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English and Sociology

Study level:
Undergraduate

Course options

Study mode:
Sandwich
Qualification:
Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Duration:
4 Years
Start date:
14/09/2026
Campus:
Main Site
2026-2027
Apply

Course summary

Discover how English works in society and make a real difference through harnessing the power of written and spoken word.

Course outline

The BSc (Hons) English and Sociology course has been designed with your future in mind, linking your studies to professionally relevant contexts with practical applications. It is directly informed by the research expertise of our staff, who specialise in disciplines spanning linguistics, literature, language education, inequality, racism, health, migration and more.

We study everything from poetry and plays to news reporting and social media, providing you with the opportunity to develop skills in linguistic analysis, while exploring literary genres from Shakespeare to post-apocalyptic science fiction, considering periods from the seventeenth century to the present day. The programme delves into real-life experiences and their connections to larger social issues. You will explore the impact of social constraints, class, race, religion, and gender on inequality and life chances.

The integrated placement year offers the chance to apply your learning in a work or study placement in the UK or overseas. Whether you choose to study abroad, work for a company or to teach, Aston University’s links with employers, schools and universities around the world mean you will have a wide range of options to boost your employability.

Together, both English and sociology will equip you with the knowledge and analytical skills that will enable you to think critically and work independently.

Key benefits

  • Power up your future – Develop the skills employers around the globe look for. Gain an edge in a fast-changing world and thrive in your career with Aston Power Skills.

  • Excellent prospects - Ranked 1st in the UK for ‘career prospects’ (English; Guardian, 2025) and 5th in the UK for ‘graduate prospects – on track’ (Sociology; Complete University Guide, 2025)

  • Safe in our hands - Ranked 5th in the UK (English) and 9th in the UK (Sociology) for ‘student-to-staff ratio’ (Guardian, 2025)

  • Here for you. 100% of English Language and Literature students and 96% of Sociology students felt positive about the academic support they received (National Student Survey, 2024).

  • Top teachers. 98% of students felt positive about teaching on their course (English Language and Literature; National Student Survey, 2024).

  • Running smoothly. 96% of students felt positive about the organisation and management of their course (Sociology; National Student Survey, 2024).

  • Earn more – Our graduates are among the highest paid in the country, earning on average £35,400 five years after graduating (Longitudinal Education Outcomes, 2024)

  • Gold standard teaching – Aston University was awarded Gold – the highest possible rating for the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF, 2023)

Where can this degree take me?

The transferable skills that our English and sociology programmes provide mean that our graduates are successful in finding employment in a wide range of roles such as:

  • Account executive

  • Communications officer

  • Copywriter

  • Direct sales executive

  • Domestic abuse support worker

  • Education consultant

  • Governance support officer

  • Graduate buyer

  • HR senior associate

  • Intensive family support worker

  • Management trainee

  • Marketing executive

  • Paralegal

  • Police officer

  • Policy adviser

  • Probation officer

  • Project manager

  • Research officer

  • Teacher

Our graduates have gone on to work at companies and public sector organisations such as the BBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Allianz, Birmingham City Council, Deloitte, Department for Education, Humankind Charity, IBM, Nissan, Octopus Energy, Refugee and Migrant Centre, Severn Trent, Warwickshire County Council and West Midlands Police.

Modules

For a full list of modules and course objectives, visit the course page on Aston University's website: https://www.aston.ac.uk/study/courses/english-and-sociology-bsc

Assessment method

For more information on how this course is assessed, visit the course page on Aston University's website: https://www.aston.ac.uk/study/courses/english-and-sociology-bsc

Apply by
14 January

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
QL33
Institution code:
A80
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-
Points of Entry:
Year 1

Aston University, Birmingham has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
QL33
Institution code:
A80
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - Not accepted

A level - BBC - BCC

BBC: Standard offer // BCC: If the student is also presenting either Core Maths or Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) grade B OR if eligible for Contextual offer (Please see this webpage for more details - https://www.aston.ac.uk/undergraduate/contextual-offer-aston-ready)

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDM

The University also accepts the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate/BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma and BTEC Level 3 National Diploma/BTEC Level 3 Diploma for entry onto degree programmes, provided that they are studied in combination with other qualifications that are equivalent to three full A2 Levels.

Access to HE Diploma - D: 15 credits M: 30 credits

We accept the QAA-recognised Access Diploma which must consist of 45 credits at Level 3. You must obtain a minimum of 15 Distinctions and the rest must be at Merit or Distinction. Please note that we do not accept the English and Maths components within the Access qualification and you must meet the GCSE entry requirement.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 29 points

5,5,4 in 3 Higher level subjects

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE English Language/Literature and GCSE Mathematics are required at minimum grade C/4.

T Level - D

All applications are considered on an individual basis and the whole application is reviewed carefully, including previous and predicted qualifications, experience, reference and your motivation to study the course. Whilst the grades listed here are our entry requirements, we understand that predicted grades are only an estimate. We will therefore consider applicants with predicted grades that fall below these entry requirements if the application is of a high standard. However, any offer made will not be lower than stated above. Entry onto our Foundation Year maybe offered as an alternative to the degree course if lower entry grades are achieved.

Aston University welcomes applications from students with a wide range of qualifications from the UK and overseas, including combinations of qualifications. If your qualifications are not listed here and you wish to check whether they meet the entry requirements for this course, please contact the university.

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

Aston Ready is our contextual offer scheme that could reduce your undergraduate offer by one or two grades. Assessed at the point of application, there are no additional forms to fill in. Details of eligibility criteria can be found on our website.

Learn more on the Aston University, Birmingham website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

60 Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)

80 Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
England£9790Year 1
Northern Ireland£9790Year 1
Scotland£9790Year 1
Wales£9790Year 1
International£22575Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

*On 20 October 2025, the Government announced that tuition fees in England for Home students will be increased annually in line with inflation, starting in 2026. The Government have since confirmed that it intends to determine the inflation-linked increase using the Retail Price Index, although this is subject to parliamentary approval. According to the Department for Education’s Policy Paper published on 26 November, the annual tuition fee for the Programme commencing in the academic year 2026/7 is expected to be £9,790, subject to parliamentary approval. If you are holding an offer at Aston, when the annual tuition fee for your Programme for the 2026/27 academic year has been confirmed, we will write to update you. We will also provide as much information as we can about the inflation-linked increase in tuition fees for future academic years. The duration of your programme is set out at the top of this webpage and you will be responsible for the payment of an annual tuition fee in each of these years. The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually in accordance with its Terms and Conditions (https://www.aston.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-11/aston_university_undergraduate_terms_of_enrolment_20262027.pdf) and subject at all times to the maximum tuition fee caps set by Government from time to time. This means that your total tuition fee may be higher than stated above. An increase in fees will allow the University to cover the increased costs of delivering the course and ensure it is able to maintain high standards of education and facilities.
**For international fee payers, the University reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually in accordance with its Terms and Conditions (https://www.aston.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-11/aston_university_undergraduate_terms_of_enrolment_20262027.pdf) and subject at all times to the maximum tuition fee caps set by Government from time to time. Please visit our website for more detailed information.

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