Track Options

In the second and third year of the HSPS degree (Part II), students choose to specialise in either a single or joint track within the Tripos.

Choosing a 'track' is the main way that students tailor their HSPS degree, as each track determines which papers are available to take from different departments. This decision is made towards the end of the first year (Part I), and students can discuss their options with supervisors, personal tutors and Directors of Studies, as well as with peers in the second and third years.

Track Guides

The following guides provide an overview of the different paper options for second year (Part IIA) and third year (Part IIB) HSPS students, as well as the combinations in which those papers can be taken within the different tracks:

Paper Choices

In Easter term, current students are required to submit their paper choices for the following academic year via an online form. The link to submit paper choices will open at 9AM on Thursday 8 May 2025.

How to submit your paper choices >
 

Please note that paper options change from year to year and restrictions and prerequisites do apply. 
 


Part IIA and Part IIB students offer four papers, of which at least three shall be assessed by written examination, either in part or whole. Students may not switch subject tracks between Parts IIA and IIB, unless changing from a joint track to one of the single subjects within it.  

 

Paper Options

Use the accordion sections below to see which paper combinations are available to students in 2025-26 within each track.

All HSPS students take four papers in their second year (Part IIA) and four papers in their third year (Part IIB). For allowable paper combinations please check the Part IIA or Part IIB combination charts for this track.

Descriptions for the Politics and International Studies papers can be found on the POLIS website (For Part IIB papers, please navigate to the Options Guide under the Student Guides section of the POLIS webpage).

Part IIAPart IIB
  • International Organisation (POL3)
  • Comparative Politics (POL4)
  • One paper chosen from History of Political Thought to c.1700 (POL7) or History of Political Thought from c.1700 to c.1890 (POL8)
  • One paper chosen from Themes and Issues in Politics and International Relations (POL5); Statistics and Methods in Politics and International Relations (POL6); Archaeology (A1, A3, A11); Biological Anthropology (B1-4); History and Philosophy of Science (Paper 1 or Paper 2); Psychology (PBS02); Social Anthropology (SAN8,13,17); or Sociology (SOC2-3). 
  • Conceptual Issues in Politics and International Relations (POL9)
  • Two papers chosen from History of Political Thought from c.1700 to c.1890 (POL10); Political Philosophy and the History of Political Thought since c.1890 (POL11); The Politics of the Middle East (POL12); British and European Politics (POL13); International Security
    (POL14); The Politics of Africa (POL15); The Politics of Conflict and Peace (POL16); Politics and Religion (POL17); The Politics of the World Economy (POL18); Themes and Issues in Politics and International Relations (POL19); Politics of Latin America (POL20); Politics and Gender (POL21) or a dissertation in Politics.
  • One paper chosen from Statistics and Methods in Politics and International Relations (POL6); (POL10-21); Biological Anthropology (B2-4); Social Anthropology (SAN8, SAN13, SAN17); or Sociology (SOC6-SOC13, SOC15); History (Paper 6); History and Philosophy of Science (Paper 5 or Paper 6); Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (EAS.2).

All HSPS students take four papers in their second year (Part IIA) and four papers in their third year (Part IIB). For allowable paper combinations please check the Part IIA or Part IIB combination charts for this track.

Descriptions for the Social Anthropology Part II papers can be found on the Social Anthropology Moodle site.

Part IIAPart IIB
  • Foundations of social life (SAN3)
  • Anthropological theory and methods (SAN4)
  • Anthropology of an ethnographic area (SAN7a, SAN7e, SAN7f, SAN7g)
  • One paper chosen from Ethnographic methods and writing (SAN2); Environment, Development and Indigeneity (SAN8); Gender, Kinship and Care (SAN13); Engaged Anthropology: Policy, Practice and Institutions (SAN17); Archaeology (A1, A3, A11); Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Paper J9); History and Philosophy of Science (Paper 1 or Paper 2); Politics (POL3, POL4); Psychology (PBS02); or Sociology (SOC2-3, SOC5). 
  • Ethical life and the anthropology of the subject (SAN5)
  • Power, economy and social transformation (SAN6)
  • One paper chosen from Social Anthropology (SAN8,13,17) or a dissertation in Social Anthropology.
  • One paper chosen from Anthropology of an ethnographic area (SAN7a, SAN7e, SAN7f, SAN7g); Environment, Development and Indigeneity (SAN8); Gender, Kinship and Care (SAN13); Engaged Anthropology: Policy, Practice and Institutions (SAN17);  Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Paper J9); History and Philosophy of Science (Paper 5); Politics (POL13, POL17); or Sociology (SOC5-13, SOC15).

