Sociology

You’ll get taught by staff who are experts in their fields. All our Sociology staff are active researchers which they use to inform teaching. Their specialisms cover a range of areas including:

• the sociology of gender
• sexualities
• the sociology of religion
• terrorism
• policing and surveillance
• the sociology of childhood
• the sociology of social movements

Many of our research staff contribute to discussions and debates in the policy and public sphere and in the media.

Your teaching will involve a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical sessions. You’ll be expected to engage in a lot of independent study.

Our assessment methods provide skills and knowledge to help you become more employable. These include essays, presentations, debates, reports, learning diaries, portfolios and blogs.

You’ll gain insights into research and how social scientists investigate the world around us. You’ll have the flexibility to develop your own research interests and this will be reflected in your final year dissertation.

You'll get to choose your own dissertation topic. Past students have examined issues as varied and topical as:

• the family in British society
• human trafficking
• perceptions of mental illness within the Asian community
• gender violence
• football hooliganism
• ethnicity and identity
• sexual identity
• the impact of social networking on society
• special school education

You’ll get the opportunity to go on many field trips. In recent times we’ve taken students to the National Media Museum in Bradford, the People’s History Museum in Manchester and even Auschwitz to learn about the concentration camps.

Another highlight is the chance to study abroad at one of our partner universities. We have a worldwide exchange network. During your second year you could spend between three months and one year at an institution in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Mexico or most European countries.

There’s a great sense of community amongst our Sociology students. You’ll get plenty of opportunities to socialise in-between your studies.

Our Sociology degree includes an optional work placement module. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get practical experience in the field(s) you’re interested in.

We make the most of our many charity and industry links. We’ve developed employability and community links all over the UK.

This means that you’ll get to engage with employers, community groups, professionals and practitioners from a wide range of groundbreaking organisations.

We have working partnerships with organisations including the NHS, Lancashire Constabulary, Armed Services, Criminal Justice system, multi-faith communities, non-government organisations, third sector providers, schools and colleges, local councils, social services, the Probation Trust, and equality and diversity practitioners.

Our Centre for Volunteering and Community Leadership (CVCL) enables you to get involved in projects which make a positive difference. They offer a range of volunteering projects in the UK and internationally so you’re bound to find something that inspires you.

We encourage you to take part in ‘real world’ learning throughout your course. CVCL enables you to get involved in a wide range of local, national and international community projects. They offer some second and third-year modules accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).