Sociology with Integrated Foundation Year BSc (Hons)

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This is a four-year version of our popular BSc (Hons) Sociology course, with an integrated foundation year. Understand how society is shaped. Investigate the issues that fascinate you most. Graduate with advanced research and communication skills.

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Learning, teaching and assessment in 2021/22

Overview

Sociology is the scientific study of human social relationships and institutions. It is a diverse area of study, and includes, crime, religion, the family, the state, education, globalisation, health, welfare, and poverty. Its focus is to consider how social structures interact with individual choice, the divisions which can undermine social stability and the shared beliefs which create the basis for common culture.

This course looks at the most important issues facing our society today including; poverty, culture, immigration, families, global connections, social exclusion, race, disability, gender, sexuality, politics and policy, and social class divisions. You will cover topical and dynamic content, reflecting current social issues. The emphasis is on careful gathering and analysis of evidence to broaden our understanding of key social processes.

You will graduate capable of working in a range of employment settings due to the transferable skills, broad knowledge base and critical awareness that studying Sociology provides.

Why us?

Our Sociology courses are in the top 10 in the UK for Satisfaction with Teaching according to The Guardian University league tables 2018
There are four broad pathways: Health and the Social Body; Gender and Culture; Crime and Justice; Family and Identities. These optional pathways help you think about and plan your future careers
We are a University that is nationally recognised for supporting learners particularly from non-traditional backgrounds and many students come to us with no formal qualifications but with valuable work experience
We have award-winning staff in the areas of equality and diversity and teaching and learning
A wide variety of extra-curricular activities that you can get involved with. Our 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

The wide variety of optional modules will allow you to tailor the course to your particular interests and career aspiration
Four optional specialist pathways: Health and the Social Body, Gender and Culture, Young People, Representation and Society and Family and Identities. These optional pathways help you plan your future career and gain specialist knowledge in a particular area
We also offer several modules in globalisation, human rights and global issues which internationalise our curriculum to prepare you for a more global world
In addition to a broad range of sociology modules, you can choose from options in criminology, education, health and social care, media studies, history and politics
A range of opportunities for sociology students to enhance their employability after graduation, including a work placement with a research project in the second year, and optional summer internships and volunteering opportunities throughout the degree

Course structure

A typical week for you will include lectures, seminars, workshops, group work, and computer-based learning. Your progress will be assessed with written coursework, projects, debates, portfolios, presentations, digital media and exams.

Throughout the degree, you'll have one-to-one support from academic staff to help you get the best out of your assignments.

In addition to a broad range of sociology modules, you can choose from options in Criminology, Health and Social Care, Media, History, and Politics.

Skills for Sociologists programme

At level four, you will take part in a unique weekly development programme, designed to support you in your academic career; this will give you the confidence to succeed in your degree. You will access a wide range of other support services across the University. You will develop your skills in academic referencing, essay planning, writing skills, and presentation skills. There is a strong emphasis on professional opportunities and employability.

Foundation year

The Social Sciences and Law Integrated Foundation Year includes five modules:

Essential Study Skills (20 credits)
Maths (20 credits)
Foundation module (40 credits)
Project (20 credits)
Subject Specialism (20 credits)

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Year 1 (national level 4):

Introduction to Social Theories (20 credits)

How did Western society develop, and did it develop fairly for all of us? This module introduces you to some of the early sociological theorists and you will explore opportunities to apply their theories to the ‘real world’ around us. You will examine issues of power, social class, inequality, deviance, stigma and wealth and poverty as you explore these classic theorists.

Social Problems (20 credits)

This module examines how and why groups and communities become defined as a ‘social problem’ and you will begin to explore contemporary social problems and the policy solutions offered to tackle them. Topics covered may include immigration, domestic abuse, single-parent families, young people and homelessness.

Applied Qualitative Research in the Social Sciences (20 credits)

As part of your training to be a social researcher, you will begin to explore the nature of qualitative research; such as interviews, focus groups and life histories. You will write up a small scale social research project and use cutting edge technology to begin to analyse the findings from it, such as the computer software NVivo.

