Sociology BA
2025-26 entrySociology focuses on the relationships between individuals and society. It revolves around examining how personal attitudes and experiences relate to wider issues, understanding how group phenomena can give collective meaning to an individual's actions, and on social change and the ways forces, like globalisation, impact upon society.
Key details
- A Levels ABB
Other entry requirements - UCAS code L300
- 3 years / Full-time
- September start
- Find out the course fee
- Optional placement year
- Study abroad
Explore this course:
Course description
Why study this course?
Sociological studies encompasses sociologists, social policy analysts, criminologists, social workers and digital society experts under one roof. This means your optional modules will stretch your mind and your abilities, and bring you into contact with students from a range of other courses such as digital media and society, journalism and education, to name a few.
A dedicated module in third year – 'Value of Sociology' – helps students understand the transferable skills gained from the degree, which can be applied in a range of careers.
Student reps, student voice week and our ambassadors all shape how our department runs. The Sociology Society, or SocSoc, is a group of students that organise a variety of social events including an annual ball, plus volunteering initiatives, and socials across the year, as well as dedicated learning support for students in the department.
With a strong understanding of sociological analysis and theory, you can explore every facet of society – from crime and deviance, religion and belief, migration, race and racism, to new genetics.
Study sociology at Sheffield and you will train in research techniques, information retrieval, critical analysis and communication using a range of styles and formats. You’ll develop your skills as a social researcher and demonstrate how you can use the theoretical frameworks and methodological tools of the discipline to investigate and report on a significant social or sociological issue.
In your third year, you’ll explore current thinking on wide-ranging issues like gender, queer theory, migration, sex work, and the sociology of evil. You'll also complete your own research project, on a topic of your choice, working closely with an expert dissertation supervisor.
This is a degree where both the subject matter and the methods of learning and assessment keep pace with modern society. Our academic team will use their research to guide your learning experience, and support your learning through different forms of coursework such as creating vlogs, zines and delivering presentations.
Modules
A selection of modules are available each year - some examples are below. There may be changes before you start your course. From May of the year of entry, formal programme regulations will be available in our Programme Regulations Finder.
Choose a year to see modules for a level of study:
UCAS code: L300
Years: 2024
Core modules:
- Classical Sociological Theory
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The aim of this module is to introduce foundational theories in sociology. The lectures will describe the ideas of leading theorists Durkheim, Marx, Du Bois and Weber with reference to the social context in which they lived and wrote. Lectures will analyze the primary texts of sociological throught with reference to the social contexts in which they emerged. This will include a look at the concerns of the first generation of sociological thinkers, their understanding of changes in European societies at the time, and the way in which their ideas inform an understanding of issues and problems in the contemporary world.
10 credits - Doing Social Research
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This module builds on the knowledge and skills acquired by students in the module Introduction to Social Research. Students will be given the opportunity to deepen their understanding of theoretical, methodological and practical issues in conducting empirical social research through a staff interview project. The project will be introduced and explained in lectures, and students supported in interviewing their assigned Departmental member of staff via tutorial sessions and guided independent learning. Students will produce a portfolio of research work and a final 1,500 word project report which they will present to the class. The module will equip students with some of the basic skills necessary to: undertake empirical social research, from project planning through interviewing to writing up research findings; develop their collaborative and presentational skills; and enhance their appreciation of the relationship between research, teaching and the concepts of sociology and social policy more broadly. An additional positive outcome of the module will be the familiarisation of students with the research interests of all staff in the Department, preparing them for study at levels 2 and 3 and, in particular helping them in their choice of dissertation topics at level 3.
10 credits - Exploring Classical Social Thought Seminars
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The purpose of this seminar module is to provide a medium for students to discuss, evaluate, assess, and engage foundational theories in sociology. The seminar topics will seek to relate major sociological theories to (historical) events of concern to the theorists themselves, and events of interest to contemporary students of social affairs. The discussions will emphasise ideas and concepts in key sociological writings and their contribution to shaping sociological enquiry.
10 credits - Introducing Criminology
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Crime is a major social problem in virtually all societies. In this module, sociological understandings of crime are discussed, often with reference to their implications for policy. The module will introduce you to major research about crime in contemporary Britain and help you to understand the contribution of sociology to its analysis. This module will be of value to anyone thinking about a career in the criminal justice services, journalism, public service, the voluntary sector and anyone interested in understanding the significance of crime in contemporary British society
10 credits - Introduction to Social Research
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Students will be introduced to theoretical, methodological and practical issues in conducting empirical social research and become equipped with some of the basic skills necessary to undertake qualitative and quantitative projects, from project planning through to writing up research findings. Students will also be given the opportunity to explore different areas of social research in small groups through class presentations and debates
10 credits - Social Divisions Seminar
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The aim of this unit is to explore a key concern of sociology to explain how and why material and symbolic rewards are distributed unequally. The unit will focus on how social constraints and opportunities arise from social divisions and will explore how various social divisions interact to produce unequal outcomes. It will evaluate critically sociological research that provides evidence of structured inequality in society. A key aim of the unit is to provide students with a sociological framework to assess critically how social divisions operate in their own lives through the constraints and opportunities they encounter.
10 credits - The Sociological Imagination Seminar
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Drawing upon the lectures in the accompanying module (SCS100), students will use the seminars to explore a range of everyday life situations - such as mobile phone use, shopping, and travel - from a sociological perspective. Emphasis will be placed on students reflexively exploring their own experience, on the one hand, and gathering exemplary material from print and digital media. Students will be required to do exercises on specific topics.
