Interested in individuals’ unique journeys through life? Join us to look at how the UK education system shapes futures, and understand how the organisations and groups through which we live our lives impact our identity, values and wellbeing.
If you’re the type of person fascinated by other’s lives and society as a whole, our education and sociology degree is the course for you. You’ll dive into the history, philosophy, psychology and sociology of education. Together we’ll also unpick sociological issues like politics, class, family origin, gender, disability, identity and culture.
What shaped our school and university systems? How did past governments mould the way we teach and train? Our experts will share their knowledge so you understand the UK education system inside out and can compare it to education around the world.
In sociology, look at life beyond the education system. Study social trends and investigate sociological developments and phenomena in cultural, political and historical contexts. Discover the social structures, institutions, orthodoxies, processes, organisations and groups that we spend our lives within.
By the time you finish our education and sociology course, you’ll be someone who thinks innovatively and challenges the status quo. Your sought after skillset will set you up perfectly for work in settings like schools, museums and galleries, charities or the community.
We’ll start with an overview of the key areas of education – history, sociology, philosophy and psychology. To do this, we’ll apply key concepts to real-world scenarios and discuss how the technologies are harnessed to make learning more effective. Year 1 explores sociological theory, political sociology and cultural studies. You’ll also discover approaches to the analysis of the most critical questions facing society.
Conceptions of Education: The UK Education System in Context
Conceptions of Education: The UK Education System in Context enables you to learn about the ways in which the formal education system is structured, governed and funded in the four countries of the UK. You will explore the similarities and differences that exist between the different systems, examine the conceptualisations of education that each system appears to reflect, and develop opinions as to the ways in which they function. You will also explore the evolution of those different systems over time, noting the ways in which the different policy approaches taken by the separate legislatures within the UK have affected education in practice.
Module code: BED1002
Credits: 20
Sociology of the Everyday
Sociology of the Everyday introduces you to sociological ways of understanding the everyday. From the mundane to the taken-for-granted topics or issues which constitute our ‘ordinary and ‘normal’ lives, you'll examine normative everyday issues and occurrences in a sociologically informed way. You will begin to see how small-scale interactions can impact upon broader social constructions and norms and vice versa. You'll explore areas such as the home, the street, love, sex and friendships. Other topics that may be studied range from shopping, hobbies and consumption to our understanding and use of time and silence.
Module code: SPY1125
Credits: 20
Introduction to Education Studies
Introduction to Education Studies outlines the core disciplines of the history, philosophy, psychology and sociology of education. The module will also introduce you to the newer and emerging discipline of the economics of education as well as the key topic of technology in education. It will enable you to conceptualise the breadth of areas, the range of age phases and the contexts which you will explore within education studies. You will begin to gain the conceptual knowledge and the skills required to further your studies in education.
Module code: BED1000
Credits: 20
Power in Society
Power in Society immerses you in the study of power, the state, ideology, authority and domination. You will study the roles, functions and participation of institutions, organisations and groups in the political world, gaining a conceptual model of the way in which the political world operates and engages with powerful interests and demands for democratic participation. A series of lectures will provide a foundation of knowledge and you will then follow particular case studies to exercise that knowledge in depth. These case studies will be drawn from the research specialisms of staff and topical issues. Indicatively, case studies might be security and state surveillance of political participation in Britain, the political management of mass public protest, the political strategies of social movements, the relevance of political parties to contemporary politics, political marketing and media politics.
Module code: SPY1123
Credits: 20
Critical Issues in Sociology
Critical Issues in Sociology introduces you to using the ‘sociological imagination’ to explore a range of sociological concepts and approaches. You will develop the ability to reason effectively about the relation of human agency and social structure, and reflect on the challenges, choices and constraints underlying the assumptions and tacit expectations that determine our view of the world. The module analyses how we create and sustain meaningful social relationships, organisations and systems, and how, in turn, those relations, organisations and systems impact on us.
