About This Course
Sociology, and this course, investigates social life and the way it shapes people's behaviour, beliefs and identity. Its subject matter ranges from an examination of the face-to-face interactions of daily life, to large-scale social institutions, social movements and global processes. By understanding the social world, we gain a better understanding of ourselves and our own social situations.
Placement Year
This course is available as a 4-year ‘with Placement Year’ option. Please apply for Sociology with Placement Year BA L30P. Find out more about 'with Placement Year' coures here.
The placement year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with a self-sourced organisation relevant to your degree subject. The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider. You would normally start sometime in the period June to September of your second year and finish between June and September the following year. Placements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements.
You will be expected to find and arrange a suitable placement to complement your degree, and will be fully supported throughout by a dedicated member of staff at your academic School and the University’s Skills and Employability Services.
Why choose Bangor University for this course?
- We aim to provide a friendly and informal learning environment.
- The course structure is flexible enough to offer a range of specialisms and a breadth of choice.
- The course is taught by experts in the subject who aim to be innovative and to meet real needs.
- The introductory year's work is designed to build your confidence, whatever your background.
- We use a variety of learning approaches, and as well as the development of personal skills we emphasise the development of practical skills in observation, interpretation, information processing and presentation, all of which will be valued by employers.
Course Content
You will have, on average, 6 hours of lectures each week and up to 6 hours of group seminars. You will also complete library research, bibliographic searches, project work, and preparation for presentations. Some modules involve project and/or small group work. Your extended essay involves research in an area of your choice. Visiting speakers give presentations at the School to provide perspective on the subject.
We use a variety of assessment methods including coursework, examinations and the dissertation/extended essay. Some modules are wholly assessed by coursework. The dissertation counts for 4 modules over 2.
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Sociology Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Course Costs
Mandatory Costs:
Students must submit one bound copy of the third year dissertation currently costing £10.
Optional Costs:
Welcome Week trips: maximum £20.
General University Costs
Home (UK) students
- The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,000 per year (2021/22 entry and 2022/23 entry).
- The fee for all placement, international and sandwich years is £1,350 (2021/22 and 2022/23).
- More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
International (including EU) students
Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:
- If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
- If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).
Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:
- Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
- Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
- Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.
Entry Requirements
For 2021 entry:
Offers are tariff based, 96 - 112 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.:
- A Levels
- BTEC National/Extended Diploma and Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: MMM - DMM
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical/Extended Diploma: considered on a case by case basis
- International Baccalaureate Diploma
- Access
- NCFE CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma
- Welsh Baccalaureate is accepted
International Candidates: School leaving qualifications and college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements), more information here.
We also welcome applications from mature applicants.
*For full details go to our website and for a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com
General University Requirements
To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.
We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.
All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.
As part of the University’s policy we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.
We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.
EU and International Students' Entry Requirements
For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.
Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.
Careers
The study of sociology provides a sound foundation for a wide range of careers in the media, administration, personnel, teaching, and community work. Recent graduates have also gone on to further academic study such as the PGCE and postgraduate qualifications leading to teaching and working in the field of social work.
Opportunities at Bangor
The University’s Skills and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions.
The Bangor Employability Award (BEA)
With the BEA, you can gain recognition for your extra-curricular activities (e.g. volunteering, clubs and societies, part-time work, etc.)
Internships
Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.
Student Volunteering
Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about the volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.
