Sociology/Scottish History MA
ABB – BBB at A level, A-level English or another Humanities subject; graduates earn a median £23,500 three years on.
A-level English or another Humanities subject · 62% of entrants came with A levels · 92% stay on after year 1 · Glasgow course page, Discover Uni
What do you need to get in?
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. A contextual offer can be lower for applicants from under-represented backgrounds; none is published for this course.
Glasgow course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
- 1A-level English or another Humanities subject
UCAS tariff points — a points scale for grades: A* = 56, A = 48, so A*A*A = 160. Entrants’ totals include extra subjects.
Other qualifications2
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Scottish Highers | AAAABminimum from S5: BBBB | Higher English and a Higher Humanities subject at AA. (AB or BA may be considered). |
| IB | 34 (6,5,5) | English HL6 or Humanities HL6 with English SL6. |
What do you study?
Compulsory modules this year: arts & humanities 71% · social & cultural skills 14% · language & communication 14%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Glasgow course page · optional modules vary by year
- Introduction to Scottish Culture Semester 1
What you learn (7)
- explain how Scottish nationhood has been expressed across historical periods
- describe how notions of Scottish nationhood have been disputed over time
- describe how Scottish identities have evolved and been disputed historically
- identify media through which Scottish identities have been represented
- explain how language has shaped perceptions of Scotland
- explain how literature has influenced understandings of Scotland
- explain how material culture has contributed to views of Scotland
- Introduction to Scottish Culture Semester 2
What you learn (7)
- explain how notions of nationhood have been expressed in Scotland across history
- analyse how nationhood has been disputed in Scotland from medieval times onward
- describe how Scottish identities have changed over different historical periods
- identify how various media have been used to express contested identities in Scotland
- explain how language has shaped perceptions of Scotland
- explain how literature has contributed to interpretations of Scottish culture
- explain how material culture has influenced understandings of Scotland
Year 2 · 2 core · 40 credits ≈ 400 hours
- History2B: An Introduction to Global History
What you learn (10)
- identify key characteristics of global history as a field
- describe how historians analyse movement of commodities across global contexts
- describe how historians analyse movement of people and empires globally
- differentiate between narrative, synthetic, analytical and interpretive historical writing
- explain the role of theory in historical explanation and interpretation
- examine diverse source materials such as texts, images, data and objects
- explain advantages and problems of working with different source types
- describe the role of sources in constructing historical explanations
- apply primary and secondary sources to construct valid historical arguments
- evaluate critically the use of sources in written and spoken historical arguments
- History 2A: The Social and Cultural History of Europe, 1500-2000
What you learn (12)
- identify key characteristics of modern society
- place social developments within a historical narrative
- describe methods historians use to analyse societal change
- explain how power and inequality shape social relationships
- analyse factors shaping social identity such as consumption and religion
- differentiate historical narrative from interpretation
- explain the purpose of narrative and interpretation in history
- explain how theory informs historical explanation
- evaluate advantages and limitations of different historical sources
- describe how different sources contribute to historical explanation
- construct valid historical arguments using primary and secondary sources
- present historical arguments effectively in writing and discussion
Year 3 · 10 core · 200 credits ≈ 2,000 hours
- Settlement and Society in Scandinavian Scotland
What you learn (3)
- contextualise archaeological evidence using place-name, documentary and numismatic sources
- assess the long-term effects of Scandinavian activity on northern and western Scotland
- apply varied evidence types to address specific archaeological research questions
- Celtic Place-Names Of Scotland
What you learn (5)
- identify place-name elements derived from celtic languages
- apply standard research methods to gather place-name data from varied sources
- present collected place-name data using accepted scholarly protocols
- evaluate the relevance of place-name research to current societal issues
- create audience-specific material communicating place-name research findings
- Medieval Ireland 800 - 1100
What you learn (5)
- identify key developments in medieval Ireland's historical and political evolution
- describe major social changes in early medieval Ireland
- evaluate current academic debates relevant to medieval Irish studies
- construct a coherent written argument using diverse historical sources
- present a clear oral argument based on varied source material
- Scotland Since 1914
What you learn (5)
- explain the historical characteristics of Scotland's contemporary economy and society
- describe how historical forces shaped Scotland's economic and social conditions
- evaluate the effects of major external shocks on a small open economy
- analyse changes in class and political identity in Scotland since 1914
- compare Scotland's twentieth century economic experience with UK and European contexts
- Gaelic (Beginners) for Honours Students
What you learn (5)
- participate in spoken gaelic conversations on familiar topics
- write short texts in gaelic about familiar topics
- apply gaelic grammar rules accurately in speech and writing
- use appropriate gaelic vocabulary in speech and writing
- interpret written gaelic texts to extract meaning
- The Folklore of Gaelic Scotland
What you learn (5)
- outline the main genres of Scottish Gaelic folklore
- describe the history of collecting scottish gaelic folklore
- identify key collectors of scottish gaelic folklore
- evaluate the use of folkloristic analysis methods on gaelic folklore collections
- critically discuss a range of gaelic primary folklore texts
- Eachdraidh na Gàidhlig ann an Alba, c. 1400-1914
What you learn (5)
- explain factors driving language shift in communities
- evaluate varied community responses to anglicisation and acculturation
- evaluate the motives of policymakers shaping highland language policy
- discuss key debates in gaelic historiography
- interpret primary historical sources in their historical context
- Innse Gall, Ulaidh agus Rìgh Seumas VI. Tuineachadh agus Sìobhaltas, c.1541-1639
What you learn (6)
- describe the forces driving the plantation process in Gaelic
- discuss distinctive social features of the Hebrides and Ulster in Gaelic
- critically assess societal responses to plantation in Gaelic
- evaluate motivations behind migration for plantation settlement
- critique historical interpretations of plantation in the Hebrides and Ulster
- analyse primary sources on plantation within their historical context
- The Highland Clearances
What you learn (6)
- evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of key primary sources on the Highland Clearances
- evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of key secondary texts on the Highland Clearances
- assess the significance of key individuals and events in the Highland Clearances
- analyse how different ideologies and issues interacted to shape the Highland Clearances
- present a historical argument clearly in written form
- present a historical argument clearly in spoken form
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
Where does it lead?
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 115 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 12, 22
Half of graduates earned between £19,500 and £29,000. Five years on, the median is £29,000. 80% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 30% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 18% left | 92% | 125 |
| In work or study, 15 months on0% studying | 80% | 40 |
| Professional or managerial job | 30% | 30 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £27,500 | 15 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £23,500 | 115 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £29,000 | 115 |
What do students say?
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 66% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 115 students answered
Highest: 94% agreed on question 20; lowest: 57% on question 14.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 93% |
| Question 2 | 91% |
| Question 3 | 91% |
| Question 4 | 85% |
| Question 5 | 82% |
| Question 6 | 81% |
| Question 7 | 86% |
| Question 8 | 76% |
| Question 9 | 74% |
| Question 10 | 72% |
| Question 11 | 82% |
| Question 12 | 75% |
| Question 13 | 81% |
| Question 14 | 57% |
| Question 15 | 92% |
| Question 16 | 89% |
| Question 17 | 83% |
| Question 18 | 85% |
| Question 19 | 84% |
| Question 20 | 94% |
| Question 21 | 89% |
| Question 22 | 89% |
| Question 23 | 86% |
| Question 24 | 61% |
| Question 25 | 74% |
| Question 26 | 74% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Glasgow’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Glasgow is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.