10 credits - The Sociology of Everyday Life
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This module aims to introduce students to basic sociological concepts, such as 'the sociological imagination', 'social interaction', 'social identity', 'deviance' and 'globalisation' and illustrate how these can be applied to everyday life. Drawing on the work of key thinkers in sociology, a range of everyday life situations, such as mobile phone use, shopping and travel will be used as exemplary cases
10 credits - Understanding Inequality
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The aim of this unit is to explore a key concern of sociology to explain how and why material and symbolic rewards are distributed unequally. It will consider the unequal distribution of wealth, privilege and power and, in doing so, will question common-sense understandings of various inequalities in society. It will focus on various social divisions including the 'big three' of social class, gender and race, as well as sexuality, age, religion and disability. Major themes will be explored with a predominantly British- and policy-related focus, although global divisions and inequalities will also be included for consideration.
10 credits - Welfare Politics and the State
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This unit introduces students to some of the material and theoretical concerns of social policy by focusing on the politics of 'welfare'. It is organised around unpacking common contemporary 'welfare myths' - e.g. 'the benefit scrounger', 'welfare tourism' and the need for austerity - by taking a long view of their articulation through history, exploring their ideological roots, examining policy responses and assessing the empirical evidence to support them. In doing so the unit also focuses on the policy making process, examining in particular issues of power in contemporary UK and the role of the media in perpetrating 'welfare myths'.
10 credits - SCS@UoS
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This 'zero credit module is designed to support students as they transition onto their degree programme in Sociological Studies (SCS) at the University of Sheffield (TUoS). In particular, it is designed to support student awareness of the high quality learning environment within which the programme aims and outcomes will be delivered. The module will introduce students to the notion of the Sheffield Graduate, and what it means to be a student at TUOS. Through a range of online activities and tutorials, it will induct and introduce them to the support services provided by the department and the University. Helping them to articulate their learning requirements, it signposts opportunities for personal, professional and peer support. In doing so, it will help to create a solid foundation for the distinct communities of learning that will help to sustain them throughout the course of their degree at Sheffield.
Optional modules include:
- Gender, Sexuality and Society
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This unit intends to address the following questions regarding gender and sexuality and their interaction with society: What do we mean by gender and sexuality? How do we do gender and sexuality? How do we see gender and sexuality? How do we control gender and sexuality?
10 credits - Introduction to Media and Communication in Society
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This module examines the relationship between media and society. It examines the nature of influence and persuasion, representation, ownership, and identity in contemporary media environments.
10 credits - Introduction to Comparative Politics
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This module examines the utility of the comparative approach to politics with a particular focus on democracies, dictatorships, and semi-democratic regimes. The key features of each regime type are considered and these are used to explain the nature of the comparative method, its strengths and weaknesses. This course also applies a comparative lens to processes such as democratisation, modernisation, and mobilisation. This course will draw on a wide range of examples from democratic, authoritarian, and semi-democratic countries.
20 credits - Philosophy of Science - Why Trust Science?
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Science plays an important role in modern society. We trust science on a day to day basis as we navigate our worlds. What is about science that makes it so trustworthy? Why is science a good guide for understanding the world? The aim of this half-module is to introduce some of the philosophical issues that arise in science and through reflecting on science. Most of the questions considered concern the epistemology of scientific knowledge and methodology: what are scientific theories, what counts as evidence for these theories, what is the relationship between observation and theory, is there a scientific method, what distinguishes science from other ways of understanding the world, and how does the social structure of science help or hinder science in studying the world. This module aims to introduce these questions as philosophical issues in their own right and within in the context of the history of the philosophy of science.
10 credits - Philosophy of Sex
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Sex is one of the most basic human motivators, of fundamental importance in many people's lives, and a topic of enormous moral, religious, and political contention. No surprise, then, that it turns out to be of great philosophical interest. We will discuss moral issues related to sex' asking when we might be right to judge a particular sex act to be morally problematic; and what political significance (if any) sex has. We will also discuss metaphysical issues, such as the surprisingly difficult questions of what exactly sex is and what a sexual orientation is. Throughout our study, we will draw both on philosophical sources and on up-to-date contemporary information.
10 credits - LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans* and Queer) Studies
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This module introduces students to study of genders and sexualities, and LGBTQ scholarship, both historical and contemporary. It examines genders and sexualities in society, culture, media, and their academic study, as well as contemporary issues of inequality affecting sexual minorities in different global contexts. The module is team taught by experts in different departments at the University of Sheffield, who will introduce students to a wide range of theoretical and methodological perspectives, such as philosophy, history, social sciences, psychology, evolutionary biology, education, cultural studies, and critical study of religion. The module is assessed by a coursework portfolio, where students answer a number of short questions on different topics in the syllabus.
10 credits - Climate Action
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Humans are altering the climate, with significant impacts on livelihoods, wellbeing, equality, and the environment across the globe. While international organisations and governments are crucial in mitigating and adapting to these threats, individual and small group collective action are also essential in creatively exploring how the necessary changes can be realistically and equitably implemented.
10 credits
This module uses the community linked to the University as a Living Lab. Focusing on one aspect of daily life in which there is potential for more mitigation or better adaptation, you will identify and plan an investigation or intervention (a 'project') to take a step towards more or better climate action. You will need to justify your choices by elaborating what you would consider success, how you would deliver it, as well as assessing the impact of its wider implementation. - Child Psychology
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This module explores the relationship between psychological theory and educational policy and practice, considering some of the ways in which Education and Local Authority services have been influenced by ideas about children developed in psychological research. Some of the core concepts of Psychology are introduced such as cognitive psychology (intelligence, language and learning), behaviourism (including modification techniques), social and emotional development (including family and attachment, trauma) as well as the study of individual differences (with reference to psychopathologies such as autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder).