All HSPS students take four papers in their second year (Part IIA) and four papers in their third year (Part IIB). For allowable paper combinations please check the Part IIA or Part IIB combination charts for this track.

Descriptions for the Sociology papers can be found on the Sociology website (For Part IIB papers please navigate to the Part IIB Handbook under the Key Information section of the Sociology webpage).

Part IIAPart IIB
  • Social Theory (SOC2)
  • Global Social Problems (SOC3)
  • One paper chosen from Concepts and Arguments (SOC4) or Statistics and Research Methods (SOC5)
  • One paper chosen from Sociology (SOC4-5); Archaeology (A1, A3, A11); Biological Anthropology (B1-4); Criminology (CRIM1); Education (ED3); History and Philosophy of Science (Paper 1 or Paper 2); Politics (POL3-4); Psychology (PBS02); or Social Anthropology (SAN8,13,17). 
  • One paper chosen from Statistics and Research Methods (SOC5); Advanced social theory (SOC6); Media, culture and society (SOC7); Revolution, empire, and exile (SOC8); Global capitalism (SOC9); Gender (SOC10); Racism, race and ethnicity (SOC11); Empire, colonialism and imperialism (SOC12); Health, medicine and society (SOC13).
  • Two papers chosen from Sociology (SOC5-13); Criminology and Criminal Justice in Context (SOC15); or a dissertation in Sociology.
  • One paper chosen from Sociology (SOC5-13, SOC15); Biological Anthropology (B2-4); Politics (POL13, POL17); Psychology (PBS6-7); Social Anthropology (SAN8,13,17).

All HSPS students take four papers in their second year (Part IIA) and four papers in their third year (Part IIB). For allowable paper combinations please check the Part IIA or Part IIB combination charts for this track.

Descriptions for the Politics and International Studies papers can be found on the POLIS website (For Part IIB papers, please navigate to the Options Guide under the Student Guides section of the POLIS webpage).

Descriptions for the Sociology papers can be found on the Sociology website (For Part IIB papers please navigate to the Part IIB Handbook under the Key Information section of the Sociology webpage).

Part IIAPart IIB
  • One paper chosen from International Organisation (POL3) or Comparative Politics (POL4)
  • One paper chosen from History of Political Thought to c.1700 (POL7) or History of Political Thought from c.1700 to c.1890 (POL8)
  • Two papers chosen from Social Theory (SOC2), Global Social Problems (SOC3) or Statistics and Methods (SOC5)
  • Two papers chosen from POLIS - Statistics and Methods in Politics and International Relations (POL6); History of Political Thought from c.1700 to c.1890 (POL10); Political Philosophy and the History of Political Thought since c.1890 (POL11); The Politics of the Middle East (POL12); British and European Politics (POL13); International Security (POL14); The Politics of Africa (POL15); The Politics of Conflict and Peace (POL16); Politics and Religion (POL17); The Politics of the World Economy (POL18); Themes and Issues in Politics and International Relations (POL19); Politics of Latin America (POL20); Politics and Gender (POL21).
  • Two papers chosen from Sociology - Statistics and Research Methods (SOC5); Advanced social theory (SOC6); Media, culture and society (SOC7); Revolution, empire, and exile (SOC8); Global capitalism (SOC9); Gender (SOC10); Racism, race and ethnicity (SOC11); Empire, colonialism and imperialism (SOC12); Health, medicine and society (SOC13); Criminology and Criminal Justice in Context (SOC15).
  • One paper can be swapped for a dissertation in either Politics or Sociology.

All HSPS students take four papers in their second year (Part IIA) and four papers in their third year (Part IIB). For allowable paper combinations please check the Part IIA or Part IIB combination charts for this track.

Descriptions for the Sociology papers can be found on the Sociology website (For Part IIB papers please navigate to the Part IIB Handbook under the Key Information section of the Sociology webpage).

Descriptions for the Social Anthropology Part II papers can be found on the Social Anthropology Moodle site.