Inequality, Diversity and Society (20 credits)

How do we socially construct ideas about class, gender, sexuality, disability and ethnicity? This module will begin to introduce you to the nature of inequality, diversity and difference through the lens of gender and feminist theories. You will examine topics such as cultural identities, parenthood and diversity within local and global contexts, making you aware of much wider social trends.

Optional modules (choose two):

Introduction to Digital Media Cultures (20 credits)
Socio-Cultural Issues in Education (20 Credits)
Crime, Surveillance and Social Control (20 credits)
Dimensions of Health and Social Care (20 credits)
Introduction to Politics 1: Democracy and Tyranny (20 credits)
Classical Readings in Criminology (20 credits)
Britain since 1945 (20 credits)
The Transformation of Britain: British History since 1750 (20 credits)
Introduction to the Criminal Justice System (20 credits)

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Year 2 (national level 5):

Social Theory of Industrial Society (20 credits)

Building upon your introduction to social theory module in level four, this module will examine the impact of some of the key theorists leading up to the twentieth century as society ‘modernised’ at a rapid social pace. You will explore social theories of progress, social change, forms of social division, crisis and conflict which are central to understanding our unequal world.

Applied Quantitative Research in the Social Sciences (20 credits)

As a developing social researcher, this module will introduce you to another strand of research, which is quantitative research. This module will show you how to use computer software, such as SPSS and other survey programmes, to examine real life social and cultural trends from surveys and questionnaires.

Contemporary Issues in Social Policy (20 credits)

This module builds upon your study of ‘social problems’ at level four and engages you with thinking critically about the nature of social policy, the ideologies behind it and the effects of social policy on populations and groups. Topics you may cover could include contemporary policies such as austerity and government cuts, immigration controls, the welfare state, social benefits and unemployment.

Recommended optional modules:

Placement (20 credits)

Put your social research skills into practice by taking part in a short social research placement in industry. This placement not only encourages you to become a better researcher, but also helps you to develop a portfolio of employability skills; such as preparing a graduate style CV, writing covering letters, applying for example graduate jobs and developing your own LinkedIn profile. We strongly encourage students to apply for the SuPA Award and have some of the highest take-up rates amongst all courses at the University. This placement module follows the guidance as set out by the British Sociological Association (BSA) on embedding employability into the curriculum.

Optional modules (choose two):

Sex, Families and the Construction of Personal Lives (20 credits)
Health Improvement and Healthy Lifestyles (20 credits)
Medicalisation, Normality and the Body (20 credits)
Gender, Diversity and Human Rights: Global Perspectives (20 credits)
Youth, Crime and Criminology (20 credits)
Early Life Course Approaches in Health and Social Care (20 credits)
British Politics and Government (20 credits)
Experiencing the 20^thCentury (20 credits)
European Political Ideas (20 credits)
Theoretical Issues in Criminology (20 credits)
Offender Management in Criminal Justice (20 credits)
Continuing Independent Study in HE (with presentation) (20 credits)

Final year (national level 6):

Advanced Social Theories (20 credits)

Has society become increasingly globalised? What does this mean for us and how does this impact on the world that we live in? You will examine concepts of gender, work, consumption, ethnicity and spatial inequalities and what this means for our own social identities. This module will examine advanced theoretical approaches which have attempted to explain our society as it is today. It will engage you with the most recent social theories in preparation for your dissertation.

Sociological Dissertation (40 credits)

The dissertation offers an opportunity for sociology students to become increasingly specialised in their own particular area of interest within their discipline. With guidance from a supervisor, you will put your sociological theorising, your training as a social researcher and your subject knowledge together, to form a research project based on a specialist topic of your own choice.

