Sociology BA
3 years
Sociology examines how humans interact in society, exploring global cultures, identities, inequalities and the complexities of modern life.
Course information
Typical offer BBB
UK fee £9,535
UCAS code L300
International fee £19,700
Institute code L34
Taught by Sociology
14th in the UK for student experience in Sociology (The Times Good University Guide 2025)
Course description
Course description
Leicester’s vibrant and diverse communities – including Narborough Road, “the most diverse street in Britain” – make it the ideal place to explore core sociological themes such as ethnicity, migration, social class and inequality. Here, you will build your sociological skills through hands-on observation, active participation and guided reflection.
Our BA Sociology course focuses on the issues that matter most to aspiring sociologists. You will engage with modules such as:
- Power, privilege and diversity: Explore how power and privilege create and maintain social inequality.
- Education and social justice: Analyse education’s role in promoting or limiting social justice.
- Race, ethnicity and racisms in Britain: Explore how race, identity and racism impact British society.
- Gender and society: Analyse gender roles, expectations, and their effects on society.
- Sociology of health and illness: Study health, well-being and social care.
You’ll also have the opportunity to explore specialist areas including:
- Youth, young adulthood and society: Understand transitions and experiences of young people.
- International migration: Examine migration patterns and its role in citizenship.
- Drugs and society: Analyse substance use, its impact on families, crime and public health.
- Sociology through literature and film: Investigate class, race and gender through cultural texts.
Our creative, practice-based approach means you will learn by doing through fieldwork, community research and innovative projects. You can present your findings using film, comics or digital media, making your learning both practical and creative. Most importantly, you will join a welcoming and supportive community, with access to a dedicated building, open office hours, a helpful student support adviser, a supportive weekly helpdesk and vibrant social study spaces to ensure you always feel connected and supported.
Sociology at Leicester is ranked 1st in the UK for research in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF2021), according to analysis by Times Higher Education. We are internationally renowned for our teaching and pioneering research, with expertise spanning race, childhood, activism, sustainability, and health. We foster a diverse and supportive environment where you are empowered to thrive. We were also ranked 14th in the UK for student experience in Sociology (The Times Good University Guide 2025), offering you the opportunity to study in an inclusive and engaging community.
Our flexible degree structure lets you shape your studies around your interests and career goals. From your first year, you will have a high level of control over your assignments and learning journey. You can choose a traditional dissertation, a creative research project or a study abroad experience, all with support from expert academics.
For your dissertation, you decide how to present your research, such as a written report or a film. In modules such as youth and drugs, you pick your own topics and apply key concepts. As you move through the course, you gain more independence and learn how to communicate your work in ways that best suit your audience. This builds your confidence and project management skills, which are valuable for your career.
Throughout your degree, you’ll develop transferable skills like data analysis, project management, and creative communication, preparing you for a wide range of careers.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
- A/AS-levels: BBB. All subjects accepted. Two AS-levels considered in place of one A-level.
- EPQ with A-levels: BBC + EPQ at grade B.
- GCSE: English at Grade 4/C
- 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. Including grade 4 in English A or 5 in English B if not held at GCSE.
- BTEC Nationals: Pass Diploma with DDM.
- T-Levels: Merit or above, Humanities subjects preferred.
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 ListFees and funding
Fees and funding
UK Students
Starting in 2025
The tuition fees that will be payable by you to the University for the 2025/26 academic year will be £9,535
- £9,535 in your first year. Tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with inflation, subject to government regulations. The inflation rate used will be the Retail Price Index excluding mortgage payments (RPIX)
Find out more about scholarships and funding.
International Students
Starting in 2025
- £19,700 per year
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.
Careers and employability
Careers and employability
Employability is at the core of our Sociology degree, shaping your experience from the very beginning. In your first year, our Sociology in Practice module encourages you to apply your sociological knowledge in practical settings, while Live Sociology in your second year immerses you in community fieldwork and real-world projects, giving you valuable hands-on experience. Specialist modules such as Bringing Sociology to Work support you through every stage of the job search process, from developing professional skills to submitting applications.
Each year, research-focused modules help you build confidence in both qualitative and quantitative methods, ensuring you graduate with a skillset that is both contemporary and robust. In addition, you will receive career and performance coaching in the preparatory module from an accredited coach, which sets us apart in terms of career support. By the time you reach your final year, you will take full ownership of your research project in Doing Social Research, guiding it from initial design to final dissemination. You will also have opportunities to produce creative outputs, such as films or comics, to help your portfolio stand out to employers.
Throughout your degree, you will develop highly sought-after transferable skills, including data analysis, project management, leadership and creative communication. These skills will prepare you for a wide range of careers in sectors such as social research, policy, education, community development and beyond, empowering you to make a real difference in society.