Part IIAPart IIB

 

  • The Foundations of Social Life (SAN3)
  • One paper chosen from Anthropological Theory and Methods (SAN4) or Anthropology of an Ethnographic Area (SAN7a,SAN7e, SAN7f, SAN7g)
  • Two papers chosen from Social Theory (SOC2), Global Social Problems (SOC3) or Statistics and Methods (SOC5)
  • Two papers chosen from Sociology - Statistics and Research Methods (SOC5); Advanced social theory (SOC6); Media, culture and society (SOC7); Revolution, empire, and exile (SOC8); Global capitalism (SOC9); Gender (SOC10); Racism, race and ethnicity (SOC11); Empire, colonialism and imperialism (SOC12); Health, medicine and society (SOC13); Criminology and Criminal Justice in Context (SOC15); or a dissertation in either Sociology or Social Anthropology.
  • One paper chosen from Social Anthropology - Ethical Life and the Anthropology of the Subject (SAN5) or Power, Economy and Social Transformation (SAN6)
  • One further paper chosen from Social Anthropology -  Anthropology of an Ethnographic Area (SAN7a,SAN7e, SAN7f, SAN7g); (SAN5-6); Environment, Development and Indigeneity (SAN8); Gender, Kinship and Care (SAN13); Engaged Anthropology: Policy, Practice and Institutions (SAN17) or a dissertation in either Sociology or Social Anthropology.

All HSPS students take four papers in their second year (Part IIA) and four papers in their third year (Part IIB). For allowable paper combinations please check the Part IIA or Part IIB combination charts for this track.

Descriptions for the Sociology papers can be found on the Sociology website (For Part IIB papers please navigate to the Part IIB Handbook under the Key Information section of the Sociology webpage).

Part IIAPart IIB
  • Social Theory (SOC2)
  • Global Social Problems (SOC3)
  • Foundation in Criminology and Criminal Justice (CRIM1)
  • One paper from Statistics and Methods (SOC5/CRIM2) or Two essays on a Criminology topic (CRIM3)
  • Two papers chosen from Sociology - Advanced social theory (SOC6); Media, culture and society (SOC7); Revolution, empire, and exile (SOC8); Global capitalism (SOC9); Gender (SOC10); Racism, race and ethnicity (SOC11); Empire, colonialism and imperialism (SOC12); Health, medicine and society (SOC13)
  • Criminology and Criminal Justice in Context (CRIM4)
  • Further Topics in Criminology (CRIM5)
  • One paper can be swapped for a dissertation in either Sociology or Criminology

All HSPS students take four papers in their second year (Part IIA) and four papers in their third year (Part IIB). For allowable paper combinations please check the Part IIA or Part IIB combination charts for this track.

Descriptions for the Social Anthropology Part II papers can be found on the Social Anthropology Moodle site.

Descriptions for the Politics and International Studies papers can be found on the POLIS website (For Part IIB papers, please navigate to the Options Guide under the Student Guides section of the POLIS webpage).

Part IIAPart IIB
  • The Foundations of Social Life (SAN3)
  • One paper chosen from Social Anthropology: Anthropological Theory and Methods (SAN4); Anthropology of an Ethnographic Area (SAN7a, SAN7e, SAN7f, SAN7g); Environment, Development and Indigeneity (SAN8); Gender, Kinship and Care (SAN13); Engaged Anthropology: Policy, Practice and Institutions (SAN17).
  • One paper chosen from International Organisation (POL3) or Comparative Politics (POL4)
  • One paper chosen from History of Political Thought (POL7 or POL8)
  • One paper chosen from Social Anthropology - Ethical Life and the Anthropology of the Subject (SAN5) or Power, Economy and Social Transformation (SAN6)
  • One further paper chosen from Social Anthropology - Anthropology of an Ethnographic Area (SAN7a, SAN7e, SAN7f, SAN7g); (SAN5-6); Environment, Development and Indigeneity (SAN8); Gender, Kinship and Care (SAN13); Engaged Anthropology: Policy, Practice and Institutions (SAN17), or a dissertation in Social Anthropology or Politics.
  • Two papers chosen from Politics - Statistics and Methods in Politics and International Relations (POL6); History of Political Thought from c.1700 to c.1890 (POL10); Political Philosophy and the History of Political Thought since c.1890 (POL11); The Politics of the Middle East (POL12); British and European Politics (POL13); International Security (POL14); The Politics of Africa (POL15); The Politics of Conflict and Peace (POL16); Politics and Religion (POL17); The Politics of the World Economy (POL18); Themes and Issues in Politics and International Relations (POL19); Politics of Latin America (POL20);  Politics and Gender (POL21), or a dissertation in Social Anthropology or Politics.

