Sociology

Sociology is the systematic study of how human societies are organised, how their institutions work, and how social structures, cultural practices, and power relations shape the lives of individuals and groups. It asks how inequality is produced and reproduced, why some social arrangements persist while others change, how identities are formed and contested, and how collective action transforms social conditions. Studying sociology develops a particular kind of critical intelligence, the ability to see the social forces at work behind what appears natural or inevitable, and to interrogate how different people experience the same social arrangements very differently depending on their position within them.

At the University of Bath, this three-year programme gives you an in-depth understanding of the structure of society. You will investigate the roles of dominant institutions, social structures, and cultural practices, as well as the sources of inequalities and conflict that run through contemporary societies. Bath's sociology programme is research-active and grounded in a strong empirical tradition, developing your skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods alongside the theoretical frameworks needed to make sense of what you find.

You will engage with real social questions, from the dynamics of work, family, and education to the politics of race, gender, and class.

Graduates from sociology degrees move into careers across the public, private, and third sectors. Common destinations include social research, policy, social work and community development, journalism, human resources, public health, education, criminal justice, and NGOs and international development organisations. The analytical and research skills sociology develops are highly transferable.

Postgraduate study in sociology, social policy, social work, or criminology is a natural route for those who wish to develop their expertise or pursue research careers.