HSPS - would I be able to focus on Politics & International Relations?

I'm interested in applying for Politics/International Relations by October, and I've looked into various Cambridge courses - mainly History & Politics and HSPS. For HSPS, would I be able to take it with the full intention of studying Pol & IR, or would I have to put up with the sociology side of it? I don't think I would despise sociology, it's just that my application would be entirely focused on Pol & IR.

Additionally, would I realistically stand a chance? 3 A-Levels, 2 facilitating, probably average predicted grades (relative to the course) such as A*AA or maybe A*A*A depending on my mocks, below average GCSEs for the course (9 GCSEs, mainly A's, zero A*'s), barely any extracurriculars. I think I may have a slightly better chance with History & Pol as there are fewer applications...

I'm interested in applying for Politics/International Relations by October, and I've looked into various Cambridge courses - mainly History & Politics and HSPS. For HSPS, would I be able to take it with the full intention of studying Pol & IR, or would I have to put up with the sociology side of it? I don't think I would despise sociology, it's just that my application would be entirely focused on Pol & IR.
.........I think I may have a slightly better chance with History & Pol as there are fewer applications...

This page should make it clear what the POLIS routes are:
https://www.polis.cam.ac.uk/study-at-polis/Prospective/course-details
Via HSPS you can avoid sociology entirely if you wish...
First year:
Four papers
Four Papers chosen from the following:
POL1: The modern state and its alternatives
POL2: International conflict, order and justice
Plus two options from Sociology, Social Anthropology, Psychology, Biological Anthropology and Archaeology

Pick the course you prefer not the admissions stats. And if your A-levels are in line with the typical offer then you can be competitive.

You say you want to focus on Pol& IR, yet you don’t mind having to cover History substantially in History & Politics course? Have you checked what sort of history tripos papers you’re expected to do during the course? It’s a joint degree but a part of a History Department, so it’d be quite different from doing Pol & IR in HSPS dept.
https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/history-and-politics
Is one of your facilitating subjects history? Not all colleges require History A-level but applicants for the course will have to sit pre-interview history assessment test, so not having some foundation in history can be a big disadvantage.


Don’t play statistic game. Apply to a course you’re genuinely interested.
History & Politics is a very new course, only started last year and it’s a small course. (Much smaller than HSPS. So the admission statistic can change a lot next few years as it gradually establishes. And a few percentage difference in admission rate is not worth taking into account anyway. It fluctuates every year, for any course.
Your aim should be getting a place at a course which you’re genuinely interested, not getting into a university for (presumed) privilege.

Hey i study HSPS so feel free to get in touch if you have any further questions!

Hey i study HSPS so feel free to get in touch if you have any further questions!

Hey Jay, how are you finding the course and what area are you focusing on? Could you give any advice for an application (e.g. super-curriculars, whether the EPQ is worth it etc.)