BA in Sociology

Looking for Sociology courses in Birmingham? Our BA (Hons) Sociology degree allows you to take a year-long placement in the industry, gaining invaluable experience before you graduate.

Our BA (Hons) Sociology degree is a radical and practical course; theoretically driven and empirically informed, as well as locally situated and globally focused. The discipline of Sociology helps us to make sense of the world and our place within it.

Studying Sociology at Birmingham City University is about not reading sociology but doing sociology, allowing you to explore and question social norms and discover the complex issues behind your everyday routines and social practices in a range of spatial contexts, applying what you learn to your own lived experiences.

What's covered in this course?

You will examine patterns and processes of inequality, the structure and dynamics of social hierarchies and power relations and ask why and how people shape their identities and the tensions and conflicts that these processes create.

Through the School of Social Sciences Birmingham 2029 project, you will have the chance to explore such themes of sociology within the city of Birmingham, an urban context that hosts diverse communities perfect for sociological examination.

The School of Social Sciences has links with local public and third-sector organisations that will help you make professional contacts and be able to apply your studies to future career prospects when taking part in voluntary work or on placement. Employability is at the heart of our BA (Hons) Sociology programme, with placement opportunities embedded throughout the course of the degree.

Coming to study Sociology at Birmingham City University affords you with a wealth of academic and employability opportunities, locally and globally aligned, to develop the skills needed to not only achieve successful graduate employment but also to contribute, as an agent of change, to thinking through and tackling some of the pressing social issues of contemporary society.

Professional placement year

This course offers a professional placement year. This allows you to spend a whole year with an employer, between the second and third years of your degree and is a great way to find out more about your chosen career. Some students even return to the same employers after completing their studies.

The University will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. If you do not find a suitable placement, you will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.

Please note that fees are payable during your placement year, equivalent to 20% of the total full-time course fee for that year (£1,850 for UK students).

Why choose us?

In all of our courses, you will gain a professional focus and real-world experience in sociology, ensuring you are equipped to make an immediate impact in your career. You have the opportunity to embark on a year-long professional placement as part of your degree course. During your second year, you also have the option to undertake a semester-long placement, allowing you to draw upon our many links with local voluntary, statutory and commercial organisations. The School has launched a new internship programme with Birmingham City Council, which provides you with the chance to undertake an internship with the Council's Community Resilience, Housing Management or Organisational Development departments, working with senior staff on critical projects. All our courses have an international focus. This is embedded throughout the curriculum, giving you the opportunity to transform your experience with us into a global one. There are a variety of exciting possibilities open to you, including our many overseas study exchange programmes. As a student on one of our undergraduate degrees, you will be able to benefit from our Graduate+ initiative. This three-year award course enables you to gain award levels for all the extra-curricular activities you undertake so that you can stand out from the crowd at graduation. The department is recognised for being at the forefront of sociological research, specialising in areas such as Black Studies, human rights and social identities. You will share a common first year with the BA (Hons) Sociology and Criminology degree, allowing you the opportunity to transfer onto this course in your second year if interested.

With around 29,000 students from 100 countries, (HESA Student Record 2020/21 © Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited) Birmingham City University is a large and diverse place to study. We put students at the heart of everything we do, giving them the best opportunities for future success.

The University for Birmingham

We put £270 million into the regional economy and support thousands of jobs in the area. We're investing £340 million in our estate, including a major expansion of our city-centre campus at Eastside, providing students with an enviable range of facilities.

Social responsibility

At Birmingham City University we are committed to transforming students’ lives and enhancing opportunity through education and advancement. We play a key role in supporting the economy and public sector in Birmingham and the West Midlands, as the University for the city of Birmingham.

Whether developing research to enable people to lead healthier lives, decrease bullying in schools or help talented children in South Africa reach their musical potential, Birmingham City University undertakes a wide variety of work to ensure that we operate as a socially responsible University.

On Monday 17 September 2018, we announced that staff had voted for Acorn’s Children’s Hospice and Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid to be the University’s Chosen Charities.