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BA (Hons) Sociology
Key information
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Typical offer:
Entry requirements -
Fees: See below
Full details -
UCAS code: L300
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Institute code: H36
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Study a language option
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Study abroad option
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Work placement option
Find out more
Why choose this course?
- No exams – all our assessments are coursework based
- A strong focus on sociology in the workplace designed to help you get a graduate job
- Explore the core issues shaping the world around you in the 21st century
Are you passionate about issues affecting our society? Do you have a curiosity about the world and a drive to create positive change? The BA (Hons) Sociology degree will equip you with the knowledge and experience to make a meaningful impact to local, national and global communities. It will give you an understanding of the theories, methods and subjects of sociology, covering a range of topics from crime, migration, health, social policy, to climate emergency, and the social construction of gender and ethnicity, and sexuality.
Flexible study: At Herts, we offer a flexible programme which allows you to personalise your degree. Alongside your study of sociology, you can replace 25% of your modules each year with another subject: linguistics, literature, history, film, media, journalism or a modern language.
Learn in small, supportive groups: Benefit from tutors who know your name, understand your goals, and are genuinely invested in helping you succeed both academically and personally. Learning will be a mix of face-to-face and online teaching. There’ll be workshops to build practical skills, as well as seminars and lectures. There are no exams - you’ll be assessed through essays, critical news analysis, group projects, annotated sources, manifestos, and even drafting real-world policy papers, giving you plenty of opportunities to show your creativity and skills.
Track your progress: Regular personal progress checks and 1-to-1s, ensure you stay on top of your learning.
Study with expert researchers: Our academics are actively publishing areas like health and social care, politics, religion, migration, and crime, giving you access to the latest insights and real-world perspectives. Al of our academics are PhD qualified.
Build valuable skills: You’ll develop highly sought-after skills including critical thinking, creative problem-solving, ethical awareness, and experience of student-led research projects such as focus groups and mini-surveys, preparing you for a wide range of careers or further study.
Boost your CV: You can take part in enriching extra-curricular activities and placements, such as Youth Ambassador roles, giving you experience in media, research, and public engagement while enhancing your professional profile.
This sociology course will equip you with the skills required for a wide range of careers. Typical areas of work for sociology graduates include:
- public sector and social welfare
- community and youth work
- research and analysis
- counselling
- education
- marketing.
What's the course about?
Throughout this sociology degree, you’ll benefit from a combination of theoretical and practical experience.
In your first year, you’ll build your understanding of the world around you and how you fit into it through core modules such as Crime and Culture, Sociology in Practice, and Making Our Modern World. By engaging in carefully curated practical exercises, you’ll learn to gather and analyse data efficiently, and communicate your research to different audiences. The remaining 25% of your first-year studies will be taken up by a module from another subject area of your choice.
In your second year, you'll work on ‘real-world’ scenarios, applying critical analysis to contemporary culture and society. You’ll have increased flexibility to pursue your specific interests within the world of sociology.
An optional placement year or study abroad is available, along with opportunities for shorter work placements. Recent students have worked shadowing barristers, in schools with children with special educational needs, and evaluating police behaviour at a non-profit organisation.
In your final year, the theme is social justice and activism. You’ll take a core module on ‘Making a Difference’ and complete a major research project, culminating in a solid understanding of how to achieve social change professionally. You can pursue your own interests through taking advanced modules on the climate emergency, violent crime, race & ethnicity, and gender and sexuality. You can also continue to combine sociology with other humanities subjects, so your degree stays broad and flexible
If you are interested in combining sociology with psychology, you may also want to explore our joint degree in sociology and psychology.
Your main campus is College Lane
Your main campus is College Lane. This is where the creative arts, science and health-related subjects are based. This means you’ll share the campus with future nurses, doctors, scientists, artists and more. You can use the common rooms to relax with friends, work out in the 24-hour gym or have a drink in our on-campus bar or cafes. We also have restaurants for you to eat in or grab something on the go. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.
What will I study?
Teaching will be delivered through a mix of face-to-face and online learning and will vary according to the characteristics of each module. Workshops are used for modules where practical skills are taught and enhanced by the supervision of experts, but there are also seminars and lectures. This course is 100% coursework based. Assessments will include traditional essays, critical news analysis, group projects, annotated source assignments and manifestos, and drafting critical policy papers.
In your first year, you’ll get a secure grounding in necessary skills and knowledge, including core topics in sociology. You’ll build your understanding of the world around you and how you fit into it. By engaging in carefully curated practical exercises, you’ll learn to gather and analyse data efficiently, and communicate your research to different audiences.
In your second year, you will develop your skills further by engaging with ‘real-world’ scenarios and applying critical analysis to contemporary culture and society. You’ll have increased flexibility to pursue your specific interests within the world of sociology. You will also have the option to add on a beginner’s language aimed specifically at social sciences, with the option to choose from French, German, Spanish, Mandarin or Japanese.
In your final year, you will take the core module, you will be able to specialise in a specific area of interest. The modules you choose will build upon the skills from the previous years and will give you the opportunity to complete your degree with an understanding of where your own values might take you in the next stage of your life. You will also have the option to work on a final year project where you will be able to carry out sustained research on a sociological subject of your own choice, supported by a supervisor. As a culmination of all three years of study, you will conclude your degree having gained a deeper understanding of how social change and activism, can be achieved in a professional context.
A BA (Hons) Sociology and Psychology degree is also available, giving you an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of key areas and research skills in both disciplines.