20 credits - Popular Music Studies
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This module provides an introduction to the academic study of popular music. You will explore the various definitions of 'popular music' in relation to their socio-cultural context, and investigate some of the major issues and debates of popular music studies.
10 credits
Lecture materials and in-class tasks will engage with approaches to the analysis of popular music and media, issues of representation, and the relationship between popular musicians and their audiences. Assessments involve critical engagement with the themes of the module in relation to a popular music artist or piece of your choosing. - Philosophy of Religion
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This course will pose and try to answer philosophical questions about religion. These include questions about the nature of religion. For instance does being religious necessarily involve believing in the existence of a God or Gods? And is religious faith compatible with adherence to the scientific method? Other questions that the course will cover include questions about the theistic notion of God. Does the idea of an all-powerful being make sense? Is an all-knowing God compatible with human freedom? And is an all-powerful, all-knowing and perfectly good creator of the universe compatible with the existence of evil? Further questions concern God and morality. Is it true that if there is no God, then there is no right and wrong? The course will examine philosophical arguments for the existence of God, and question whether these arguments are sound.
10 credits - Death
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This module is mainly about death itself . What is death? What happens to us when we die? Could there be an afterlife? Would it be a good thing if there were? What is it about death that we dislike so much, or that makes it bad? Is it rational, or even possible to fear death? What is the right attitude towards our own death? Do we have moral duties towards the dead? The course will clarify these questions and attempt to answer them. Readings will be taken from both historical and contemporary sources.
10 credits - British Politics
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This module will introduce students to key concepts and debates in British politics through an examination of post-1976 British political history. Each lecture will take as its starting-point one day in recent British history and will describe what happened on that day and what happened as a result of that day. Each of the seminars will then follow that discussion: paying particular attention to concepts and ideas within the study of politics which can help us make sense of those events.
20 credits - Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics
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Whether you're a journalist writing stories for the public, or a social research analyst working in government, you need to be able to understand, use and present data. This 10 credit module aims to demystify data and encourage critical thinking on statistics; often wrongly used, and sometimes in very misleading ways. The module will equip you with the knowledge and skills you'll need to become a discerning data user, through engaging teaching, active learning and examples from the news media. The module is comprised of a mix of lectures and computer workshops and is assessed through a multiple choice exam.
10 credits - Ethics in Antiquity: East and West
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How should we live? What are the right values and principles by which we should guide our lives? What weight should we give to considerations of morality and justice? Are there fixed truths about these matters or are they just determined by choice or convention? Ethics is concerned with questions such as these. This course will engage with such questions by examining some important and influential texts from the ancient world, both Western and Eastern, including key writings by the Greek philosopher Plato and the Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi.
10 credits - Housing and Home
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Issues relating to housing, homes, streets and neighbourhoods that we live in are in the news every day. Whether this is over concerns about housing shortages, affordability, housing bubbles, 'generation rent', social housing, housing evictions, Covid lockdown, city-centre housing, DIY and 'grand designs', or debates about the domestic sphere, 'home as a haven', 'benefit streets', flooding and shack settlements, housing is often at the centre of social science research. This module aims to introduce students to this broad and diverse subject by drawing on the expertise of staff who research across these multiple themes. The module focuses on contemporary concerns, while maintaining an appreciation of the impact of historical trends (e.g. the Global Financial Crisis of 2007/8). The module will make use of cases from the UK and abroad to illustrate trends, arguments and challenges. The module introduced students to various concepts and debates relating to housing, as well as indicating the linkages to housing and urban policy.
10 credits - Cities and Inequality
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The main aim of Cities and Inequality is to introduce you to our urban condition in a global context, with particular attention to the multiple forms of inequality that pervade urban life. Drawing on a wide range of expertise within the Department, we will introduce you to a range of key issues in contemporary urban studies and help you to understand more about the roots of urban problems and questions of social differentiation and injustice in a range of global urban contexts. The course also aims to develop students' capacity for comparative urban analysis
10 credits
Core modules:
- Doing Qualitative Sociological Research
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Qualitative research still dominates sociological research and the skills and techniques that researchers use to generate qualitative data have numerous other applications in the work-place and beyond. In this inquiry-based module students will continue to develop their ability to collect, analyse, and present qualitative data by working on individual and team-based projects. Not only will they come up with their own research proposal for their Level Three dissertation - and go through the process of having it approved by a departmental committee. They will also utilise interview, ethnographic, and indirect data, to produce a 'research in progress' newsletter, and critically reflect on the process of doing qualitative research.
20 credits - Doing Quantitative Sociological Research
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This dynamic inquiry-based module will provide students with practical experience of conducting quantitative sociological research that has real-life application to the social world. Using the latest UK datasets provided by the Office for National Statistics, the module will develop students' experience of the realities of planning and conducting quantitative research, and allow them to develop their ability to communicate their findings in appropriate formats. There will be several hands-on workshops where students can develop and practice their skills in using SPSS.
20 credits - Sociological Theory and Analysis
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The aim of this module is to build on and develop students' understanding of Sociological theory, exploring its relevance to key themes and issues in contemporary society. The course will begin with an exploration of the work of modern social theorists such as Talcott Parsons and will conclude with a focus on contemporary theorists such as Donna Haraway. In order to foster student understanding of social theory, its aims and purposes, each theorists work will be applied to substantive issues in modern and contemporary society such as family formation, urbanisation, politics, and globalization. Overall, the module aims to provide students with a critical understanding of the importance and use of modern and contemporary social theory.
