BSc (Hons) Sociology: Research and Social Policy
3-Year Bachelor's Degree
The total service fee for this program:
€ 499
Pre payment for this program:
€ 99
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ABOUT
Understand current issues facing society and how society responds to them with our BSc Sociology degree. Gain real-world experience through research placements and be a part of social change. Graduate as a sociologist and become a social researcher to change the world in your own way.
Overview
Want to understand why society works the way it does? Want to be part of a change in our social world?
Our BSc Sociology degree looks at the most important issues facing our society today including poverty, immigration, religion, social justice, crime and deviance, ‘race’ and ethnicity, disability, gender, sexuality, politics and policy, and social class divisions. You will cover topical and dynamic content, reflecting current social issues, policy and what is happening in society today.
You will graduate capable of working in a broad range of employment settings using the skills and knowledge that you will develop, including social research skills, policy knowledge and real-world experience via placements.
In parallel, we run a unique three-year skills course which offers you study skills and develops your practice and employability for the future, making you ready for the graduate job market. You even have the option to study abroad in another institution for a year.
Sociologists go into a wide range of careers and we prepare you for this. We recognise sociology is a diverse area of study and we offer you the opportunity to choose from four new specialist routes. You get to choose your specialist route after your first year of study at level four:
BSc (Hons) Sociology: Research and Social Policy
Develop a strong understanding of the welfare state, social policy, the policy process and the role of research in identifying the nature of social problems within society. Engage with topical and fascinating issues such as how people are affected by poverty, inequality, social exclusion and marginalisation. Gain critical insights into political ideologies and the substance and success of policy responses to some of these issues. This specialised route is relevant to those interested in postgraduate study, teaching, the charity sector, local government or those who have ambitions to become a data analyst, housing manager or social researcher.
Why us?
- This course has had 100% Overall Satisfaction for two consecutive years according to the National Student Survey 2021 & 2020
- Our Sociology courses are ranked 12th in the UK for Satisfaction with teaching (The Guardian University league tables, 2022)
- Our Sociology courses are ranked 43rd in the UK (The Complete University Guide 2023)
- Graduate with a named degree in one of four routes: BSc (Hons) Sociology, BSc (Hons) Sociology: Gender and Inequality, BSc (Hons) Sociology: Research and Social Policy or BSc (Hons) Sociology: Research in Practice
- Learn from an additional three-year skills course throughout your Sociology degree to prepare you for your studies, which builds up your knowledge and prepares you for graduate employment, allowing you access to additional qualifications
- The course offers a wide variety of extra-curricular activities that you can get involved with. Our BSc Sociology students have taken part in national and international trips to London, Kenya, and most recently, Nepal. Read more about their awe-inspiring experiences in their guest blogs.
- Be part of fantastic placement research opportunities to make a difference to our social world or choose to study Sociology abroad for a year
Course structure
A typical week studying our BSc Sociology course will include workshops, seminars, blended learning, group work and meeting with supervisors at each level of your degree. You will also take part in computer-based learning using specific social research software and statistical programmes for surveys and questionnaires such as Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and software for interviewing such as NVivo.
Your progress will be assessed in a variety of ways through traditional essays but also through innovative assessments (module dependent) which aid your employability skills. These may be research and organisational reports, portfolios, source reports, e-resources such as blogs and podcasts, presentations, reports for global bodies and organisations and community studies. You will be allocated a personal tutor in each year of the course who will offer one-to-one support.
Student, Social, Personal and Professional (SSPP) programme
We also run our innovative and mandatory SSPP programme at each stage of your degree. At level four our weekly programme is designed to support your academic skills in writing university-level assignments and offering you opportunities for internships and volunteering. At level five, our programme develops your practice through workshops and training such as community empowerment skills, managing organisations, writing fundraising bids and safeguarding training. At level six, we prepare you for graduate employment through designing a graduate-level CV, engaging with graduate job opportunities and opportunities for postgraduate study. Alongside this, we encourage you each year to gain additional bronze, silver and gold SuPA Awards, which are an extra qualification you can gain to boost your credentials and to show to employers your extra-curricular experience.