Optional modules (choose three):

The Clinical Gaze: Medicine, Disability and Confinement (20 credits)
Violence, Gender and Society (20 credits)
Global Health (20 credits)
Substance Use and Society (20 credits)
‘Race’, Racialisation and the Criminal Justice System (20 credits)
Justice for Young People (20 credits)
Youth, Gender and Identities (20 credits)
Gender, Sexuality and Identity (20 credits)
Punishment and Society (20 credits)
Life Course Approaches to Health and Ageing (20 credits)
Re-Imagining Crime and Criminology (20 credits)
Advanced Independent Study in HE (20 credits)
Selling Sex: Policy, Practice and Theory (20 credits)

We’ve got thousands of books and e-books, with many more titles available through the inter-library loan service. We also subscribe to a comprehensive range of print and electronic journals so you can access the most reliable and up-to-date academic and industry articles.

Library resources which you might find particularly useful include:
- JSTOR (short for ‘Journal Storage’), which provides access to important journals across the humanities, social sciences and sciences
- Project Muse, which provides over 180 full-text humanities and social sciences journals
- SocINDEX with full-text articles, which is probably the world's most comprehensive and highest-quality sociology research database
- Archival Sound Recordings with over 12,000 hours of recordings
- Lexis, which provides access to legal information as well as full-text newspaper articles
- Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Database, which includes full-text journal articles on topics spanning emotional and behavioural sciences, psychiatry and psychology
Library Services - social sciences
Map and directions

Facilities

You'll be based at The Reg Vardy Centre, situated 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.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

Entry requirements are provided for guidance only and we may offer you an entrance interview which will help us determine your eligibility for your chosen degree. This enables us to consider making you an offer if you are perhaps a mature student who has been out of education for a period of time, or you have gained significant knowledge and skills through employment rather than traditional education.

Eligible entry qualifications:

1. Normally a minimum of three Level 2 qualifications (NVQ, GCSE or equivalent), including Maths and English at grade C or above** and a minimum of 40 UCAS tariff points from Level 3 qualifications (e.g. A or AS Levels, BTEC certificates/diplomas, access courses or equivalent)
OR
2. Demonstrable evidence of appropriate knowledge and skills acquired from at least three years of post-school work experience.

If you are unsure of whether you think you might be suitable for the course, please contact us!

** If you have studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade then you will need to achieve a grade 4 or above. Equivalent alternative qualifications are also accepted, such as Level 2 Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number. If you have not achieved a grade C in Maths and English we may be able to work with you to ensure that you are able to gain these in the first year of the course, depending on your experience.

If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

The annual fee for this course is £9,250 if you are from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled.

If you are a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan.

Please note, this course is not available to international students.

Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

The Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's by night

Career ready

A degree in Sociology 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 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 Sociology

Sociology students go on to access a wide range of employment opportunities, further study and research including:

Welfare services: 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: NGOs and INGOs, the United Nations, human rights, women’s rights, international aid, poverty and development;
Criminal justice system: such as the Youth Offending Team, 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: social researcher and policy analyst;
Health and social care: public health, disability services, older people and family support;
Teaching: primary, secondary, further and higher education;
Media: journalism and editing;
Central and local government;
Human resources, project manager and consultancy work;
Masters degrees: criminal justice, social work, social policy and politics, social research;
PhD: Sociology, Politics, Media, Gender Studies, Criminology.

Sociology placement and internships

We have strong links to employers and our Sociology students take part in 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. Sociology students have undertaken previous 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 Sociology students have published their first class degree work on our ‘Social Sciences Blog.’ Please 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 and have worked with international NGOs on projects associated with . 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.

Meet the students

I received a really good grounding in maths, study skills, law and social sciences and human rights

Claire Sowerby
Studying at the University of Sunderland has been the best decision I've ever made.

Suzanne Gair

Related courses

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Education and Society.

Page last updated: 22 September 2021

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Overview

Why us?

Course structure

Foundation year

Year 1 (national level 4):

Optional modules (choose two):

Year 2 (national level 5):

Recommended optional modules:

Optional modules (choose two):

Final year (national level 6):

Optional modules (choose three):

Facilities

Entry requirements

Fees and finance

Career ready

Career opportunities with Sociology

Sociology placement and internships

Social Sciences blog

Centre for Applied Social Sciences

Extracurricular activities

Meet the students

Claire Sowerby

Suzanne Gair

Related courses

Contact

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