Learning in a Diverse Society enables you to explore the various ways in which access to education can be helped or hindered by issues such as family origins, religion, class, ethnicity, learning difficulties, or physical disability. The module encourages you to explore and reflect upon the specific factors that can affect access and consider how obstacles to access can be mitigated against or overcome.
Module code: BED1003
Credits: 20
Technology and its Place in Education
Technology and its Place in Education considers the underlying theoretical perspectives used in conjunction with technology to enhance learning. The term educational technology encompasses technology enhanced and e-learning. It includes the adoption and integration of hardware and software, various electronic devices, pedagogical tools, approaches and delivery methods. Technology has the capacity to significantly re-shape teaching and learning and this module will provide you with the opportunity to critically examine, explore and evaluate the potential benefits of a range of educational technology, as well as consider the underpinning pedagogical rationale for their use, with the specific intention of enhancing teaching and learning.
Module code: BED1005
Credits: 20
Language 1
Language 1 is ideal if you want to learn a new language, or further develop your current language skills, as an integrated part of this degree. You can study French, German, Arabic, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese or Spanish (subject to minimum numbers for your preferred language). Delivered at the Edge Hill Language Centre, the module will be taught in an interactive, communicative manner, using authentic materials in the target language. Emphasis will be placed on all four areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. You will play an active role in the weekly two-hour classes, engaging in role-plays, short conversations, videos, authentic texts and listening materials. You will also be encouraged to reflect on your own learning needs. On enrolment to the module, you will complete a language induction form and be placed into a language level group appropriate for your prior knowledge of your chosen language. Please note, while we will endeavour to accommodate varying language levels per module, this is not always possible. While you can join the module with some prior experience of your target language, you will not be able to study a language you are already fluent or proficient in.
Module code: TLC1010
Credits: 20
Your main focus for Year 2 will be boosting your research skills. You’ll also decide whether to go on an invaluable placement in a relevant sector or complete an extended study of an aspect of education. Shape the rest of your education studies with optional modules exploring history, key thinkers and psychological perspectives. For sociology, look at conflict within and between states, as well as exploring British society and cultural debates of our age.
Broken Britain explores issues around class, culture and conflict in contemporary British society. The module will provide a sociological and political analysis of current debates about the state of British society and whether aspects of it can be considered to be broken or not. You will examine a range of different social and political issues to engage critically with the following kinds of questions: Is British politics broken? Was austerity necessary? What does it mean to be British? Is racism endemic in Britain? Is class still relevant in Britain? Does work pay for the poor in Britain? How broken is Britain?
Module code: SPY2151
Credits: 20
Designing and Managing a Research Project
Designing and Managing a Research Project gives you the knowledge and skills required to conceptualise, design and communicate a research proposal, understanding the fundamental principles of quality research. You will learn how to plan and manage a project over an extended period, sustain focus, conduct and organise extensive data collection and research materials, and mitigate typical problems that can derail or delay a project.
Module code: BED2000
Credits: 20
States, Conflict and Political Violence
States, Conflict and Political Violence recognises that the sociological study of armed conflict and political violence is an important and growing field of inquiry. Wars and conflicts within and between states are key problems facing the contemporary global community, rooted in the complex character of modern societies. They have been a central concern for sociological theorists since the founding of the discipline. The study of armed conflict therefore does more than allow you to become familiar with the particular dynamics of specific wars. It also enables a series of key concepts, theories and issues in the social sciences (of power and authority, gender, ethnicity and class) to be investigated and applied to real world situations through the prism of organised violence by, between, against and beyond the state today.
Agency, Power and Change in Education enables you to explore some of the momentous changes in the history of education in the UK, to analyse how and why those changes occurred and investigate their social, political, economic and ideological causes. You will consider the historical ripples from those changes and reflect upon how they have continued to inform educational debates and policies to the present day. The module introduces you to some of the most influential educational thinkers drawn from the field of sociology, whose ideas have influenced and shaped the discourses on education in our society. It enables you to make connections between the ideas of key sociologists and changes in policy and thinking.
