Sociology

Sociology is the scientific study of human society, examining how social structures, institutions, and cultures shape the lives of individuals and groups. It asks why inequality persists, how identities are formed and maintained, what holds societies together and drives them apart, how institutions from schools and prisons to families and markets function, and how social change happens. The discipline draws on both quantitative and qualitative methods, developing graduates who can collect and analyse data, interpret social phenomena rigorously, and communicate their understanding clearly.

The University of Reading's three-year full-time sociology degree includes a sandwich year with professional work placement experience, giving you direct exposure to organisations and contexts where sociological knowledge is applied before your final year. The placement may be in research, public services, education, the third sector, health, or any of the many areas where sociological understanding is professionally relevant, and it develops both your practical skills and your ability to connect theoretical frameworks to real situations. You will study social theory, research methods, stratification and inequality, the sociology of race and ethnicity, gender and sexualities, education, health, crime, and social change, with flexibility to pursue the topics that engage you most.

Reading's programme encourages critical thinking about contemporary society and the evidence base for understanding it.

Sociology graduates go on to work in social research, the civil service, local government, public health, education, social work, journalism, the voluntary sector, housing, and a wide range of roles where understanding social processes and their effects on people is central. Many continue to postgraduate study in sociology, social policy, social work, or research methods, and some pursue doctoral research that contributes to the discipline's engagement with pressing social questions. The ability to think systematically about society while communicating with clarity is valued across virtually every sector concerned with people and their wellbeing.