Overview
Prepare to lead the world into a more positive future.
Human thought and behaviour shape our society, which in turn shapes our experience as global citizens. Take a sociological and social psychological approach to the most pressing social issues of our time, from global economic inequality and the migrant crisis to world hunger, climate change and gender equality - and see how our actions interact with and influence social justice and wellbeing in the world.
While developing your sociological imagination, you'll also study social psychological concepts such as prosocial behaviour, intergroup dynamics and social influence. On this BSc (Hons) Sociology with Psychology degree, you'll conduct your own research into societal issues that matter most to you, developing the skills to influence positive change such as critical thinking, leading on research projects, analysing data and communicating proposals for change effectively.
Course Highlights
- Learn from leading academics actively researching solutions to social inequalities and exploring the social structures that shape our lives, including researchers from our Sociology and Social Theory Research Group and our Researching Migrant Homelessness project
- Tailor your studies to topics that match your ambitions from a diverse range of specialist modules, including social justice, gender and sexuality, race and racism and global inequality
- Use social psychological theory to address one of three 'unsolvable issues' (homelessness, domestic violence or unemployment), simulating projects you'll work on in future health-related careers
- Hear from industry specialists on topics such as racism, asylum and gender-based violence – recent guest speakers have come from Friends Without Borders and Portsmouth Abuse and Rape Counselling Services (PARCS)
- Discover how to present your knowledge and research to a wider audience, through the production of a video or podcast on an optional module
- Learn to use software to analyse complex data with ease, such as SPSS (for statistical analysis) and NVivo (for qualitative data analysis)
- Have the opportunity to do a work placement year after your second or third year on this Connected Degree - we're the only UK university to offer flexible sandwich placements for undergraduates
- Choose to learn a foreign language for free as part of your degree, from a selection of Arabic, British Sign Language, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin or Spanish
Careers and opportunities
The course provides a solid foundation for moving into a variety of people-focused careers, from community development and careers advice, to teaching and charity work. You'll have the communication, research, critical thinking and analysis skills employers look for to lead on complex projects, convert report findings into manageable insights and manage people with an understanding of how the mind works.
After the course you could also continue your studies to a PhD or other postgraduate qualification, following in the footsteps of your lecturers.
Many of our sociology graduates go into people-focused roles, or in roles that allow them to do research, shape social policies or bring about social change.
Areas you could go into include:
- teaching and lecturing (with additional training or further study)
- research and policy
- health and social care
- advertising, marketing and media
- local government
- careers advice, human resources and recruitment
- charity work and community development
Roles you could go onto include:
- peer support and young persons service manager
- youth worker
- school teacher or college lecturer
- research executive
- fundraising and project manager
- hr adviser
- social worker
- evidence and evaluation manager
Graduates from our sociology courses have worked for companies such as:
- Solent Mind
- Chance UK
- The Prince's Trust
- NHS Foundation Trust
- Chance UK
- Enham Trust (disability charity)
Ongoing career support – up to 5 years after you graduate
Get experience while you study, with support to find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, and work experience.
Towards the end of your degree and for up to five years after graduation, you’ll receive one-to-one support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy to help you find your perfect role.