Sociology BA Honours

Clearing - How to apply

What is Clearing?

Each year, universities may have spaces left on their courses after the application window has closed in June.

UCAS Clearing is your opportunity to snap up one of these places, even if you didn't apply to the university prior to the June deadline.

It also gives you a second chance to go to university if you didn't get the grades you needed for your firm and insurance offers.

How do I get in touch?

Our Clearing entry requirements may differ from those advertised; contacting our friendly advisers is the best way to find out if you’re eligible for a place.

You can get in touch through live chat or our hotlines. Call us on 0800 073 5050, or if you’re an international student calling from outside the UK, call: +44 191 222 5000.

Not available in Clearing

This course is not available in Clearing 2024.

This means there are no spaces available for Clearing 2024. If you can't find vacancies in your original course or subject area, try exploring other subjects in a related field.

Search our courses in Clearing

Course overview

This three-year degree equips you with the knowledge base and practical skills of a sociologist. You'll be trained to think about the world with a clarity that employers value.

You will explore cutting-edge sociological theories and research to understand social life, the way the social world works and how it can be changed for the better. You will gain a solid understanding of sociology and learn from leading research that addresses various contemporary societal challenges, such as refugees and displacement, multiculturalism and British identity.

A wide variety of optional modules will allow you to focus on topics that suit your interests and career plans, from childhood, race and ethnicity, class and sexuality, to critical perspectives on policing and security

Your learning will be informed by the latest research from our academic staff, helping you to gain a solid grounding in cutting-edge sociological theories.

Download information about this course as a PDF

Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions  
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Quality and ranking

Professional accreditation and recognition

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body.

Modules and learning

Modules

The information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Most degrees are divided into stages. Each stage lasts for one academic year, and you'll complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each stage. 

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Optional module availability
Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions

You will take a set of core modules in which you will be introduced to the fundamental principles and methods of Sociology. You will learn how to think about the world with a 'sociological imagination', explore key social issues, and apply your learning in the field to make sociological sense of everyday life.

The programme includes an introduction to Anthropology which continues in stages 2 and 3 through compulsory and optional modules. You will also choose an additional module within sociology or beyond.

Modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Comparing Cultures: An Introduction to Anthropology	20
The Sociological Imagination: An Introduction to the Discipline	20
Knowing in Sociology: An Introduction to Theory, Methods and Epistemology	20
Understanding Everyday Life	20
Investigating Inequalities and Crime	20

Optional Modules	Credits
Politics and Society	20

About half of your time will be spent studying core modules on social theory and receiving practical hands-on training in research methods.

You can then choose optional modules – on subjects such as health, childhood, anthropology, refugees and criminology – so that you can begin to shape your degree according to your interests.

Modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Understanding Social Change and Transformation	20
Researching Social Life	20
This is How We Do It: Sociology Research Design and Proposal	20

Optional Modules	Credits
Career Development for second year students	20
Comparing Cultures: Big debates	20
Sociology of Crime: Social Control in Neoliberal Societies	20
Sociology of Health and Illness	20
Refugees and Displacement: Borders, Camps, and Asylum	20
Identity and Difference in Multicultural Britain	20

You will specialise and shape your final year to your specific interests by only taking modules of your own choice.

You will also undertake original sociological research that you define, design and conduct in the form part of a dissertation.

Modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Dissertation in Sociology	40

Optional Modules	Credits
Advanced Career Development module	20
Regulating Sexuality	20
Critical Approaches to Policing and Security	20
States of Mind: Sociology and Mental Health	20
Exploring city life: an introduction to contemporary urban anthropology and sociology	20
Student Exchange	40
Investigating the Body	20
Class in Everyday Life	20
Racism and Society	20

Information about these graphs

We base these figures and graphs on the most up-to-date information available to us. They are based on the modules chosen by our students in 2023-24.

Teaching time is made up of:

• scheduled learning and teaching activities. These are timetabled activities with a member of staff present.
• structured guided learning. These are activities developed by staff to support engagement with module learning. Students or groups of students undertake these activities without direct staff participation or supervision

Teaching and assessment

Teaching methods

You will learn through lectures and seminars – and in some modules these are supplemented with short field trips. You will devote around 10 hours a week to large and small group study, and you'll supplement this with a maximum of 28 hours’ private study.

Assessment methods

You'll be assessed through a combination of:

• 

  Essays

• 

  Examinations – practical or online

• 

  Group work

• 

  Presentations

• 

  Projects

• 

  Reflective report/journal

Skills and experience

Practical skills

Studying sociology will equip you with skills such as critical thinking, and the ability to analyse complex data and conduct social research. You will also gain communication, organisation and problem-solving skills.

