BA (Hons)

Sociology

L300

Sociology is an exciting and vibrant subject that explores the social issues impacting our fast-moving world. Whether it’s tackling topics like gender and sexuality, crime, or inequalities, Sociology’s focus on people and cultures is key to understanding the challenges and opportunities of our current landscape.

A crowd videoing a parade

Course overview

 

As a discipline, sociology encompasses everything that falls within the social realm, from the family, class, and ethnicity, to work, religion, and politics. Sociologists are always asking new questions and as a student at Winchester you’ll gain the knowledge and skills to answer them with confidence.

Over the course of three years, you’ll examine a wide range of sociological issues and learn how to apply theories and concepts to contemporary situations and debates. Sociology at Winchester provides you with a grounding in the major areas of sociology, as well as offering opportunities to study specialist topics, such as beauty, terrorism, social movements, disability, and the environment.

In your third year, with training in research methods like interviews, questionnaires, and secondary research under your belt, you’ll be able to undertake your own research project to investigate what interests you the most. Recent students have explored topics as diverse as social media and body image, educational inequalities, climate change policies, grime music subcultures, #MeToo and Black Lives Matter activism, and masculinity in TV and film.

If you are intrigued by how and why people interact as they do, what brings them together and tears them apart, and just where you fit into society, then a Sociology degree will give you the tools and knowledge to answer those questions.

As a sociologist you’ll quickly develop important skills in communication, analysis, and critical thinking. Throughout the degree there is an emphasis on employability and the practical application of skills, opening up a wide range of people-focused careers in areas such as teaching, marketing, criminal justice, and human resources. You’ll be taught by experts who are passionate about their subjects, through a range of interactive and practical methods. We invite external speakers and professionals to share their expertise with you in classes, and you’ll have the opportunity to undertake work experience and volunteering for credit.

If you are intrigued by how and why people interact as they do, what brings them together and tears them apart, and just where you fit into society, then a Sociology degree will give you the tools and knowledge to answer those questions.

As a sociologist you’ll quickly develop important skills in communication, analysis, and critical thinking. Throughout the degree there is an emphasis on employability and the practical application of skills, opening up a wide range of people-focused careers in areas such as teaching, marketing, criminal justice, and human resources. You’ll be taught by experts who are passionate about their subjects, through a range of interactive and practical methods. We invite external speakers and professionals to share their expertise with you in classes, and you’ll have the opportunity to undertake work experience and volunteering for credit.

Find out more about the Department of Social Sciences

What you need to know

Course start date

September

Location

Winchester campus

Course length

  • 3 years full-time
  • 4 years sandwich
  • 5 years part-time

Apply

L300

Typical offer

96-112 points

Fees

From £9,250 pa

Course features

  • Sociology achieved more than 95% overall satisfaction as rated by final-year undergraduate students in the 2020 National Student Survey
  • Benefit from interactive and engaging teaching, delivered by experienced lecturers
  • Gain valuable real-world experience through our volunteering and teaching modules
  • Graduate as a well-informed critical thinker who understands key issues relating to identity, equality, and diversity

Course details

Our aim is to shape 'confident learners' by enabling you to develop the skills needed to excel in your studies here and as well as onto further studies or the employment market.

You are taught primarily through a combination of lectures and seminars, allowing opportunities to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups.

In addition to the formally scheduled contact time such as lectures and seminars etc., you are encouraged to access academic support from staff within the course team and the wide range of services available to you within the University.

Independent learning

Over the duration of your course, you will be expected to develop independent and critical learning, progressively building confidence and expertise through independent and collaborative research, problem-solving and analysis with the support of staff. You take responsibility for your own learning and are encouraged to make use of the wide range of available learning resources available.

Overall workload

Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity. While your actual contact hours may depend on the optional modules you select, the following information gives an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the course.

Year 1 (Level 4): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*

Teaching, learning and assessment: 276 hours
Independent learning: 924 hours

Year 2 (Level 5): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*

Teaching, learning and assessment: 252 hours
Independent learning: 912 hours

Year 3 (Level 6): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*

Teaching, learning and assessment: 216 hours
Independent learning: 984 hours

*Please note these are indicative hours for the course.

