University of Salford has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
The Foundation Year of this four-year programme provides a solid grounding in key social sciences subjects, preparing you for further study in the associated degree programme. You will focus on effective communication and study skills, alongside foundational subjects in social sciences and social care practice. This year introduces you to essential theories and concepts, offering a broad understanding of the disciplines to support your progression into more advanced study. On the full course, you’ll explore human connections and relationships, examining how social structures like class, race, and gender shape behaviour. You'll tackle pressing issues such as poverty, sexism, austerity, immigration, privacy, and social unrest, gaining a deep understanding of cultural and everyday life. In today’s rapidly changing world, societies are grappling with crises that demand careful analysis. From the cost of living crisis in the UK to global environmental challenges and international conflicts, many communities are facing significant shifts—sometimes becoming unaffordable or uninhabitable. At the same time, digital technologies are fostering unprecedented connections, and cultural changes are empowering individuals to express identities once suppressed or even criminalised. As a Sociology student, you’ll study these historical and contemporary changes, understanding their impact on society and how they can drive major social transformations.
Modules
- Year one: Contemporary Challenges in Crime and Society, Criminal Justice and Human Rights, Culture, Power and Deviance, Social Divisions and Inequality, Social Justice in Action, and Thinking Sociologically.
- Year two core modules: Research Problems and Methods: Making it Count, Research Problems and Methods: Qualitatively Better, and Understanding the Social World.
- Year two optional modules (choose three): Critical Perspectives on Policing, Critical Victimology, Environmental Justice, Globalisation, Society and Crime, Human Rights, Genocide and Resistance, Internet Risk and Security, Policing and Social Control, Violence in Society. You can replace an option with a University Wide Language module at level 5.
- Year three core module (choose one): Extended Essay, Dissertation, or Work: Practice and Reflection.
- Year three optional modules (choose four): Bodies: Biology to Blushing, Crime, Society and Racialisation, Critical Approaches to (Counter) Terrorism, Critical Perspectives on Policing, Critical Victimology, Digital Society, Environmental Justice, Gender, Crime and Criminal Justice, Human Rights, Genocide and Resistance, Identities and Interactions, Internet Risk and Security, Migration and Socio-Legal Dynamics, Prisons and Punishment: Responses to Crime, Probation and Rehabilitation, Violence in Society, and The Criminal Justice Process.
Assessment method
You will be assessed during the foundation year through a group presentation and individual reflective essay, a personal learning statement essay, a written exam, two essays, a 5-minute presentation, a portfolio project, and a reflective portfolio. To find out more about assessment for the remaining three years, please visit the BSc (Hons) Sociology programme page.
How to apply
29Jan
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:
- L305
- Institution code:
- S03
- Campus name:
- Peel Park Campus
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Foundation
International applicants
This course is not suitable for international students. If you are an international student and interested in a foundation year study pathway, the University of Salford website has details of the International Foundation Year.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 80 points
A level
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Access to HE Diploma
Scottish Higher
Please note the GCSE English and Math grade A-C Are required alongside any level 3 Qualifications. Functional Skills level 2 in numeracy and literacy are accepted as an alternative to the GCSE requirement
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
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
Please see our website for latest fee information.
Provider information
University of Salford
The Crescent
Salford
M5 4WT