 

All HSPS students take four papers in their second year (Part IIA) and four papers in their third year (Part IIB). For allowable paper combinations please check the Part IIA or Part IIB combination charts for this track.

Descriptions for the Social Anthropology Part II papers can be found on the Social Anthropology Moodle site.

Please see the Divinity website for more information on Religious Studies papers.

Part IIAPart IIB
  • The Foundations of Social Life (SAN3)
  • One further paper chosen from Social Anthropology - Anthropological Theory and Methods (SAN4); Anthropology of an Ethnographic Area (SAN7a, SAN7e, SAN7f, SAN7g); Environment, Development and Indigeneity (SAN8); Gender, Kinship and Care (SAN13); Engaged Anthropology: Policy, Practice and Institutions (SAN17).
  • One paper from Divinity - Intermediate Hebrew (B1a); Intermediate New Testament Greek (B1b); Intermediate Sanskrit (B1c); Qur’anic Arabic (B1d); Israel in Exile: Literature, History and Theology (B2); The shaping of Jewish identity (332 BCE -70CE) (B3); Paul and John: the First Christian Thinkers in Comparative Perspective (B4); Christianity in Late Antiquity to circa 600 (B6); Themes in World Christianity's: Context, Theology and Power (B7); Christ, Salvation, and the Trinity (B8); Religious Encounter (B9); Philosophy of religion: God, freedom and the soul (B10); Ethics and faith (B11); Themes in Anthropology of Islam (MES 20, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Tripos) (B12); Theology and Literature (B13); Modern Judaism: Thought, Culture, and History (B14); Introduction to Islam (B15); Life and thought of religious Hinduism and of Buddhism (B16); Philosophy: Meaning (from the Philosophy Faculty) (B17).
  • One further paper from Divinity - (B2, B3, B4, B6, B7, B8, B9, B10, B11, B12, B13, B14, B15, B16, or B17).
  • Ethical Life and the Anthropology of the Subject (SAN5)
  • One paper chosen from Social Anthropology - Anthropology of an Ethnographic Area (SAN7a, SAN7e, SAN7f, SAN7g); Power, economy and social transformation (SAN6); Environment, Development and Indigeneity (SAN8); Gender, Kinship and Care (SAN13); Engaged Anthropology: Policy, Practice and Institutions (SAN17) or a dissertation in either Social Anthropology or Religious Studies.
  • One paper chosen from Divinity - Intermediate Hebrew (B1a); Intermediate New Testament Greek (B1b); Intermediate Sanskrit (B1c); Qur’anic Arabic (B1d); Advanced Hebrew (C1a); Advanced New Testament Greek (C1b); Advanced Sanskrit (C1c); Advanced Arabic (C1d); New Testament Christology (C3); Topic in the History of Christianity (C4);Topic in Christian Theology: Charity (C5); Disputed Questions from Mediaeval and Early Modern Theology (C6); The Jewish Tradition and Christianity: from antiquity to modernity (C8); Islam II (C9); Hinduism and Buddhism II (C10); Truth, God and Metaphysics (C11); Theology and the Natural Sciences: God and Creatures (C12); or a dissertation in either Social Anthropology or Religious Studies.
  • One further paper chosen from Divinity - (C3, C4, C5, C6, C8, C9, C10, C11, C12); Judaism in the Persian period (C13); Christianity, Hellenism, and Empire (C14); Contemporary Christian Theology (C15); The Holy Spirit and the Christian Experience (C16);  A Topic in the History of Christianity (C20); The End of the World: Anthropological Case Studies (C21); Philosophy, Ethics and the Other (C22), Topic in World Christianity: Decolonising Christendom: the Complex Legacies of Global Christianity (C24); Judaism in the Graeco-Roman World (C23); The Play of Imagination (C26); or a dissertation in either Social Anthropology or Religious Studies.