Part-time study
Part-time students study the same course as full-time students, just over a longer period of time. If you study the Sociology course on a part-time basis, you will typically complete 60 credits in a year, rather than the 120 credits of full-time students. You will be studying alongside full-time students.
Flexibility
BSc (Hons) Sociology is a flexible degree, offering you the opportunity to choose the route that most interests you. In addition to a broad range of Sociology modules, you can choose from options in Criminology and Health and Social Care.
Year 1 (national level 4):
All four routes share the following core modules:
- Introduction to Sociological Thought (30 credits)
Develop an understanding of the key thinkers, concepts, and arguments that underpin both sociological theory and practice. Explore the foundational ideas that have shaped how we understand the social world and become familiar with how concepts, theories, and perspectives are operationalised in sociological literature and research. Gain an in-depth understanding and working-knowledge of how society works both today and in the past, as well as some of the conceptual tools sociologists have developed to know, talk about, and attempt to shape the social world.
- Spaces for Reflective Practice (30 credits)
Engage in learning about the importance of being a ‘reflective practitioner’ and how this relates to working effectively within public and voluntary sectors. Learn how thinking critically about our early experiences within the ‘family’ and education shape our identity. Gain insight by examining issues relating to ‘race’, gender and class, to reveal social problems communities face. Develop an understanding of core concepts that inform practice such as ‘participation’, ‘empowerment’ and ‘citizenship,’ to address issues relating to exclusion, marginalisation and inequality. Gain transferable skills by engaging in a community investigation, utilising qualitative and qualitative research methods. Develop essential skills to work with communities that enables individuals to navigate the social, political and structural contexts that shape their everyday lives.
- Social Inequalities in Society (30 credits)
Develop a critical understanding of theoretical frameworks that will enable you to conduct research into social inequalities. Conduct research into the experiences and impact of inequality upon specific groups/individuals such as, men, women, children and young people, Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) and LGBTQ+ groups. Understanding how inequalities intersect is essential for those working in forward facing professions such as public services and charities. Produce a professional portfolio during workshops, that will enhance your core skills in communication, problem solving, critical thinking, analysing information and teamwork that are transferable to the world of work.
- Social Policy in Action (30 credits)
Develop an understanding of social policy, political responses to social issues and policy making processes. Learn to identify the aims, impact, limitations and challenges of social policy in the UK. Discover connection between the state and private, public and third sectors that deliver services. Develop research skills to evidence how social policy affects different parts of society, policy decision making process and who receives welfare provision. Gain confidence in investigating a social policy that interests you or relates to the career you wish to pursue such as education, housing, criminal justice, working with marginalised groups or health and social care. Develop transferable knowledge and competences essential to careers in politics, local or national government, public services, policy research or further study.
Year 2 (national level 5):
All four routes share the following core module:
- Theorising the Social: Challenges and Changes in Modern Society (30 credits)
Build on your previous knowledge of social theory and develop a critical understanding of some of the most influential ideas that helped shape modern industrial society and formed the foundations of our understanding of today’s society. Consolidate prior learning around key sociological concepts, and learn to engage with, compare, and evaluate modern social theories. Develop specialist knowledge of social theory, build on your comprehension, independent and group learning skills, as well as enhancing your abilities to locate, recognise, use, and evaluate classical and contemporary academic sources to construct verbal and written arguments.
Depending on which route you choose, some of the following modules will either be core or optional:
- Gender, Diversity and Human Rights: Global Perspectives (30 credits)
Explore human rights agendas and global policies and practice. Focus on gender as a policy priority for many international organisations and as a theoretical frame for the consideration of human rights abuses. Study topics such as human trafficking, international reproductive politics, gender based violence, human sexuality, divisions of labour, refugee crises and health. Investigate global issues and rights, identities and freedoms and study critical and theoretical approaches to sex, intimacy and reproduction as well as historical and feminist perspectives.