20 credits
Optional modules include:
- Crime, Justice and Social Policy
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This unit examines the variety of responses to crime that encompass the use of both crime policy and social policy. Crime policy responses encompass the use of the role of the police, courts and prisons. Alongside this is the social policy approach which includes health, housing, education, employment, youth and family as a means of crime reduction. The module seeks to demonstrate the criticism of 'traditional' crime policy-based responses to crime and the way in which social policy has emerged as an alternative way to tackle the so-called 'crime problem'. The module includes a consideration of theories of crimes which make competing arguments for the use of crime or social policy as a response; the role of criminologists in policy making; and the criminalisation of social policy as an unintended outcome.
20 credits - Digital Media and Social Change
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This module examines two key aspects of the relationship between digital media and social change. Firstly, it analyzes the large-scale social, economic, and political changes created by the Internet: including the new forms of participation that have been created as audiences become producers, as well as the new forms of surveillance and inequalities that are entangled with these developments. The second strand of Digital Media and Social Change examines purposeful activist uses of digital media to create social change, examining how new possibilities for participatory communication have been exploited by activists to contest inequalities: from influential social movements such as #BlackLivesMatter to environmental influencers on Youtube and Instagram. Students will be introduced to a range of core theoretical frameworks in order to understand, analyze, and evaluate the complex relationships between digital media and social change. In the process, they will have the opportuntity to develop critical skills in discussing and unpacking contemporary scholarship: offering vital scaffolding for final year dissertations.
20 credits - Dynamics of Social Change and Policy
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This unit adopts a 'sociological perspective on social policy' to provide a macro perspective on contemporary social and economic transformations in the UK and globally, with a particular emphasis on the challenges posed for social policy theory and practice, as well as the potential to imagine alternative social policy scenarios. Issues considered include: globalisation, neoliberalism, falling fertility and ageing societies, precarious labour markets and migration and mobility. The unit adopts a comparative and international / global perspective, variously emphasising not only the perspectives of International Organisations, but also the challenges faced by other types of welfare regimes.
20 credits - Sociology of Family: Continuity and Change
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Using a sociological and anthropological perspective this unit seeks to problematise the concept of 'family' as a natural and universal phenomenon. Rather, it underscores the need to explore the notion of the family as a social and historical construction and will achieve that by examining the diversity of family life in countries around the world. While acknowledging the impact of social change on different family constructions, it will also seek to show how some family structures remain the same, creating a situation where one society can have multiple family structures. In particular, it will focus on the role of the state in constructing the family and highlight the impact these different constructions of family life (and the changes they have undergone) have on particular individuals such as women, children and the elderly.
20 credits - Men, Feminism and Gender relations
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This unit provides a critical examination of the growing body of sociological and other literature concerned with men and masculinities. It will locate this growth of interest within the context of the feminist movement and subsequent writings/critiques of men and patriarchy. Significantly, the unit will connect to wider scholarship on gender relations, with topics and case studies including: men in sport, men and media, men and health/ well-being, men and feminism, as well as men and sexualities. Methodological and epistemological issues involved in the study of men and masculinities will also form part of this module.
20 credits - Social Problems: Policy and Practice
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This team taught unit adopts a 'sociological approach to social policy'. Drawing on current examples and comparative references, it explores social and ideological constructions of social problems and the role of the state and other agencies in responses to them. It explores key concepts and themes in social policy and practice such as inequality, justice and fairness; individual versus collective responsibility; and welfare versus social control. It focuses on major contemporary issues, including welfare and work; housing and homelessness; and community participation. The unit aims to equip students with the necessary critical perspective and skills to understand and explore social problems.
20 credits - Sociology of Media and Consumer Culture
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This module examines the relationship between media and consumer culture. It explores debates of audience research, influence, marketing, and advertising. Students will develop an understanding of media, consumer culture, and their wider impacts on society.
20 credits - Cities, Violence and Security
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Introduces students to key examples of violence, conflict and insecurity in urban contexts around the world. The course focuses on efforts to make better and safer places and seeks to develop student understanding of the political, economic and social drivers of human insecurity in urban settings. Examples of urban violence and crime, policing, forced evictions, domestic violence, terrorism, gangs and the rise of gated communities and other modes of design and control to produce securitised urban spaces are discussed and analysed in their effectiveness.
20 credits - The Sociology of Crime
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Crime, and processes of criminalisation, are major features of all societies. Since the 19th Century, sociologists have developed a range of criminological theories to explain 'criminality'. This module will review the historical development of a range of theoretical approaches to the study of crime; consider how sociologists have studied the primary institutions of social control such as the police and prisons; and examine the contribution of the sociology of crime to issues of contemporary significance
20 credits - Understanding 'Race' and Migration
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This module explores the meaning of 'race' and migration in various social and political contexts. It aims to develop an in-depth understanding of sociological theories of 'race', racism and migration through an exploration of the development of 'race' as an ideology, as a concept influenced by history and politics, and through its relevance in the contemporary context. The module examines how ideas about race and migration help to shape and determine social and political relations. It also explores the role of race and migration as major sources of social divisions and how racism operates in the reproduction of structural inequalities. These issues are explored through sociological theory, as well as policy and practice areas such as theories of racialised identities, immigration regimes, education and criminal justice.
