Sociology

Why study this course?

In one of the most culturally diverse and socially complex cities in the world, you'll be introduced to ideas on globalisation, social inequality, identity, and ethnicity and race. As you prepare for social and public policy careers in the private, public or voluntary sectors, you'll learn skills to address multidisciplinary concerns relevant to a variety of public issues and have opportunities to take up a work placement and to study in other European countries. By the end of the course you'll be qualified to apply sociological perspectives, concepts and research methods to the most challenging social issues facing us today.

More about this course

The Sociology BSc (Hons) degree is equipped with practical and transferable skills for research in the real world. You'll develop a systematic understanding of the key aspects of sociology, including a coherent and detailed understanding of specific areas.

You'll learn the most up-to-date techniques to devise and sustain arguments and to solve problems, consider current research, or equivalent advanced scholarship, and recognise the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of its knowledge.

Making use of scholarly reviews and primary sources, you'll critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data, and examine how to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences. Exercising initiative and personal responsibility, you'll develop skills for decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts.

By examining global inequalities in the twenty-first century and our work and working lives, you'll explore what is meant by the sociological imagination and also have the option to study homelessness and housing policy, gender and sexuality or to take up a sociology and social policy work placement.

What our students say

"The positive benefit of undertaking this course is that it developed qualities that I can use in the workplace. It also provided me with the tools to be able to research issue. More importantly, the knowledge that I gained has made me a more effective communicator."
National Student Survey (NSS)

Course Modules

Year 1 (February entry) modules include:

Researching Social Life (core, 30 credits)
Introducing Social Policy (core, 30 credits)
Introduction to Social Problems (core, 30 credits)
Sociological Imagination (core, 30 credits)

Year 1 (February entry) modules include:

Introduction to Criminological and Sociological Theory (core, 30 credits)
Researching Social Life (core, 30 credits)
Introducing Social Policy (core, 30 credits)
Introduction to Social Problems (core, 30 credits)

Year 2 modules include:

Global Inequalities in the 21st Century (core, 30 credits)
Interactive Research Methods (core, 30 credits)
Self and Society (core, 30 credits)
Sociology of Everyday Life (core, 15 credits)
Crime, Media and Technology (option, 15 credits)
Racism and Ethnicity (option, 30 credits)
Youth, Resistance and Social Control (option, 30 credits)
Extension of Knowledge (option, 15 credits)

Year 3 modules include:

Comparative and Global Social Policy (option, 15 credits)
Living Theory (core, 30 credits)
Sociology Dissertation (core, 30 credits)
Gender and Sexuality (option, 30 credits)
Homelessness and Housing Policy (option, 15 credits)
Human Rights and Conflict (option, 15 credits)
Inclusion and Special Educational Needs (option, 30 credits)
Religion and the State (option, 15 credits)
Sociology and Social Policy Work Placement (option, 15 credits)
Extension of Knowledge (option, 15 credits)