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STEM A Levels for a social sciences (intl. relations/history/politics) course

I am currently in Year 12 studying Maths, Physics and Chemistry.
If I want to apply for a social sciences degree in the subjects intl. relations/history/politics/development would my application be competitive given my personal statement shows motivation and interest in the subject?
Also, would I be able to apply for unis like LSE, Warwick, UCL etc where they prefer for the applicants to have an essay based subject?
(edited 8 months ago)

Reply 1

I have STEM A Levels, but I'm considering to apply for social sciences courses like international relations, history and politics
Did anyone have a similar experience? Any advice?

Reply 2

hii,

so your subjects are quite science focused, and for social sciences like international relations, politics, history, etc., unis do usually prefer at least one essay-based subject.

places like lse, ucl, and warwick often mention that in their entry reqs because those courses involve a lot of reading, writing, and critical thinking which you dont rly do much of in your subjects, at least not in the way social sciences do

but that doesn’t mean you can’t get in. if your personal statement shows strong motivation, clear interest in the subject, and you’ve done things like wider reading, research, maybe some relevant activities (like debate, or some skls make you do model un, volunteering, etc), you can still be considered. strong predicted grades will also help.

some unis will be more flexible than others, so it’s worth applying to a range like some top choices like lse or ucl, but also have some that are more open to different subject backgrounds like maybe City (where I go, I know they're more flexible).

if you have time, doing something like an epq or entering an essay competition in a something related to your future uni degree could really boost your application too and show you have essay writing skills

but if you're worried about those unis in particular because of their ranking, i'd recommend you find unis that are high in ranks for your subject rather than in general, like for example city university is like 24th in the uk in general but number 7 for law (my degree), but ucl is only 2 places above that at 5th place even though its a top 10 uni in the uk so go by subject ranking than uni ranking (obvisouly that also matters but yeah just focus on the requirments of the subjects, especially if your grades are so high you can probably easily get into a good top uni even if you go by subject rankings)

to put it simply, your combo isn’t the most typical, but if your application shows genuine interest and strong academic potential, you’ve still got a chance.

goodluck!! and remember there is always clearing and foundation year, even though they have a bad rep, a place in a uni is still a place in a uni, and the world doesnt end if you ever get rejected (but you got this! you'll get in dont worry!!)

Reply 3

If the 'entry requirements' do not require any specific A levels, and the Uni just states the 3 grades required, then yes, 3 STEM A levels is fine. A History degree usually does require A level History, but many social science degrees, including Law, do not have any A level subject requirements - and science-heads usually make good soc-sci students because of their analytical skills and sense of logic.

Reply 4

Original post
by hlatrache
hii,
so your subjects are quite science focused, and for social sciences like international relations, politics, history, etc., unis do usually prefer at least one essay-based subject.
places like lse, ucl, and warwick often mention that in their entry reqs because those courses involve a lot of reading, writing, and critical thinking which you dont rly do much of in your subjects, at least not in the way social sciences do
but that doesn’t mean you can’t get in. if your personal statement shows strong motivation, clear interest in the subject, and you’ve done things like wider reading, research, maybe some relevant activities (like debate, or some skls make you do model un, volunteering, etc), you can still be considered. strong predicted grades will also help.
some unis will be more flexible than others, so it’s worth applying to a range like some top choices like lse or ucl, but also have some that are more open to different subject backgrounds like maybe City (where I go, I know they're more flexible).
if you have time, doing something like an epq or entering an essay competition in a something related to your future uni degree could really boost your application too and show you have essay writing skills
but if you're worried about those unis in particular because of their ranking, i'd recommend you find unis that are high in ranks for your subject rather than in general, like for example city university is like 24th in the uk in general but number 7 for law (my degree), but ucl is only 2 places above that at 5th place even though its a top 10 uni in the uk so go by subject ranking than uni ranking (obvisouly that also matters but yeah just focus on the requirments of the subjects, especially if your grades are so high you can probably easily get into a good top uni even if you go by subject rankings)
to put it simply, your combo isn’t the most typical, but if your application shows genuine interest and strong academic potential, you’ve still got a chance.
goodluck!! and remember there is always clearing and foundation year, even though they have a bad rep, a place in a uni is still a place in a uni, and the world doesnt end if you ever get rejected (but you got this! you'll get in dont worry!!)

Hi, thank you for the insight. I am doing an EPQ in the related subject so I think I could evidence my research and analytical skills. Hopefully, I get it😬

Reply 5

Original post
by McGinger
If the 'entry requirements' do not require any specific A levels, and the Uni just states the 3 grades required, then yes, 3 STEM A levels is fine. A History degree usually does require A level History, but many social science degrees, including Law, do not have any A level subject requirements - and science-heads usually make good soc-sci students because of their analytical skills and sense of logic.
Yeah, I was considering applying to joint honours degree with history but now I am probably going to apply to economics and politics degrees so my STEM A Levels will show the analytical mindset.
Thank you for the insight!
Original post
by anonj21
I am currently in Year 12 studying Maths, Physics and Chemistry.
If I want to apply for a social sciences degree in the subjects intl. relations/history/politics/development would my application be competitive given my personal statement shows motivation and interest in the subject?
Also, would I be able to apply for unis like LSE, Warwick, UCL etc where they prefer for the applicants to have an essay based subject?

As above provided there are no subject specific requirements it's fine. You would show your interest by discussing what you read and done to explore the subject beyond the A-level syllabus, as would someone who did A-levels in those areas...

For courses where they specifically state an essay based subject is preferred then you may be less competitive but it's impossible to say to what extent.

Note many (but not all) history degrees do require A-level History. Politics/IR/development normally has no subject requirements at degree level.

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