Politics and Sociology

Politics and sociology address two dimensions of the same fundamental question: how is collective human life organised and what determines who gets what, who decides and on what basis? Politics focuses on the institutions, processes and ideas through which power is exercised and contested, from democratic theory and electoral systems to international relations and political economy. Sociology brings a broader social scientific perspective, examining the structures of inequality, the formation of identities and the social forces that shape individual lives and collective experience.

Studying both at the University of Newcastle gives you a dual analytical lens that is more powerful than either discipline alone.

This three-year full-time programme includes a sandwich placement year, a year abroad and a work placement, meaning you will gain both professional experience and international exposure before graduating. You will study political theory, comparative politics, international relations and public policy alongside sociological theory, research methods, social stratification, race and ethnicity, gender and the sociology of work and organisations. You will develop quantitative and qualitative research skills, the ability to work with data of different kinds, and the argumentative and written communication skills that both disciplines demand.

Graduates from politics and sociology degrees are valued across a wide range of sectors. The civil service, think tanks, research organisations, journalism, the third sector, trade unions, political parties and international organisations all offer career pathways. The combination of political analysis and sociological research methods is particularly useful in policy research and social research roles.

Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in politics, sociology, social policy, international relations or social research, and the placement and international experience built into this degree give graduates a practical advantage in the graduate market.