Location

Taught elements of the course take place on campus in Winchester.

Assessment

Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations, written exams, or practical performances.

We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.

Percentage of the course assessed by coursework

Year 1 (Level 4)*

62% coursework
13% written exams
25% practical assessment

Year 2 (Level 5)

74% coursework
13% written exams
13% practical assessment

Year 3 (Level 6)*

84% coursework
13% written exams
3% practical assessment

*Please note these are indicative percentages and modes for the programme.

Feedback

We are committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to you on your academic progress and achievement in order to enable you to reflect on your progress and plan your academic and skills development effectively. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback from your course tutors.

Further information

For more information about our regulations for this course, please see our Academic Regulations, Policies and Procedures

Modules

Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing. The University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed. For further information please refer to winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions

Modules

Becoming a Sociologist 30 Credits

This module introduces students to the discipline of sociology and outlines its core principles and approaches. It also designed to introduce students to the opportunities for working as a sociologist and continuing their sociological journey beyond university. The module assists students to identify their existing employability skills and develop a personal development plan to take with them through their university journey, with a view to becoming an in-demand graduate. By working individually and in groups, students will develop presentation, IT, and writing skills that will enable them to progress in their degree and intended careers. At the same time, students will be introduced to conflict, functionalist, and expressionist theories and key elements of sociological thinking such as structure and agency, the public and the private, and the micro and the macro. In doing so they will develop their critical thinking skills. Through a focus on learning to think sociologically, this module is also designed to develop students’ academic skills of reading, researching, referencing and writing.

Identity, Equality and Diversity 30 Credits

This module is designed to help you engage with concepts of identity, equality and diversity, which are terms often used within contemporary society. Using different identity theories, settings and examples the module aims to explore the key issues of diversity within communities. In semester one, you will start with exploring the nature of family membership as a unit within communities and how the family structure has changed over time. It considers the social and interpersonal functions of families, focusing on emotional intimacy, caring and economic exchange. Students will look at the trends in marriage, cohabitation and divorce since the1970s and consider the nature and extent of inequality within and between families. Drawing on sociological and feminist theories, we will critically assess the family as the primary social unit, and explore its ‘dark side’ by looking at domestic abuse, forced marriages and ‘honour’ killings. Having explored the family as a unit in society, in the second semester you will focus on larger identity issues. Why do we, as a society, feel that issues of equality and diversity matter? This module will explore this subject from a range of theoretical perspectives. The module will also tackle the issue of rights and responsibilities, and confidentiality of information.

Issues and Debates in Social Policy 30 Credits

This module explores the topics of social policy and health inequalities. Social policy is a topic that is wide in scope, and you will become familiar with how significant social policy is to meeting our basic human needs (welfare/wellbeing). As we progress through the module, you will learn about the welfare state along with some of the key areas of social policy. You will cover areas such as: poverty, welfare and benefits, education, housing, and crime, justice and punishment. In addition to developing your knowledge and understanding of important social policy issues, you will learn how to work in a group effectively as well as becoming familiar with an innovative way of disseminating information that academics use at conferences – the poster presentation. In the second semester, You will gain insight into the concepts of health and illness and related policy approaches. but also learn about the social aspects of health inequality. Despite the advent of globalisation that has seen improvements in social and economic conditions, there is still an unequal pattern of ill health (including mental health) in the UK and across the globe. You will also examine the theoretical approaches that help explain the existence of health inequality. In addition, you will become familiar with healthcare systems and issues to do with accessing them both in the UK and from a global perspective.

Criminological Identities 30 Credits

More information coming soon. 