Module code: BED2002
Credits: 20
Education, Meaning and Understanding: Debates in the Philosophy of Education
Education, Meaning and Understanding: Debates in the Philosophy of Education enables you to develop your knowledge and understanding of the philosophy strand of education and to enhance your academic skills in critical analysis. You will learn how to synthesise ideas and analyse competing philosophical positions. A key focus will be on understanding how arguments are philosophically underpinned and value-driven.
Module code: BED2003
Credits: 20
How and Why We Learn: Explorations in the Psychology of Education
How and Why We Learn: Explorations in the Psychology of Education provides you with an introduction to key theories and perspectives in the psychology of education. You will develop an understanding of the basic principles within the fields of cognitive, developmental and social psychology, with the opportunity to explore issues relating to identity, self and motivation. Investigations of high-quality research within these fields will be underpinned by the fundamental questions of how and why we learn.
Module code: BED2001
Credits: 20
UK Education in its Global Contexts
UK Education in its Global Contexts will enable you to compare and contextualise the UK education systems with respect to those in other parts of the world. International contexts are becoming increasingly important in the field of education, with educationalists, researchers, politicians, and the media frequently comparing the performance of UK education with the performance of countries such as Taiwan, Finland, and South Korea. This module will consider the UK education system in the context of international performance indicators and tables, with a focus on key education systems from Asia and Scandinavia as aspirational comparators. You will examine the field of international education, understand the international performance measures, and critique where it is that UK education aspires to be and why it holds those aspirations.
Work-based Learning in Education provides you with the opportunity to gain work experience within the education sector. The module enables you to apply your skills and knowledge in real-life situations. You will gain knowledge and understanding of the processes, policies and organisational structure of your placement host, build in-depth knowledge of the business and the marketplace in which it operates, and successfully integrate yourself into a workplace environment.
Module code: BED2005
Credits: 20
Work Related Learning in Education
Work Related Learning in Education enables you to undertake an extended, work-related project focusing upon a strand of the education sector. You will choose the focus of the project, in conjunction with your assigned tutor, with the intention being that it is an area of education into which you might wish to progress after graduation. The module enables you to apply your skills and knowledge in real-world scenarios and experience how the multi-faceted nature of real businesses is often more complex than it may appear. You will also gain experience in investigating the systemic and marketplace contexts in which businesses within your chosen sector exist and function.
Children’s Cultural Worlds introduces you to some of the ways in which children experience and organise their social worlds. You will learn about a variety of children’s cultural practices from this perspective such as their play, friendships, family, sexuality, food, literature and language practices. In order to do this you will study a range of research which has taken a ‘naturalistic’ approach to children’s cultural practices. Naturalistic studies are those which seek to remain faithful to the nature of the phenomena which they investigate. In the study of human social life, this requires being faithful to how the people we study actually experience things. It involves refusing to impose our own views on other people but trying to gain an appreciation of how they look at things, how they understand things and how they organise their lives from their own points of view. This module will help you to develop this particular analytic sensibility.
Module code: SPY2158
Credits: 20
Children, Food and Sustainability
Children, Food and Sustainability examines children’s food practices, environmental issues and the links between the two. The module introduces the analysis of children’s food practices and relations with animals and the environment under the rubric of understanding connections between children, childhood and nature. Themes to be studied include food practices in schools, food poverty, children and climate change and child-animal relations. These topics provide rich areas for investigating important developments in early childhood studies including children’s agency, voice and rights, in addition to children’s health, childhood consumption and children’s ethical engagement with the natural world. The module also illuminates debates on educational philosophy and explores childhood as a time and space for democratic and ecological renewal.
Module code: SPY2159
Credits: 20
Language 2
Language 2 is ideal if you want to learn a new language, or further develop your current language skills, as an integrated part of this degree. You can study French, German, Arabic, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese or Spanish (subject to minimum numbers for your preferred language). Delivered at the Edge Hill Language Centre, the module will be taught in an interactive, communicative manner, using authentic materials in the target language. Emphasis will be placed on all four areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. You will play an active role in the weekly two-hour classes, engaging in role-plays, short conversations, videos, authentic texts and listening materials. You will also be encouraged to reflect on your own learning needs. On enrolment to the module, you will complete a language induction form and be placed into a language level group appropriate for your prior knowledge of your chosen language. Please note, while we will endeavour to accommodate varying language levels per module, this is not always possible. While you can join the module with some prior experience of your target language, you will not be able to study a language you are already fluent or proficient in.
