BA Sociology at Durham University 

What is Sociology? 

In the words of eminent Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, Sociology is “a science that makes trouble”.  Its central concern is to understand the relationship between individual people and the wider cultural and institutional contexts within which they live.  But through its systematic study of social issues, Sociology also aims to bring about meaningful social change, through challenging systems of injustice and inequality and through informing the development of effective, evidence-based policy and practice. 

A degree in Sociology is therefore an ideal choice for those interested in tackling major contemporary social issues such as: migration and multiculturalism; gender-based violence and abuse; educational inequalities; and mental health and wellbeing.  On the one hand, it will equip you with conceptual tools to make sense of why people act in the ways they do and how the cultural and institutional systems which inform their behaviour are produced and sustained over time.  On the other hand, it will also equip you with a range of practical skills for producing, analysing and evaluating evidence, to facilitate your engagement with these issues in professional and political contexts.  

What Will I Study?  

Our Sociology programme has three main components: 

• Sociological Theory: critical to a degree in Sociology is knowledge and understanding of key Sociological concepts and theories. In your first year, you will study in detail the work of foundational Sociological writers Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber, as well as subsequent Sociological work which has developed and critiqued this classical canon of Sociological theory. In the second year, you will build on this by studying how a range of Sociological theorists have conceptualised the relationship between individuals and wider social institutions, as well as the natures of social order, power and knowledge. 
• Social Research Methods: robust and rigorous methods are fundamental to producing the data and evidence on which Sociological knowledge is built.  In your first year, you will learn about the key principles which underpin good knowledge in Sociology as well as the kinds of methods and practices used by Sociologists to produce and analyse data.  In the second year, you will build upon this by learning about wider issues in research design and data analysis, including how to make sense of both qualitative (spoken, textual or visual) and quantitative (numerical) data, culminating in a small group-based research project of your own design.  In the final year, you will design and carry out a larger research study as your dissertation project. 
• Sociological Themes and Issues: alongside your study of Sociological theory and method, you will have the opportunity to study a range of substantive topics of Sociological significance.  The first year Societies in Transition module will cover a range of topics with emphasis on how things like social class, education, gender roles and so on have changed over time. In the second year, you will then have the chance to engage in detailed study of specific topics including those related to our Department’s major research areas: violence and abuse; communities and social justice; health and medicine; and education and social inequalities.  The final year will offer a wider range of specialist topics.  Examples from previous years have included: the Sociology of Work and Professions; Cyberculture and Cybercrime; Young People, Crime and Justice; Reproduction and Parenting; Race and Racism; Mental Health and Illness; Feminism and Feminist Activism; etc. 

How Will I Learn? 

Learning will be underpinned by a mixture of lectures and seminars which support independent study.  Lectures offer an overview of the key concepts and ideas you need to know, as a starting place for engagement with relevant reading material.  Smaller seminars then afford the opportunity to discuss and debate issues you have learned about through your reading, as well as to ask questions and receive guidance on complex topics you need help with.  Some modules also have practical workshops, for example computer classes where you learn to use the statistics package SPSS. 

How Will I Be Assessed? 

Assessment comprises primarily of coursework completed across the academic year.  This coursework often takes the form of a written essay but we have a diverse range of assessment types including portfolios, research reports, wikis, oral presentations and so on.  Exams are also used for assessment but only to a limited extent: it is typical for students to have no more than two exams in any given year, accounting for roughly 1/6 of their final grade. 

What Can I Do with a Sociology Degree? 

Like most academic subjects, Sociology is not vocational and does not lead to a specific career or field.  What is valuable about a Sociology degree is therefore the skills you learn from studying for it.  Among other things, studying Sociology will teach you how to write and present effective arguments, how to find and evaluate evidence, how to handle and make sense of different kinds of data, and so on.  With these skills, our graduates go on to develop careers in business, in government and the civil service, in public services like education and the police, in non-profit organisations, as well as in academic research. 

The subject knowledge you acquire may also benefit the development of careers in areas related to specific issues you have studied on the programme.  For example, our modules related to crime and criminal justice offer a foundation of knowledge on which to build a career in the police or other parts of the criminal justice system.  Similarly, our modules related to health, educational inequalities and social policy provide a solid platform for careers in the civil service and other organisations which focus on these issues. 

While a degree in Sociology can open the door to a wide range of different careers, there are a few key things which a degree in Sociology can offer which help graduates stand out against others: 

• Research training: understanding how to produce and make sense of empirical data is increasingly important in graduate level employment. Whether it is making sense of government statistics, collecting and analysing customer feedback, or compiling a policy report for a non-profit organisation, being able to bring order to the mess which is raw data is a valuable skill to possess. A degree in Sociology will help you learn how to produce and make sense of these kinds of data, with research skills being a key focus of the programme at Durham. 

• Dissertation project: in the final year of study, you will carry out an extensive, independent research project on a topic of your choosing. The breadth of Sociology makes it easy to develop a project around an issue of particular significance to a future career. For example, a current student plans to work supporting victims of human trafficking and her dissertation study is focused on bridging the gap between academic research on human trafficking and the practice of organisations which support victims. Through this project, she will gain detailed understanding of the topic, which will be a significant advantage when applying for jobs in the area. 
• Work placement: there is also currently the opportunity to apply for a work placement at a local community organisation as one of your study options. Not only is this an excellent opportunity to take your understanding of Sociological issues out of the classroom and into the “real world”, it is also an opportunity to get practical work experience which will be invaluable when it comes to applying for graduate jobs. 

What Qualifications do I Need? 

Our standard A-level offer is AAB.  We accept a wide range of alternatives including equivalently levelled BTECs (DDD) and the International Baccalaureate (36 overall including 665 in higher level subjects). We do sometimes make reduced offers of ABB, BBB or BBC in view of individual applicant context. 

For more information on applying to Durham, see: durham.ac.uk/study/ask-us 

Where Can I Find More Information? 

For more information about Sociology at Durham, see: durham.ac.uk/sociology/undergraduate/socdegrees 

If you have any questions about the programme, please email: soccrim.admissions@durham.ac.uk 

For enquiries about applying to Durham, please use our webform: durham.ac.uk/study/askus 

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