Sociology

Sociology is the scientific study of human societies and social life. It asks how societies are organised and how they change, how inequalities of class, gender, race, and ethnicity are produced and reproduced, how institutions such as the family, the school, the state, and the media shape human experience, and how individuals both conform to and resist the social structures that surround them. It is a discipline that requires both rigorous empirical inquiry and deep theoretical reflection, and it produces graduates who understand the social world with a sophistication that goes well beyond common sense.

At the University of Durham, sociology is taught within one of the most academically distinguished social science departments in the UK. You will engage with the classical traditions of sociological thought, from Marx and Weber to Durkheim and beyond, alongside contemporary theoretical debates in areas such as globalisation, digital society, identity, and social movements. Empirical research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, are central to the programme, and you will develop the ability to design, conduct, and critically evaluate social research.

Durham's collegiate environment and the quality of its teaching and research make for a particularly stimulating and well-supported intellectual experience.

This full-time programme includes a foundation year, a sandwich year with a work placement, and a year abroad, providing an exceptionally comprehensive range of experiences. The foundation year opens the programme to students who want additional academic preparation, while the placement and year abroad develop professional capability and international awareness. Graduates in sociology go on to a wide range of careers, including the civil service, social research, public policy, journalism, social work, education, NGOs, international organisations, and the voluntary sector.

The analytical and research skills, the social awareness, and the ethical sensibility that sociology develops are valued across many professional contexts. Further postgraduate study in sociology, social policy, or related disciplines is also a well-established route.