Module code: TLC2000
Credits: 20
Representations of Childhood and Popular Culture
Representations of Childhood and Popular Culture explores and analyses the ways in which childhood and youth are represented in popular culture in historical and contemporary genres. These representations will be examined in the context of popular culture about, and specifically for, children and young people. A critical approach will be adopted by drawing on theoretical perspectives including cultural theory and constructions of childhood and youth. In taking this approach, consideration will be given to representations of social divisions such as age, gender, sexuality, family origins and disability. Areas of study will include children as adventurers and heroes, children and young people in war and conflict, representations of children and young people’s experiences of education, and the globalisation of childhood.
Module code: SPY2157
Credits: 20
Self-Directed Study
Self-Directed Study enables you to focus on a particular agreed topic or focus and explore it, with tutorial support, to produce a project-based piece of work which relates to a particular career trajectory. The project will involve addressing a social issue or problem and/or one organisation’s response (voluntary, public or private sector) to a social issue or problem. It will involve not only desk research such as library searches but information retrieval from a range of primary sources. The self-directed learning focus allows for a sense of both leading on the learning taking place and reflecting on its progress, problems and problem-solving.
Module code: SPY2155
Credits: 20
Youth Studies: Key Concepts and Issues
Youth Studies: Key Concepts and Issues provides you with an understanding of the key themes, concepts, issues and debates in the field of youth studies. Starting from an historical perspective, you will look at the broader social, economic and political factors which have shaped understandings about youth and the so-called ‘youth question’ from early to late modernity. The module will then turn to contemporary debates about youth, including themes such as transition, risk, culture and social policy.
Module code: SPY2156
Credits: 20
As you move into Year 3, we’ll spend time critiquing and applying the concepts and ideas of leaders in education. You’ll examine sociological and psychological perspectives of education. Then it’s up to you whether you complete a dissertation. In sociology, discover different ways of understanding ‘the body’, emotions and their significance in societies past and present. Choose from optional modules covering everything from terrorism to autism. Alternatively examine another area with self-directed study.
Sociology of the Body and the Emotions introduces you to different ways of understanding ‘the body’ and its significance in past and contemporary societies. Relevant classical social theorists, such as Bourdieu, Elias, Le Breton, Foucault, Mauss and Goffman, will be covered, as will more contemporary sociologists such as Turner, Shilling, Fraser, Butler, Burkitt and Williams. The social production of bodies, how the body is deployed socially and culturally, the socially constructed dualism between body and mind, and the relationship between power and the body, are key issues for evaluation and analysis. They will be illustrated through a range of substantive topics such as gendered, classed and racialised bodies, the body, health and illness, body modification, biotechnology, and social and digital media and the body.
Module code: SPY3141
Credits: 20
Global Capitalism and its Discontents
Global Capitalism and its Discontents explores a key aspect of contemporary life, the increasing impact globalisation has on our lives. From imperialism, colonialism and post-colonialism, to ideas of the clash of civilisations, multi-culturalism and living in diverse societies, this module provides a global awareness that is important to any graduate in the 21st Century. You'll also be provided with the analytical tools to deconstruct and sociologically evaluate how globalisation shapes, narrows or widens our life chances.
Current Debates in the Psychology of Education immerses you in the advanced study of psychological theories to develop in-depth knowledge of what constitutes effective teaching and learning. Psychology makes a vital contribution to the field of education, offering theories which can explain learning, behaviour and the mind. It allows examination of the motivations and perceptions of individuals, enabling educators to better understand the most effective ways to promote learning and how potential barriers to progress might be overcome. The module will support you in developing the skills required to examine and critique psychological enquiry and then applying this knowledge to consider key educational issues from a psychological angle.
