Sociology

Sociology is the systematic study of social life, examining how groups, institutions, and structures shape human behaviour and experience. It addresses questions about why societies are organised the way they are, how social inequalities are produced and sustained, how cultural norms emerge and change, and what holds societies together or drives them apart. Drawing on theory, empirical research, and critical analysis, sociology provides the tools to understand everything from face-to-face interaction to the global economic forces that shape daily life.

At Cardiff University, this three-year, full-time degree develops your ability to analyse social life at every level, from the intimate and interpersonal to the institutional and global. You will study sociological theory across the discipline's major traditions, learn to design and conduct social research using both quantitative and qualitative methods, and apply your analytical skills to a range of substantive areas including crime, health, work, inequality, identity, and global social change. Cardiff is a research-active university with particular strengths in social science, and the programme benefits from that environment of scholarly inquiry.

The typical entry tariff of 136 points reflects strong academic expectations.

Sociology graduates are found across a remarkably broad range of careers. Many work in the public sector, in roles including social research, policy development, social work (with further professional training), housing, health services, education, and community development. The voluntary sector, journalism, human resources, advertising, management consultancy, and the criminal justice system are also common destinations.

The ability to understand social processes, interpret data, and write analytically is valued wherever complex human situations need to be understood and addressed. Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in sociology, social policy, criminology, or social work.