Explore society, power and the mind
Curious about how our world works at society and state-level? What drives us as individuals? How do different disciplines approach the study of modern life? Join us in exploring core ideas, theories and research methods across sociology, politics and psychology, as well as the interplay between them. We’ll discuss concepts and engage with research, considering real-world issues and debates along the way. From inequality to power to personality. You’ll build your critical thinking and analysis skills, and gain key insights into human behaviour.
Ready to dive into social sciences? We look forward to welcoming you.
Why choose this course with us?
- Learn at Cambridge, whatever your experience: this is an open-entry course
- Access Cambridge teaching in a flexible format: part-time and online
- Gain a credited, Cambridge award: boost your learning and career opportunities
- Join our peer-learning and Cambridge alumni communities: connection and support, for life
Course Dates
Course details
Tutors
Course information
Course highlights
During this part-time online certificate course, you will:
- gain foundational knowledge in sociology, politics and psychology
- develop academic skills in research, analysis, evaluation and problem-solving
- prepare for further study in these or related subjects
As part of our learning community, you will:
- build your understanding of key concepts, theories, research and debates in sociology, politics and psychology
- identify some of the continuities and discontinuities in the approaches of sociologists, political scientists and psychologists
- learn how to interpret evidence, and construct academic arguments
Course breakdown
This course will run over 3 terms from 9 October 2026 to 9 June 2027.
Each term, there are:
- 10 pre-recorded lectures
- 10 live online teaching sessions
- 4 drop-in sessions
Exact teaching dates and times will be confirmed in the course guide upon enrolment.
Michaelmas term: The individual, institutions and society
- Course (unit 1) start date: 9 October 2026
- Unit 1 end date: 6 January 2027
In this unit we’ll introduce the key concepts, theories and research methods that shape sociology. You’ll consider the core concepts of sociology and compare the ideas of Marx, Weber and Durkheim. You’ll trace how sociological theory evolved in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. We’ll explore quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research and apply our learnings to real-world issues, from childhood and family to education and social inequality. We’ll end by examining the cost-of-living crisis and health inequalities.
Lent term: Politics: Power, ideology and the state
- Unit 2 starts: week commencing 4 January 2027
- Unit 2 end date: 24 March 2027
In this unit we’ll explore the core concepts, theories and methods we can use to understand the relationship between power, ideology and the state. You’ll examine concepts of power and authority through thinkers like Weber, and track the evolution of political ideologies over time. We’ll apply our learnings to global debates on humanitarian intervention and globalisation, comparing political and sociological approaches as part of the process.
Easter term: Psychology: Identity, development and social behaviour
- Unit 3 starts: week commencing 29 March 2027
- Unit 3 end date: 9 June 2027
In this unit we’ll build on the analysis offered by politics and sociology to explore how psychologists approach an understanding of modern social life and societies. We’ll introduce the concepts, methods and theoretical models of psychology to address the relationship between identity, development and social behaviour. You’ll explore how identity forms, from the nature–nurture debate to models of cognitive and personal development, and examine how personality and context shape behaviour.
After the course
Once you complete this course, you might be interested in our:
Entry requirements
There are no formal academic entry requirements for this course. It’s open to all learners who are interested in the subject.
English language requirements
Our courses are taught in English and require a good level of fluency. If English is not your first language, you’ll need to meet the requirements of one of the language proficiency tests below. You’ll need to complete your test and submit the results to our admissions team by 22 September 2026.
IELTS (Academic), IELTS for UKVI Academic, IELTS One Skill Retake
Overall score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in any component.
TOELF iBT or TOEFL Home Edition
https://www.ets.org/toefl.html
Overall score of 92, with no element below 20.
Cambridge English C2 Proficiency
https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/proficiency/
Overall score of 176, with no element lower than 169.
As part of our open and inclusive learning environment, you can enjoy the world-class resources and expertise of the University of Cambridge wherever you are on your academic journey.
Our video-based teaching platforms offer a flexible way to access lectures, while our Virtual Learning Environment makes it easy to study and learn online and interact with your tutor and fellow students.
Our teaching methods include lectures, presentations by guest speakers and facilitators, and interactive and experiential learning activities. We will also give you reading and assignments to complete outside of classroom sessions.
You will demonstrate your learning using a range of assignments submitted at the end of each unit. There are more details about how this course is assessed in the course guide we will send you once you have enrolled.
Qualifications
This course is equivalent to half of the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree. It offers 60 CATS credits, which are recognised by higher education institutions and employers.
How many hours of study are required?
The award of academic credit is a means of quantifying and recognising learning and within the UK, one credit notionally represents 10 hours of learning. This course attracts 60 credits, so students should expect to need to study for approximately 600 hours in total to complete all units successfully. However, it is recognised that students study at different paces and use a variety of approaches, so this is a recommendation, rather than a hard-and-fast calculation.
For more information, go to SEEC Credit Level Descriptors for Higher Education (2021).
Fees
The total fee for this course is shown above in 'Course details'.
To help you manage your finances more comfortably, you can pay the fee in instalments. For more information on payment options, and how to secure your place, see how to pay.
Funding
We're dedicated to reducing and removing financial barriers to learning. Visit financial support before applying to find out what options may be available to help you in your studies. You can explore external funding and stay up to date on our concessions and bursaries.
We're committed to supporting you in your learning journey, and we offer a variety of support opportunities to meet individual needs. Visit student support to find out more about how we can help.