- Religion and Belief: Social Conflict or Social Glue? (30 credits)
Is religion and belief a source of social glue or social conflict? Learn the knowledge needed to critically examine the role of religion and belief in the UK and globally. Gain skills of analysis as you explore fascinating case studies, such as, religious ‘cults’ and New Religious Movements, human rights abuses under the name of religion and complex debates around gender and sexuality. Finish the module with a robust understanding of the nature of religion and belief and whether or not it deepens inequality and maintains the social order, or whether it can lead to dramatic social change. Gain future skills for employment in developing an e-resource such as podcasts, YouTube videos and blog development to add to your CV.
- The Medical Gaze: Surveillance, Medicine and Social Control (30 credits)
Explore key theories of health and illness with the use of case studies that illustrate significant arguments of medicalisation and regulation. Develop your understanding of various sociological theories that give insight into how behaviours and non-medical problems have been defined, categorised and diagnosed as a medical condition. Gain an in-depth understanding of how societal practices have changed through time, influencing how we look at what is considered to be normal and deviant today.
- Domestic Violence and Criminal Justice (30 credits)
Engage with concepts and theories of gender and patriarchy to make sense of domestic violence in intimate relationships. Comprehend how theories of gender and patriarchy construct ‘love’ in intimate relationships in ways which produce inequalities and power in intimate relationships. Analyse the underpinning model/s of criminal justice in England and Wales to make sense of how this system works in patriarchal society to understand outcomes for domestic violence offenders and victims. Evaluate contemporary research including key theoretical frameworks to analyse how domestic violence is perpetuated. Analyse and present theoretical and empirical research to construct knowledge during the module.
- Health Inequalities and Lifestyle ‘Killers’ (30 credits)
Examine the concepts, theories and models underpinning contemporary health promotion and lifestyle behaviour change. Explore health inequalities and biopsychosocial theoretical approaches, values and beliefs which will be examined in relation to the application of models of health promotion and behaviour change.
- Researching Society: Private, Public and Third Sector Organisations (30 credits)
Develop a critical understanding of the management, effectiveness and limitations of the private, public and third sectors. Gain essential qualitative and quantitative research skills, utilising data analysis packages, through examining real life case studies of these sectors. Develop your understanding of organisational management theory and issues relating to practice such as working collaboratively, inequality, discrimination and managing conflict. Gain essential transferable skills and knowledge that are necessary for professional practice, such as resilience, communication, problem solving, teamwork through your engagement in workshop-based learning and activities.
- Researching Society with Placement (30 credits)
Develop a critical understanding of the management, effectiveness and limitations of the private, public and third sectors. Gain essential qualitative and quantitative research skills, utilising data analysis packages, through examining real life case studies of these sectors. Develop your understanding of organisational management theory and issues relating to practice, like working collaboratively, inequality, discrimination and managing conflict. Gain essential transferable skills and knowledge that are necessary for professional practice such as resilience, communication, problem solving, teamwork through your engagement in workshop-based learning and activities.
- Social Science Research and Inquiry (30 credits)
Explore the theory and practice of research methodologies and methods in social science. Discover the history of social science research and the philosophical and methodological debates which have underpinned the emergence of contemporary social science. Carry out your own research investigating an aspect of contemporary social life, learning how to think about, organise, manage, and report on social scientific research.
Final year (national level 6):
All four routes share the following core module:
- Changing Worlds: Understanding Globalised Society, Work and identities in the 21st Century (30 credits)
Analyse the divisions and problems of 21st Century society, its new identities and conflicts. Evaluate theories of difference, fragmentation and individualisation. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the theoretical models in the light of the evidence of social experiences of life and work in a globalised society. Undertake a case study of a social group in the situation of 21st Century society and evaluate the theories of their experiences and problems.