20 credits - Theory of Knowledge
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The aim of the course is to provide an introduction to philosophical issues surrounding the knowledge. We will be concerned with the nature and extent of knowledge. How must a believer be related to the world in order to know that something is the case? Can knowledge be analysed in terms of more basic notions? Must our beliefs be structured in a certain way if they are to be knowledge? In considering these questions we will look at various sceptical arguments that suggest that the extent of knowledge is much less than we suppose. And we will look at the various faculties of knowledge: perception, memory, introspection, and testimony.
20 credits - Feminism
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Feminists have famously claimed that the personal is political. This module takes up various topics with that methodological idea in mind: the family, cultural critique, language. We examine feminist methodologies - how these topics might be addressed by a feminism that is inclusive of all women - and also turn attention to social structures within which personal choices are made - capitalism, and climate crisis .
20 credits - Children and Digital Cultures
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Digital technology has transformed the lives of many, impacting on culture and society. Many young people have quickly seen ways of extending and deepening social networks through their uses of technology, and immersed themselves in Virtual Worlds, Facebook etc and enjoyed browsing on shopping sites. This module examines new technologies and associated social practices impacting on children's lives, considering the nature of new digital practices and how these affect identity, society and culture. Educational implications of new technologies is a developing field of research and students will engage critically with debates within the field alongside examining websites and new practices.
20 credits - Solidarity: Politics, Law, and Society across the Globe
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In this interdisciplinary module, we explore how solidarity has been understood, practised, and contested across the globe. From Cuban solidarity for African liberation struggles to cross-species solidarity in climate activism today, we explore the possibilities of solidarity in action. In doing so, we will look at the wide-ranging impact that solidarity has had from individual survival to regime change. Taking a critical approach to the topic, we will also explore situations in which acts of solidarity can amplify forms of exclusion and injustice.
20 credits - Sociology of the Body
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This module examines the cultural and societal impact we have on bodies, and they have on us. In the social world we are understood first through our bodies, and this can have an impact on everything from our opportunities for employment to our access to medical care. During this module you will explore the social construction of the body and the ways it is controlled and experienced in contemporary society. You will also develop an understanding of some of the social factors that can shape bodily experience and identity such as racialisation, gender, ageing, weight, medicalisation, and representation.
20 credits
Module Aims:
To introduce students to key theoretical approaches to the sociology of the body.
To develop students' understanding of the social construction of the body.
To critically explore social factors that can impact the body and identity.
To explore how our bodies intersect with our multiple social identities.
To encourage students to create a social justice focused framework for understanding the marginalised body in contemporary society. - In Sickness and in Health: The Sociology of Medicine
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Covid conspiracies and care home crises. AIDS activism and autism advocacy. Questions relating to health and illness are amongst the most crucial facing us today and, from before we're born until the moment we die, we are profoundly shaped by our engagements with medicine. In this module we will examine the ways in which our bodies, minds, and societies are formed through our engagements with, and understandings of, health, illness, and medicine. We will explore intersecting inequalities in healthcare provision; patients' experiences of ill health and activists' fight for recognition; contemporary health crises; and the COVID pandemic. And we will use these critical examples in order to develop a nuanced understanding of the role of health, illness, and medicine within contemporary society.
20 credits
Core modules:
- Dissertation in Sociology
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The dissertation module gives students the opportunity, in the context of an original piece of empirical research (or analysis of secondary data) on a topic of their own choosing, to undertake an independent study with the support from a dissertation supervisor, plenary teaching and resources on MOLE. This will enable students to draw upon and develop both their knowledge and their thinking, to demonstrate their understanding of and ability to integrate both the conceptual and research methods foundations laid in the earlier part of the programme, and to undertake a critical analysis of a topic relevant to sociology.
40 credits - The Value of Sociology
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This module builds on the subject-specific knowledge and skills that students have acquired at levels 1 and 2. Students will have the opportunity to reflect on both the value of Sociology as a discipline and the value of their degree programme overall. A critical assessment of the state of the discipline will be explored through a series of lectures delivered by a range of lecturers, leading to a series of workshop-type seminars in which students will reflect on the usefulness of what they have learned during their degree and how to communicate this to an external audience. Students will develop enterprise skills within the context of the discipline they are studying and enhance their understanding of the inter-connection between Sociology, the skills they have developed and their application in the wider world.
20 credits
Optional modules include:
- Digital Health
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This module looks at the social implications of digital technologies in health, considering what these mean for our experiences of health and illness as patients and as citizens, for the work of health care professionals, and for the provision of health care. The module will consider a range of contemporary areas such as self-tracking and gamifying health, telemedicine and care at a distance, health information on the net, electronic patient records, illness death and dying on the web, and health activism and online patient groups. Drawing across these, the module will consider questions about changing representations and cultures of health and illness, whether we can all be medical experts now, who has responsibility for health, how we relate to health care professionals, the commodification of health data and the relative benefits for state and industry.
20 credits - Digital Identities
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This module explores how identities are being reimagined in a digital age. It provides students with an in-depth understanding of internet and social media technologies' roles in people's identity negotiations, the relationship between digital media and social life, and offers theoretical grounding for students to critically assess their own digital identities. It reviews debates about identity formations from the earliest digital media moments while also considering contemporary concerns like: identity concealment on social media platforms; a phenomenon called 'content moderation' (to ask which digital identities are not allowed); and the extent to which digital media users can (and want to) enact 'authentic' identities. But the module also asks why people might disconnect from digital technologies altogether, as these choices - especially in areas with high levels of internet and smartphone uptake - form a key part of who a person is and how they live their lives.
