Everything you need to know...
International/EU: £15,860 per year (£1,200 for placement year)
Course summary
- Gain a range of intellectual and practical skills.
- Apply these to real-life problems and situations.
- Choose to study abroad and go on a work placement.
- Learn from guest lecturers, from a variety of industries.
- Prepare for the degree with an extra foundation year at the start.
The degree includes a unique blend of psychology, sociology and politics – addressing a key range of perennial and contemporary issues. You’ll also develop key personal, transferable skills associated with better employability in a rapidly-changing environment.
If you don't meet the entry requirements for our BA (Hons) courses – or if you’re not quite ready for studying at degree-level – we recommend you take our foundation course. You’ll share the foundation year with other Social Science students before moving onto your degree.
Come to an open day
Find out more at our undergraduate open days. Book now for your place.
How you learn
All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.
During the degree course, you’ll have opportunities to engage with professional work, including work placements. Our lecturers are actively involved in current research, so you’ll understand the latest trends in the social sciences, and apply research-based knowledge to real-world projects.
You learn through
- lectures and seminars
- group work
- independent study
- virtual learning environments
- tutorials
- guest speakers
On this course you’ll gain sound applied and theoretical knowledge in social science – focusing on contemporary topics, concepts and research. You’ll study core modules to help yourself critically understand how individuals, families, governments and other agencies respond to problems and situations.
There are opportunities to study abroad at one of our partner universities with the possibility of funding through the Erasmus+ programme (until 2023) or the Turing Scheme.
You will be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate level employment through a number of key areas.
These include
- access to our unique student support triangle to help with your personal, academic and career development.
- access to our Skills Centre, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments.
- employability activities, learning in simulated environments and networking opportunities.
Course leaders and tutors
Peter Thomas
Senior LecturerPeter Thomas recently arrived having previously been a Teaching Fellow in comparative politics and quantitative research methods at University of Birmingham, a visit … Read more
Applied learning
Once you’ve completed the foundation year and progressed onto the BA (Hons) Applied Social Science degree, you’ll have a range of opportunities to apply your learning.
Work placements
You’ll have the opportunity to undertake a semester-long work placement in your second year. This gives you real-world experience to prepare you for your future career. You’ll also gain an awareness of the demands of employers and make connections between your academic studies and possible careers.
Live projects
You’ll undertake live projects as part of your degree, getting a taste of how to use the skills you learn on the course in the real world. For example, you could work on a project brief for a local charity – undertaking desk-based research, helping them while also forming the basis for your assessment. You’ll also be able to list this work on your CV.
Field trips
During the course, you can take a field trip at no extra cost. Previously, these have included a 4-day visit to Edinburgh in the second year and a dissertation conference in the third year.
Networking opportunities
You’ll be invited to employer fairs and conferences – plus other talks from public and social service practitioners, potential employers, academics, political parties and voluntary/charity/NGO sectors. All of these provide great networking opportunities.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in
- government and local government
- political organisations
- education
- health, mental health and related areas
- charities and the voluntary sector
- social research
- human resources
- commercial, industrial and public-sector management
- policing
- prison and probation services
Where will I study?
You study at Collegiate Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
Collegiate campus
Collegiate Campus can be found just off Ecclesall Road, a bustling student district.
Collegiate Campus map | Campus facilities | Keeping safe on Campus
Collegiate library
Collegiate Library can be found just off Ecclesall Road. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEquipment and facilities
You’ll study at Collegiate Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions – as well as having access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
We’ve invested over £100m in new facilities to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.
Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 64
This must include at least 32 points from one A level or equivalent BTEC National qualifications excluding general studies For example:
- CC at A Level
- MPP in BTEC Extended Diploma.
- A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels and EPQ.
You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.
GCSE
- English Language at grade C or 4 or equivalent
- Maths at grade C or 4 or equivalent
• Access - at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2 from a relevant Open College Network accredited course.
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
Please note the University will only admit students who are aged 18 or over at the point of enrolment.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
Year 1
| Module | Credits |
|---|---|
| Module: Introduction To The Psychological, Political, Legal, Criminal Justice And Sociological Sciences | Credits: 60 |
| Module: The Practice Of Social Science | Credits: 60 |
Year 2
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Developmental And Social Psychology | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework Exam |
| Module: Deviance, Order And Protest | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Introduction To International Relations | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Introduction To Politics And Society | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Psychological Well-Being And Individual Differences | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework Exam |
| Module: The Sociological Imagination | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Year 3
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Applications Of Psychology | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Theorising Modernities | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Applied Child Psychology | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Divided Societies | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Environment And Society | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Introduction To Counselling And Psychotherapy | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Study Abroad | Credits: 60 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: The Politics Of Welfare In The 21St Century | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Understanding Global Societies | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Work Placement | Credits: 60 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Work Project | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Youth: Chaos And Control | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Year 4
| Module | Credits |
|---|---|
| Module: Placement Year | Credits: - |
Final year
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Dissertation | Credits: 40 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Atypical Child Development | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Counselling And Psychotherapy (Theoretical Perspectives) | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Crime And The Media | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Families And Kinship: A Sociological Insight Into Family History Studies | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Globalisation, Gender And Work | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Sex, Gender And World Politics | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Terrorism And Counter-Terrorism | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Welfare Rights And Legal Issues | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2023/24 is £9,250 per year. These fees are regulated by the UK government and are therefore subject to changes in government policy. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
† If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2023/24 is £15,860 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
Financial support for home/EU students
How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.
Additional course costs
This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
Additional costs for Sociology and politics courses (PDF, 215.7KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
Come to an open day
Find out more at our undergraduate open days. Book now for your place.
