Welcome to the Social Sciences Division

Understanding Complex Worlds, Inspiring Better Futures

One of the world's best Universities for the study and research of social sciences, the 15 departments in the University of Oxford's Social Sciences Division represent one of the largest groupings of social scientists in the world.

Impact Conference 2026

Today’s rapidly-changing world is full of uncertainty. This brings new challenges – but it also provides opportunities to work together, to build resilience and enable meaningful change. Social sciences can provide robust approaches, evidence and understanding to inform responses and reimagine futures for the better. This conference will explore how collaboration, openness, innovation and inclusion can help us move forward positively to address major challenges we collectively face.

About us

Find out more about the people in our Divisional office and the work we do to support our staff, researchers and students.

Departments

Our Division is made up of fifteen outstanding departments, faculties and schools that explore major challenges facing humanity.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We support research and projects that help to increase the diversity of our people, scholarship and teaching.

Education and teaching

We work strategically to help our departments deliver excellent teaching and learning across undergraduate and postgraduate education.

Research

Oxford social scientists lead pioneering research projects that challenge current ideas and explore new ways of understanding and benefitting society.

Engage with us

Discover opportunities to collaborate with Oxford social sciences researchers, whether in public policy, business and industry, or public and community engagement.