Sociology - BA (Hons)

University of Nottingham

In a changing world, understanding power helps us make sense of what’s happening around us. Sociology shows how people and social institutions shape society and how they can work to change it for the better. Our BA Sociology degree encourages you to investigate key debates in sociology, social policy and interdisciplinary research. This will enable you to analyse contemporary society and question what others take for granted. You’ll have the opportunity to study topics such as race, gender, class, migration, social media and cults. We’ll then explore how these intersect with everyday life, policy and protest. At the heart of this course is what matters most to our students. We listened to the ideas and themes they wanted to explore and have woven them into our teaching, so your studies will connect with the real‑world issues that feel most relevant. Whether you’re drawn to questions of social inequality, decolonisation or the ecological crisis, studying at Nottingham will help you make sense of the world and consider how positive change can happen. We not only asked our students what they wanted to study, but also how they wanted to be assessed. This means you will have the opportunity to present your work in a variety of ways. Alongside traditional essays, exams and presentations, you’ll have the opportunity to create policy briefs and digital projects such as a mini-documentary, blogs, wikis or vlogs. This allows you to work in ways that best suit you while building digital and communication skills you’ll need after graduation. Studying sociology can open careers in many different fields such as policy, social research, education and NGOs. Your future matters to us and we will help you develop employability skills alongside your academic studies. We’ve worked with employers to understand the skills they’re looking for and designed this course to help you build them, from research and presentation skills to leadership and teamwork. You’ll also have the chance to develop your employability further through work placement and study abroad opportunities.

* Study abroad opportunities in locations such as the Netherlands, Singapore or the USA. * Gain experience during term-time through our Faculty Placement Programme (https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/social-sciences/study/placements/index.aspx) * Peer mentoring scheme to help you settle into university life and your new studies.

* We’re ranked 13th in UK for Sociology (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 - https://www.thetimes.com/uk-university-rankings/league-table). * 95.6% of sociology and criminology graduates were in sustained employment, further study or both three years after graduation, ranking Nottingham 1st in the Russell Group (LEO data from 2022/23 tax year, sociology, social policy and anthropology category, published in 2025).