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Politics and Sociology BA

3-4 years

How does the political world shape the social order? It’s an immense question. But in this degree, you’ll learn how to break it down into usable parts by studying politics and sociology side by side.
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Politics and Sociology BA, 3-4 years

How does the political world shape the social order? It’s an immense question. But in this degree, you’ll learn how to break it down into usable parts by studying politics and sociology side by side.

Start date:

2025

Course information

Typical offer ABB-BBB

UCAS code LL23

International fee £19,700

Institute code L34

Taught by Politics and International Relations

Politics and International Relations website

Course description

Course description

Politics has been taught at Leicester since the 1940s and we have always been at the cutting edge of British political science. We were one of the first Sociology departments to be established in the UK, and we now have an international reputation, a wealth of experience in teaching and an enviable research pedigree.

Politics and Sociology are intrinsically linked as politics and policies often seek to address social issues. Over the course of your degree you will explore these links and be challenged to look at the world through new political and sociological perspective. You will also gain an understanding of the key aspects of political systems, both here in the UK and further afield.

There is no better city than Leicester to explore fundamental sociological concepts such as ethnicity, migration and social class. With a range of vibrant and diverse communities including Narborough Road, “the most diverse street in Britain”, Leicester offers the perfect environment to develop your craft via observation, participation and guided reflection.

The first year of your degree ensures that you get a thorough understanding of the main areas of both politics and sociology. In your second and third years you will have more flexibility to shape the course of your degree through the huge variety of option modules that you will be able to choose from. These option modules reflect the research interests of academic staff, exposing students to the latest thinking. Our staff are engaged in cutting-edge research and we believe that good teaching flourishes in an intellectual environment informed by original research.

The development of transferable skills is a key feature of teaching here at Leicester. Our courses are designed to improve your skills in written communications, oral presentation, working as part of a team, independent learning, problem solving and information technology.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

  • A/AS Levels: ABB-BBB. All subjects accepted. Two AS-levels considered in place of one A-level.
  • EPQ with A-levels: BBB-BBC + EPQ at grade B.
  • Access to HE Diploma: Pass diploma with 45 credits at Level 3, including 24 credits at Distinction.
  • International Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma with 28 points overall.
  • BTEC Nationals: Full Diploma with DDM.
  • T Levels: Merit in Management and Administration. Other subjects may be considered.

Other official national and international qualifications considered from across the world. You can review some of the qualifications we accept on our countries page and English Language equivalencies.

If your qualification or country is not listed, please contact us for more information, including the name and result of the qualification you have studied.

Second year entry may be possible with suitable qualifications.

Contextual offers

The University of Leicester is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all applicants from all backgrounds. We make contextual offers to support students who may be impacted by the area they live in, their personal circumstances or who have completed one of our progression programmes. These offers are usually one or two grades lower than the standard entry requirements. To qualify for a contextual offer, you must apply for an eligible course and meet specific criteria – check if you’re eligible.

Selection Process

When considering your application, we will look for evidence that you will be able to fulfil the objectives of the course and achieve the standards required. We will take into account a range of factors including previous exam results.

Applicants are not normally interviewed. If you receive an offer you will be invited to visit the University.

English Language Requirements

IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.

International Qualifications

Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.

Countries list

Fees and funding

Fees and funding

UK Students

Starting in 2025

Tuition fees for 2025/26 are yet to be confirmed. As an indication of what you might pay, the fees for students who started in 2024/25 were:

  • £9,250 in your first year. Tuition fees are subject to government regulations and may change in future years
  • Year Abroad: your fee will be £1,385 for that year

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

International Students

Starting in 2025

  • £19,700 per year
  • Year Abroad: £4,925 which is 25% of the full-time tuition fee

If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.

If you are an EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme, you may qualify for the UK fee (subject to criteria).

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

Accreditation

Accreditation

Careers and employability

Careers and employability

Our degrees provide you with the transferable skills to equip you for a wide range of careers, including government, the media, education, administration, and management in industry and commerce.

Our careers and employability tutors support and facilitate your academic, professional and personal development. They will help you to make an informed choice, provide help and advice on employability, and send you information on potentially interesting traineeships and vacancies.

You can use your own work experience as a focus for your year 3 research project, providing a more reflexive approach to thinking about future careers.

The 'Parliamentary Studies' module is approved and co-taught by staff at the Houses of Parliament and has the support of The Speaker and the Clerk of the House in the House of Commons, and the Lord Speaker and the Clerk of the Parliaments in the House of Lords. Included in this module is an opportunity to visit Parliament.

Graduate destinations

Graduates from our Politics degrees have gone on to work for a wide range of employers including:

  • BNP Paribas
  • HSBC
  • Credit Agricole
  • Applus Aerospace
  • Spottydog Communications

Tom chose to study Politics at Leicester because he loved the city.

