Course summary
This degree programme introduces you to sociological ways of thinking about the world around you and will give you the resources to think critically and creatively about a wide range of contemporary social issues. Why study BA Sociology (with Integrated Foundation Year) at Goldsmiths
- Sociology at Goldsmiths is internationally renowned for its inventive and imaginative approach to studying Sociology
- If you do not have the required qualifications for degree-level study, our BA Sociology (with Integrated Foundation Year) offers an alternative entry route.
- The Foundation Year is closely aligned with our undergraduate programmes, teaching you a foundational knowledge of the subject and helping you develop the necessary academic skills. You will select the undergraduate degree you wish to study at the point of application but are able to change as you progress through the foundation pathway if your interests change
- Learn about different sociological theories including life course sociology, cultural sociology, and material culture. An understanding of these theories will leave you well-placed to continue on to our sociology degree programmes
- You’ll study contemporary local and global events to explore diverse issues, such as:
- Discover how history, gender, race, and class shape our lives
- We help you to discover the type of sociologist you want to be. You’ll ‘get messy’ with hands-on research methods modules after your Foundation Year. In your final year, you’ll design and carry out your own research project based on your own interests. Recent projects ranged from Social Influencers as Digital Capitalists, to Conventional Beauty Standards and Black Women’s Hair Practices.
- After successfully passing your Foundation Year, you'll tailor your journey from your Year 1 by choosing from a wide range of option modules. Our options are grouped together under three research-led pathways meaning you'll be working directly with experts on Culture, Identity & Inequalities; Law, Rights & Justice; and Health Environment & Global Change. You'll also have the opportunity to do a work placement and to take a module in another department
- Learn directly from experts in small cohorts, so you won't just be a face in the crowd
- Our staff are specialists and pioneers in their fields. They write the books that are on reading lists across the country, and you’ll be working with them directly
- Gain both subject-specific and transferable skills to prepare for undergraduate study and to enhance your career prospects
- Have the chance to continue your learning off-campus through possible visits to museums, archives or other cultural organisations to enrich your studies in the classroom
- Join our Sociology Society to be part of a forward-thinking community of students, and get involved in the academic life of the College by attending talks, events and film screenings
- Develop your academic skills by learning how to effectively communicate information, arguments, and analysis in written form. You will learn how to successfully deploy techniques such as source evaluation, critical judgment and referencing
Modules
Year 0 Foundation Year Alongside direct preparation for an undergraduate degree in Sociology, you will take two modules with our Centre for Academic Language and Literacies (CALL). These modules will help you develop the broader academic and research skills required for undergraduate study. Reading and Writing Your World Building Your Research World Culture and Society in Postwar Britain Our Lives through Objects Empires, Nations and Lines on the Map: Postcolonial Perspectives on Global History Year 1 You'll be assigned a personal tutor, who also acts as an academic tutor. Tutors oversee your academic work and progress over the year. You'll take the following compulsory modules. Methods of Worldmaking 1 Modern Knowledge, Modern Power Critical Readings: the Emergence of the Sociological Imagination 1A Culture and Society Optional modules You'll also take two of the following optional modules. Critical Readings: the Emergence of the Sociological Imagination 1B Culture and Society B Imaginative Criminology Year 2 You will take the following compulsory modules: Methods of Worldmaking 2 Philosophy and Methodology of the Social Sciences Governing Everyday Life The Goldsmiths Elective Optional modules You also choose 3 Sociology options. Those recently available have included: Law and Contemporary Society Religion, Crime, and Law Crimes Against Humanity The Making of the Modern World Explaining Crime Criminal Justice in Context Social Change and Political Action Leisure, Culture and Society London Sociology of Culture and Communication Central Issues in Sociological Analysis Culture, Representation and Difference Art and Society Migration in Context The Sociology of Intimacy and Personal Life Food and Taste Disability: Power, Embodiment and ‘Normality’ Knowledge and Subjectivity Rationality and Its Discontents: Culture, Politics and Philosophy Gender, ‘Race’ and Crime Explaining Crime Sociology of Infection Year 3 You will take the following compulsory modules: Dissertation Confronting climate crisis Optional modules You'll then take 5 optional modules, which can include a Sociology Work Placement (if not taken in year 2). Optional modules change on an annual basis, and recent options have included: Citizenship and Human Rights Race, Racism and Social Theory Globalisation, Crime and Justice Crimes of the Powerful Privacy, Surveillance and Security Identity and Contemporary Social Theory Analysing the Complexity of Contemporary Religious Life Visual Explorations of The Social World Childhood Matters: Society, Theory and Culture Thinking Animals Migration, Gender and Social Reproduction Global Development and Underdevelopment Practising Urban Ethnography Subjectivity, Health and Medicine Prisons, Punishment and Society Making Data Matter Philosophy, Politics and Alterity Sociologies of Emerging Worlds Work, Society and Culture Law, Identity and Ethics Social Theory Through Film On Time Thinking with Others, Philosophy and Cultural Difference Experiment Earth Sciences Politics Disasters Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.
Assessment method
You’ll be assessed by a variety of methods that broaden your academic skillset depending on your module choices . These include coursework assignments such as essays, presentations, critical commentaries, and personal reflections as well as seen examinations.
How to apply
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- L301
- Institution code:
- G56
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Foundation
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - EE
You are also required to have achieved a Level 2 qualification in GCSE English at Grade 4 or above. For candidates who have not studied any Level 3 qualifications in the last two years, there are no formal qualifications required for admission, but you will need to demonstrate that you can benefit from the programme by undertaking an additional admissions process. This may involve an interview or request for the submission of written information used to assess suitability to study.
English language requirements
If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.0 to study this programme.
Student Outcomes
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Provider information
Goldsmiths, University of London
New Cross
Lewisham
SE14 6NW