Global Challenges (Social Cohesion) BASc

1st place in the 2022 National Student Survey for Combined Studies.

What makes some nations rich and others poor? Are there some places on earth you just wouldn’t want to live? Is it just economics and leadership or are deeper factors at work? If you’d like to explore the answers to these questions, this course is for you.

Within the core spine of your Global Challenges degree, you will take an in-depth look at issues such as climate change, sustainable development, migration, terrorism, inequality and poverty and how they affect the world we live in. Alongside this, with the Social Cohesion pathway you will delve into the pressing need to address social wellbeing.

Looking at the multiple challenges of economic hardship, unemployment, terrorism, and mass human migration, you will address the causes and consequences of social inequalities, and the ways in which they can be tackled.

In your first year you will explore global issues like capitalism, poverty, social injustice and social infrastructures as you start you to think critically about the influence of power in social inequality.

In your second year you will focus on social cohesion and social wellness and how it relates to the challenges associated with the migration of displaced peoples and the role cyberculture and cybersecurity. In your final year, you will study social conflict as you explore war, violence and human rights violations.

Throughout your course you will build your ability to work in teams as you build skills in project management, debates, presenting and team pitches. A third year Enterprise Project will help to bring all these skills together as you work on a group project with a real organisation.

You have the option to apply for an internship at the end of your first year and can take a one-year placement between years two and three, giving you valuable work experience and a step ahead for your career when you graduate.

At the end of the course, your knowledge of social issues and your problem solving capabilities will allow you to follow a career with a focus on making change for good.

Your Global Challenges course is structured around a core spine of compulsory modules where you'll tap into the expertise of several departments from across the university.

In addition, you'll study a set of modules which are focused on your Social Cohesion pathway to build your specialist knowledge.

Core elements of your degree have been developed to work in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). As the lead United Nations agency in tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing our world, this partnership ensures that what you’ll learn is timely, relevant and responsive.

In practice this includes working on real life case studies that bring the skills and experience of industry experts and academics to the student learning experience, to respond to live briefs aimed at supporting the UNDP’s international development priorities.

This connection not only ensures your project work will be specific and focused, but also develop your problem solving and project delivery skills in ways that, beyond supporting your future career, have the potential to bring real world impact through our partners.

This course can be studied 3 years full-time or 4 years full-time with placement, starting in September.

Today’s workforce seeks graduates who are not only flexible and determined, but also have the awareness and ability to respond to the challenges faced by different industries across a rapidly-changing world.

Global Challenges is both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science. Having developed skills in scientific, social scientific and humanities fields, our graduates will be able to confidently engage with a range of perspectives, evidence bases and stakeholders.

Ultimately, graduates will be able to actively contribute and lead the necessary change needed to respond to emerging issues. You’ll be able to innovate and improve processes in a dynamic manner, and to actively contribute to improving outcomes for employers, or as an employer yourself.

Graduates from this programme will be equipped for roles in a number of industries including, but certainly not limited to, business, media and communications, systems design and consulting, international development, healthcare, government and diplomatic services

• GCE A-level ABB-BBC.
• BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma DMM in any subject.
• BTEC Level 3 Diploma DM in any subject with an A-Level at grade C.
• BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma M in any subject with A-Levels grade BB.
• International Baccalaureate Diploma 29 points.
• Obtain a minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points in the  Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3.
• T levels : Merit overall in Media, Broadcast and Production.

A minimum of five GCSEs are required, including GCSE Mathematics grade C or grade 4 and GCSE English Language grade C or grade 4 or GCSE English Literature grade B or grade 5.

Brunel University London is committed to raising the aspirations of our applicants and students. We will fully review your UCAS application and, where we’re able to offer a place, this will be personalised to you based on your application and education journey.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants as well as our full GCSE requirements and accepted equivalencies in place of GCSEs.

• IELTS: 6.5 (min 5.5 in all areas)
• Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
• BrunELT: 63% (min 55% in all areas)
• TOEFL: 90 (min R18, L17, S20, W17)  

Course assessments are synoptic in nature as they will draw on the knowledge you acquire across the various disciplines covered. Assessment methods may include presentations, written and audio-visual reports in the form of vlogs and blogs, essays, examinations, laboratory worksheets, coursework, and peer assessment.