Careers and Employability Service


Get career-ready at Leicester with guidance from our award-winning Careers and Employability Service. We're here to give you a lifetime offer of support, even after graduation. Our team of specialist careers advisers and mentors will help you every step of the way. From supporting you with CVs and interviews, to volunteering opportunities and placements, we're here to help you reach your professional goals.

Related courses

Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals

We are committed to providing skills and knowledge to help prepare you tackle global challenges. We have mapped our undergraduate degrees for learning which aligns to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

This degree includes learning which relates to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

Find out more about the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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Course structure

Year 1

Year 1

During your first year you will split your time equally between Politics and Sociology to ensure that you get a solid grounding in both subjects.

Core modules

Option modules

Choose two option modules from:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Year 2

Year 2

In your second year, you will have the flexibility to choose the majority of your own modules so that you can delve deeper into the areas of Politics and Sociology that interest you the most. 

Option modules

Choose four option modules from:

Choose four option modules (if you plan to follow the Sociology pathway) or two option modules (if you plan to follow the Politics pathway) from:

If you plan to follow the Politics pathway, you will also take {PL2095}.

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Year Abroad (optional)

Year Abroad (optional)

We’ll make sure you have everything you need for your future career: not just by awarding you a high quality degree, but also by helping you to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to make your mark in the world as a Citizen of Change. One way you can do this is by opting to take a Year Abroad between Years 2 and 3 of your degree.

Studying abroad is not just for people who are interested in travelling and meeting new people. It is about acquiring life skills that are becoming increasingly significant for a wide range of jobs in our modern globalised society. Whether you go on to a career in the private, public or third sector - or plough your own furrow as an entrepreneur – you will find the experience invaluable.

For more information, including a list of destinations, please visit our Study Abroad website.

Please note

  • A year spent abroad still incurs a tuition fee, but this is much lower than for a normal year at Leicester. See the Fees and Funding tab of this page for details.
  • You may be eligible for a travel grant from Student Finance England.
  • Places are offered on a competitive basis, and eligibility is dependent on your academic performance in Years 1 and 2.
  • Language courses, at beginners or advanced level, are available through our Languages at Leicester scheme.

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Final Year (Sociology pathway)

Final Year (Sociology pathway)

In your final year, half of your time will be spent studying politics and the other half sociology. You will be able to choose from a wide range of modules in these subjects.

Core module

Option modules

Choose three option modules from:

Then choose three option modules from:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Final Year (Politics pathway)

Final Year (Politics pathway)

In your final year, half of your time will be spent studying politics and the other half sociology. You will be able to choose from a wide range of modules in these subjects.

Core module

Option modules

Choose three option modules from:

Then choose two option modules from:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Why Leicester?

Load the video related to: Politics and International Relations at Leicester

Politics and International Relations at Leicester

A diverse university in an international city, Marija found Leicester the ideal place to study.

The academic staff in the department have written or edited dozens of books and publish regularly in major national and international journals. Where other people only get to read what our experts think, you will be working directly with them, learning from them in lectures and questioning them in seminars.

Guest speakers who have visited the University to discuss their lives in politics including MPS, members of the House of Lords, MEPs, members of the US Congress, officials working in UK and EU institutions, diplomats and senior personnel from the armed forces.

Teaching and learning

Teaching

You will normally be taught through lectures and small group seminars. We use the latest teaching resources, such as the Blackboard virtual learning environment where students can access support materials for all our modules. As well as traditional lectures and seminars, you will work in small groups, take part in debates and simulation exercises, and undertake a research project of your choice in your final year.

Assessment

You will be assessed through both written exam and assessed essay.

You will have regular meetings with your personal tutor to discuss progress in your studies. Your personal tutor will also provide a sympathetic ear for all matters of personal concern, whether they be academic, financial, housing, career or social issues.

Independent learning

When not attending lectures, seminars or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. To help with your independent learning, you can access the Library and our social study spaces in halls of residence.

Your contact hours will depend on the option modules you select. You can see details of the contact hours on individual module pages.

Academic support

Our Centre for Academic Achievement provides help in the following areas:

  • study and exam skills
  • academic writing
  • presentations
  • dissertations
  • numerical data skills
  • referencing sources

Our AccessAbility Centre offers support and practical help for students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties, including physical, mental health or mobility difficulties, deafness, or visual impairment.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. PhD research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader. Our teaching is informed by the research we do. You can learn more about our staff by visiting our staff profiles.

Apply now

Course Qualification Duration UCAS Code Availability
Course Politics and Sociology Qualification BA Duration 3 years full-time UCAS Code LL23 Availability How to apply
Course Politics and Sociology with Year Abroad Qualification BA Duration 4 year full-time UCAS Code LL23 Availability How to apply

Data about this course

The course challenges your beliefs, forces you to think critically, and makes you more open-minded.

Marija

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