Modules

Diversity in Society: Race, Ethnicity and Migration 30 Credits

This module introduces students to a comparative sociological study of race, racism, ethnicity, and migration. The first part of this module, explores the sociology of migration. The module examines the diverse forms of migration, such as labour migration, forced migration or displacement, as well as social consequences of different forms of migration processes. In the second semester, the module traces the origins and development of the concept of race by exploring the importance of slavery and European colonialism in producing modern understandings of race and racial difference. It explores the role of race as a major source of social divisions and aims to show the significance of racism in the reproduction of structural inequalities and exclusions. Race/ethnic categories vary significantly across time and place and it is crucial to explore national and global empirical examples to gain a critical understanding. Therefore, an important aspect of this course is its focus on the global dimensions and manifestations of racism, ethnicity and migration. The module will address a range of contemporary debates related to ‘race’ and ethnicity such as racism, multiculturalism, anti-semitism, Islamophobia, nationalism and national identity.

Gender, Disability and the Life Course 30 Credits

Module information coming soon

Applied Research Skills 30 Credits

This module explores the various ways that social scientists understand and investigate the social world. It introduces students to the key principles of social research as they apply to sociology. It familiarises students with the relationship between sociological theory and sociological research. It identifies the key primary and secondary research methods available to undergraduate students and provides opportunities to learn how to design research questions and develop projects to answer them. The module enables students to learn how to design research implements such as questionnaires and interview schedules, and how to effectively analyse the data that results. You will learn about the importance of ethics and how to become an ethical researcher. By the end of the module, you will have the knowledge and skills to produce a research proposal for your third-year dissertation.

Optional modules Credits

Religion & Spirituality in Contemporary Society

This module provides you with an introduction to the sociology of religion. It studies religion within a social context and its contribution, positively or otherwise, to society. You will gain an insight and understanding into some of the main religions in the world, examining their role and significance globally. Also, you will investigate and appreciate the effects on societies, groups and individuals of people holding certain religious beliefs. Religion can shape a society, but it can also itself be shaped by society. You will explore theories of religion, such as those proposed by Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, as well as feminist approaches, and will engage in debates about secularisation. In addition, you will become familiar with religion in a global context, looking in particular at issues such as globalisation and fundamentalism. 

Young People, Crime and Identity 

 

Understanding Urban and Rural Societies

The module will provide a critical understanding of processes of urbanisation and their relationships with rural societies at a planetary scale. The module will explore the histories of urban and rural development since the late nineteenth century until the present day and will trace trajectories of future development. The module will consider the nature of urban and rural settlements and societies, the challenges they face and multiple future scenarios. Theoretically the module offers an eclectic reading of these processes and their sites. It will draw upon classical sociology, considering its enduring relevance, and contrast this with contemporary multidisciplinary readings of diverse global urban and rural spaces.

 

Work Placement for Sociology

This module allows students to undertake a placement in a public, private, or third sector organisation in the UK in order to develop their understanding of, and appreciation for, the role of sociology in the world of work. Having identified an appropriate placement with the assistance of the members of the Careers and Opportunities team, students will spend 48 hours within the organisation over a semester. In doing so students will use their sociological imaginations to identify the relevance of their degree programme to their chosen field. With an awareness of key sociological theories of work and organisations, as well as core issues in health and safety at work, students will be able to critically reflect on their placements from academic and personal development perspectives.

 

Modules

Dissertation 30 Credits

This module represents the culmination of your sociology degree and provides the opportunity for you to undertake a research project of your own. You will identify a sociologically-relevant topic of interest, and devise appropriate research questions to answer. On the basis of your topic and research questions, and with the guidance of your supervisor, you will design, conduct, and write up a primary or secondary research project. Drawing on sociological literature, theories, and concepts you will present an analysis of your chosen topic and present your data and findings in a professional and academic written format . 

Global Challenges and Conflicts 30 Credits

This module critically explores global challenges such as humanitarian crises and armed conflicts, as well as global environmental problems such as climate change, industrial disasters. This module considers how societal and ‘natural’ environments interact and how the decline of ecological habitats have led to calls for urgent changes to the dominant understanding of social, economic and human development. Particular aspects of globalisation are mediated expressions of the world-spanning conditions under which accounts of environmental concerns are produced. Concepts such as sustainable development and environmental injustice depict alternative environmental approaches to human-societal development. In addition, you will gain an insight into the social significance of war, looking into its impact from an economic, political, and social perspective. This module then seeks to analyse, explore and account for varying institutional responses to crises and disasters. Through series of empirical examples drawn from specific real world crises and armed conflicts, you will become familiar with why and how nations become involved in armed conflict, looking at conflict from both an interstate and intrastate perspective. You will also consider the conditions that deter conflict, such as the peace process and international crisis management.