20 credits - Intimacy and Personal Relationships
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The module explores approaches to theorising and studying intimacy and personal relationships. Beginning with the Individualisation thesis and its critics, the module will go on to explore recent moves towards conceptualising personal relationships in terms of embeddedness, relationality, intimacy and linked lives. Students will also explore a range of substantive topics within the field including memory, genealogy, material culture and home, marriage and sexuality, responsibility and care, and friendship.
20 credits - Organised Crime & Illicit Markets
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The unit is an introduction to students to the growing field of organised crime studies. By focusing on an exploration of the primary literature concerning historical and contemporary developments in organised crime, students will be equipped to engage with sociological debates surrounding the development of this type of criminality, particularly its (alleged) increasingly transnational nature over the past two decades. In particular the unit will explore how governments and law enforcement agencies have tried to respond to this type of crime and will present a range of case studies specific to illicit marketplaces. The unit will also explore the role of the media and the influence of popular culture on the way organised crime is defined and understood.
20 credits - Perspectives on inequalities
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This module is co-taught with local agency, community and family members. It asks students to think about the everyday experiences of inequality. It explores some of the core theoretical frameworks for interrogating inequality, and then explores everyday reality to apply the theories and concepts. The involvement of practitioners, community members and families means that the module is interactive and requires full attendance, in order to ensure a respectful experience for external contributors.
20 credits - Queer Identities in the Media
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This module introduces queer theory and discusses the role of different media for how gender and sexuality are constructed, represented and expressed. We will trace activist and academic origins of the word 'queer' and explore queer (self-)representations in mainstream and alternative media such as newspapers, films, zines, blogs, social media and dating apps. We will also look into how those representations promote or challenge the binaries of male versus female, masculine versus feminine, and heterosexual versus homosexual as well as how they travel around the world and promote particular understandings of gender and sexuality transnationally.
20 credits - Sociology of Evil
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Despite the increasing secularisation and rationalisation of society, evil is still an all too familiar term. For some it invokes images of devils, demons and witches, for others criminals, terrorists and murderers, whilst debates on the 'social evils' of poverty, prostitution and alcohol are continually recycled for each generation. This module aims to introduce students to a sociological approach to evil by asking them to develop their own innovative case-studies of evil in combination with published research. They will be asked to: explore the ontology of evil; examine how evil is explained and accounted for; investigate the consequences of evil; develop an understanding concerning the representation of evil and assess the aetiological precedents for that representation; and, ultimately, critically determine the role evil has within society.
20 credits - Whiteness, Power and Privilege
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This unit explores the importance of studying whiteness in order to understand racism as a system of power relationships. It explains why the construction of whiteness has become a key focus in debates about race and ethnicity and examines critically some of the key themes to emerge in this field of study. This includes exploring the historical origins of 'white studies' and assessing representations of whiteness in literary and visual culture. It also includes exploring the racialised, classed and gendered boundaries of whiteness by examining, for example, the socially and politically constructed categories of 'white trash' and the 'chav'.
20 credits - Protest, Movements and Social Change
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The unit is an introduction to the study of the ways in which protest and social movements drive social change. The unit will take an historical overview, tracing the development of theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of social movements, matched with historical and contemporary case studies of movements from around the world. By focusing on what function movements play in society, as well as how they have been studied, students will be equipped with the tools to both analyse movements, and engage with sociological debates surrounding larger questions of inequality, identity, democracy and social justice.
20 credits - Children, Families and Welfare States
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This module examines welfare state support and services for children, parents and families, informed by sociological and social policy theories, concepts and research. Adopting a comparative approach, the module critically reviews different approaches to, and configurations of, welfare state support and services for children, parents and families across the UK and Western/Northern European welfare states. Four policy and provision domains are examined, namely cash support for children and families; childcare and early years' services; parental leave and work-family balance policies; and child welfare and family support services.
20 credits - Digital Marketing and Consumer Culture
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This module examines sociological perspectives on digital marketing and their broader impacts on consumer culture. It situates the emergence of data-driven marketing within a broader social history of marketing practices and discourses. Students will learn to critically understand the social implications and power dynamics of digital marketing and their impacts on everyday life..
20 credits - Algorithms, AI and Society
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Algorithmic systems, AI, machine learning and other data-driven technologies are transforming society. They are having wide-ranging effects, including some benefits, but they are far from straightforward. Their use results in harms as well as benefits, and algorithmic systems and AI feed into and are fed into by inequalities. This module critically interrogates claims that AI, automation and algorithms will simply lead to a better society. It explores the negative effects of related change and the ways in which algorithmic and AI systems are not experienced equally by all. It reviews theoretical literature on AI-in-society and on algorithmic culture, and focuses on high profile accounts of their social consequences, for example in education, welfare, social care, big tech and the media.
20 credits - Sex Work: Rights, Regulation and Resistance
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This module draws on a large and growing body of international scholarship to introduce students to the complexities and diverse realities of sex work. It will equip students with a sound understanding of a whole range of theories and concepts that help to make sense of the social, cultural, and legal dimensions of sex work. It will explore the various sex markets; gendered differences in the buying and selling of sex; violence, exploitation and trafficking; sex worker-led activism and resistance; and the regulatory models used across the globe to govern sex industries. In so doing, the module uses sex work as an entry point to consider key sociological and criminological debates concerning structure and agency, social justice, and race, gender, migration and class.
