Course Overview

Your degree is taught by some of Europe's foremost Sociologists in a department nationally and internationally renowned for creative and groundbreaking research. This means your learning environment is up to date, exciting and challenging. We only take approximately 35 new students per year, so much of our teaching is in small lectures, seminar groups of 10 - 13 students, and interactive workshops. You'll get to know your peers and our members of staff very well.

Your first year provides you with a basic grounding in 'thinking sociologically' and addressing some of the issues sociologists are thinking about today. The Introduction to Sociology module familiarises you with sociological issues, ideas, concepts, evidence and argument, examining key aspects of living in the contemporary world.

Thanks to the flexibility of the Lancaster structure, you can also take complementary courses such as Gender and Women's Studies or Media and Cultural Studies during your first year. You can also combine our first year Sociology course with other first year courses in other departments.

There are two compulsory core courses in your second year: Understanding Social Thought and Research Skills and Techniques. In your final year, there is one compulsory core course: Doing Sociological Research, which consists of completing a Dissertation on a topic of your choice. In both years you'll also be able to choose from a vast range of options to complete your degree, such as Living with Capitalism; Friendship, Intimacy and Society; Nation, Migration, Multiculturalism; Terror; The Chinese Century? and Television, Society and Morality.

The Sociology Department runs brilliant modules and there are plenty of new choices every year.

Career opportunities

Sociology graduates have found employment in a wide range of areas, including the public sector, in roles in administration, social services, or teaching.

The transferable skills of this course have seen a significant number of Sociology graduates entering sectors such as banking, law, and public relations. Many have pursued careers in the media, advertising and journalism.

Some of our Sociology graduates continue to postgraduate degrees at Lancaster, the UK, or internationally, which leads to employment in research or teaching in higher education, international organisations or the public sector.