Everything you need to know...
International/EU: £15,860 per year
Course summary
- Prepare for the degree with an extra foundation year at the start.
- Investigate social identities like ethnicity, class, sexuality, age, disability, gender and religion to understand privilege and disadvantage.
- Explore social movements for equality in a global context
- Evaluate the relative power of groups and individuals drawing on complex cultural and material resources
The first year introduces you to core sociological knowledge and skills taught by friendly and approachable staff. You progress to more specialised modules in the second and third years, with ample opportunity to develop your personal interests and build employability skills with peers and colleagues.
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.
This foundation year is an entry route if you do not meet the entry requirements for our BA (Hons) Sociology course, if you are not yet ready for degree-level study, or if you are returning to study and would like to spend time getting up to speed with the demands of learning before embarking on a degree.
You will share the foundation year with other Sociology, Psychology, Politics, Applied Social Science, Law, Criminology and Policing foundation students, before moving on to your degree.
Staff are experts in their fields and bring their research-based knowledge to all the teaching and learning activities undertaken on the course.
Different styles of learning are combined to challenge your understanding of the social world and help you develop self-confidence and motivation – essential to all graduate jobs.
More importantly, staff support you to be the best you can every step of the way, whether working with others in small groups or developing your own independent learning style.
You learn through
- lectures
- seminars
- workshops
- tutorials
- field trips
- events
- guest speakers
- group learning
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.
Course leaders and tutors
Applied learning
Live projects
You will undertake live projects as part of your degree, to give you a taste of how you can use the skills learnt on the course in the real world. You will undertake desk-based research which will assist their work and form the basis for one of your assessments, and can list this work experience on your CV.
There are also many elective modules to choose from, such as environment and society, youth studies, propaganda and media studies, and education policy. Alongside this, you undertake a more demanding commissioned project, working in a team to meet the needs of a local organisation.
Field Trips
On each year of the main degree course, you can take a field trip at no additional cost. In recent years these have included a visit to the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool (first year), a 4-day visit to Edinburgh (second year) and a dissertation conference (third year).
Work placements
In the second year of the main degree, many students opt to go on an eight-week structured work placement. This gives you a real-world experience to prepare you for your future career. Past students have worked on projects under the direction of a supervisor in workplaces such as hospitals, police service, schools, council departments and community associations.
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.
Networking opportunities
As a Sociology student you will be enrolled as a member of the Social Research Association (SRA) – funded by the University. The Social Research Association is a membership organisation for social researchers working on poverty, health, crime, and other social issues you will encounter on your course. It offers you access to extensive networks that can support your studies and career development.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in
- health and related areas
- education
- probation
- police service
- prisons
- local and national government
- marketing and advertising
- research and development departments
- human resources
- community-based support
- voluntary and charitable organisations
These are just some of the areas previous graduates of this course have gone on to work in.
However, the skills you will develop across your degree will enable you to successfully transition into a much wider range of potential career paths.
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 moreEntry 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. You can also watch a video guide on how to apply.
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.
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: Deviance, Order And Protest | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Graduate Development | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Media, Representation And Society | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Researching Society | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Shaping Societies | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: The Sociological Imagination | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Year 3
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Applied Research Methods | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Inequality, Identity And Intersectionality | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Theorising Modernities | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Beliefs, Values And Religion | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Education: Theory, Policy And Practice | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Environment And Society | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Health And Inequalities | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Spin, Propaganda And The Media | 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 |
Final year
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Dissertation (Sociology) | Credits: 40 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Advanced Research Methods | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Comparing Social Issues And Policy In A Global Context | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Crime And The Media | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Culture, Media And Consumption | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Drug Use In Context | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Education, Power And Control | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Experiences Of Health, Illness And Disability | 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: Power, Sex And The Body | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Social Theory And Film: Modern, Postmodern And Postcolonial | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Tokenisms, Fetishes & Religion | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Understanding Human Rights: Disrupting Universalism | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Understanding Modern Masculinities | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Work, Employment And Globalisation | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fees for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2023/2024 are regulated by the UK government and are yet to be confirmed. For an indication, our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2022/2023 is £9,250 per year. 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.
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, 215.6KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