Global Spaces of Education 30 Credits

As a fundamental driver of social justice, education plays a vital role in contemporary societies. While the concept typically evokes the classrooms of schools and universities, in reality education is something occurs both within and beyond these spaces and is of relevance across the life course. This module introduces students to dominant philosophies of education, from those that view learning as preparing young people for the labour market, to those that take a more radical and liberatory perspective. In examining the changing and iverse spaces and concepts of education, students will become familiar with key debates about education in the geographies and sociological of education and analyse trends and processes such as internationalisation, the knowledge economy, and marketisation. The module considers contexts and practices of education for children, young people, and adults, and explores how policies can tackle or perpetuate inequalities of opportunity and outcome. In addition, students have the opportunity to critically evaluate their existing skills in the context of a career in the educational sector. 

Optional modules Credits

Substance Use and Society 

This module explores the use and misuse of tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs and other substances from sociological, cultural, criminological, and policy perspectives. With a particular focus on the ‘context of use’ such as capitalism and social structure, the module will critically examine the use and misuse of different substances. We engage with diverse theoretical perspectives (e.g. the Culture of Intoxication and Calculated Hedonism; Social Conflict; Sub-culture) and debates related to substance use such as: dependency and addiction; education and treatment (e.g. zero-tolerance vs. harm reduction); decriminalisation, legalisation and social control. We explore evidence for the negative consequences of substance use for individuals and societies. We also consider the social meaning of tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs and other substances and their consumption as part of recreational ‘lifestyle’ choices linked to rave and club culture and other leisure activities. 

Work Placement for Sociology  

This module allows students to undertake a placement in a public, private, or third sector organisation in the UK in order to develop their understanding of, and appreciation for, the role of sociology in the world of work. Having identified an appropriate placement with the assistance of the members of the Careers and Opportunities team, students will spend 48 hours within the organisation over a semester. In doing so students will use their sociological imaginations to identify the relevance of their degree programme to their chosen field. With an awareness of key sociological theories of work and organisations, as well as core issues in health and safety at work, students will be able to critically reflect on their placements from academic and personal development perspectives. 

Social Movements and Collective Action

The emergence of new forms of 21st century protests such as the Arab Spring, the Occupy movement and Black Lives Matter have highlighted the significance of social media and digital technologies for the operation of social movements. While social movements have long been global and international in their nature, activists’ strategic use of technology such as Twitter and Facebook have brought campaigns to new global audiences and generated networks of transnational solidarity. This module introduces students to the study of social movements and protest around the world. Drawing on structural and cultural social movement theories, as well as theories of globalisation and the network society, it examines the historical, social, cultural, and political foundations of 20th and 21st century social movements. Drawing on contemporary examples of activism, it considers how new forms of technology help to challenge, or reinforce, existing inequalities and exclusions from the public and political spheres. 

Globalisation, Beauty and the Media

This module takes an interdisciplinary approach drawing insights from sociology, feminism, media, and cultural studies to provide a critical and contextual understanding of the global beauty industry. Beauty cultures integrate local and transnational characteristics derived from fashion, media, popular culture, and advertising and thus, studying beauty allows us to examine how structures such as patriarchy, colonialism, capitalism, and white supremacy influence individual everyday experiences of consumption and embodiment. The module explores beauty standards and norms as a major source of gendered social division and considers the reproduction of structural inequalities and exclusions in global and local contexts. The global circulation of Eurocentric beauty ideals is examined across a range of countries to assess the impact of colonialism and globalisation, while forms of new and traditional media are analysed for their roles in reinforcing or challenging the status quo. 