Module code: BED3003
Credits: 20
Dissertation
Dissertation provides you with the opportunity to design and execute a research project, with support from your tutors, which focuses on an area of interest in education (ideally relating to a sector in which you may wish to pursue a career). You will be responsible for the design of data gathering tools, for the choice of data analysis methods, as well as the production of a final dissertation that reports your findings.
Module code: BED3000
Credits: 40
Exploring Issues and Affecting Change in Education
Exploring Issues and Affecting Change in Education enables you to explore shifts in educational policy and consider the most pressing contemporary issues in the sociology of education. You will reflect on how education across the age spectrum, and in its formal and informal paradigms, is affected by the design and implementation of government policy, as well as by factors such as class, gender, family origins, religion and wealth. Additionally, you will explore the origins of the history of the sociology of education and how researchers apply the core concepts, collect and analyse data, and report on the results of their research.
Module code: BED3004
Credits: 20
Knowledge, Learning and Understanding
Knowledge, Learning and Understanding enables you to study the thinkers and ideas currently existing at the forefront of the philosophy of education, exploring how philosophy contributes to education policy-making, curriculum design, teaching and learning. The module encourages independent thinking through philosophical approaches and building upon your skills in critical analysis to develop an awareness of your own values and beliefs. You will need to communicate and defend your personal position in relation to challenging issues, exploration of which will structure many sessions.
Module code: BED3002
Credits: 20
Understanding Education through Sociological Perspectives
Understanding Education through Sociological Perspectives enables you to engage in the in-depth study of one of the key disciplines of education studies. You will examine the genealogy of key aspects of the current education sector, such as the National Curriculum, Early Years Provision, Lifelong Learning, the Exam System, or higher education. You will explore what current researchers are investigating, where the discipline appears to be heading, and how it can continue to contribute to the future of education and education studies.
Childhood and Sexuality juxtaposes how children and young people are constructed simultaneously as desexualised or pre-sexual beings and, therefore, in need of protection and, at the same time, young people, in particular, are portrayed as sexually ‘promiscuous’ or engaged in sexual ‘risk taking behaviour’. The module introduces you to the tensions between these contradictory constructions of youth sexuality and explores the ways in which young people understand their sexuality and develop their sexual identity.
Module code: SPY3145
Credits: 20
Critical Autism Studies
Critical Autism Studies adopts a critical approach to understanding autism and seeks to challenge the dominant medical model of neurological deficit. Rather than viewing autism as a cognitive development disability, you will be encouraged to consider it as a naturally occurring form of cognitive diversity. The module will examine the argument that autism has been constructed as a neurobiological deficit in a context of neurotypicality or cognitive normality. Understanding autism as neurodiversity opens up spaces for more positive interpretations of autistic people’s experiences, skills and identities. The module is underpinned and, in part, informed by, research by members of the programme team which is focused on areas of sexuality and autism and, specifically, what professionals and care workers should do when providing support for people whose intellectual disability or mental condition makes their consent – being informed, competent and free from coercion – legally unreliable.
Module code: SPY3144
Credits: 20
Critical Terrorism Studies
Critical Terrorism Studies recognises that in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, and those in London, Madrid, Paris and beyond, terrorism and political violence have become ever more pressing contemporary issues. But, what is ‘terrorism’, what does the term itself actually mean? What causes political violence, how is it represented in modern multi-mediated societies and how does the issue of ‘counter terrorism’ impact on the lives of people today? How has the ‘fear’ of terrorism come to affect our society? These are the sort of questions this module is designed to address. You will be invited to employ and develop your understanding of critical sociological theories, concepts and approaches in order to investigate these matters of great contemporary social importance.
Module code: SPY3143
Credits: 20
European Field Trip
European Field Trip provides you with the opportunity to intensively study a particular society and culture through some of its contemporary issues. The module allows for the comparative cultural analysis of a different society to the one you live in, focused around some preparatory lectures and reflective sessions and an intensive study trip to that country. The focus of the study trip will be to explore both comparisons and contrasts, and use the experience of difference to explore social and cultural issues and problems.