Depending on which route you choose, some of the following modules will either be core or optional:
- From Witchcraft to Homophobia: The Sociology of Hatred and Persecution (30 credits)
Analyse the origins of the different forms of demonisation of different groups, from witches to immigrants, racial minorities to sexual differences. Evaluate the circumstances and different theoretical explanations for the stereotyping and repression of each group. Explore the cultural, social and political forms of exclusion and persecution. Undertake a case study of an individual group and their situation, to examine theoretical considerations centre on the forms of explanation aimed at deconstructing the processes of stereotyping, and their translation into different forms of legal and official exclusion. Develop skills and knowledge to understand the integration of historical, political and sociological perspectives, with a view to the construction of the deviant and the different in terms of the criminal and civil laws as well as in popular and official beliefs.
- Our Planet: Global Health, Inequality and Poverty (30 credits)
Is globalisation the cause or the cure of global health problems? Gain knowledge of the causes of global health inequalities such as wealth and poverty, war and violence, climate change, mass migration, famine and ‘deadly’ diseases. Develop an awareness of how these problems and inequalities are caused and develop an understanding of how we have tried to tackle them as a global community, Finish the module with a sociological analysis of how globalisation affects our lives and explore ideas of how we can develop nations internationally to tackle some of our most pressing issues that we face on ‘our’ planet. Develop employability skills in writing an international report for the World Health Organisation (WHO) and use e-resources such as using data presentation techniques such Canva and infographic software to take forward for your graduate CV.
- The ‘Cultural Turn’ In Sociology: Youth Gender and Cultural Identities in Representation (30 credits)
Investigate representations of ‘race’ and gender in mainstream cinema, literature and popular culture and examine representational systems and meaning. Choose your own movies and novels for scheduled movie screenings and independent reading. Apply theories to youth subcultures, media, dress, fashion, film and music. Examine concepts such as nationality, global culture and popular culture. Topics may include the male gaze, woman as object, femininity in film, the action hero and hyper-masculinity, hybridity, race/ethnicity and hypersexuality, white privilege in cultural industries, sexual orientation and transgender performance.
- ‘Race’ and Racialisation in Society (30 credits)
Gain valuable insights into issues relating to ‘race’ and interrelated concepts that examine the ways in which ‘race’ is socially constructed within society, through ‘whiteness’ and critical race theory. Develop your understanding of the historical nature of ‘race’ and learn how to identify causal factors that lead to racism in society. Discover how experiences of discrimination, prejudice and inequality often result in disproportionate outcomes for specific Black, Asian, Minority Ethic (BAME) communities. Learn to identify the ways that racisms and racialisation operates through politics, policy and practice through conducting research. Developing a critical awareness of ‘race’, will equip you with the skills and knowledge to identify issues of inequality, diversity and discrimination in the workplace, whilst having a broader understanding of working in multicultural settings. Gain transferable skills through conducting your own case study into an institution to provide tangible evidence of overt and covert issues of racism.
- Selling Sex: Theory, Policy and Practice (30 credits)
Would sex workers be safer if sex work was decriminalised? Do sex workers have a choice or are they forced to participate? How is sex work shaped by police practices, the law and social regulations? Engage in debates around sex work and explore the sex industry from global perspectives. Assess the role of legal frameworks, policy interventions, media representations and social stigma in the vulnerability of workers selling sex. Finish the module with a nuanced understanding of the diversity of sex workers and why transactional sex continues to be a complex and contentious issue.
- Drugs, ‘Madness’ and Violence as Responses to Liquid Modernity? (30 credits)
Examine dugs, ‘madness’ and violence as three key social problems which are of growing concern and interest in ‘postmodern’ and unequal societies. Explore whether there is a relationship between domestic violence, mental ill health and substance misuse and what this means for society. Investigate the literature which exists in terms of each of the three topics in turn, and their interrelatedness in contemporary society.
- Theorising Ethics in Practice (30 credits)
What are ethics? Explore the complex yet important topic of ethics and ethical practice in health and well-being. Examine philosophical and moral issues and to engage in critical appraisal of ethical frameworks, guidelines and potential limitations of the professional role within organisations. Use this ethical application within workplace environments and on a much wider level.
