisors :s-smilie:

The HSPS Tripos (and indeed the school of HSPS) did not exist before... it does now... therefore it is new!
Reply 79
So this seems a little dead!! How is everyone getting on? Enjoying the reading lists? PS'? Hope everyone is doing great! xx

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