Module code: SPY3148
Credits: 20
Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course curriculum. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by timetabling requirements. Some restrictions on optional module choice or combinations of optional modules may apply.
How you'll study
The course is delivered through a combination of whole-group lecturers alongside small-group seminars and tutorials. The smaller sessions are designed to be interactive, and to give you the opportunity to work with the concepts, ideas and information presented in the lectures in order to gain a greater understanding of their relevance and potential applications.
In Year 2 you will have the opportunity to undertake a work placement and engage in work-based learning. Placements will be in a variety of different settings in which education takes place, either formally (schools) or informally (for example, art galleries and museums) and will be closely matched to your career aspirations.
Timetables for your first week are normally available at the end of August prior to enrolment in September. You can expect to receive your timetable for the rest of the academic year during your first week. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities.
How you'll be assessed
The assessment methods for this programme incorporate a variety of both traditional and innovative formats. There will be a blend of essays and website development work. You will be asked to produce and present work through a combination of wikis and blogs, or to produce video presentations or give a live presentation. You will also create research posters reporting on the results of your investigations and be taught how to present your work in the format of professional magazine-style reports.
There are no formal written examinations as part of the current assessment methods on this programme.
Who will be teaching you
You will be taught by a team of lecturers who bring with them a vast amount of both professional and academic experience. Members of the team include academics who research both the theoretical and practical aspects of teaching and learning in a host of contexts. Other members of the programme team offer a wealth of experience in teaching across all age-phases and a wide range of academic disciplines including language and literature.
For the Sociology modules, you will be taught by expert staff from the Department of Social Sciences who are at the forefront of teaching, research and publication in areas including desire and sexuality, violence and terrorism, cultural and social theories and perspectives, and culture and arts in society.
Entry criteria
Entry requirements
Typical offer 104-112 UCAS Tariff points. No specific subjects are required.
Example offers
Qualification
Requirement
A Level
BCC-BBC.
BTEC Extended Diploma (or combination of BTEC QCF qualifications)
Distinction, Merit, Merit (DMM).
T Level
Overall grade of Merit.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
We are happy to accept IB qualifications which achieve the required number of UCAS Tariff points.
Access to Higher Education Diploma
45 credits at Level 3, for example 9 credits at Distinction and 36 credits at Merit or 15 credits at Distinction and 30 credits at Merit. The required total can be attained from various credit combinations.
Please note, the above examples may differ from actual offers made. A combination of A Level and BTEC awards may also be accepted.
If you have a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent), there is no maximum number of qualifications that we will accept UCAS points from. This includes additional qualifications such as Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), AS Levels that haven't been continued to A Level, and General Studies AS or A Level awards.
English language requirements
International students require IELTS 6.0, with a score no lower than 5.5 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.
If your current level of English is half a band, one band, or one-and-a-half bands lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.
Please see our international student pages for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.
Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.
Did you know?
If you join a full time undergraduate degree at Edge Hill University, we will guarantee you the
offer of a room in our halls of residence for the first year of your course.
Housed in a state-of-the-art £9million building, the Faculty of Education enjoys a stunning setting from both its lakeside and piazza buildings.
Facilities in the lakeside building include a 300-seat lecture theatre, five well-equipped ICT suites, and 18 teaching rooms complete with the latest technology. The lakeside building is also home to a popular vegan and vegetarian cafe where students can meet to socialise and discuss their studies. The nearby piazza building offers modern facilities including a lecture theatre and a number of seminar rooms.
Sociology modules are led by the Department of History, Geography and Social Sciences, based in the Geosciences building. The modern facilities combine with a friendly and supportive learning environment to ensure that your studies are a rich and rewarding experience.
The Geosciences building features a large lecture theatre, small group teaching rooms, IT facilities, smaller tutorial spaces and a large social area.
The University may administer a small inflationary rise in tuition fees, in line with Government policy, in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.