- Social Science Dissertation (60 credits)
Enhance your critical thinking through investigating a dissertation subject in greater depth and consolidate prior learning. Advance your research skills by conducting an empirical or none-empirical study relating to your degree. Develop specialist knowledge of theoretical perspectives, conducting independent research and project management. Enhance your ability to work independently, source bibliographical material, communicate complex information, analyse secondary/ primary data and utilise specialist computer packages. Learn how to structure, organise and format a dissertation, present findings and well-argued conclusion. A dissertation can be aligned with the profession you wish to pursue, demonstrating to employers your awareness of the kind of issues that might arise in the job.
- Social Science Work Based Dissertation (30 credits)
Apply the knowledge and theoretical ideas you have developed over the course of your studies into a real world context. Complete a work-based dissertation from which you can draw inspiration to complete an innovative and creative piece of work aimed at improving the practice environment. Acquire essential transferable skills in project management, research and innovation.
Facilities
You’ll be based on the award-winning St Peter’s riverside campus. The location benefits from dedicated library services and has superb transport links with the city centre and City Campus. It has excellent ICT facilities and access to the specialist research software that you will need to undertake this degree programme, such as NVivo and SPSS.
Career ready
The BSc (Hons) Sociology degree creates a huge number of career options. Your skills in analysing data, undertaking research and developing strong arguments will be highly valued by many employers.
You will graduate ready to work in a range of employment settings due to the transferable skills, broad knowledge base and critical awareness that studying Sociology provides.
Previous BSc Sociology graduates now work in the fields of education, mental health, work with vulnerable adults and children, the criminal justice system, government, international development, charities and community work, political campaigning and social research.
Many of our graduates also choose to continue their studies at masters and PhD level.
Career opportunities with BSc (Hons) Sociology
BSc Sociology graduates have wide range of employment, further study and research opportunities, including:
- Welfare services, including housing and homelessness, domestic violence support, substance misuse, immigration and working with minority groups such as BAME and LGBTQI+ populations
- International institutions and humanitarian work, including NGOs and INGOs, the United Nations, human rights, women’s rights, international aid, poverty and development
- The criminal justice system, including youth offending teams, probation, working with hate crime victims (and perpetrators) and the police
- Community work and work with young people and children
- Campaign work on social issues, trade unions and advocacy
- Social policy, including roles as a social researcher or policy analyst
- Health and social care, including public health, disability services, older people and family support
- Teaching, including primary, secondary, further and higher education
- Media, including journalism and editing
- Central and local government
- Human resources, project management and consultancy work
- Postgraduate (taught) study in criminal justice, social work, social policy and politics, and social research
- Postgraduate research in sociology, politics, media, gender studies and criminology.
Sociology placement and internships
We have strong links to employers and our Sociology students undertake a placement to work on a research project at level five of their degree. We also offer optional summer internships in a range of employment settings. Past Sociology students have undertaken internships with organisations as varied as COCO (an international development organisation for Eastern Africa), Street Child Nepal, Team Kenya, Northumbria Police, Albert Kennedy Trust (an LGBTQI+ homelessness charity), Northumberland Wildlife Trust and Grace House (children and young people with life-limiting conditions).
Social Sciences Blog
Many of our BSc Sociology students have published their first class degree work on our Social Sciences Blog. Take a moment to check out their excellent assignments.
Centre for Applied Social Sciences
The University of Sunderland’s Centre for Applied Social Studies (CASS) combines original academic research with practice-based collaborations and reach-out activities, often working directly with practitioners, policymakers and front-line delivery staff regionally, nationally and internationally. According to the most recent National Research Excellence Framework Exercise, almost half of our outputs are either ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.
The mission of CASS reflects that of the University’s aim as a civic university: to take an active interest in the social issues that affect the region and beyond by engaging in research and practice-based collaborations that aim to improve living conditions, address inequalities and social exclusion and promote social justice. Currently our research focuses around three strands: children, young people and families; communities, health and social exclusion; and crime, victims and social justice.