20 credits - Feminist and Queer Studies in Religion, Global Perspectives
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This module applies feminism, queer studies and trans philosophy in analysis of genders and sexualities in religious traditions and cultures around the world. We will examine deities and goddesses, gendered language in religions, cisheteropatriarchy, and LGBTQIA life in e.g. Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam, as well as in Chinese, and Japanese cultures. We will discuss genders, rituals, spirituality, sexual practices, procreation, abstinence, and asexuality, reading a range of feminist, queer and trans philosophical works, and texts ranging from the Kama Sutra to Confucius and the Vatican documents, Scriptures, and empirical research. Assignments allow students in Philosophy, Humanities, and Social Sciences develop their expertise using their preferred methods and topics, on religions of their choice.
20 credits - Global Justice
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What are the demands of justice at the global level? On this module we will examine this question from the perspective of analytic Anglo-American political philosophy. We will start by looking at some debates about the nature of global justice, such as whether justice demands the eradication of global inequalities. We will then turn to various questions of justice that arise at the global level, potentially including: how jurisdiction over territory might be justified; whether states have a right to exclude would-be immigrants; whether reparations are owed for past international injustices such as colonialism; and how to identify responsibilities for combatting global injustice.
20 credits - Global Data Industries
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This module focuses on the global data industries, the rise of which has been accentuated by the growth of the digital economy. Platforms and digital technology corporations now double up as the data industries, especially with their focus on data accumulation, storage, management and governance. Similarly, the emergence of data annotation and labelling firms in countries in the Global South, the rise of data centres across countries, and the emergence of governance frameworks that enable or regulate these industries make them important entities to be studied. Students will acquire an understanding of datafication, its infrastructural and commercial dimensions, all of which undergird the development of the data industries. Students will be able to critically analyse the experiences of human labour and work, as well as sustainability in the context of the data industries in diverse contexts. Finally, students will be able to comprehend policy, governance and regulatory developments in relation to these industries.
20 credits - Race, technology and digital media
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The relationship between technology, digital media and ideas of 'race' is far from straightforward. Unpicking it requires us to interrogate how and why technologies are designed. It also compels us to ask how, and with what effect, race and racial difference are depicted in contemporary representational media. In this broad ranging module, we place an emphasis on literature from sociology, critical media and Science and Technology Studies and situate highly contemporary examples in a longer history of the race/technology interface. Students will be equipped with the critical tools to consider how, why and with what consequence race becomes enfolded into the technologies and media that comprise our everyday lives.
20 credits - Reimagining Care: Families, Services and Policies
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The need for care has never been greater. An increasing number of people made vulnerable by experiences of disability, old age, or family circumstances, rely on care and support provided by social care services or family and friends to ensure their wellbeing and their inclusion in daily life. Despite this, we are surrounded by narratives of social care systems in crisis, including the bankruptcy of local authority providers, chronic care worker staffing shortages, poor outcomes for service users and for carers, and so on, with a seeming lack of political imagination or will with which to address this. At the same time we are witnessing changes in the nature of care, with increasing opportunities provided by new technologies. In this module, we ask why this is the case, and consider evidence-based solutions to these crises.
20 credits
To do so, this module draws on the ongoing research of the ESRC Centre for Care, hosted at the University of Sheffield, to consider a series of issues and contexts drawn from our own research, practice and personal experiences, and covering the breadth of children's and adults' care, and including a lifecourse and intergenerational perspective. Across these examples, we will explore the varied care needs and experiences of people with physical disabilities or learning difficulties, vulnerable children, and older people supported at home or in residential care. We will also explore the roles and experiences of those who provide care and support in the form of family carers and the paid care workforce. This will engage with gendered and ethnic inequalities in care provision. We will also engage with key sociological and policy debates, including questions of the meaning of 'care', funding and affordability, and the mixed economy of care provision, and by doing so imagine policy alternatives. - Democracy and Citizenship: Dilemmas and Tensions
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This module explores how a geographical approach helps us to analyse issues such as controversial election results, divisive immigration policies, and contentious social activism. The two key concepts of democracy and citizenship are used to engage with contemporary debates and theories to draw out the links between geography, policy and society, and the ways in which these are shaped and responded to by citizens, communities, civil society, and political parties. The module emphasises the critical appraisal and interpretation of a variety of perspectives - including our own. Particular attention is paid to the ways in which these interactions are played out across and through multiple scales, from the global to our everyday lives.
20 credits
The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.
Learning and assessment
Learning
You'll learn through a mix of interactive lectures, seminars and workshops, with time for independent study. You’ll experience learning in small and large groups, with opportunities to work independently and with your peers to develop your ability to work in different environments.
At Sheffield, you'll be taught by our academic staff, who are at the leading edge of critical sociology. Our staff are recognised as world-leading experts in areas such as migration, gender, digital society & health and ageing, and our teaching reflects this research expertise.
Assessment
You'll be assessed through a combination of coursework and exams. Coursework may include:
- Essays
- Policy analysis
- Creating websites
- Writing blogs
- Producing podcasts, vlogs and online zines.
Our assessments ensure that you develop key skills to prepare you for the world of employment after your studies, such as communication, problem solving, critical thinking, digital literacy, group work and independence.
Programme specification
This tells you the aims and learning outcomes of this course and how these will be achieved and assessed.
Entry requirements
With Access Sheffield, you could qualify for additional consideration or an alternative offer - find out if you're eligible.