Financial support
Subject to eligibility, UK students joining this course can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the Government to cover the full cost of tuition fees. UK students enrolling on the course may also be eligible to apply for additional funding to help with living costs.
Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students.
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI).
If you are an EU student who does not have settled or pre-settled status, or are an international student from a non-EU country, please see our international student finance pages.
Your future career
After this education and sociology course, you’ll be ready to take your next step. Whether that’s deciding to apply for teacher training, discovering roles in related areas like social work or continuing your studies with a Master’s.
If you decide to go into teaching, you might prepare for life in a primary or secondary school. However, educators are also needed in a range of other settings, from museums and galleries to zoos. You’ll even have the right skills to design training for the corporate world too.
Typical roles our graduates secure include:
Teaching at early years foundation stage, primary, secondary or further education through postgraduate teacher training
Learning Mentor
Education Administrator
Educational Psychologist
Education Counsellor
Mental health practitioner
Social/Community Worker
Prison Educator
International Development Worker
Training Organiser
Personal tutor sessions will focus on reviewing your progress towards graduate level employment, with leadership skills built into every module so that you feel confident leading teams, working in groups and managing projects. Dedicated employability sessions in each year of study will guide you in writing a CV, producing a professional LinkedIn profile, and compiling an electronic portfolio that evidences your graduate skills.
Course changes
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.
Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.
Track changes to this course
Change of Course Length - 23 February 2023
6 months part-time study option removed for September 2023 entry.
Change of Modules - 23 February 2023
The following Year 1 modules were removed:
SPY1112 Introduction to Cultural Studies (20 credits)
SPY1110 Political Sociology (20 credits)
SPY1111 Thinking Sociologically: Sociological Theory and Applications (20 credits)
The following Year 1 modules were added:
SPY1125 Sociology of the Everyday (20 credits)
SPY1123 Power in Society (20 credits)
SPY1124 Critical Issues in Sociology (20 credits)
The following Year 2 modules were removed:
Compulsory modules
SPY2135 Broken Britain (20 credits)
SPY2136 States, Conflict and Political Violence (20 credits)
Optional modules
SPY2138 Cultural Analysis in a Global World (20 credits)
SPY2139 Self-Directed Learning (20 credits)
The following Year 2 modules were added:
Compulsory modules
SPY2151 Broken Britain (20 credits)
SPY2152 States, Conflict and Political Violence (20 credits)
Optional modules
SPY2155 Self-Directed Study (20 credits)
SPY2156 Youth Studies: Key Concepts and Issues (20 credits)
SPY2157 Representations of Childhood and Popular Culture (20 credits)
SPY2158 Children’s Cultural Worlds (20 credits)
SPY2159 Children, Food and Sustainability (20 credits)
The following Year 3 modules were removed:
Compulsory modules
SPY3130 Sociology of the Body and the Emotions (20 credits)
Optional modules
SPY3109 Arts in Society (20 credits)
SPY3118 Childhood and Sexuality (20 credits)
SPY3048 Critical Autism Studies (20 credits)
SPY3110 Critical Terrorism Studies (20 credits)
SPY3101 Self-Directed Study (20 credits)
SPY3111 Social, Cultural and Political Ideas (20 credits)
SPY3125 Socio-Cultural Issues and Questions (20 credits)
The following Year 3 modules were added:
Compulsory modules
SPY3141 Sociology of the Body and the Emotions (20 credits)
SPY3142 Global Capitalism and its Discontents (20 credits)
Optional modules
SPY3145 Childhood and Sexuality (20 credits)
SPY3144 Critical Autism Studies (20 credits)
SPY3143 Critical Terrorism Studies (20 credits)
SPY3148 European Field Trip (20 credits)
The above changes take effect for September 2023 entry.
Change of Department (Sociology modules) - 25 July 2022
With effect from 1 August 2022, the Department of Social Sciences will become the Department of History, Geography and Social Sciences. The new department will be based in the Geosciences building.
Housed in a state-of-the-art £9million building, the Faculty of Education enjoys a stunning setting from both its lakeside and piazza buildings.