Our graduates have secured roles* at leading organisations, including:
- Adecco
- Babcock
- HM Prison and Probation Service
- International Business School
- Ministry of Justice
- NHS
- University of Oxford
- Victim Support
*Graduate Outcomes Survey
At Leicester, our award-winning Careers and Employability Service works closely with the Sociology team and your personal tutor to help you identify your strengths and explore career pathways. Our specialist advisers are available in the School each week, to support you with CVs, interviews, placements, and volunteering opportunities, guiding you every step of the way. You can also tailor your final research project to your own work experience, making your degree more relevant to your goals. Plus, our lifetime support continues even after graduation to help you achieve your professional ambitions.
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
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:
- Goal 5: Gender equality
- Goal 10: Reduced inequalities
Course structure
Year 1
Year 1
In your first year you will gain a solid foundation in the principles of sociology through six core modules covering a mixture of theoretical ideas and substantive topics.
Modules
- Sociology in Practice
- Power, Privilege and Diversity
- Race, Ethnicity and Racisms in Britain
- Society in Transformation
- Interpreting Key Texts
- Ways of Researching
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
You will gain more freedom to shape your degree and follow your interests and career objectives in your second year, when you can choose three option modules to make your learning experience more individual.
Core modules
- Bringing Sociology to Work
- Doing Qualitative Research
- Using Numbers in Social Research
- Sociological Theory Explored
Option modules
Choose one option module from:
Then choose one option module 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 3
Year 3
In your final year you will carry out a supervised main piece of work, conducting research in an area of your choice.
Core modules
Option modules
Choose one option module from:
Then choose two option modules from:
- Football and Society
- Drugs and Society
- Sociology of Health and Illness
- International Migration
- Green Criminology
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?
You will learn directly from leading experts – our academic staff have written or edited dozens of books and regularly publish in major national and international journals. While others might only read their work, you will have the chance to engage with them in lectures and challenge their ideas in seminars.
You will also be inspired by our public lecture series. The annual Neustadt Series brings top voices in Sociology to campus, while the Scarman Series features high-profile guests from law, policing and politics. Past speakers such as Keir Starmer, Shami Chakrabarti and David Lammy offer direct access to today’s thought leaders.
Our teaching goes beyond traditional lectures. We emphasise active engagement and practical application, with hands-on activities such as media creation and real-world field trips. This approach ensures your learning is both relevant and memorable, equipping you with valuable skills for your future career.
A particular highlight of our course is the innovative Live Sociology module. Here, you will critically reflect on local communities and institutions, applying your sociological knowledge to real-life contexts. This experience not only deepens your understanding but also gives you the confidence and expertise to stand out in the graduate job market.
Teaching and learning
You will take three modules in each semester. The modules you take are taught using a combination of lectures, workshops, seminars and tutorials. Lectures provide you with the foundational knowledge needed to study the subject area, while the workshops give you the opportunity to discuss key ideas with your peers and your workshop leader. Seminars are an opportunity for smaller/deeper group discussions on topics and reading relating to the module. Tutorials in our first year offer support with skills development.
Leicester Sociology applies a creative practice based approach to teaching and learning. Focusing on experiential learning and the most up to date pedagogic insight and techniques, in all of our teaching sessions you will be active agents in your learning journey. You will take part in a range of activities and tasks that will help deepen your knowledge and confidence in how to apply sociology in creative ways, with convincing arguments and evidence. You will also have the opportunity to participate in fieldtrips.
In addition to this you will be given a personal tutor who can provide one-to-one support on a range of academic and personal issues, a weekly ‘drop-in’ help-desk to ask any questions supported by teaching staff, and all the teaching staff in the School have regular ‘office hours’ sessions where you are able to discuss any problems you may have.
Assessment of each module normally takes place at the end of each semester. Our assessment strategy allows you to develop a range of academic and transferable skills throughout your degree. You will be assessed in a wide range of ways, depending on the modules you choose. Our assessments include field work diaries, blogs, mindmaps, photovoice, short films, creative adverts, policy analysis, skills logs, portfolios, essays, reflective reports, presentations and exams. You will have the opportunity to produce creative and authentic, real-world forms of assessment.
During the remainder of your study time you are able to access our excellent learning resources provided by the Library and Sociology at Leicester. As well as traditional written material, a selection of multimedia resources will enrich your learning experience.
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 use our student study spaces in the School, access the Library and our social study spaces in halls of residence.
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 Sociology | Qualification BA | Duration 3 years full-time | UCAS Code L300 | Availability How to apply |
Data about this course
In lectures and seminars we are encouraged to share our views and opinions. Being able to shape our own learning is truly amazing.