BA (Hons) Available in Clearing

Sociology

Discover how humans shape and are shaped by the world they live in, and prepare for careers in policymaking, community development or social change.

Start date: September 2025
Location: Cambridge
Duration: 3 years
UCAS course code: L300

Start date: September 2025
Location: Cambridge
Duration: 4 years with foundation
UCAS course code: L301

Start date: September 2025
Location: Cambridge
Duration: 4 years with placement
UCAS course code: L304

1st

in the East of England for undergraduates employed as managers, directors or senior officials.

Source: GOS 2025

Explore what shapes societies and individual lives, the relations that connect individuals, groups and institutions within societies and the ones that divide them. You’ll look at the work of classical sociologists, and discover how sociology is changing in response to contemporary global issues like race, media and the digital age.

You’ll also study social research methods and learn to apply them to your own work, researching, pitching and evaluating an idea that could make a positive contribution to society.

Form an applied and decolonial sociological understanding of how humans shape and are shaped by the world they live in.

Why ARU?

Join a course that scored 93% for ‘Freedom of students to express ideas, opinions and beliefs’ in the National Student Survey 2024
Specialise with optional modules including intoxicants and society, global feminisms, cybercrime, ‘woke’ wars, and digital methods
Conduct your own research, gaining practical experience and insight into different approaches
Learn from expert sociologists - our sociology research was awarded 'world-leading' impact in the Research Excellence Framework 2021
Take an optional placement year in a governmental organisation, NGO, charity or social enterprise – wherever suits your career aims

Study at an award-winning university

We were named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2023. We've also been awarded a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework – a reflection of the outstanding education we offer our students.

Careers

Studying sociology at ARU has allowed me to see the world in a different perspective, and given me the ability to critically analyse theories and concepts.

Amy Noakes, Graduate

Our Sociology degree will equip you with transferable skills in independent, creative, critical and analytical thinking, and research methods like interviewing, group discussions, and statistical analysis.

You’ll have the chance to conduct your own community or workplace research, gaining valuable practical experience and insight into different approaches to social issues.

Our optional modules will allow you to focus on your own career goals, with topics including cybercrime, ‘woke’ wars, the impact of alcohol on society, modern media, violence, and feminism.

What can you do with a Sociology degree?

Where have other Sociology students found work experience?

How can ARU help with my employability and career development?

Teaching and modules

In Year 1 you’ll learn about foundational and current knowledge and research in sociology, including what connects and divides individuals, groups and institutions, and how sociology helps us understand the past and predict the future.

In Year 2 you’ll explore theories from key sociological thinkers and what they tell us about modern societies, as well as looking at how migration and schooling systems affect society and individuals.

Finally, you’ll complete a major research project on a topic of your choice and learn methods to communicate your research, as well as examining science’s relationship to sociology, and the issues of racism and global feminism.

What will I study?

Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Year 1

A Sociological Conversation
Global Affairs
Media, Society and Crime
Digital Society
Into ARU

Year 2

Critical Social Thought: Knowledge, Power and Division
Mobilities and Migration
Researching Society and Culture
Ruskin Module (15 credits)
Digital Methods *
Cybercrime and Policing *
Violence and Confrontation *
Contemporary Issues in Work and Society *
Woke Wars *
Intoxicants and Intoxication *
Spirituality, Religion and the Secular *
Violence, Gender and Victimisation *
Bridging Cultures *
Anglia Language Programme (15 credits) *
Professional Placement *

Year 3

Social Change and Social Policy
Undergraduate Major Project
Research Communication
Global Feminisms
Gender and Sexuality in Britain: 1880-2000 *
From Workhouses to Universal Credit: The Past, Present and Future of the British Welfare State *
Youth, Crime and Aggression *
Key Paradigms 3: International and Global Perspectives in Education *
Criminology and Policing in Policy and Practice *
The Making of Modern Media *
Environment, Nature and Society *
Exploitation, Trafficking and Sexual Violence *
Anglia Language Programme (15 credits) *

Module details

To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.

Year 1

Foundation in Humanities, English, Media, Social Sciences and Education

Module details

You can choose to take an optional placement year as part of this course. Placements typically happen in Year 3, and your course will take four years overall. Find out more about placement years.

Placement year

Work Placement - Humanities and Social Sciences

Module details

What happens on a foundation year?

What happens on a placement year?

How is Sociology assessed?

Who teaches Sociology at ARU?

Read profiles of teaching and research staff on this course.

Dr Mirna Guha
Deputy Head of School
Rachel Ryder
Director of Studies
Dr Liz Bradbury
Senior Lecturer
Dr David Skinner
Associate Professor
Dr Claudia Schneider
Reader in Migration Studies

Student experience

Convinced by a college trip to ARU - BA (Hons) Sociology student Amy Noakes talks about what convinced her to study at ARU, and why she loves studying sociology with us.
Pints replaced by alcopops - Dr Rachel Ryder explains how, following the emergence of rave in the 1980s, traditional pubs had to adapt to attract young drinkers, creating a whole new drinking culture.

Facilities

Join our student community and benefit from award-winning learning facilities, including extensive library and IT resources. You can access support, should you need it, with study skills, careers advice, health and wellbeing, and more.

You’ll have the opportunity to go on field trips in the UK and overseas and study abroad for a semester with funding available to help cover the cost.

Take a guided tour and meet our students.

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Entry requirements

UK students

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email [email protected] for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.

Main

5 GCSEs at grade D, or grade 3, or above and evidence of two years post-GCSE study at Level 3.

If you have achieved at least grade E in one A level, or equivalent, you are exempt from the two years post-GCSE study requirement, but you still must meet the GCSE requirements.

Applicants who do not meet the two years post GCSE study at level 3 may be considered based on their satisfactory employment history, which must be a minimum of two years full time employment supported by employer evidence and deemed appropriate by the University for meeting the course of study applied for.

If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 5.5 (Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

International students

English language requirements

Contextual offers

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Fees and funding

UK students

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

If you start a course on or after 1 August 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £25,000. This is called repayment Plan 5. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £25,000. After 40 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped.

If you started a course on or before 31 July 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £27,295. This is called repayment Plan 2. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £27,295. After 30 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

International students

£16,700 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

£16,700 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

£16,700 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

Placement year fee

Living costs

Bursaries, sponsorship and working

Apply for Sociology

Clearing places available

UK students, apply through Clearing for a September 2025 start

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Apply by phone

UK students, call our Clearing line

01245 686868

UK students

Apply through UCAS for 2026

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International students

Apply direct

Apply online

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Sociology

BA (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

Careers

Teaching and modules

BA (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

Student experience

Facilities

Entry requirements

BA (Hons)

Important additional notes

With foundation year

With placement

Important additional notes

International students

English language requirements

Fees and funding

BA (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

BA (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

Apply for Sociology

Clearing places available

Apply by phone

01245 686868

UK students

International students

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