CASS regularly hosts visiting speakers and holds events that you will be invited to. This can be an excellent way to learn from the real-life experience of people who already have a strong track record in sociological and social policy related social research. This is a great way to learn from experts in their field.
Extracurricular activities
During the course you may have the opportunity to take part in extracurricular activities to broaden your experience of the social world and to add to your CV. Our students have taken part in international development work on gender and education in Kenya and have worked with international NGOs on projects associated with girls rescued from bonded labour in Nepal. Students have also benefited from trips to London and locally to enhance their subject knowledge and cultural awareness through museum exhibitions and public talks linked to topics in the curriculum.
Sunderland Abroad
Between level five and six, you will have the optional opportunity to take part in a study abroad experience for a full year, to study sociology at an international university. Previous BSc (Hons) Sociology students have studied their discipline at universities in California, Melbourne and Vermont.
If English is not your first language you should have at least one of the following qualifications (or equivalent) as a minimum.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
You need an overall score of 6.0, with at least 5.5 or higher in each component: reading, writing, listening and speaking. An alternative approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) will also be accepted if the applicant’s element scores are equivalent to those required for IELTS. After 6 April 2015, you must take your IELTS exams at one of the test centres listed on the UKVI website.
Pearson Test of English Academic
You need an overall score of 59 with no less than 59 in each skill.
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)
You need grade C or above.
Cambridge Certification in Advanced English (CAE)
You need grade C or above.
Deadlines
26 January 2022 – UCAS deadline
Applications for all UCAS Undergraduate courses, except those with a 15 October deadline, should arrive at UCAS by 6pm on 26 January 2022. This is the ‘equal consideration’ deadline, which means course providers must consider all applications received by this time equally.
25 February 2022 – UCAS Extra opens
If you’ve used all five choices, and you’re not holding any offers, you can add another choice using Extra.
19 May 2022 – University decision deadline
If you applied by 26 January and you’re still awaiting a decision from one of your choices, we have until today to decide whether we’re making you an offer. Any choices that are still outstanding after this will be made unsuccessful.
9 June 2022 – Deadline to reply to offers
If you receive all your university decisions by 19 May, you must reply to any offers by today (except if you are using Extra to find a place), otherwise they’ll be declined.
30 June 2022 – Final day to make an application to five universities
You can still apply with up to five choices until 6pm today. After this, your application will automatically be entered into Clearing.
4 July 2022 – Final day to apply for a course in Extra
This is the last day to add an Extra option to your 2022 application. If you don’t hold any offers after this, you will be able to add an additional choice using Clearing.
FREE VISA SERVICE
One of our very suitable solutions for applicants is to provide free visa services to study in this field from a pleasant country. If you need to receive free visa services, let us know your request
Expenses (GBP)
13000
Application Fee
0
Program expenses
University & General Expenses
accommodation
The university offers three different student residential buildings, all of which are within walking distance from the university campuses. All students that are residing in these buildings can take advantage of the free transport that the university offers. What is more, all the dorms are equipped with facilities like fridge, Shower, toilet facilities, Wi-Fi, bed Wardrobe, Washbasin and mirror, as well as car parking and bicycle storage.
The first student residence of the university is called Scotia Quay that costs up to £95.50 per week. Each room is suitable for up to 5 students. the second one is named Panns Bank costs about £77.79 a week and is also suitable for families of four. Lastly, Clanny House also costs around £77.79 per week and is suitable for couples as well as single students.
After Graduation
All the students have the opportunity to seek help from The Careers and Employability Service, a team dedicated to helping students find proper and suitable employment either during or after their education.
Students are encouraged to take on part-time vocational roles in order to gain perspective on the reality of the labor market and also earn extra cash. As a matter of fact, the university helps and guides them during this process. It helps students find part-time jobs that do not impact their studies or temporary jobs that can be done during vacations and breaks. Students also have the chance to take part in paid or unpaid internships and job placements that are related to their field of study.
The Careers and Employability Service also helps students with finding employment after graduation. They help students with the resumes, CVs, job applications and job interviews.