Throughout your degree, you will be encouraged to work independently and in groups to take on practical assignments, fieldwork challenges, hands-on workshops and problem-solving exercises. This will help you to develop skills that are highly sought after by many employers.

Business skills

In our Stage 2 career development module, you can take an assessed work placement with a local organisation such as FoodCycle or the Great North Children's Hospital.

You'll be specifically trained to think in a way that many types of employer are looking for. You will be able to:

• work as part of a team
• breakdown complex problems
• apply a variety of specialist research methods
• analyse data of any kind
• weigh up options
• make evidence-based decisions
• communicate well on paper and in person

Research skills

You will benefit from practical training in research methods such as ethnography, sampling, questionnaire design, statistical analysis, qualitative interviewing and focus groups.

In your final year, you will then conduct independent research into a topic of your choice and present your findings in a dissertation of 10,000 to 13,000 words.

Opportunities

Work placement

Get career ready with a work placement and leave as a confident professional in your field. You can apply to spend 9 to 12 months working in any organisation in the world, and receive University support from our dedicated team to secure your dream placement. Work placements take place between stages 2 and 3.

You'll gain first-hand experience of working in the sector, putting your learning into practice and developing your professional expertise.

If you choose to take a work placement, it will extend your degree by a year, and your degree title will show you have achieved the placement year. A work placement is not available if you're spending a year studying abroad. Placements are subject to availability.

Find out more about work placements

Study abroad

Experience life in another country by choosing to study abroad as part of your degree. You’ll be encouraged to embrace fun and challenging experiences, make connections with new communities and graduate as a globally aware professional, ready for your future.

You may choose to spend either one or two semesters on an international exchange at a partner institution. The exchange usually takes place at Stage 3 with either the first semester (September to January) or the full year being the period of the exchange.

Find out more about study abroad

Facilities and environment

Facilities

You will be based in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology.

This is housed in the newly refurbished Henry Daysh Building, right at the heart of our city-centre campus, where you will attend lectures, take part in seminars, and have access to one of the University's largest PC clusters. 

You will also be given free access to install and use SPSS – the professional-standard software for statistical analysis.

Support

You will join a friendly community where the academics will get to know you as an individual, and there are active student-run societies for Sociology.

You will also have a student mentor to show you the ropes, and a personal tutor to help with any academic and pastoral issues.

Your future

Read what our graduates have to say about studying Sociology at Newcastle University

As a Sociology graduate, you will be specifically trained to think critically and strategically, something that many employers desire. You will be able to break down complex problems, apply a variety of specialist research methods, analyse data of any kind, weigh up options, make evidence-based decisions and communicate well on paper and in person.

Our graduates can be found working across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors – especially in fields that involve a focus on people. These include the Civil Service, education, human resources, information technology, journalism, marketing, public relations and social work.

Others choose to progress to postgraduate master's-level courses in teaching, media studies, social research, international politics and law.

Make a difference

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Careers support

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Tuition fees and scholarships

Tuition fees for 2025 entry (per year)

The 2025 home fees have not yet been confirmed (see ‘Home Fee Students’ information below).

Qualification: BA Honours
Home students full time 3 years	Tuition fees (per year) Not set
International students full time 3 years	Tuition fees (per year) 23800

Home Fee Students

Home students starting in 2024 entry
£9,250 is the maximum fee that we are currently permitted to charge for home fee-paying students. This is set by the UK government.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Home students starting in 2025 entry

In November 2024 the government increased the maximum fee level to £9,535 for 2025/26. It is expected that Parliament will approve the Government’s proposed increase in January and we intend to confirm our Home fees at this higher level following this.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

 

Read more about fees and funding

International Fee Students

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Read more about fees and funding

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our undergraduate scholarship page for more information.

Year abroad and additional costs

For programmes where you can spend a year on a work placement or studying abroad, you will receive a significant fee reduction for that year. 

Some of our degrees involve additional costs which are not covered by your tuition fees.

Scholarships

Find out more about:

• scholarships for UK, EU and international students
• Student Loans and Government financial support for UK and EU students

How to apply

Apply through UCAS

To apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle University, you must use the online application system managed by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). All UK schools and colleges, and a small number of EU and international establishments, are registered with UCAS. You will need:

• the UCAS name and institution codes for Newcastle University (NEWC/N21)
• the UCAS code for the course you want to apply for
• the UCAS 'buzzword' for your school or college

If you are applying independently, or are applying from a school or college which is not registered to manage applications, you will still use the Apply system. You will not need a buzzword.

Apply through UCAS

Apply through an agent

International students often apply to us through an agent. Have a look at our recommended agents and get in touch with them.

Visit our International pages