The A Level entry requirements for this course are:
ABB
- A Levels + a fourth Level 3 qualification
- BBB + B in the EPQ
- International Baccalaureate
- 33
- BTEC Extended Diploma
- DDD in a relevant subject
- BTEC Diploma
- DD in a relevant subject + B at A Level
- Scottish Highers
- AAABB
- Welsh Baccalaureate + 2 A Levels
- B + AB at A Level
- Access to HE Diploma
- Award of Access to HE Diploma in a relevant subject, with 45 credits at Level 3, including 30 at Distinction and 15 at Merit
The A Level entry requirements for this course are:
BBB
- A Levels + a fourth Level 3 qualification
- BBB + B in the EPQ
- International Baccalaureate
- 32
- BTEC Extended Diploma
- DDM in a relevant subject
- BTEC Diploma
- DD in a relevant subject + B at A Level
- Scottish Highers
- AABBB
- Welsh Baccalaureate + 2 A Levels
- B + BB at A Level
- Access to HE Diploma
- Award of Access to HE Diploma in a relevant subject, with 45 credits at Level 3, including 24 at Distinction and 21 at Merit
You must demonstrate that your English is good enough for you to successfully complete your course. For this course, we require: GCSE English Language at grade 4/C; IELTS grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component; or an alternative acceptable English language qualification
Equivalent English language qualifications
Visa and immigration requirements
Other qualifications | UK and EU/international
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the school/department.
Graduate careers
Department of Sociological Studies
Our graduates work in a range of sectors including broadcasting, the police service, teaching and social work. They are also employed in local government, the civil service, charity and campaign organisations and market research.
Some have carried out graduate training with national and international companies, and are employed around the world. Many go on to masters courses in sociology and social policy and other areas such as human resources.
You could pursue a career in marketing, communications and PR, or work in museums, theatres or charitable organisations.
Department of Sociological Studies
UK undergraduates, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020-21
Five reasons to study at the Department of Sociological Studies
- Tackle contemporary challenges - our course is designed to engage with and discuss society’s big challenges and our staff will bring their research expertise to your learning
- Develop your own expertise - our wide range of optional modules means you can develop your own research interests, crafting your degree to match your interests
- Comprehensive support - feel supported throughout your whole University journey and beyond, with a wide range of support available, including academic tutors and dedicated support services
- Diverse and interactive teaching - our mix of teaching formats means you’ll be engaged in a variety of ways throughout your course, helping you to learn in new and innovative ways
- Be career confident - our diverse assessments ensure that you develop the key skills you will need for the world of work. You’ll also have opportunities to build your work experience with placements and other employability opportunities
Our interdisciplinary approach brings sociologists, criminologists, social policy analysts, digital media scholars and social workers together under one roof.
Our staff are experts in their field and work with organisations in the UK and worldwide to address society’s major challenges, and in doing so they bring fresh perspectives to your studies. They'll give you the advice and support you need to excel in your subject.
Department staff also play key roles in the Faculty of Social Science's Digital Society Network (DSN), an active group of researchers working on all aspects of digital-society relations. The DSN hosts events and activities to stimulate and support research in this area.
Our courses develop students who are socially aware, with strong analytical skills and a flair for approaching problems in new ways. You'll become skilled at research and bring your own insights to key issues that affect our lives. In your third year, specialist modules allow you to investigate current thinking on a wide range of topics. You'll learn about the latest research from subject experts and explore your ideas in workshop-style sessions.
Department of Sociological Studies students are based in the world-class Faculty of Social Sciences building, The Wave. It features state-of-the-art collaborative lecture theatres, study spaces and seminar rooms. Teaching may also be timetabled to take place within other departments or central teaching space. If you want to have a closer look, check out our 360 degree tour.
All the University buildings are close together, so it’s easy to get around. The University Sports Centre is just over the road and accommodation, the Information Commons library and the award-winning Students’ Union are all within easy walking distance.
Department of Sociological StudiesUniversity rankings
Number one in the Russell Group
National Student Survey 2024 (based on aggregate responses)
92 per cent of our research is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent
Research Excellence Framework 2021
University of the Year and best for Student Life
Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024
Number one Students' Union in the UK
Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024, 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017
Number one for Students' Union
StudentCrowd 2024 University Awards
A top 20 university targeted by employers
The Graduate Market in 2023, High Fliers report
A top-100 university: 12th in the UK and 98th in the world
Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025
Fees and funding
Fees
Additional costs
The annual fee for your course includes a number of items in addition to your tuition. If an item or activity is classed as a compulsory element for your course, it will normally be included in your tuition fee. There are also other costs which you may need to consider.
Funding your study
Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a bursary, scholarship or loan to help fund your study and enhance your learning experience.
Use our Student Funding Calculator to work out what you’re eligible for.
Placements and study abroad
Placement
Study abroad
Visit
University open days
We host five open days each year, usually in June, July, September, October and November. You can talk to staff and students, tour the campus and see inside the accommodation.
Subject tasters
If you’re considering your post-16 options, our interactive subject tasters are for you. There are a wide range of subjects to choose from and you can attend sessions online or on campus.
Offer holder days
If you've received an offer to study with us, we'll invite you to one of our offer holder days, which take place between February and April. These open days have a strong department focus and give you the chance to really explore student life here, even if you've visited us before.
Campus tours
Our weekly guided tours show you what Sheffield has to offer - both on campus and beyond. You can extend your visit with tours of our city, accommodation or sport facilities.
Apply
Contact us
- Telephone
- +44 114 222 6402
- sociologicalstudies-admissions@sheffield.ac.uk
The awarding body for this course is the University of Sheffield.
Recognition of professional qualifications: from 1 January 2021, in order to have any UK professional qualifications recognised for work in an EU country across a number of regulated and other professions you need to apply to the host country for recognition. Read information from the UK government and the EU Regulated Professions Database.
Any supervisors and research areas listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.