 

Entry requirements

96-112 points

Our offers are typically made using UCAS tariff points to allow you to include a range of level 3 qualifications and as a guide, the requirements for this course are equivalent to:

A-Levels: CCC-BBC from 3 A Levels or equivalent grade combinations (e.g. CCC is comparable to BCD in terms of tariff points)
BTEC/CTEC: MMM-DMM from BTEC or Cambridge Technical (CTEC) qualifications
International Baccalaureate: To include a minimum of 2 Higher Level certificates at grade H4
T Level: Pass (C or above on the core) in a T Level

Additionally, we accept tariff points achieved for many other qualifications, such as the Access to Higher Education Diploma, Scottish Highers, UAL Diploma/Extended Diploma and WJEC Applied Certificate/Diploma, to name a few. We also accept tariff points from smaller level 3 qualifications, up to a maximum of 32, from qualifications like the Extended Project (EP/EPQ), music or dance qualifications. To find out more about UCAS tariff points, including what your qualifications are worth, please visit UCAS.

In addition to level 3 study, the following GCSE’s are required:

GCSE English Language at grade 4 or C, or higher. Functional Skills at level 2 is accepted as an alternative, however Key Skills qualifications are not. If you hold another qualification, please get in touch and we will advise further

If you will be over the age of 21 years of age at the beginning of your undergraduate study, you will be considered as a mature student. This means our offer may be different and any work or life experiences you have will be considered together with any qualifications you hold. UCAS have further information about studying as a mature student on the UCAS website which may be of interest.

300-320 International points required

If English is not your first language, a formal English language test will most likely be required and you will need to achieve the following:

  • IELTS Academic at 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all four components (for year 1 entry)
  • We also accept other English language qualifications, such as IELTS Indicator, Pearson PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and TOEFL iBT

If you are living outside of the UK or Europe, you can find out more about how to join this course by contacting our International Recruitment Team via our International Apply Pages.

2025 Course Tuition Fees

  UK / Channel Islands /
Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland 

International

Year 1 £9,250 £16,700
Year 2 £9,250 £16,700
Year 3 £9,250 £16,700
Total £27,750 £50,100
Optional Sandwich Year* £1,850 £3,340
Total with Sandwich Year £29,600 £53,440

Additional tuition fee information

If you are a UK student starting your degree in September 2025, the first year will cost you £9,250**. Based on this fee level, the indicative fees for a three-year degree would be £27,750 for UK students.

Remember, you don’t have to pay any of this upfront if you are able to get a tuition fee loan from the UK Government to cover the full cost of your fees each year.

UK Part-Time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £77.08 and a 15 credit module is £1,156. Part-time students can take up to a maximum 90 credits per year, so the maximum fee in a given year will be the government permitted maximum fee of £6,935.

International part-time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £139.14 and a 15 credit module is £2,087.

* Please note that not all courses offer an optional sandwich year.

**The University of Winchester will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year.

Additional costs

As one of our students all of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including lectures/guest lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities. You will also have access to a wide range of student support and IT services.

There might be additional costs you may encounter whilst studying. The following highlights the mandatory and optional costs for this course:

Optional

Field Trips

In previous years, first year students have been on a study tour of the Houses of Parliament; second year students visited the British Library in London. Indicative cost is £50.

SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND AWARDS

We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards page.

CAREER PROSPECTS

Learning to think critically about social problems and understanding what connects and divides diverse groups of people gives you a head start in many modern employment fields. Graduates find jobs in teaching, graduate management schemes, human resources, the civil service, national and local Government, the police, voluntary agencies, youth and community work, and the caring professions.

The University of Winchester ranks in the top 10 in the UK for graduates in employment or further study according to the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021, HESA.

Pre-approved for a Masters

If you study a Bachelor Honours degree with us, you will be pre-approved to start a Masters degree at Winchester. To be eligible, you will need to apply by the end of March in the final year of your degree and meet the entry requirements of your chosen Masters degree.

OUR CAREERS SERVICE
Student with careers staff member
“The lecturers teach in an engaging way and are very passionate about the subject. It’s great to be taught by people like that.” Olivia, BA (Hons) Sociology student

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18 January 2025